It seems like the world has a love/hate relationship with Amazon. We LOVE Amazon Prime and get all of our stupid stuff next-day, but we tend to want to grind them on their employee experience and hiring practice. It’s quickly becoming holiday season and Amazon probably needs to hire three hundred million people, so they have a new commercial out …
Your 5-Point “My Careers Site is Ok” Audit
“Did you see our careers site?” I mumble, “yes,” knowing what they are going to say next. I get the question every time. “Well, what do you think of it?” I use the same answer every time, too: “Do you want the explicit truth or the polished answer?” I usually laugh when I say this to break the awkward silence …
Leaders: If You Are Not A Great Listener, You Are A Great Pretender
Being an active listener is hard. I work as an HR consultant/trainer for some incredible firms (including KinetixHR, Recruiting Toolbox, and naturally, Dawn Burke HR). Whether conducting training for corporate leaders, HR pros, recruiters, hiring managers, or coaches, there is one significant obstacle all face and struggle to conquer – active listening. My eight year-old-niece would say, “a-doy.” My husband …
Welcome to the Sh*t Show!
Have you ever noticed that as soon as you believe your organizational dysfunction has reached a peak, you always can find another organization that takes it one step further? We love to think that our “Sh*t Show” is the worst, but we always know it’s not. Recently, I was speaking with some colleagues about some stuff going on and I …
The 2019 Word of the Year!
We are over halfway through 2019 so I think it’s time we can start calling out the theme or word/phrase of the year. It’s funny how each year there actual words/themes that raise to the surface. Here are some of the previous year’s words/themes: 2010: app (an abbreviated form of application, a software program for a computer or phone operating system) 2011: occupy (verb …
How to Say Goodbye (Employee Engagement Never Ends)
How does your company say goodbye? Is it a formalized program? Left to the manager’s discretion? Do you pass the buck to HR and think all is done with an exit interview? I don’t think visiting HR and having a post employment interview is a good-bye. Not for the employee, to them, it’s process. Many times they’re not tight with HR, haven’t …
Why I Am No Longer Saying “Culture”
About 15 years ago, I was sitting at an office dinner party, and the company president was giving an emotional speech about the importance of company culture. The speech was inspiring, revolutionary, and confusing. Confusing because I was unsure what he meant by culture. Did he mean the behaviors he would like to see in the organization? The camaraderie and …
Your Organization’s Commitment To LGBT Pride Month Beyond Just The Rainbow
Growing up, my parents shared many stories of the struggle, perseverance, and the marginalization of black people. My father frequently closed with, “There’s no shame in being black, it just ain’t easy at times.” He wasn’t kidding! I grew up in a society located smack dab in the middle of the land of the free, and home of the brave …
How to be a Better LGBTQ+ Ally to Coworkers and Candidates
Being an ally is more than just partying at pride parades and wearing rainbow outfits. Sure, those are a great way to show your support–and have a good time–but being an ally means making your LGBTQ+ counterparts feel welcome no matter where they are. And the workplace is a great place to start. Creating an inclusive space at work is …
The Plane Isn’t Free Falling, But You Still Need to Put Your Oxygen Mask on First.
The person who gave me my start in HR also gifted me with a book, “Managing Transitions” by William Bridges. At the time I was going through a professional change and my organization was in flux–the book was much appreciated. Fast forward almost 28 years (yes, I started my career at 12) and I still revisit that book whenever I …