If you dread hearing the words “we need to hire for an open position”, you’re not alone! Creating a hiring process that’s a positive experience for everyone involved can be tough! That’s why I was intrigued when I heard Sophia O’Rourke talking about how she turned her company’s convoluted hiring process into one that she deemed “Plug and Play”.

Sophia loves to build people initiatives and processes that allow her to create something from the ground up. And that’s exactly what she has done in her current role as Director of People & Culture at Newstory. Sophia set out to build a hiring process that was a positive experience for everyone involved - her People Ops team, hiring managers, and the candidates themselves - and joined us to share her journey.

Learn from her experience in this episode and then check out the incredible templates she has shared with us!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Where to begin when overhauling your hiring process.
• How to sort issues into four categories: Automate, Templatize, Delegate, Eliminate.
• Where in your hiring process you can create templates to do 90% of repetitive tasks.

MENTIONED RESOURCES/LINKS

• We gathered Sophia’s templates into a single document to share with the Want To Work There community, including one for a hiring process framework, creating job descriptions, candidate communications, and more!

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA O’ROURKE

• Connect with her on LinkedIn
• Her employer, New Story Homes, is hiring!

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts.

Oh, hey there! No - you’re not imagining it. I did disappear from your stream for quite a stretch without any notice or explanation. More on that to come soon, I promise. For now, I’m thrilled to be dropping a new episode filled with ahas from the brilliant Lia Seth. Enjoy and I’ll see you back here with another new episode in two short weeks! - Your host, Jill Felska

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Would you be nervous if an employee came to you with a disability accommodation request? Many People Ops professionals and managers would say yes - and it makes sense!

Discussions about workplace inclusion are widespread when related to groups like people of color and women, but not as common around how to be inclusive or provide accommodations to those with disabilities. It’s also unfamiliar legal territory for most, which makes a lot of folks nervous.

The good news is that you don’t need to be a compliance expert in order to support someone with a disability. You (mostly) just need empathy. This is just one of many takeaways from this episode’s conversation with Lia Seth, HR Operations leader and self-proclaimed accessibility queen.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What accommodations are and aren’t
• What someone with a disability might think through before requesting an accommodation
• How managers should and should not respond to a disability request
• Best practices for managers and People Ops professionals to prepare for these conversations
• What a disability accommodation actually looks like

MENTIONED RESOURCES/LINKS

• Check out the Want To Work There guide to creating your own personal “read me” document.
• Lia recommends learning from these leaders in the accessibility space by following them on LinkedIn: Tim Reitsma, Julie Harris, Greer Procich, and Marion Anderson.

CONNECT WITH LIA SETH

• Visit Lia’s website
• Connect with her on LinkedIn
• Follow her on X (Twitter)

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts.

This one is vulnerable for me, friends. In conversation with my best friend Lois Weinblatt, I speak to my ongoing struggle with burnout and what I plan to do about it moving forward. Namely, I’ll FINALLY be committing to writing my own personal 3-year vision as part of a Lois’ January February cohort. If you’d like to join me, you can find more information at wanttoworkthere.com/cohort.

Note: The January cohort filled up before I could even get the episode out...so I convinced Lois to launch a second cohort in February. Hope you'll join me!

In this episode we’ll cover:

• My biggest AHA during my latest battle with burnout.
• Why I believe people ops practitioners are especially vulnerable to burnout.
• The importance of establishing your own personal definition of success, that isn’t a result of cultural programming or the values held by family or friends.
• What Lois’ personal visioning process entails and why I’m manifesting a January cohort of like-minded women. 

MENTIONED RESOURCES/LINKS

• Learn more about the January cohort here: wanttoworkthere.com/cohort
• Or email Lois directly at lois@truenorthvisionaries.com

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts.

We’re back with new episodes! And today, we’re doing things a little differently.

I’ve invited Shira Grife and her boss Sara Rodell to rehash an actual conversation they had, each reflecting on their thoughts and perspectives in the moment. Why would we do that? Because it’s as real as it gets. No theory here, just an actual step-by-step breakdown of Shira deciding to (in her words) “say things I shouldn’t say to my boss” and how Sara reacted in real-time. It’s a master class in empathetic management, packed with actionable advice along the way.

P.S. Stay tuned after the closing credits for an extra (conversational) treat. 

In this episode, we cover:

• What motivated Shira to start a brave conversation with her boss.
• How to, as a people manager, create space for brave conversations.
• Why “what’s best for the company” shouldn’t be your only north star.
• Tactical ways to support unengaged or burnt out employees.
• What to consider before embarking on a brave conversation with your boss. 

CONNECT WITH SHIRA GRIFE

• LinkedIn

CONNECT WITH SARA RODELL

• LinkedIn

LEARN MORE ABOUT LOOP & TIE

• Gifting - Done Differently
• Why Loop & Tie

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts. 

Welcome back to our ‘From the Vault’ series! I'm taking a short break from recording to fend off some growing burnout. In the meantime, I'm revisiting some of our favorite past episodes.

Whether you missed it the first time around or (like me) need to hear something a couple times for it to really sink in, we hope you enjoy the second part of my fantastic conversation with Lois Weinblatt. 

If you missed part one, I recommend going back and starting there. If you’re thinking about 2024 strategic planning, this episode is a MUST LISTEN.

In today’s episode, we dive deeper into her MVV (minimum viable vision) process and Lois answers FAQ about both crafting powerful company visions and how you integrate them into the daily culture of an organization.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend downloading the free step-by-step MVV workbook before diving into the episode, which you can find here.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The two phrases that will help your team utilize the vision in day-to-day life. 
• If and when you should bring a facilitator to support your MVV process.
• How do you sell the MVV process to your CEO and leadership team?
• The best way to introduce your finished MVV back to the organization - and how impactful it can be for employee engagement. 
• What happens if the vision doesn't come true?

MENTIONED RESOURCES/LINKS

• Free Step-By-Step MVV Workbook

CONNECT WITH LOIS WEINBLATT

• Website: truenorthvisionaries.com
• lois@truenorthvisionaries.com

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Bi-Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts. 

Welcome back to our ‘From the Vault’ series! I'm taking a short break from recording to fend off some growing burnout. In the meantime, I'm revisiting some of our favorite past episodes.

Whether you missed it the first time around or (like me) need to hear something a couple times for it to really sink in, we hope you enjoy this fantastic conversation with Lois Weinblatt. It remains our most listened to episode and for good reason! 

It’s also an incredibly timely listen. I personally will be using the MVV (Minimum Viable Vision) process she details in the episode as the starting place for my company’s 2024 planning. If you are also in strategic planning mode, I promise this conversation is a MUST LISTEN.

This episode remains the only place Lois has publicly shared her framework - a proven process that’s helped numerous companies rethink how they see and use company vision - along with a step-by-step formula for creating your own MVV (Minimum Viable Vision). 

I highly recommend downloading the free step-by-step MVV workbook before diving into the episode, which you can find here.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you should ditch a one sentence vision statement - and what to replace it with!
• The 3 critical components to include in your company Vision.
• How to ensure your Vision is inspiring, but NOT a fantasy.
• Who to involve in the process and when for maximum buy-in.
• Why a clear Vision is such an impactful tool for decision-making.

MENTIONED RESOURCES/LINKS

• Free Step-By-Step MVV Workbook

CONNECT WITH LOIS WEINBLATT

• Website: truenorthvisionaries.com
• lois@truenorthvisionaries.com 

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Bi-Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts. 

Welcome back to our ‘From the Vault’ series! I'm taking a short break from recording to fend off some growing burnout. In the meantime, I'm revisiting some of our favorite past episodes.

Whether you missed it the first time around or (like me) need to hear something a couple times for it to really sink in, we hope you enjoy this fantastic conversation with Ashleigh Martinez.

Ashleigh is the Manager of Employee Culture and Community Development at Creative Circle. As a show of appreciation for her ten year anniversary at Creative Circle, she was able to take a three-month sabbatical that taught her so much about herself and her relationship with work. 

Our conversation was just what I needed to rethink my own relationship with work and ways that I can navigate it more honestly in 2023. I think it will have the same effect for you!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What a sabbatical actually is and how it works at Creative Circle.
• The fears Ashleigh had to overcome to actually take a sabbatical.
• The MOST important aspect of successfully unplugging from work during a break.
• The sabbatical lessons Ashleigh learned and still applies now.
• What surprised her the most when she came back from sabbatical.  
• The work boundaries that everyone should consider in 2023 - sabbatical or not. 
• The BRILLIANT advice Ashleigh has for founders and people leaders. 

MENTIONED RESOURCES/LINKS

• Jill’s Creative Mornings talk on the Honest Future of Work
• Donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• OneSec app
• Ashleigh's post-sabbatical LinkedIn post 

CONNECT WITH ASHLEIGH MARTINEZ

• LinkedIn
• Creative Circle

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Bi-Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts. 

Welcome back to our ‘From the Vault’ series! I'm taking a short break from recording to fend off some growing burnout. In the meantime, I'm revisiting some of our favorite past episodes.

Today’s replay episode feels just as relevant today as it did when I recorded it almost a year ago. People Ops leaders are burnt out. Many are looking for a way out, whether that is consulting, taking a “demotion” to join a larger team at a more established company, or just quitting without any idea what comes next. 

What would make these leaders feel supported? 

That’s the question I’ve been asking myself and dozens of other HR professionals over the last few weeks. Luckily, I have some answers. 

Six to be exact. Each as practical and actionable as they come.

In today’s episode, I’ll be walking you through each, so you can proactively work to retain your People Ops lead in the coming year.

MENTIONED RESOURCES/LINKS

• Why Are People-Ops Leaders Quitting In Droves? And What Can We Do About It?
• Use code WTWT10 for 10% off a Growth Starter Pack at Trusty Oak.

MORE FROM WANT TO WORK THERE

• Signup For the Bi-Weekly Newsletter
• Training for the Modern Manager
• Free Tools and Templates
• Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram

DID YOU LOVE THE EPISODE?

If so, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or colleague who shares your passion for building a better world of work! They can find us at wanttoworkthere.com/podcast or by searching Want To Work There wherever they listen to podcasts.