Video Library

Below is a collection of recorded videos we share as a resource to the public. This library contains videos from HR Answers, our partners, and guest speakers.

April 2024

Manage, Mentor, or Coach?

This month’s discussion focuses on development …and how we get there. Management? Mentoring? Coaching? Heck is there even a difference? We are sure you have a lot to say here and we want to hear it.

We know that coaching and mentoring are the keys to a leader’s success and ability to have positive impacts on individuals, teams, and the organization. The more that certainty can be provided, the better the chance that leaders will pay attention to and apply what they learn about coaching and mentoring. So…critical distinctions (definitions) are needed.

As one Blanchard webinar participant concisely noted, a mentor will answer your questions while a coach will often question your answers.

March 2024

HR Lunch Bunch: What is Next for HR

This month’s discussion focuses on where HR is going, what is next, what is the future for the profession. When the makeup of the workforce changes, HR must evolve alongside it. Now more than ever, the HR role is a multi-faceted combination of business strategy, compliance, process, and employee development. We take a look at and discuss the predictions and trends for HR and what we should be paying attention to so we can be prepared…for what is next.

January 2024

HR Lunch Bunch: Cheers to New Beginnings

It is a NEW YEAR!!! An opportunity to look at things differently, to start anew. Let’s enter the new year with an open and resilient collective mindset. Let’s set the tone for the year – with the right intentions and ideas for a positive, successful year no matter what comes our way and empower ourselves to make the best and most effective use of the ever-changing realities in front of us each and every day (both personally and professionally).

Let’s share ideas on shifting our perspective – where happiness and peace can take hold and we can reduce negative thoughts and feelings…. where we can change our responses to these negative situations.

December 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: 401(k)/403(b) Plans - Tricks, Improvements, and Updates

Your company-sponsored retirement plan is one of the most valuable components of your total employee compensation package. The retirement standard of living of most employees depends greatly on the qualified plan opportunity presented by your company and your plan advisor.

The way 401(k) plans are generally discussed by the 401k industry is very dated. Concepts like non-participant, opt out, investment management, fees, employer contributions and auto-enrollment are inappropriately used, needlessly complicated and mis-presented by this industry.

Join us as we welcome Keith Mayfield from Planit Financial, LLC.

November 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: Wellness That Works

“Workplace Wellness” is more than a buzz word. It is something all small businesses will need to address sooner or later. When it comes down to it, if our people are not well, our businesses will not thrive. So how do you know a worthwhile wellness program when you see one? How do you advise decision makers and stake holders on making worthwhile investments in workplace wellness? How do you choose wellness initiatives, programs, or benefits that will actually make an impact and avoid “box checking” this important aspect of modern business?

Join us for a collaborative discussion about Wellness That Works lead by Co-Founder and CEO of Advanced Corporate Wellness, Danielle Dinkelman, NBC-HWC.

October 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: HR Records - Getting Them Back in Place

We are excited to announce a free one-hour webinar on HR Records Retention. This webinar is designed to help HR professionals understand the importance of HR records retention and learn best practices for creating and maintaining effective record-keeping systems.

During this webinar, our expert speaker will cover topics such as legal requirements for record retention, electronic record keeping, and document destruction.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn valuable insights and network with other HR professionals.

Facilitator: Rebecca Vales, Senior Consultant at HR Answers, Inc.

September 2023

DisRuptHR: HR is Not the Heavy!

HR Is Not the Heavy! – a DisruptHR talk by Laurie Grenya – Owner/President of HR Answers, Inc.

DisruptHR Portland OR 3.0 – September 12, 2023 in Portland, OR #DisruptHRPDX

September 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: Artificial Intelligence and HR

Technology and AI are changing the workplace. So, what are you doing about it? In this lunchtime conversation, Monique Little from First Tech Federal Credit Union will share stories of how AI is changing work in the financial services industry and how the organization is adapting to changes in work and a demand for new skills. She’ll discuss topics like organizational resistance, dispelling myths like “Is my job going away?” and how to embrace new technology while leaning into employee engagement and development to achieve a win-win outcome. Regardless of industry, technology is changing the way we work and human resources leaders are perfectly positioned to be organizational change leaders if we embrace the opportunity.

Guest Speaker: Monique Little, Chief People and Administrative Officer at First Tech Federal Credit Union

August 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: How Are You Planning for Creative and Cost Effective Benefits

This month’s discussion will focus on benefits. They definitely can be an attractor and an employee retention tool. One of the biggest interest on behalf if employees right now seems to be family friendly benefits. Our guest Christie Engler from Willory will focus our discussion around how are HR professionals planning for new, creative benefit offerings that are also cost effective. Some of her questions to our attendees will focus on:

What new/different benefit offerings are you looking to offer in 2023 and/or beyond?
How do your employees feel about the current benefit offerings? How do you know? Do you conduct an employee survey?
Do you prefer to work with a broker or an independent agent?
What are your biggest challenges in selecting benefit offerings?
Will your organization’s budget for benefits be more, less, or the same as 2022?

Let’s see if we can share what we are doing and what’s working and perhaps gleam a few new ideas worth exploring.

Guest: Christie L. Engler, MHRM, SPHR, SHRM-CP, Director of People and Culture at Willory

July 2023

Passion Interview: Rebecca Vales

These interviews are a quick glimpse into the passions of our consulting staff and how they play a part in our work. Each interview lasts about an hour, and can be re-watched or listened to at any time.

Host: Laurie Grenya

Guest: Rebecca Vales

July 2023

Passion Interview: Eric Wilson

Host: Laurie Grenya

Guest: Eric Wilson

July 12, 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: The "Quiet" Trends

I am sure by now you have heard of quiet quitting. My question to you is have you heard of the other quiets – quiet firing, quiet promoting, quiet leading, etc. For some of you these may be new terms and for others these are new “names” for activities that have been around for a while and not what we want to be happening in our organizations.

So let’s make this program a lively discussion and we will share with each other and talk about:

What do leaders need to do or how to prevent these phenomenon’s from taking hold in your workplaces;
What you can do to improve manager and employee conversations and engagement in your organizations;
Discover ways to bring purpose back to individuals work;
Have attendees share your ideas, thoughts and activities in this space; and
Answer your questions.

Facilitator: Deborah Jeffries, SHRM-CP, PHR, CPC, Vice President at HR Answers, Inc.

June 7, 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: Recruiting Solutions for 2023

The Great Resignation is far from over and even with some notable layoffs across the country, we are continuing to see a limited candidate pool in most sectors. On a positive note, the talent shortage is leading all of us to seek innovative recruitment solutions.

Learn some recruiting solutions that you can implement to produce results for your organization!

During our time together we discuss:

How talent disruptions and the opportunities they’ve created can help you attract and retain quality talent
How you can you turn your job descriptions from a unicorn ordering form into something that will attract more candidates
How workplace flexibility affects recruitment success and what you can do to ensure your organization is meeting candidate needs

Guest Speaker/Facilitator: Ann Jones, MBA, TSC, CSP, VP of Strategy and Growth at ACS Professional Staffing

May 3, 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: Recognizing and Understanding Alzheimer's in Our Organizations

Join Rachel Sarasohn from the Alzheimer’s Association® Oregon and SW Washington Chapter. This conversation will help you recognize common signs of the disease in yourself and our employees and next steps to take. As employee health and wellbeing continue to be at the top of our HR list, you’ll be able to ask questions and understand more about how this disease can impact your business operations. She will share more about the cutting-edge research, where to turn for support, and how you and your business can have an impact. As we know, the Alzheimer’s Association® is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. We’ll be able hear about their reach, partnerships, and mission impact and how our organizations (and we as individuals) can get involved.

Guest: Rachel W. Sarasohn, Alzheimer’s Association, OR and SW WA

April 05, 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: Conscious Company Culture

Famous business strategist, Peter Drucker, once said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

So often businesses focus more intently on building sound strategy—plans, policies, procedures—and allow the culture building to just sort of happen. Unfortunately, culture is forming whether we design it or not. But without the conscious creation of our ideal culture, we get what we get. This approach often leads to disunity, feelings of burnout, disintegration, under-appreciated or under-motivated team members and beyond.

When we lean into conscious culture building, we increase employee engagement, attract employees that align with our values (and see attrition of those that do not), seamlessly align effort at all levels of the organization (eliminating rogue projects and personalities), and increase productivity and results. In short, culture is the limitless fuel to an organization’s strategy.

In this session, Marjorie will deliver tips, tools, and ideas that your organization can implement immediately to consciously build your company culture around an aligned set of values.

Guest: Marjorie Dudley, CSP, Southwestern Consulting

March 01, 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental Health is a necessity in today’s productive workplace. There is so much for HR to consider in the ever-changing environment. Even the 2023 Trends Report from Calm suggests with 67% stating that “everyone is responsible for providing mental health support for stress and anxiousness.” This is an all-hands on deck conversation.

During this conversation, we’ll discuss:

What’s happening in mental health today
Helping HR (and managers) recognize the warning signs
Addressing issues and the connection to addiction
How employers can support wellness (using EAP+)
Levels of care and dispel the myths treatment

Guest: Kalei McDonald, Director of Community Outreach; Discovery Recovery

February 01, 2023

HR Lunch Bunch: Eating the Elephant of the Employee Experience

When you think of a holistic view of employee experience — defined by the perception of the quality of all the experiences we collect at work — changing employees’ perceptions can feel like something too enormous to tackle. But as the wise Desmond Tutu once said, “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” Where do you take the first bite in changing the employee experience in your organization, though?

During this conversation, we’ll discuss:

A framework for addressing employee experience without feeling overwhelmed;
The connection between EX to other critical business initiatives like CX and corporate performance;
How to avoid the two biggest mistakes when taking on employee experience;

Guest: Lance Haun, VP of Market Insights; The Starr Conspiracy