In our Introductory Episode our guest Jon Thurmond turns the tables and interviews me to showcase what Tom’s Engaging HR is all about. We talk about what it takes to start a podcast, introduce the goals of the show, preview some of our upcoming guests and set the stage for Tom’s Engaging HR. We dig into some of the trends I’m seeing in HR Today as …

After 318 shows, it all ends here. We talk about why it was time to wrap the podcast, answer your questions, and thank a lot of people. Hope you'll listen to the whole episode as it has something for everyone (and not our standard bumper music). Pick up the amazing Halogi Hot Sauces at https://www.halogihotsauce.com/s/shop. This episode is sponsore…

We welcome back our #2 fan, Steve Browne! Steve was our first guest and being our last guest seemed appropriate. We discuss the successes and challenges he's faced in redesigning LaRosa's people operations, the status of his third book, and what he's learned from the podcast over the years. This was silly, a little emotional, and all around fun. St…

We welcome back our friend and favorite Canadian, Dr. Melanie Peacock! We talk about endings, how academia has changed during the pandemic, and our favorite in person #HRSocialHour memory. Melanie asked us not to edit out a piece of our conversation, be sure to listen to the end! Melanie's recommendation: https://twitter.com/HRODProfessor (Bob Fick…

Jon welcomes back Paul LaLonde and Chris Hadley to talk HR and pro wrestling! We catch up with Chris on his work and life changes over the last year, the greatness that is MJF, and why handling investigations the right way as an HR pro is critical. Check out the video we discuss about Chris' company here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/choicesincom…

It's the 5th annual Pop Culture Roundtable episode with Jon, Lorena Pabón, Michael Mullady, and Chris Orozco! We talk about changes in Lorena and Chris' lives since last year as well as some of our favorite TV shows, movies, music, and podcasts! Spoiler warnings for Star Wars, Batman, Harry Potter, and everything else discussed. Hope you discover s…

We're joined by Deborah Jeffries, Vice President of HR Answers, Inc. in Portland, OR! We talk about how she discovered HR in high school, being involved in HR organizations, and more than one issue HR pros will be facing in 2023. Deborah is now one of our "West Coast correspondents" as she shares what's going in the Pacific Northwest. Deborah's rec…

We're joined by Niki Ramirez, Founder and Principal Consultant of HR Answers in Phoenix, AZ! We talk about starting your own business, challenges HR pros will face in 2023, what Niki is hearing from in person event participants when she's speaking, and more! Niki's recommendation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkarthikramanan/ (Dr. Karthik Ramanan) …

Live (to tape) from Portugal, we talk to fellow HR podcasters Julie & Chad Sowash! We talk about how they both got started in the HR space, what Julie sees as the biggest DEBI challenges coming for HR, where Chad sees HR tech headed, and more. There's plenty of podcast talk and we were excited to have them on together. Julie's recommendation: linke…

We welcome back Jennifer McClure, CEO of Unbridled Talent & DisruptHR in Cincinnati, OH! We talk about the challenges she faced in the pandemic, what she thinks people leaders will be dealing with in 2023, the return of Disrupt events, and the relaunch of the Impact Makers Podcast! This is a super sized episode with one of our favorite humans with …

We're joined by our #1 (undisputed) fan, Mary Williams! We talk about her newest role as Head Of People with Pinnacle Advertising, the people issues we should expect in 2023, and Mary asks us a question. Mary's recommendation: https://twitter.com/AskHRAnswers (Niki Ramirez) How to reach Mary: https://twitter.com/conmkw https://www.linkedin.com/in/m…

In this special episode, we're joined by Shane Kovalsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Mystery in Seattle, WA. We talk about coming from a family of entrepreneurs, how Mystery is working with employers to make their teams engaged, and how Mystery continues to evolve. Have you had T-Pain take part in your events? A fun conversation all around. Shane's recom…

We're joined by Khalilah Olokunola, better known as KO, Impact Architect and Chief People Strategist in Wilmington, NC. We talk about the recent shut down of her organization and her efforts to help employees in transition, what HR pros can do to help second chance candidates, and what KO is doing for herself in this time of change. We also make an…

We welcome back Trish McFarlane, Founder of H3 HR Advisors in St. Louis, MO. We discuss what Trish learned at the latest HRTech Conference, why to prioritize and delegate as a leader, and seeing Coldplay perform at Kensington Palace in the rain. As an OG HR podcaster, Trish also tells us how HR Happy Hour shifted during COVID. All this, and BeReal?…

We welcome back Tom Horne, Enterprise Account Executive with People Element in Denver, CO. Tom tells us what he believes HR pros will be challenged by in 2023 and what he's learned launching the "All About HR Podcast." Magic Shell, Phish...this conversation has it all! Tom's recommendation: https://twitter.com/Humanheadhunter (Joel Lalgee) How to r…

We're joined by Wendy Berry, Head of HR for Rainbow Health in Minneapolis, MN. We talk about being asked her sign in an interview, HR challenges in the nonprofit space, and how employers can improve the experience of LGBTQ+ employees. Astrology, neurosurgery coloring books, this show has it all! Wendy's recommendation: Felicia Ring - Finance Direct…

We're joined by Bob Ficken, HR leader with Kodiak Aviation in Sandpoint, ID. We talk about starting his career in law enforcement, HR challenges in aviation, and why Bob is passionate about teaching. He also gives Jon the business for being noncommittal. It's a fun conversation you're sure to enjoy! Bob's recommendation: https://twitter.com/sbrowne…

We welcome back Heidi Pancake, Senior People Partner with Universal Music Group in Los Angeles, CA! We talk about HR challenges in the music industry, what Heidi learned in the pandemic, and more. Heidi's recommendation: https://twitter.com/ayyjayHR (Aaron Backman) How to reach Heidi: https://twitter.com/PancakeHR https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-…

We welcome back Christie Engler, Director of People Operations and Culture for Willory in Columbus, OH! We talk about her journey to landing with Willory, what she's learned from speaking, blog writing, and Madonna. Christie's recommendation: https://twitter.com/mandyjohnsonoz How to reach Christie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christie-engler/ http…

In this episode, we catch up with each other as the summer has been filled with surprises both good and bad. We talk about why we took a break and what's been going on behind the scenes. There's more "Ms. Marvel" and "Beavis & Butthead" talk than you'd ever imagine in an HR show and we answer some previous guest questions along the way. Silly, seri…

We're joined by Bonnie Natko, Brand Recruiting Team Lead with Capital One in New Windsor, NY. We talk about the challenges in hiring creative talent, what Bonnie thinks is on the horizon in Talent Acquisition, and we reminisce about the "good old days" of Twitter chats where we first met Bonnie. Remember #OMCChat? We do! Bonnie's recommendation: ht…

We welcome back Jess Miller-Merrell, Founder of Workology in Austin, TX. We talk about her upcoming book on digital recruiting, what she's learned helping fellow HR pro prep for certification testing, and embracing social video. There's also talk about washing top sheets and what happened when Kerri Russell cut her hair on "Felicity." It's always a…

We're joined by Aura María Huot, Director of People & Culture for Lavallee Brensinger Architects in the greater Boston, MA area. We talk about HR industry challenges, Hacking HR and launching "People & Leadership," and more! Aura's recommendations: https://twitter.com/uncommonjulie (Julie Quinne) #HRCommunity How to reach Aura: https://twitter.com/…

We're joined by Matt Stollak, Associate Professor of Business Administration at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. We talk about growing up with parents in academia, how HR and not necessarily students have changed over the years, and what professors learned about education during the pandemic. Matt also shares one of the best childhood career sto…

In this episode, we talk to Jenny Cotie Kangas, Vice President of Marketing for Plum in Minneapolis, MN. We talk about Jenny's start in Talent Acquisition, the head injury that reset her life and career, universal design, and more. It's a fantastic conversation with added commentary from Jenny's dog Charlie. Jenny's recommendation: https://www.link…

We're joined by Dr. Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) in Alexandria, VA. We talk about how she got started in HR, the value of professional certification, challenges the HR community is seeing on the global level, and the launch of the Human Resources Standards Institute. Amy has done a lot for the HR profession…

We're joined by Rachel Taculad, Talent Acquisition pro working in Employer Branding and Recruitment Marketing in Las Vegas, NV. We discuss her start building Facebook groups, challenges organizations are having in branding, and how Rachel "met" Wendy at UNLEASH America and didn't know it. Rachel's recommendation: https://twitter.com/KatrinaKibben H…

We celebrate 225 weekly episodes by answering YOUR questions! Middle management, where HR's headed, dream podcast guests, diamonds, ice cream, and exploding luggage are among the topics of conversation. Jon also gives a brief state of the podcast. Don't worry, we're not going anywhere but we could sure use your help in spreading the word and follow…

Nicky Hoyland invited Wendy to attend the Unleash America conference in Las Vegas so they decided to take some time to review the conference for you! The speakers at the conference really focused on how to put the employee first in a wide variety of experiences. This was Wendy's first in-person conference since October 2019 and Nicky's second. We t…

We're joined by Ben Travis, Founder of HR Chief in Richmond, VA. We talk about his path to HR tech, going on a travel sabbatical during a global pandemic, launching HR Chief, and why Ben thinks organizations need to take "big swings." It was a pleasure to finally have Ben on the show, Jon thought he'd appeared before (that's how involved he's been …

We're joined by Tiffany Castagno, CEO & Founder of CEPHR, LLC in Pittsburgh, PA. We talk about starting a business during the pandemic, helping employers develop their brand, and what Tiffany sees as challenges HR pros will be facing in the coming year. Burnout and how to address it is also discussed. Tiffany's recommendation: https://twitter.com/B…

Jon is joined by Paul LaLonde to catch up on how he moved to his current role of VP of People & Culture, what he learned about leading during the pandemic, and why words matter. We then talk about one of our favorite subjects, professional wrestling! Why do we like it? What are some terms used in the industry? How does it apply to HR? We discuss th…

We welcome back Jenni Stone, THE HR rockstar from Travelers Rest, SC. We talk about making job changes when it's not working out as expected, avoiding burnout, and knowing your value. Jenni's been open about her story in the last many months and we appreciate her joining us to share it here. Jenni's recommendations: https://twitter.com/thefitprof (…

We're joined by Kristin Haakinson, Talent Acquisition and DEIB pro in Sioux Falls, SD. We talk about Kristin's path to HR through selling bridal gowns, the importance of belonging and having conversations, and being intentional in what we do. It's our second episode to feature one of Wendy's former co-workers and we're sure you'll enjoy getting to …

We're joined by Jesse Campbell, Sourcing Recruiter with Randstad Sourceright in Kuna, Idaho. We talk about getting into recruiting by helping his father, how he's helping veterans transition from military service and where employers can support in that process, and Jesse's beverage of choice is a new one for the HRSocialHour. Jesse's recommendation…

Live (to tape) from Ontario, Canada, we're joined by Terry Milford, Director of People Development for Schlegel Villages, a retirement community. We talk about practicing HR in various industries, the challenges of growing business while growing talent, getting involved in the #HRSocialHour chat, and Terry shares how she was into Outlander before m…

In this special episode, we're joined by Larry Dunivan, the CEO of Namely! We talk about his career in HR technology, what being a CEO really entails, challenges HR pros are currently facing, and Larry shares advice for leaders on leading through these unprecedented times. Larry's recommendation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audra-dunivan/ How to re…

Having last appeared on episode 3, it's the return or Anne Tomkinson! We talk about her health journey during the pandemic, diversity, what she learned from working on the #HRWonderWomen series, and pretending to be bacon. The conversation goes places we never expected and it was true joy to welcome Anne back to the show. Anne's recommendation: htt…

We welcome back Georgette Cartagena, HR pro and owner of InternGal in Boca Raton, FL! We talk about changes in intern programs over the pandemic, her own job search and change, and this may be the first episode where a guest gets a new nickname they came up with on their own. Georgette's recommendation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roselinejoseph/ (…

We're joined by Katee Van Horn, Diversity & Inclusion strategist in Phoenix, AZ. We talk about her passion for D&I, if the conversation is changing as we move out of the pandemic, and co-hosting "Inclusive AF" with recent guest Jackye Clayton. There's more Harlequin romance novel talk here than any other HR podcast, guaranteed. We're doing some spr…

We're joined by Alex Youdim, Head of Global Partner Success with Mogul in Brentwood, CA. We talk about getting into the HR services space, what Mogul is doing to help clients with diversity recruiting, how to partner with your providers, and Alex talks about his amazing health and wellness journey that started during the pandemic. He shares insight…

It's our latest installment of Ask Us Anything! We talk about the long term effects of COVID on HR, being a COO, comedy, music, ice cream, and much, much more. It's ridiculous, sublime, and ridiculously sublime and we appreciate all of you that submitted questions. This episode is sponsored by Namely. Visit namely.com to learn more. Join us on the …

We're excited to welcome back Joey Price, owner of Jumpstart HR in Baltimore, MD. We talk about HR issues small businesses are facing, starting a new podcast, and more. Joey's recommendation: https://twitter.com/MBushGPTW (Michael Bush) How to reach Joey: https://www.flowcode.com/page/joeyvpricehr https://jumpstart-hr.com/ This episode is sponsored…

We're joined by Jackye Clayton, Vice President of Talent Acquisition & DEI for Textio in Waco, TX. We talk about her start in the staffing industry, transparency in salaries, the benefits of running TA and DEI, and how she started the "Inclusive AF Podcast." There are a lot of laughs in this episode and you're sure to enjoy it. Jackye's recommendat…

Live (to tape) from 3 continents and 4 time zones, we're joined by Nicky Hoyland, Francisco Reyes Pereria, Jeff Shapiro, and Tracie Sponenberg, collectively known as HR On The House! We talk about how they discovered Clubhouse and came together to host conversations, great moments they've had there, and why building community is so important to the…

We welcome Anthony Paradiso back to the show! We talk about the challenges organizations have faced with DEI initiatives in the last several years, being willing to listen, running for town council, and "The Golden Girls." Jon also gives Wendy the first pop quiz in the show's history. How to reach Anthony: https://www.allthingzap.com/ This episode …

We're joined by Kim "KB" Bozeman, Founder & Principal of KNB Sensible Solutions in Lodi, CA. We talk about her start in HR, challenges unique to California HR pros, where employers struggle with diversity initiatives, and more. Kim's recommendations: https://twitter.com/MillyChristmann https://twitter.com/traciespon (Tracie Sponenberg) How to reach…

We welcome back our pal Sarah Noll Wilson! We talk about her new book, "Don't Feed the Elephants," the writing process, leading through a pandemic, starting a podcast, and much more. Jon is Sarah's number 1 fanboy (non-related) and if you don't know Sarah already you'll understand by the end of the show. Sarah's recommendation: https://twitter.com/…

We're joined by Bonnie Endicott, VP of Human Resources with Zachry Group in San Antonio, TX. We talk about her move into the construction industry, her passion for talent development, and all about the 1900s. Bonnie's recommendation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rancegreene/ How to reach Bonnie: https://twitter.com/bonnieendicott https://www.linkedi…

Live (to tape) from Prestwick, Scotland, we're joined by Scott Leiper, Creator of the Learning Lab and Cognitize by Imaginocity. We talk about Scott's start in training and HR, developing a learning card game, where organizations are missing the mark on training, and easily the most conversation you'll ever hear about Yogi Bear on a podcast that is…