Summary

What does people-first leadership look like when most of your workforce can’t work from a laptop? Jason N. Lioy, Chief People Officer at Dawn Foods and member of the Forbes Human Resources Council, leads 3,500 team members across plants, distribution centers, and offices worldwide. He shares how parenting—especially raising a son with special needs—shapes his “lead with heart and ears” philosophy and turns belonging into daily practice. Jason blends empathy with data discipline, from setting personal non-negotiables (like school drop-off) to building role-based flexibility for frontline teams. He details how Dawn achieves 80%+ participation in engagement surveys globally by making them accessible to non-desk workers and acting publicly on the results. He also unpacks how leaders can normalize vulnerability, apply the “oxygen mask” rule, and use listening—not policies—as the foundation for trust. Expect stories, playbooks, and practical steps any people leader can use to better support working parents and build a culture where everyone belongs.

Timestamps

[00:40] – Guest intro: Jason’s path to CPO at Dawn Foods and Parenting at Work’s mission

[02:55] – Non-negotiable: leading with heart so people know you care

[04:45] – A mentor’s legacy: why one CHRO changed Jason’s leadership forever

[07:35] – Parenting’s imprint: special needs, empathy, and adaptable leadership

[12:10] – Belonging in practice: schedule non-negotiables, neurodiversity, and modeling openness

[20:40] – Making vulnerability normal: the “oxygen mask” rule and post-COVID connection

[27:45] – Frontline flexibility: equitable policies, listening first, and positive team member relations

[32:40] – From heart to head: biannual surveys, pulses, 80% participation, and acting on data

Takeaways

- Model vulnerability: share appropriate personal context and open meetings with quick personal check-ins.

- Define role-based flexibility: set clear non-negotiables and find practical give-and-take for frontline schedules.

- Train leaders to “lead with heart and ears”: treat listening and empathy as core operating skills.

- Measure what matters: run biannual engagement surveys with targeted pulses; ensure access for non-desk workers and compensate for time.

- Act on feedback: use comments, skip-levels, and local action plans to close the loop and build trust.

- Live neuroinclusive values: support and hire neurodiverse talent, pair high expectations with the right accommodations.

Parenting at Work is brought to you by Juno — the modern financial safety net for working families. 

Juno helps employers offer affordable, impactful long-term financial coverage for children diagnosed with a severe illness or disability, giving parents peace of mind and flexibility when it matters most. 

You can learn more about how Juno is helping companies build family-first benefits that truly make a difference at junokids.com.