What's the REAL secret to being a great boss, according to People & Culture experts?
The answer's simpler and more boring than you might think...but rarely done well in practice!
HR expert and and author Roland Grootenboer (Google, Blendle, "Het boek waarvan je baas niet wil dat je het leest") joins us to break down the '3 beautiful basics' leaders need to help their people thrive: Clarity, Consistency and Empathy.
When leaders get those basics right, everything else, from performance to engagement to wellbeing follows more naturally.
Listen now to learn how!
What you'll learn in this episode:
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
01:02 - About today's topic and guest
02:08 - Empathy: why & how to do it better
05:47 - Empathy = key to engagement
08:45 - Radical candor: Good empathy is not being 'soft'!
11:12 - Bridging the People vs Business needs gap
14:14 - Don't scar on the first cut
16:08 - Underperformance: a system or person issue?
19:31 - Consistency & boundaries: Managers are not therapists!
24:57 - Clarity: The importance of clear expectations
28:58 - Adapting leadership styles to context
35:01 - Final takeaways
Useful resources mentioned in this episode
New leadership, new investors, M&As...most orgs will face changes in their journeys. But why do so many big changes fail, even when the strategy was solid?
Because most leaders ignore the human side of change.
This episode we're joined by org change expert Toni Cairns (fractional Chief People Officer and founder of YellowBox), to learn how we as HR professionals can help guide orgs to survive and thrive through big changes.
What you'll learn:
*ADKAR: Awareness / Desire / Knowledge / Ability / Reinforcement
Whether you’re in HR, a founder, or a leader facing big changes, this episode is packed with expert insights, real case stories and practical tips to help your next change run smoother.
Let us know in the comments if you enjoyed this episode!
Chapters
00:00 Coming up…
01:05 Toni Cairns: Change expert
03:12 Top 3 Change Do’s & Don’ts
04:22 Change Curve model (Kubler-Ross)
07:08 Change plans & comms
Change cases
11:59 Leadership changes: Founder to CEO
15:59 Always ask “why”
18:30 Leadership changes: Old vs new (more corporate) guard
23:09 After investment
27:15 M&A, mergers, takeovers - overcommunicate!
32:08 When M&As go wrong
34:22 Managing the emotional fallout
Intermezzo
39:11 1 big change vs lots of little ones over year?
Proudly pragmatic
41:58 Making Change Plans 101 (ADKAR)
43:33 Key takeaways
Gen Z in the workplace: lazy, entitled…or huge untapped potential?
Gen Z expert Laura Bas helps us bust the myths and explore what the new generation really wants from work - and why HR leaders and managers need to pay attention.
Every new generation entering the workforce gets labelled "difficult". But despite the stereotypes, Gen Z employees aren't here to break the workplace - they're updating it (maybe for the better).
Are they really lazy and entitled...or are we overlooking what really drives them?
💡 What you'll learn:
Helping your Gen Zers thrive is not only good leadership, it's essential to the future of work and your org's success.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Coming up…
01:18 Laura Bas - Gen Z expert
Gen Z decoded
03:00 Gen Z’s generational ‘updates’
06:56 Lazy - or strategic?
08:18 Delusional - or craving clarity?
09:58 Gen Z’s #1 work priority
12:05 Appreciation, celebration, connection
13:56 The ‘3 shame’ of criticism
15:48 Feedback, Gen Z style
18:11 Gen Z leadership
20:33 Greedy for money - or living reality?
Getting the best out of your Gen Zs
24:03 Top 4 focus areas for retention
28:30 Rethinking recruitment
31:46 Managing and leading Gen Zs
34:00 Final takeaways: The 4 C's
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
7people:
🌐 Website | 🔗 LinkedIn | 📸 Instagram
👤 Paul Butler | 👤 Florentine van Lingen
Laura Bas:
🌐 Website | 🔗 LinkedIn | 📸 Instagram
📖 Pre-order Laura’s upcoming book “De GenZclopedie: Alles over het aantrekken en beouden van jong talent"
KPIs…OKRs…WTF?! 🤯
Organisational goal setting sounds simple - until you try it. Most teams end up with vague goals, confusion and zero connection to what people do day to day.
So where does it go wrong? And how do you fix it?
This episode, we’re joined by Koen Veltman (Organisation Builders, ex-McKinsey), to learn what it really takes to set effective goals - especially in growing teams.
You’ll learn:
Whether you're in HR, People & Culture, ops, or leadership, this episode will help you rethink how your company sets and tracks what matters.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate us 5 stars and follow the show! It helps us create great new People & Culture content and reach new audiences who might find it helpful 😉
CHAPTERS
Goal setting mistakes
00:00 Why goal setting is hard (Choices)01:15 Today’s guest: Koen Veltman02:12 Defining ”goals” vs purpose, vision etc04:18 Strategic pillars to goals: bridge the gap06:45 Aligning org structure to goals
08:22 Choose your focus > doing it all
Decoding Goal Methodologies
10:30 Why multiple systems can work!
11:48 KPI vs OKR: What’s the difference?
13:28 Goals = communication tool
15:11 OKRs: “Goosebump” objectives
18:42 OKRS: Measurable outcomes
20:50 Creating good Key Results
24:30 OGSM - too vague
25:16 Rocks - keep it simple
27:53 Koen’s favourite goal system?
Intermezzo
29:04 Meaningful vs measurable goals?
Making it practical
30:33 Aligning HR KPIs + company strategy
36:27 Start off simple: Skip OKRs for now?
39:35 Final takeaways
🧹 What's the messiest HR legal issue you've had to clean up?
Misclassified contractor? Regrettable indefinite extension? Settlement talks gone 🤯?
Chances are, some better documentation, clearer expectations, or stronger grip on the rules could've saved you some serious headaches (or avoided the problem altogether).
This episode, Paul and Flo are joined by Frank Penders: employment lawyer at OTIS Advocaten, with 15+ years experience advising both employers and employees.
Together, they'll unpack the most common legal blind spots they see in their everyday work - the pitfalls that can trip up even seasoned HR teams, especially in the complex maze of Dutch employment law.
Packed with expert insights and practical tips from both legal and strategic HR angles, you'll learn how to spot early red flags, mitigate issues before they blow up, and fix issues fast if they do.
🧠 Just a few of the topics we cover:
Job offer changes: What's binding, what's fixable
Settlements (VSOs): Building strong cases and fair offers
Contract renewals: Managing risk, uncertainty and regrets
Contractor misclassification: Common misunderstandings and workarounds
Big thanks as always to our friends at Personio, for powering the 7people podcast 💜
CHAPTERS
00:00 About today’s guest and topic
Case 1: Contractor misclassification - employee vs freelancer?
02:55 Case 1: Contractor misclassification
04:43 Grey area: Friendployee or Freelancer?
06:53 Control over work
06:43 Pay arrangements
08:40 Working hours/full time 9-5
10:08 Risks for getting it wrong
11:39 Overseas freelancers
13:38 Check (or adjust) the contract
15:08 Easier to become employees?
Case 2: Contract renewals - employee uncertainty
17:35 Case 2: Fixed vs indefinite contracts
18:07 POV: HR’s business POV
19:48 POV: Employment lawyer’s POV
20:26 Indefinite first - fix with settlement later?
Case 3: Settlement/VSOs
25:11 Case 3: Building a strong VSO case
27:50 Settlement offers: What and how much?
32:12: More ‘expensive’ cases
33:35 The road to court…
Intermezzo - true or false
35:30 Dismissal during probation
36:33 Employee legal advice during settlements
37:52 Pulling back accepted job offer
Final tips: proudly pragmatic
40:47 Be clear + transparent
Ever thought of the People Experience at work as a product, just like Netflix or Uber Eats?
Enjoy this bonus clip from our last episode with Luke O'Mahoney from SapienX, where we dive even deeper into how to really start thinking of People Experience as a Product, with a worked case example of a Work From Home policy.
Just like Netflix or Uber Eats, an organization's employee experience is a central shared product, used by multiple user groups, in different ways with differing needs to ensure their success.
And similarly, you can also use agile product/UX thinking to solve your organizational people problems. With way more efficiency, effectiveness and strategic impact than in traditional HR!
If you're new to Product PX, we suggest starting with our full episode with Luke for the full context to this bonus clip (linked in shortcuts).
Happy listening, and let us know what you think!
Bonus clip from our recent episode on Product-Led People Experience, with Luke O'Mahoney!
Employee engagement surveys are a staple of traditional HR cycles, but are they actually effective? How can we do employee research better - particularly by using the 'problem-first' approach from Product principles?
www.7people.team
Product-Led People Experience (PX). It’s a fresh, practical approach to HR, based on treating the employee experience like a product, and applying Product/UX thinking to solve organizational challenges and design, test and improve their People Experience.
The results: smashed HR silos, faster, more impactful business wins, and a shift in HR’s traditional role from admin support to strategic business growth driver.
It’s a hot topic for many progressive People leaders, including today’s guest star Luke O’Mahoney. Luke is founder of SapienX, creator of the PX Espresso newsletter/podcast and an all-round Product-Led PX guru.
He joins 7people People & Culture consultants Paul and Florentine to:
💡 Bust the PX Product jargon (it’s really just a mindset shift)
💡 Share his best tips for working product-based NOW
💡 Outline the step-by-step Product-Led PX process cycle
In Luke’s words: If we want to think differently about HR, we need to think differently IN HR. With this episode you can start today!
Want more PX?
Things got so nerdy, we didn’t have enough time to cover it all in 1 episode. FOLLOW the show for 2 upcoming extra mini bonus episodes, deep diving into:
Other PX people and books mentioned in the show:
Megan Trotter
Jessica Zwaan
Matt Lerner
Eric Reese (The Lean Start-Up)
Patrick Lencioni (Seven Dysfunctions of a team)
CHAPTERS
Background
00:00 About today’s guest - Luke O’Mahoney
02:19 What IS “PX as a product”?
Basics: What is Product-Led thinking
05:01 Product-Led thinking: Problem vs Solution-first
07:21 The 5 Whys & minimising waste
PX in practice
09:07 Case study: create a flexible work policy
11:45 Research phase
12:38 Identify the why (double 🔹)
14:51 Build the Min Viable Product
15:48 Design & iteration: Validation learning loop
17:12 Tricks: Smokescreen MVP & A-B testing
19:08 Moving from MVP → pilot
20:09 Design for the worst affected user
21:17 Step 1 = MINDSET
22:08 How long to test?
26:36 Boosting strategic impact
30:33 Shifting HR admin to enablement
Intermezzo: Would you rather have…
32:36 HR specialists vs product managers?
Practical tips
35:31 Easy ways to work product-led NOW
38:18 Summary: Our key takeaways
Love it or hate it, AI's influence on the future of work isn't disappearing anytime soon.
It's a hot topic
Leandro Gomes da Silva (Loop Earplugs, YOU.BUT.AI, MondAI newsletter)
Chapters
00:00 Intro and today’s guest
01:50 Automation vs AI
03:05 Why the AI hype now?
04:54 How does AI impact HR and recruitment jobs?
06:17 Will AI take our jobs?? “The Agentic Age”
09:41 AI: reallocating > saving your working hours
11:18 Why to adopt to AI NOW! (For people & orgs)
13:06 Generative AI: limitations & hallucinations
15:03 AI as a search engine? (Deep Research)
17:07 Boost reliability by making disagreeable
18:25 “Act as a HR professional…”
19:32 Leandro’s favourite AI tools (per HR workflow)
22:44 Next gen tech: Computer use (mimic human behaviour)
24:04 Case study: recruitment sourcing/reachouts
25:57 Custom GPTs 101
27:02 AI & privacy concerns
29:42 Enterprise account = secure
30:47 CustomGPT case study: meeting recording/summary tools
33:30 Dilemma: 100% AI or human for hiring decisions
35:14 Effective prompting 101 (our best hack!)
37:38 Conclusion: AI = our new HR intern or not?
A great benefits package isn’t just about throwing some trendy perks at employees, and hoping for the best.
They can significantly help attract, retain and amplify talent to drive business success.
But, ONLY when they're strategically designed to meet your specific workforce's needs, and align with your business goals.
Join 7people People & Culture professionals Paul and Flo as they discuss:
Packed with fresh insights, actionable takeaways and engaging real-life scenarios to mull over, this episode offers a great crash course on the world of benefits, and how to make them work for your org.
CHAPTERS
Benefits 101
00:00 Intro
00:34 Why do benefits matter?
02:48 Changing needs over time
04:07 Benefits vs compensation
05:40 Benefits vs perks
09:36 Benefits vs ways of working
Avoiding common pitfalls
10:25 Tailor to your org
12:37 Always ask why (not just go with the loudest voice)
13:26 Not REALLY a benefit…
14:10 Flexibility is key (pensions, holiday allowance)
16:09 Keeping commuting allowance fair
Deep dives
18:18 Trending: wellbeing
19:34 Missed opportunities
21:26 Convincing leadership
22:20 Trending: parental leave
24:06 Where to start impact analysis?
24:50 Tax considerations
Dilemma case study breakdown
25:15 Higher salary or better benefits?
26:48 Benefits as a behavioural tool
Practical toolkit
28:34 Our best budget benefits hack
30:40 Linking benefits to values
Key takeaways
31:38 Audit, analyse, be flexible, adapt
32:47 Focus on foundations + impact, not just fun
What if we studied what was right with people, rather than what’s wrong with them? 💪
Conversations around success and performance so often focus on fixing weaknesses and gaps. But what if we flip the perspective, and instead ask: "What went well? What should we keep investing in, to make good things GREAT?".
Most likely: you can naturally start performing at a higher level, grow faster in these areas, and collaborate more effectively across people's different strengths, to become a high-performing TEAM (not just a group of high performers).
Understanding our natural talents, and using them as productivity tools to achieve our goals, is the basis of the strengths-based approach from CliftonStrengths.
This episode, we're thrilled to be joined by special guest and coach Eva de Meijer from Strengths Consultancy, to dive into this fascinating topic.
It's a must-listen for all dedicated HR professionals, managers, and individuals who want to bring out the best in themselves or their people.
Learn more about the strengths-based approach and turning your strengths into your superpowers at work, via the Strengths Consultancy website, and their new book "Unleash Your Superpower") 🌟.
CHAPTERS
Intro to strengths
0:00 Intro
0:39 Today’s topic and guest
2:04 Why focus on strengths > weaknesses?
3:53 HOW you achieve success, not complacency
4:27 Assessing strengths: Strengthsfinder tool
6:48 What are strengths (vs skills)?
8:12 Adapting strengths to your job
Case studies: strengths
9:22 Our top 5!
10:13 Eg strengths: Developer + Positivity
10:38 Eg strengths: Arranger + Achiever
11:27 Your ‘normal’ = biggest strength?
11:58 Eg strength: Strategic thinking
Using strengths at work
13:17 Performance reviews + feedback
15:43 As a performance tool
16:48 Powerful pairs
19:33 Guilty pleasures: strength correlation?
21:11 Knowledge is power
22:07 High performing teams
24:19 Organizational benefits of strengths
25:19 Managing team blind spots
Practical tips to getting started
27:12 Top manager tips
29:47 Identifying our strengths
31:55 Compliments Wall (free idea!)
33:00 Reflecting as a team
33:42 Final takeaways
About this podcast
Say hello to your favourite new HR podcast! 👋🏻 Join People & Culture professionals Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect the weird, funny and strange topics they encounter in their day-to-day HR work.
Each episode we'll focus on a variety of People-related topics and share our experiences, stories, tips and tricks, inspired by the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
About 7people
7people is a People and Culture consultancy based in Amsterdam. We're on a mission to create irresistible organizations, by providing practical and creative HR solutions for start-ups, scale-ups and innovative companies all across Europe (and beyond!).
How would you handle an employee that calls in sick after a bad performance review? Or unexpectedly goes on a yoga retreat abroad, while on long-term sick leave? 🤔
Sick (leave) happens 🤒. It's part of being human, and working in HR.
So how can we handle absenteeism cases effectively, with kindness and confidence?
Join Paul & Flo as they break down this complex area, and share their best tips and tricks to:
💊 Navigate the sick leave regulations maze
💊 Spot the 'yellow flags' - when to intervene?
💊 Rethink how we approach sick days and culture
💊 Best support an employee's recovery and reintegration
💊 Work smarter with the wider sick leave team
💊 Use data to refine absenteeism processes, and target key company issues
Packed with tons of practical tips for how to implement these principles in practice, this episode is essential listening for all HR professionals, managers, founders...or really anyone looking to improve the absenteeism culture and numbers at work.
Chapters 0:00 Before we start... 0:49 About today's topic Data-based processes 1:40 1 in 20 people: The data you can't ignore 3:26 Short vs long-term absence 5:25 Spotting yellow flags: when to intervene 7:33 Rethink sick days & culture 8:38 Complex rules to practical policies Who's who in a sick leave case 10:53 The 'Golden Triangle': Employee, Manager, HR 12:17 The company cost of absence 13:57 What HR can('t) ask? 15:26 Company doctors & Arbo: make them work for you 17:04 Reintegration: Don't rush it! Employee case: "LT absentee is on a yoga retreat abroad!" 18:18 Holiday during sick leave? 20:50 Clear policies are key 22:00 Leading with kindness Employee case: "LT absentee suddenly wants to return before a salary cut!" 23:12 "Suspiciously convenient" timing? 26:08 Creative policies to push the right buttons 27:43 Trust & autonomy wins ❤️ Employee case: Sick after a bad performance review 28:28 Sick after performance review 30:34 A judgement call 31:14 Consultation vs Mediation 32:16 Final takeaways
About this podcast
Say hello to your favourite new HR podcast! 👋🏻 Join People & Culture professionals Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect the weird, funny and strange topics they encounter in their day-to-day HR work.
Each episode we'll focus on a variety of People-related topics and share our experiences, stories, tips and tricks, inspired by the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
About 7people
7people is a People and Culture consultancy based in Amsterdam. We're on a mission to create irresistible organizations, by providing practical and creative HR solutions for start-ups, scale-ups and innovative companies all across Europe (and beyond!).
Reorganizations: a phrase that terrifies HR professionals and employees alike. 😱
Contrary to popular belief, it's not 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 a code word for layoffs. And there's a lot of nuances around why they happen and how you can prevent them (or indeed, if they are always a bad thing 👀).
But regardless of the why, they're rarely ever a simple or pleasant experience for anyone involved.
So what's the 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗥 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, to ensure a smooth new chapter for ALL parties? For those affected, those left behind, and the organization as a whole.
Packed with tons of practical tips for how to implement these principles in practice, this episode is essential listening for all HR professionals, managers and founders...who will almost inevitably need to deal with this tricky people situation sooner or later.
Chapters 0:00 Before we start... 0:49 About today's topic Data-based processes 1:40 1 in 20 people: The data you can't ignore 3:26 Short vs long-term absence 5:25 Spotting yellow flags: when to intervene 7:33 Rethink sick days & culture 8:38 Complex rules to practical policies Who's who in a sick leave case 10:53 The 'Golden Triangle': Employee, Manager, HR 12:17 The company cost of absence 13:57 What HR can('t) ask? 15:26 Company doctors & Arbo: make them work for you 17:04 Reintegration: Don't rush it! Employee case: "LT absentee is on a yoga retreat abroad!" 18:18 Holiday during sick leave? 20:50 Clear policies are key 22:00 Leading with kindness Employee case: "LT absentee suddenly wants to return before a salary cut!" 23:12 "Suspiciously convenient" timing? 26:08 Creative policies to push the right buttons 27:43 Trust & autonomy wins ❤️ Employee case: Sick after a bad performance review 28:28 Sick after performance review 30:34 A judgement call 31:14 Consultation vs Mediation 32:16 Final takeaways
About this podcast
Say hello to your favourite new HR podcast! 👋🏻 Join People & Culture professionals Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect the weird, funny and strange topics they encounter in their day-to-day HR work.
Each episode we'll focus on a variety of People-related topics and share our experiences, stories, tips and tricks, inspired by the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
About 7people
7people is a People and Culture consultancy based in Amsterdam. We're on a mission to create irresistible organizations, by providing practical and creative HR solutions for start-ups, scale-ups and innovative companies all across Europe (and beyond!).
Mental wellbeing is a critical topic for all of us, both as HR professionals and as human beings. 🧠❤️🩹
And with most of us spending an average 90,000 hours of our lives at work - it really is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace. (Fittingly, the exact theme for this year's World Mental Health Day on 10 October).
This episode we're thrilled to be joined by special guest star Psychologist Emma White, from mental wellbeing platform OpenUp. Sharing her wide psychology and HR expertise, we discuss why and how we should be approaching this important (and sometimes overwhelming) topic.
Just a few insights we'll cover...
✨ Flip the perspective: How can we focus on 'building resilience' by helping people thrive, rather than just better survive a negative threat like burnout? 🤸♀️
✨ Psychological safety in the workplace: what does it actually mean, and how to build it?
✨ Boundaries: What does this actually mean, how to make them feel less awkward, and how to foster a culture that values them (for the collective good)!
Packed with tons of practical tips for how to implement these principles in practice, this episode is essential listening for all HR professionals, managers, founders...or really anyone looking to improve mental wellbeing at their work.
Chapters 0:00 Before we start... 1:04 About today's guest 2:25 Why is mental wellbeing such a hot topic right now? 4:09 Balancing the human vs business case for employee wellbeing 6:30 Leading (negatively) by example: Are we rewarding the wrong attitudes to mental health at work? 9:44 Connection over content: reducing the stigma around mental health discussions 14:05 Top tips for recognising and discussing team mental wellbeing concerns effectively 18:55 Consent is key: When an employee isn't ready to discuss your concerns 20:27 Preventing burnout: Stopping the water before it boils over 23:04 Preventing burnout: What can managers actually do to help? 25:43 Defining mental wellbeing: it's like a chair... 26:45 Is flexible working the solution? 28:08 Setting boundaries: What and how? 30:35 In defence of managers: we see your challenges! 32:22 'CPR' at work: Shift the focus on 'resilience' 34:57 Psychological safety: NOT just providing a comfort blanket 38:04 3 small steps you can take NOW
About this podcast
Say hello to your favourite new HR podcast! 👋🏻 Join People & Culture professionals Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect the weird, funny and strange topics they encounter in their day-to-day HR work.
Each episode we'll focus on a variety of People-related topics and share our experiences, stories, tips and tricks, inspired by the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
About 7people
7people is a People and Culture consultancy based in Amsterdam. We're on a mission to create irresistible organizations, by providing practical and creative HR solutions for start-ups, scale-ups and innovative companies all across Europe (and beyond!).
D&I - understandably complex and sensitive, it's probably the least '5 minutes' topic you can get! 😬
So we did things a little differently this episode, focusing less on the audience questions and inviting an awesome guest star, the self-proclaimed DEIB advocate AJ (@Ard-Jan Schinkelshoek on LinkedIn).
Just some of the topics we discuss:
✨ Should D&I KPIs and quotas be a thing? Doesn't it risk 'positive discrimination'?
✨ D&I, DEI, DEIB - what's the difference? Why is 'Belonging' so significant?
✨ Do we really need to categorise people into separate 'boxes'? Isn't inclusivity about including everyone?
Chapters 0:39 Episode intro 1:01 About today's guest star 1:33 How to be a DEIB advocate (even if you're not a professional) 2:46 Why is D&I important? (Top 3 actually tangible reasons) 4:13 D&I, DEI, DEIB - what's the difference? Do we need all 4 letters? 5:19 What do we actually mean by an "inclusive" workplace? 6:15 Do we really need to put people in 'boxes'? Isn't inclusivity about including everyone? 9:01 The bigger inclusivity challenges for smaller start-ups and scale-ups 10:12 The diversity 'vending machine': change what you put in, to change what you get out 11:05 Lead by example: the impact of a genuinely engaged leader 11:44 Where to start if you're trying to change an established team needing more diversity 12:54 Building a diverse team from scratch 14:55 Are you focusing on D&I for the 'right' reasons? 16:10 Recruitment tips & tools for unbiased hiring 19:18 Should we have enforced D&I KPIs and quotas? What about positive discrimination? 22:42 Not just an HR topic - what is the HR team's role vs what individual employees can do 26:11 If you are the one struggling in a less inclusive workplace... 27:36 Hiring for D&I vs retention: consider the whole employee journey 30:12 Can you have inclusion without belonging? 31:12 Top practical tips: show the business case for DEIB 34:02 Final points of wisdom
Prefer your podcasts more visual? This episode is also on YouTube! Search "7people podcast"
About this podcast
Say hello to your favourite new HR podcast! 👋🏻 Join People & Culture professionals Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect the weird, funny and strange topics they encounter in their day-to-day HR work. Each episode we'll focus on a variety of People-related topics and share our experiences, stories, tips and tricks, inspired by the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
About 7people
7people is a People and Culture consultancy based in Amsterdam. We're on a mission to create irresistible organizations, by providing practical and creative HR solutions for start-ups, scale-ups and innovative companies all across Europe (and beyond!).
For more cool HR insights, follow us on LinkedIn (@7people), Instagram (@7people_team) or subscribe to our monthly newsletter through our website (www.7people.team).
Regular feedback at work (both positive and constructive) is so important to employee well-being, development and performance.
So why do people find it so awkward? And what's the best way to give negative feedback that is actually constructive and effective?
Just a few of the hot topics we'll cover:
✨ How to adjust your feedback to the situation, relationship, cultural context and specific behaviours you want to enforce
✨ Helpful frameworks for sharing feedback and mediating conflicts (in as little as 15 minutes!)
✨ The 3 golden rules of deciding whether you should share a piece of feedback
Let us know your thoughts!
Prefer your podcasts more visual? This episode is also available on YouTube! Search "7people podcast"
Chapters 0:36 Today’s topic: Feedback and Difficult Conversations 1:29 Work dilemmas: Dealing with a colleague's body odor 2:09 The 'smell-er' needs to tell the 'smell-ee' (?!) 3:20 Adjust your feedback to different relationship/cultural contexts 4:02 High vs low context communication cultures: e.g. The Netherlands vs Brazil 5:13 Work dilemmas: Dealing with an overly-loud colleague or office 6:12 Do we need to embrace conflict? 6:54 Your problem is not everyone’s problem 7:38 Work dilemmas: Dealing with micromanagers 10:37 Useful feedback framework models (SBI, COIN) 12:57 How feedback impacts performance and productivity 13:50 Handling positive vs negative feedback: reinforcing vs redirective approaches 15:15 Watch out for your feedback debt! 17:32 Work dilemmas: Giving pushback to CEOs/higher leadership 20:01 Always, always show the data 23:08 Work dilemmas: Managing conflicts between other team members 24:03 How to resolve a conflict in 15 minutes? Try this mediation tool! 26:36 When is workplace conflict actually an HR problem? 29:30 The importance of timely feedback 30:22 Adapting your feedback to different situations 31:39 Top feedback and management tips for new managers 33:58 Should I give that feedback? 3 rules to follow 34:18 Why we don’t recommend the popular sh*t sandwich model 35:48 Concluding thoughts
About this podcast
Say hello to your favourite new HR podcast! 👋🏻 Join People & Culture professionals Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect the weird, funny and strange topics they encounter in their day-to-day HR work. Each episode we'll focus on a variety of People-related topics and share our experiences, stories, tips and tricks, inspired by the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
About 7people
7people is a People and Culture consultancy based in Amsterdam. We're on a mission to create irresistible organizations, by providing practical and creative HR solutions for start-ups, scale-ups and innovative companies all across Europe (and beyond!).
For more cool HR insights, follow us on LinkedIn (@7people), Instagram (@7people_team) or subscribe to our monthly newsletter through our website (www.7people.team).
“Help! I feel like I’m stuck in my position and am not learning or growing anymore!”
Ever received this question, or perhaps thought this about your own work?
It’s not always prioritised by companies, or seen as the most exciting part of the job benefits package. But you’d be surprised how often learning and growth potential (or lack thereof) is cited as a MAJOR consideration in employee job satisfaction, turnover and career progression decisions.
Who is really responsible for your career growth and development - you, your manager or your HR/L&D team? Could the best learning resources already be present within your workforce? And for those feeling stuck - what can you change to craft your future dream role?
Join Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect these questions and more, through the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners on this tricky topic.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
Salary and compensation. One of THE most important and emotionally sensitive HR topics for employees, yet also one of the least openly discussed and understood.
What is a 'compensation philosophy' and why is it critical for senior management to define this? Is tying salary to performance really the best approach? And does it really benefit companies to talk more openly about their salary processes?
Join Flo & Paul from 7people as they dissect these questions and more, through the many fascinating real-life "Have you got 5 minutes?" questions shared by our listeners on this tricky topic.
Thank you to our friends at Personio for sponsoring this podcast.
Flo & Paul from the 7people team dive in to the topic of Company Parties. What is the involvement of the People & Culture team, and what to do if things don't go to plan?
