August 2025 | 62nd EDITION NEWSLETTER

Conference Chatter

What #MEC2025 Attendees are saying...



• Networking is always a plus and was very good. Vendor fair was nice. I did appreciate the interactive sessions, and the more leadership/team building focused sessions. Lunch was good.
• Variety of topics and interacting with other employers.
• The presentations are always great! And the topics are specific to what we face on a daily basis.
• A lot of useful information to take with me.

3 Cognitive Habits of People Who Get Things Done

Fast Company | Chris Weller and David Rock | June 23, 2025

Marcus leads a team of eight direct reports, and Jennifer is his star employee. While the other seven team members struggle to complete tasks on time or in the way Marcus asks for them, Jennifer seems to ace any task she’s given. She asks questions when she’s unclear and owns up to her mistakes. Any time the other employees mess up, Marcus wishes he could clone Jennifer seven times and save himself the hassle.

Sound familiar?

You may not be able to clone your star employees, but you can help your team replicate the cognitive habits of people like Jennifer to build the skill of accountability across your team. At the NeuroLeadership Institute, we’ve spent the past year reverse-engineering what accountable people do from a cognitive perspective. 

10 ChatGPT Prompts That Will Help You Work Smarter and Think Faster

Forbes | Dr. Diane Hamilton | June 2, 2025

More than 800 million people are using ChatGPT each week, and one in five people use it for work, but most are barely tapping into what it can actually do. I hear people say they use it to summarize articles or write emails faster, and that’s fine. But I’ve found that the real benefit comes when you use prompts to help you think. Not to replace your thinking, but to sharpen it, organize it, or speed it up when your brain is already juggling too much. It’s easy to underestimate how much mental space gets wasted just preparing for a meeting.

That’s where prompts come in. They give you structure without slowing you down. I’ve been collecting the kinds of prompts that help with focus. Some of these might sound simple, but when you’re in the middle of a busy day, a good prompt can be the difference between momentum and burnout.

A ‘Pivotal’ Moment for HR Departments: Balancing Budget Constraints and Hiring Challenges

HR Dive | Caroline Colvin | May 21, 2025

As economic headwinds force business leaders to rethink strategy, talent acquisition has not escaped unscathed. HR professionals confirmed as much in the 2025 Identity of HR survey.

In the survey, 37% of HR professionals named budgetary constraints as a key challenge in 2024; similarly, 36% of HR professionals also named hiring as one of the biggest challenges faced in 2024. 

Budgetary restraints included salary cuts, headcount reduction, hiring freezes and overall fewer resources. Hiring challenges encompassed issues like I-9 documentation, onboarding and recruiting. 

Both metrics increased year over year.

Developing Middle Managers: How HR Can Support These Overworked Leaders

HR Executive | Jill Barth | April 3, 2025

Middle managers have become the unsung heroes of the workplace after steering the ship through the disruption of the pandemic and the culture changes brought on by shifts in remote work. However, HR leaders must be aware that they are increasingly becoming the most vulnerable workforce population. Far from the glamorous leadership roles portrayed in corporate narratives, today’s managers are navigating an unprecedented scene of challenges that threaten their professional effectiveness—and their very wellbeing.

Middle managers and workplace dynamics

Mike Dolen, CEO of manager support platform Humancore and former HR executive at Home Depot and IBM, warns of a looming crisis in middle management burnout.

Conference Chatter

What did ATTENDEES like MOST about #MEC2025?

• Local for me MO law updates/legislature. Good topics!
• The keynote speakers were AMAZING! If our library could afford to have them speak at our staff training, I would schedule them. I was able to take pieces away immediately and apply them to work.
• It was all very good. Tammy Rogers sessions were probably my favorite.
• Another excellent event for the books. Relevant and timely subject material makes it difficult to choose which sessions will be the most impactful. Thank you for organizing a great event!
• Networking!
• Really enjoyed every speaker I had the chance to hear from. They were all engaging and exciting even if their topics didn't mesh with me.

HR Effectiveness: Why it Eludes So Many

MEC Sponsor Tesseon | May 21, 2025

HR’s promise is straightforward: putting the right people in the right place, at the right time and cost, to support business goals and regulatory obligations. When HR works well, the ripple effects are profound: higher engagement, better retention, and more revenue per employee. Still, for many organizations, building a truly effective HR function feels just out of reach.

If you’re an HR professional or leader wondering why meaningful progress seems elusive, you’re not alone. A recent survey showed 63% of HR leaders see their function as no better than moderately effective. Here’s a candid guide to understanding why and—crucially—how you can break the cycle.

Even the most seasoned practitioners face challenges making HR into a true strategic partner. Why? The issues run deep: legacy cultures are hard to shift, change requires influence more than formal authority, and expectations from the business seem to grow even as budgets shrink. On top of this, HR priorities must constantly be reshuffled as new leaders arrive, technologies change, and market disruptions keep everyone on edge.

How Elite Organizations Transform Good Teams Into Extraordinary Ones

Forbes | Keith Ferrazzi | May 9, 2025

Most organizations are leaving significant value on the table. Not because they lack talented people or smart strategies, but because they’re stuck in outdated leadership models that simply can’t deliver in today’s complex and volatile environment. After coaching thousands of teams over twenty years, I’ve discovered a new way of approaching transformation and transforming good teams into extraordinary ones. It’s called Teamship.



This isn't just another business buzzword. It's a radical reimagining of how teams operate and collaborate: shifting from traditional hierarchical leadership to a peer-to-peer model where teammates co-lead and co-elevate each other to achieve world-class performance. The load of leadership is shared among the team—a team “hired as individual stars finally acts like a constellation,” as one leader described it. 

How to Properly Deal with a Poor Performer

HPPY | Editor’s Choice | June 13, 2025

Employees are expected to do the tasks as described in their job descriptions. After all, doing so is the bare minimum for securing their positions in the organizations they’re serving. Employers are also required to provide support and interventions that can help employees accomplish their duties faithfully and in line with the organization’s needs.

However, employees and HR managers are bound to encounter cases of employees who start to underperform. This is usually evidenced by a change in their work ethic and a reduction in the quality and deliverability of their outputs.

Poor performance can happen even to the best organizations. Dealing with it is also complicated since you will have to walk the line between helping an employee reach their potential and making sure the organization benefits from the competence they put into their work.

HR Leaders: Help Eliminate Perception Bias, Not Fall Into It

HR Dive | May 27, 2025

Regrets about the one that got away can keep an HR executive up at night. You work hard to attract the talent your organization needs to succeed and to build a workplace culture where employees can excel. That’s why you can’t afford to let perception bias derail HR-related decisions at any point in the employee lifecycle.

“Perception bias is when our view of someone is shaped by assumptions, stereotypes, or incomplete information rather than objective data,” says Jackie Dube, Chief People Officer at The Predictive Index (PI). 

Like any form of unconscious bias, perception bias can be a sensitive topic for workplace leaders to confront, Dube notes. But while we’d all prefer to believe we are bias-free, she says unconscious bias affects everyone and requires a deliberate effort to resist. 

Conference Chatter

"Day 1 of Missouri Employment Conference! City of Mexico is here to Level Up, Learn More... Build Leaders!" #MEC2025 Attendee Vicki J. Duenke

In response to Vicki's LinkedIn post…

"Two of Mexico's finest! Thank you both for taking the initiative to learn and for bringing that knowledge back to share with our city & community - it makes a real difference." Gigi Quinlan McArevy

"Way to invest in yourselves and to add value for those around you!" Beth Joelner 

This Simple Template Can Help You Answer Any Job Interview Question

Fast Company | Judith Humphrey | June 5, 2025

This four-part method can aid you when replying to any question you get asked—even the unexpected ones.

If you want to land a new role, you’ve got to deal successfully with the Q&A portion of the job interview. Fumble in responding to a question or offer a garbled answer, and you could miss out on that next dream role.

That’s why it’s such a good idea to do your research and prepare a set of potential answers in advance. To do this, think of what questions could be asked and use the following template to build a set of answers.



Having this four-step “H-I-R-E” template will also help you answer unexpected questions eloquently on the fly.

What This Mom Of 3 Says HR Can Do to Support Working Parents This Summer

HR Executive | Jen Colletta | June 12, 2025

For kids, summer is typically a time of freedom and fun—yet for their working parents, it can be anything but.

New research from Bright Horizons, for instance, found that more than three-quarters of working parents said their ability to focus at work during the summertime is directly tied to their kids’ schedules. About one-third have to check out of work periodically to take care of their kids in the summer, and just as many are distracted and worried about their children while they’re working in the summer.

It’s a challenge Karishma Patel Buford knows well. As the mother of three young kids and the chief people officer at mental health solution provider Spring Health, she is accustomed to navigating the daily juggling act of giving her all to her organization and her family.

Why HR Teams Are Championing A CX Technology 

Revolution

HR Executive |Tomas Gorny | June 6, 2025

When some traditionally minded business leaders talk about the customer experience (CX), they think of their company’s external-facing activities. When discussing human resources, they think of internal operations. So, it sometimes comes as a surprise when I tell them that, today, the best HR teams are becoming champions of a CX technology revolution.

To understand why, we need to take a look at what CX is. As McKinsey put it, the term “refers to everything an organization does to deliver superior experiences, value and growth for customers.”

Who delivers the best customer experience? Employees who not only have a wide range of skills, but are also empowered to do the best job possible.

Training Requirements and Resources

OSHA provides information on employers' training requirements and offers resources such as free publications, videos, and other assistance to help employers protect workers against injuries and illnesses.

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OSHA provides safety and health resources specifically designed for small businesses. Find information on complying with OSHA standards and receive advice you can trust through OSHA's no-cost and confidential On-Site Consultation Program.

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How Opinion Letters Empower Workers and Employers

Dept of Labor Blog | Keith Sonderling | June 2, 2025

At the U.S. Department of Labor, we are committed to putting the American Worker First by making compliance easier, complex labor laws understandable, and providing answers for everyone.

That’s why I’m proud to announce the launch of our opinion letter program — a key compliance assistance tool that puts practical, tailored guidance into the hands of the public. Whether you’re a worker, employer, attorney, HR professional, union representative, or trade group, these resources can help you navigate real workplace situations with confidence.

An opinion letter is an official, written response from the department about how a specific law we enforce applies to a particular set of facts. It is a powerful resource that provides clarity, consistency and peace of mind in complex or uncertain legal scenarios.

The benefits are clear: This resource encourages voluntary compliance, prevents costly violations and fosters informed decision-making. It also demonstrates our commitment to transparency and customer experience — values that are central to the department’s mission.

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I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification

Use Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for every individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and aliens. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form.

On the form, an employee must attest to their employment authorization. The employee must also present their employer with acceptable documents as evidence of identity and employment authorization. The employer must examine these documents to determine whether they reasonably appear to be genuine and relate to the employee, then record the document information on the employee’s Form I-9. Certain employers who choose to remotely examine the employee’s documentation under a DHS-authorized alternative procedure rather than via physical examination must indicate they did so by checking the box provided. 

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EEOC Resources

Need information about a specific discrimination topic? We've categorized EEOC material for small businesses categorized by topic, so you can find what you need quickly and easily.

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Laws Enforced by EEOC

Employers

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect employees and job applicants against employment discrimination when it involves:

• Unfair treatment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in the workplace, because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that the employee needs because of religious beliefs, disability, or pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
•  Retaliation because the employee complained about job discrimination or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit. 

READ MORE

Conference Chatter

What #MEC2025 Attendees are saying...

• Easy! Walked right in, got my badge, and got to networking!
• The team at check in were wonderful... so happy to be there and lots of laughter from that table.
• Loved everything!
• I was so impressed that all of the sessions occurred as planned, and the location of sessions was dedicated. I would say it all ran on time, and so smooth which I appreciated.

"This is our first year to sponsor the event. We are excited about the connections we are going to make!" IPE Screening

"IPE Screening is a proud sponsor!" Jennifer Cummings, Owner IPE Screening

CLICK HERE FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES! 

Grow with the Conference & Benefit from the Marketing Enhancements

PRESENTING SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Get Answers to All Your FMLA Questions

MEC Presenting Sponsor Bukaty Companies | July 2025

The Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Act comes with a mountain of complexities for employers to navigate. Oversights of even the seemingly granular components of the legislation can snowball into a costly mistake for any employer. With so much at stake, having the right resources to lead your team through the ins and outs of employer requirements helps you avoid missteps. Bukaty Companies’ HR Consulting team has years of experience navigating FMLA obligations. Review these quick-hit questions and answers to some common FMLA inquiries, then gain a greater understanding of FMLA requirements by booking a training session with our team.

How does an employer calculate an employee's eligibility for FMLA? An employee must have worked at least 1,250 hours in the preceding 12 months prior to their requested FMLA leave start date. Check the payroll, and include any compensable hours (travel or training) and overtime.

Does an employer with multiple locations need to count employees across all sites to meet the 50-employee threshold within 75 miles? If an employer has 50 employees for 20 workweeks this year, or preceding calendar year, an FMLA poster should still be posted even if no one is eligible for FMLA.

Can an employer require a doctor’s note or call-in for employees using intermittent leave, after each absence? Yes, an employer can require an employee to follow a call-in procedure. Employers should be careful when asking for documentation or doctor’s notes, as it could be considered a recertification. It’s best practice to wait 30 days before requesting or requiring employees to submit additional medical documentation. Exceptions can occur when there is a frequency of leave that does not align with the designation or approval, if anything casts doubt or if there is a pattern of habitual misuse of leave. To curb misuse, it is best for intermittent cases to be recertified after six months.

ATTENDEES, SPEAKERS & SPONSORS WERE INVITED TO ENJOY AN EVENING BOAT RIDE, COMPLIMENTS OF BUKATY COMPANIES, AT THE END OF DAY 1 OF THE CONFERENCE!

"Grateful doesn’t even begin to cover it! Huge thanks to Sue Kmet for the opportunity to pour into an amazing group of HR professionals about neurodiversity in the workplace. The conversation was rich, real, and deeply needed. The drive to Camden, MO was breathtaking, and the Old Kinderhook Resort and Conference Center? Absolutely flawless. The entire Missouri Employment Conference was a hit! Here’s to creating workplaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered." Leslie Tolliver

"Thank you putting together a wonderful event!" Tammy Ebright

"#MEC2025 was another great event! Well done, Nan!" Julie Oeth

"I had an amazing time presenting my topic, "Mastering Modern Marketing: Strategies for Success." I'm grateful to the Missouri Employment Conference for the opportunity to present at the beautiful Old Kinderhook Golf Resort." Leizl Kurtz

"PERFECT opener!" Alan Feier

Feedback from #MEC2025 Speakers

THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO TRAVELED NEAR AND FAR TO LEARN WITH US AT THE 2025 CONFERENCE!

MAKE SURE TO TAG US IN YOUR POSTS IF YOU ATTENDED THIS YEAR.

THE TEAM IS ALREADY HARD AT WORK DREAMING UP THE 2026 CONFERENCE!

Conference Chatter

What did ATTENDEES like MOST about #MEC2025?

• Opportunity to network in a smaller conference setting with folks in and around the lake.
• Location. Diverse topics
• Great topics and well done!! It's always one of the best in MO!
• Great sessions with lots of networking opportunities!
• Well organized event with a great mix of topics to choose from.
• Meeting new people.
• Lots of options to choose from! Great location & space. Everyone was kind & engaged with everyone.
• The different sessions regarding engaging with different people during the course of your duties.

Conference Chatter

"Great show! Thank you #MEC2025!" Kayla Kelly

"Although my photos from the conference are lacking this year, my experience is not! I love #MEC2025!!" Jordan Shalla

"It’s been the best one yet." Rachael Cox

"Worth attending!" Shereen Bender

Feedback from #MEC2025 Attendees

"Just had a blast speaking at #MEC2025 on one of my favorite topics—Unlocking Personality Strengths! Grateful for a room full of curious, engaged professionals ready to grow!" Rae Lyon

"Honored to be invited to speak at the Missouri Employment Conference! Thank you for the opportunity to support the incredible professionals shaping Missouri’s workforce." Lyon Coaching Group

"Had a blast speaking today at the #MEC2025. A privilege to be a part of such an amazing group of speakers. It was a great group….so fun and so engaged." Jason Herman

"It’s been a great conference! So many good takeaways." Steve Hughes

Feedback from #MEC2025 Speakers

What did ATTENDEES like MOST about #MEC2025?

• David Bartley, Jennifer Peterson & Tammy Rogers Sessions.
• Learning the different topics and talking to other HR professionals.
• Variety of topics. Quality of speakers.
• I loved the interaction of the events. Everyone was so hands on, and happy to engage in real content and conversation which is sometimes hard to find at some of the larger events. It felt authentic, intimate, and well worth the time spent. 

MIND MATTERS

Resources for Mental Health Support

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org/chat for free and confidential support from trained crisis counselors 24/7. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's free help line: Call 800-662-4357 for 24/7 mental health support in English or Spanish. 

David Woods Bartley has seen his fair share of successes and setbacks, from directing a nationally recognized nonprofit to battling the long-term effects of childhood sexual trauma and a life-threatening mental illness. The latter, a brutal knock-down, drag-out fight with clinical depression, led David to a suicide attempt.

Thanks to the support of many people and being shown the necessity of putting one’s self-care on a pedestal, David continues the essential yet challenging journey from the isolation of mental “hellness” to the inclusive space of mental wellness. His life having been saved, David is committed to moving the conversation about suicide, male sexual trauma, and mental illness from the dark shadows where they now live to the forefront of public concern.

In doing so, his mission is to shine a bright light on the crisis we now face and open doors to the possibility of mental health for everyone, everywhere.

David was recently featured in a really great TV interview about one of the therapies that has changed and saved his life!

STRONG MINDS | STRONG HEARTS

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

By definition, Servant Leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the goal of the leader is to serve. If you are in a place where your talent and skills will help others, by all means, use them. We are proud of the work our leaders have done and hope that if you are in a place to serve, you choose to step up.

About Us

Kids Cove is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization a place where compassion meets action, and every child's well-being is at the heart of what we do. Our goal is to provide respite care like no other. A vacation for the kids and rest for the parents. 

Our Journey

Founded in 2023 by James and Kate Radford, Kids Cove emerged from a deeply personal commitment to fostering and a shared vision of making a lasting impact on the lives of foster families and children in need. Our journey began with a simple idea — to create a haven where foster families find support, and children experience the joys of childhood in a nurturing environment.

Our Mission is simple, provide respite to foster parents for the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate, so they can better meet the needs of the children in their care.

The Surprising Ways That Siblings Shape Our Lives

The New York Times | May 19, 2025 | Susan Dominus

Credit...Artwork by Kensuke Koike

Parents try everything to influence their children. But new research suggests brothers and sisters have their own profound impact.

When I was 14, I spent most of my free time doing two things that I loved: I ran a lot, and I played a lot of piano, even though by high school it was clear I’d never really excel at either. Once, as a friend and I did the customary prerace walk of a cross-country course, we were so involved in conversation that we realized we were late only when we heard, in the far distance, the bang of the starting gun. And when my piano teacher tried to explain what I was doing wrong, she sometimes imitated my playing in a way that made clear I was not destined for Juilliard.

That year, my freshman year of high school, my brother, who is six years older, came home from college for Thanksgiving break and informed me that he thought I should join the high school newspaper. There was no newspaper, I told him; at some point, it disbanded from lack of interest. I can still picture my brother in the doorway of my bedroom: I longed to return to whatever I was reading (“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”? “The Clan of the Cave Bear”?), but he stood there for what felt like an eternity, lecturing me about the decline of democracy without a free press, and the apathy of my classmates; the high school had to have a newspaper, and if no one else was going to revive it, he insisted, then I must. 

30 No-Cook Summer Meals to Chill Out in a Heat Wave

Allrecipes | Vanessa Greaves | June 23, 2025

Credit: Allrecipes/Qi Ai

These no-cook recipes are great for sweltering summer days when you can't handle the heat!

When the summer heat has reached its peak, and the last thing you want to think about is turning on the stove, reach for these easy no-cook recipes instead. Try boldly flavored rice noodle bowls, layered up sandwiches, super fresh salads, and even sip on some cool soups like gazpacho. With a few convenience ingredients on hand and these helpful ideas, you'll be throwing together no-cook summer meals in no time.

HELP AN HR HERO WIN A $50 VISA GIFT CARD!

Do you know someone in your HR department (or company-wide) who deserves to be recognized for making a positive impact in your company from day to day??

Whether personal or professional, in a big or a small way, we all know those people who go above & beyond for the greater good.

We want to help these everyday (H)eroes be (R)ecognized! Send your nominations to us & one deserving person each month leading up to the current conference will be selected to receive a $50 VISA gift card! We will announce the winner in the following month's newsletters.

As summer swiftly glides by, we find ourselves navigating the sweltering heat, and we sincerely hope you are staying cool and hydrated during these warm days.

The exhilarating energy from our spring conference has now settled, but we are eagerly starting to prepare for the 2026 conference, and we can't wait to unveil the exciting plans we have in store for you.

We promise to be an invaluable resource for your company, offering insights and connections that will be beneficial for all. We genuinely look forward to reconnecting and sharing this experience with you every year.

As you savor the remaining days of summer, we encourage you to carve out some time for relaxation and to cherish moments with your loved ones.

Nan, Sue & the team at Missouri Employment Conference