71: Why Igniting Employee Experience Matters with Karen Weeks

‘’As long as you’re still producing the work and collaborating like you need to and hitting those key results, we can offer that flexibility.’’ – Karen Weeks. You are in for a treat! Joining Aoife on this latest Happier at Work episode is HR specialist Karen Weeks. Karen exited stage left from the world of theatre 20 years ago and has been a celebrated HR leader and coach ever since. With a drive for helping organisations create incredible cultures and a passion for guiding individuals to get unstuck from their careers and leading them to a professional path of fulfilment, it is no surprise that Karen was listed as one of the Notable Women in Talent by Crain’s New York Business in 2020. In this episode, you will get the perspective of an HR leader as Aoife and Karen dive into how HR can impact work environments and create happier employees, discuss why igniting employee experience matters, and review how the future of work is looking flexible. Key takeaways include: - Karen’s career journey from theatre to HR. - The essential role of HR. - Onboarding new employees and the power of asking questions. - Motivating employees by thinking of their needs and goals. - Psychological Safety and creating a safe space for honest conversations. - Different types of managerial styles. - Why Employee Experience matters. - What is workplace flexibility? - Managing flexible work arrangements. - How to build trust in the workplace? - What does success look like? - Understanding workplace values. - How personal life can affect work and vice versa. - What makes Karen Happier at Work. Karen is currently the SVP of People at Ordergroove and is a certified career coach, speaker, advisor to start-up companies, Girls in Tech NYC board member, the published author of “Setting the Stage: A Guide to Preparing for Any Feedback Conversation”, and host of the podcast “Getting off the Hamster Wheel”. Connect with Karen Weeks: http://www.karendweeks.com/ http://www.karendweeks.com/book/ http://www.karendweeks.com/podcast/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-d-weeks-sphr-ms-5965775 http://twitter.com/career_changers http://www.ordergroove.com/ Connect with Happier at Work host Aoife O’Brien: http://www.happieratwork.ie http://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien http://www.twitter.com/HappierAtWorkHQ http://www.instagram.com/happieratwork.ie http://www.facebook.com/groups/happieratworkpodcast Resources: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni http://www.amazon.co.uk/Five-Dysfunctions-Team-Leadership-Lencioni/dp/0787960756 http://gretchenrubin.com/