The HR Sound Off Podcast Show

Let's Sound Off With Felicia Shakiba - Structuring Success: The Art of Organizational Design

In this episode, I sit down with Felicia Shakiba, the founder and host of CPO Playbook. Felicia shares her HR origin story, and then we get into organizational design in HR. Felicia emphasizes the importance of effective people management in supporting business growth and suggests that HR teams should adopt a Center of Excellence (COE) model and implement agile practices.
Felicia also shares her decision to leave corporate and start her venture, highlighting the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship in the HR space. 
We also touch on the value of external perspectives in HR and the need for more women and HR leaders on boards. We debunk the misconception that HR is unnecessary in the boardroom, emphasizing our strategic importance.
Felicia's resources:
Balancing Acts: Unleashing the Power of Creativity in Your Life & Work by Daniel Lamarre

Let's Sound Off With Cavelle Joseph - St. Omer: Building Your HR Legacy

My guest this week is the brilliantly talented Cavelle Joseph-St. Omer. Cavelle is the Divisional Manager of Human Resources at UDeCOTT in Trinidad and Tobago. She is devoted to creating great workplace experiences and is focused on her HR career's legacy story. As such, she serves as the President of the Human Resources Management Association of Trinidad & Tobago (a.k.a. HRMATT) and the Caribbean Institute of Human Resource Management. She sits on many other boards dedicated to improving productivity and engagement in the workplace. 
In this episode, Cavelle tells us how she does everything and what is coming next for her. She is just getting started, and I am excited to see what she is planning. Cavelle shares her HR origin story and the HR misconception that bothers her.
 
Cavelle's top read: Atomic Habits by James Clear
This episode is sponsored by HRatHeart Consulting Inc. - The HR Safe Space.

Let's Sound Off With Nicholas Roberts: Being Authentic in HR

This week, I am magnifying the voice of Nicholas Roberts. Nicholas is the Regional Manager, Human Resources (Barbados & The Eastern Caribbean) at Coralisle Group Ltd. and the President of the Human Resource Management Association of Barbados (HRMAB).
In this episode, Nicholas shares his HR origin story. I was today years old when I learned that Nicholas has a culinary background.
Nicholas also shares some of the amazing things happening at HRMAB, including their upcoming conference in October and why he believes HR professionals need to utilize LinkedIn more.
My favourite quote from this episode is, "You cannot eat HR."

Let's Sound Off with Anessa Fike: The ABC's of Fractional HR

What is Fractional HR? Is it the same thing as consulting, or is it something more? The brilliantly talented Anessa Fike is here to answer these questions this week. Anessa has been working in fractional HR roles for over a decade, and in this episode, she shares her HR origin story and her Fractional HR journey.
Anessa started her career in journalism and shares some of the similarities between journalism and HR.
Anessa is also the Author of the book: The Revolution of Work: F*ck the Patriarchy and the Workplace It Built, and she shares the why behind writing this book.
We also talk about the importance of being business savvy in HR and much more.
Enjoy the conversation.

Let's Sound Off with Cassidy Edwards: The Power of Radical Rest and Creativity in HR

On this week's episode of HR Sound Off, I interview the amazing Cassidy Edwards, the Director of People Operations at Tradeblock.
Cassidy shares her HR origin story and offers valuable insights into her journey and experiences in the field.
In our conversation, Cassidy discusses the importance of radical rest and shares tips on how to deal with a toxic boss. She emphasizes the need for HR professionals to prioritize self-care and not carry trauma from one organization into another.
We talk a bit about sneaker culture and some of our favorite kicks. Check out our fangirl moment on two of our favorite people, Hebba Youssef and Anessa Fike.
My favorite quote from Cassidy is, "HR professionals are not passive participants in business strategy; we are active engineers of it."
 
Cassidy's Picks
HR Community - The Safe Space by Hebba Youssef - https://workweek.com/i-hate-it-here/community/safe-space/
Books
Born to Create by Anne Jacoby
The Revolution of Work: F the Patriarchy and the Workplace It Built by Anessa Fike
Podcast
I Hate It Here by Hebba Youssef
Total Meditation by Lil Jon
 
The HR Sound Off Podcast Show is Powered by HR@Heart Consulting Inc. - The HR Safe Space

Let's Sound Off with Candice Walker - Navigating an HR/Legal Career

I had the pleasure of meeting Candice Walker while she was interviewed on the Redirection Podcast by Dr. Terri-Karelle Reid. Her story and insights were so compelling that I knew immediately she had to be a guest on my show. Candice is an HR professional and an Attorney at Law, bringing a unique perspective to her work at Toyota Jamaica.
In this episode, Candice shares her inspiring journey in HR and highlights the impactful initiatives she's spearheading at Toyota Jamaica. We also delve into her self-care practices, the books currently influencing her, and what keeps her passionate about the field of HR.
This episode is a bit longer because Candice and I took a moment to celebrate our mutual admiration for our dear friend, Dr. Terri-Karelle Reid, and the incredible work she continues to do.
Candice is reading:
My Brand Compass by Dr. Terri-Karelle Reid
A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: The Life of William Dampier: Explorer, Naturalist, and Buccaneer by Diana and Michael Preston
This episode is powered by HRatHeart Consulting Inc. -The HR Safe Space.

Let's Sound Off With Sriram - The HR Happiness Factor: Building a Joyful Workplace

Do you believe that happiness at work truly matters? Many organizations are now recognizing the importance of well-being and engagement, but what about ensuring that your employees are genuinely happy? If you're an HR professional, I want you to treat this episode as your annual retreat, a moment to pause and reflect on the essence of creating a happy workplace.
Joining me this week is Sriram, an HR Professional and workplace happiness expert who focuses on making workplaces happier and more human-centric. 
In this episode, Sriram emphasizes the need for organizations to shift their focus to the feelings of employees by adopting Human First metrics and strategies. This involves demonstrating core human virtues such as gratitude, appreciation, and compassion. Sriram offers a Human Centricity Audit to help identify areas for investment and implement behaviour change within organizations.
We also delve into why happiness at work matters and how it impacts output, productivity, and profitability. Sriram makes a compelling case for organizations to prioritize emotions and feelings in the workplace as a strategic imperative. 
 
Sriram's resources:
Happiness Habits
Solve for Happy by Mo Gawdat
 
 
 

Let's Sound Off with Samara Jaffe : The Transform Conference - Where Visionaries Convene

In this episode of HR Sound Off Live, I am amplifying the voice of the brilliant Samara Jaffe, the Co-Founder and GM of Transform, one of the most well-attended conferences in the world.Transform is the people-driven thought leadership ecosystem driving the conversations and innovations shaping the new world of work.Samara shares some details about the conference and the story of how it was created. I am honored to be one of the speakers at this conference and look forward to this deep-dive conversation with Samara.Transform is happening from March 11 - 13 in Las Vegas. 

Let's Sound Off With Anthony Howard - How to Get HR Certified With a Twist

This week, I'm amplifying the voice of the remarkable Anthony Howard. Anthony serves as the Founder & CEO of HR Certified and has over two decades of HR expertise across diverse industries. What began as a side venture evolved into his primary focus following profound introspection prompted by a traumatic event that led to a period of depression. Emerging from this ordeal, Anthony birthed HR Certified, dedicating himself to supporting underrepresented HR professionals through SHRM certification while also offering coaching and fostering community.
In this episode, we delve into HR Certified and Anthony's experiences as the sole black male in HR within an organization. Reflecting on his extensive career in HR, spanning over two decades, Anthony reveals encountering only one instance where a black manager supervised him. Additionally, Anthony discusses his enthusiasm for the current state of HR and much more. It was an enriching conversation.
One of my favourite quotes from Anthony is, "Everyone needs to get uncomfortable to grow."
Anthony recommends the following resources:
"I'm Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace" by Elizabeth Leiba
"Great Place to Work For All: Better for Business, Better for People, Better for the World" by Michael Bush
Explore HR Certified at www.gethrcertified.com.
Fun fact: In 2023, HR Certified earned recognition as a 🌟 Toplist Company 🌟 in the 2023 U.S. BASA Awards!
This episode was sponsored by HRatHeart Consulting Inc. - The HR Safe Space.

Let's Sound Off With Ivori Johnson - Pivoting From Medicine to HR & DEI

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Ivori Johnson, the Head of People & Inclusion at ChartHop. Join us as we delve into Ivori's unique journey from studying medicine to becoming a trailblazer in Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Discover how Ivori's life took an unexpected turn when someone entered her world and redirected her path from medicine to HR and DEI. Despite facing discrimination in her pursuit of HR roles due to presenting herself as masculine and Queer, Ivori defied the odds and ascended to senior positions in DEI at tech giants Google and Twitter.
In this candid conversation, we explore the challenges Ivori encountered, the resilience that propelled her forward, and the significant milestones in her career. Uncover the parallels between Ivori's journey and unexpected connections with pop culture as we delve into what she and John Wick surprisingly have in common.
Join us as we tackle the important topic of breaking down barriers in the workplace, fostering inclusivity, and creating a positive impact in the world of HR and DEI. Ivori Johnson's story is not just one of career transition but also a testament to the power of authenticity, resilience, and the pursuit of meaningful change.
Ivori's Resources:
I Hate It Here Newsletter by Hebba Youseff
Race Ahead Newsletter
This podcast is powered by HRatHeart Consulting Inc. - The HR Safe Space