....If we do say so ourselves! Literally. For some of us the internal furnace has been lit and it kicks on at any given moment!

Stephanie Bastin-Wells joins me to talk about one of our favorite topics, menopause! Stephanie is a Human Resources leader who discovered while vacationing with girlfriends, just how little American women are talking about this life change and how challenging it is to find resources.

If you were born with a uterus, this WILL happen to you, and it happens right around the time you're at the peak of earning potential and in board rooms. Then come the symptoms that are so wide ranging and while different for everyone, profoundly impactful: brain fog, anxiety, hot flashes, fatigue - just to name a few. No, we haven't lost our mojo but we may be in this stage for 10 years before menopause actually happens. With the next half of our lives in front of us and 20+ years left in the workplace, how do we shift the conversation, adapt in the workplace and create protections for women in this stage of our lives and careers? As Stephanie says so well, "women who are no longer buying tampons are running countries, leading companies and writing award winning novels!"

Stephanie and I talk about just that. Even if you don't have a uterus, you know someone who does, and this conversation also should include YOU!

Lastly, if you're looking for free resources, check out www.heyperry.com

Leila Starwich, Director of People Operations at Sprague Pest Solutions, has a background in education with a high ratio of creativity that runs through her veins.

She's also a problem solver which has been an important trait when the candidate pool went shallow and the world as we know it changed. Leila shares commonsense and creative strategies for Human Resources but also challenges us to set aside "what we've always done".

If you haven't changed it up, you're behind the ball. Take a listen and share your creative ideas with your HR community!

Brandon Steele is with Mainsail Financial and puts a lot of effort into making financial education accessible and less intimidating. He visits The Checkup to talk with us about everything from tackling your budget, bringing education to employees, how to bridge employee benefits with retirement, his weekly financial updates and inflation. It's never too late to learn!

Ty has experienced addiction, homelessness and damaged relationships. He has also experienced recovery, healing and 2nd chances. He is a Career Coach and Professional Speaker leading the way at Recovery Career Services. He coaches those reentering the workforce, but he also coaches and teaches organizations who are considering second chance employment. As numbers increase of those seeking help for substance abuse, he also tackles the important topic of a recovery friendly workplace.

Julie Casper is part of Lockton's Health Risk Solutions team. They play an integral role in our work with clients to recommend and integrate changes that impact employee's whole-being. Julie shares what she believes will be the trends this year and what employers should be looking for and considering.

Rick Abbott, co-founder and CEO of Lyn Health returns to The Checkup to share initial outcomes of the mission-driven work he and his team are doing with polychronic patients. He also introduces Lindsay Harris, President & CEO of HMA. They have forged a partnership to help employers better steward their healthcare dollars and to achieve better outcomes for some of the patients that need it most.

Wade returns to The Checkup to talk about his hopes for 2022 and the challenges he sees. Did you know a study from the 90's predicted this labor shortage during this decade and without knowing we would face a pandemic or have a gig economy! Wade's hope for 2022 rests on our ability to looks with objectivity to the future and be willing to rethink the things we know.There's a reason the rear view mirror is small, but it's STILL there.

Everside Health holds true to a value of making healthcare affordable. Join Adam Johnson and Dr. Tobias Barker as we talk about how their model is designed to deliver better health outcomes. Often channels of healthcare delivery are improved by direct primary care or on-site clinics but that hasn’t quite been effective at making healthcare more affordable and accessible for those who already have roadblocks.

Everside’s mission is to change that. They work directly with employers to identify health risks and set health objectives connected to outcomes. They reach out to employees to initiate care and educate. Their model is built around accountability: to the employer and to the patient and they’re delivering better health outcomes at a consistently lower price. Learn how they’re doing it and how your company can partner with them!