March 2025 | 57th EDITION NEWSLETTER

WE CAN'T WAIT TO WELCOME YOU BACK!

Not All Managers Are Leaders — But HR Can Help Them Bridge the Gap

HR Brew | Mikaela Cohen | February 19, 2025

“Managers are there to keep things under control…Leaders are there, to change things,” author and consultant Roger Gerard tells HR Brew.

Raise your hand if you were promoted to management without any leadership training.

Most managers have probably had this experience, according to Roger Gerard, business consultant and author of Lead With Purpose: Reignite Passion and Engagement for Professionals in Crisis.

It’s especially troubling since becoming a manager doesn’t automatically make someone a good leader. But HR can play a strategic role in helping train managers, and employees, to become effective leaders.

DEI Could Get Better Than Ever

HR Dive | Daphne Howland | February 18, 2025

In the current climate, several U.S. companies are probing the effectiveness and legalities of their DEI policies, but most are retaining them. The intense pressure to end diversity initiatives has led companies to scrutinize their policies. Many will end up making them stronger.

The politicians, provocateurs and think tanks that in the past few years have worked to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion may not appreciate the full consequences of their efforts. They’ve used a variety of tactics, in the public and private sectors, including White House executive orders; lawsuits or the threat of lawsuits; shareholder proposals; and needling on social media. They’ve notched high-profile wins, most notably the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action and capitulation at several companies, including retailers and brands that have ended or scaled back their DEI programs.

Best is a tough score to reach, but your conference is right up there with the best ones that I have participated in.

It was an awesome event filled with helpful tools and tips to make HR better.

The team was a true pleasure to work with and put on an awesome event!

Feedback from Spring 2024 MEC Speakers 

State Attorneys General Point to Ways DEI Programs Can Stay Within Legal Boundaries

MEC Sponsor Ogletree Deakins | Nonnie L. Shivers | February 20, 2025

The attorneys general of sixteen states recently released guidance explaining how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the private sector can remain viable and legal. This guidance came shortly after President Donald Trump issued two executive orders targeting “unlawful DEI” programs in the federal government, federal contractors, and federal fund recipients, and directed the U.S. attorney general to investigate “unlawful DEI” programs in the private sector.

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How Job Seekers, Recruiters and Hiring Managers Can Improve Recruiting

Forbes | Dr. Diane Hamilton | February 11, 2025

Hiring should not feel like an endless struggle, but too often, that is exactly what happens. Job seekers feel like they are being ignored. Hiring managers struggle to find the right people. Recruiters are caught in the middle, managing shifting expectations from both sides. The problem is not a lack of effort. It is that small missteps on all sides can slow things down and make hiring harder than it needs to be. Here is how Job Seekers, Recruiters, and Hiring Managers can improve the process.

Hiring Managers Expect the Perfect Candidate to Magically Appear

Many hiring managers wait for someone who checks every box, but perfect candidates rarely exist. The longer the search drags on, the more opportunities are lost.

HR Has an Employee Feedback Problem

HR Brew | Mikaela Cohen | January 17, 2025

When employees don’t feel heard, it “reinforces the fact that leaders don’t care,” John Frehse, senior managing director and global head of labor strategy at consulting firm Ankura, tells HR Brew.

Discover the true cost of employee turnover with Express Pro’s turnover calculator. Identify the costs of separation, replacement, and productivity loss to understand the full picture of turnover.

Anyone here remember the struggle of searching for a radio station and only hearing static? Talk about some frustrating feedback you never want to hear again. And that just pales in comparison to the feedback problem facing HR pros right now.

Some 39% of employees don’t feel comfortable giving honest feedback, and 44% don’t give honest feedback because they don’t think it’ll amount to anything, according to a September Survey Monkey report. 

MEC is a great conference. I have referred you to a lot of my HR friends and colleagues.

Overall, the conference was great! I love that you offer a variety of topics ranging from employment law to self-care.

Thank you, ladies. I appreciate all the hard work that goes into this event. You nailed it once again.

Keep up the with the great conference!

You guys did an amazing job putting this conference together. I thought it ran very smoothly.

Feedback from Spring 2024 MEC Attendees

I really enjoyed this year’s conference. The weather was great until the very end, the lunches were good. I really like this conference because it is small enough that you get to know people and can have real conversations. The session topics and speakers were great this year! Everything was very relevant to our current environment and what is important to both employers and employees alike. This conference is always so organized and well put together. Hope to see you next year!!  - 2024 MEC Attendee Jennifer Knigge 

Why HR is Uniquely Positioned to Enable Business Success

HR Executive | Jen Colletta | February 18, 2025

A few decades ago, after following his grandfather’s advice to “never say no” to opportunities, Andrew Dawson decided to transition his early experiences in talent acquisition to an HR business partner position, a role that was just emerging.

In an interview at an assessment center for an HRBP position at a large multinational company, Dawson says, he was pressed on his view on HR’s strategic role.

“They told me, ‘You said ‘HR business partner’ about 23 times, but you never really answered the question,’ ” he recalls. Digging into that question became core to his personal mission as his career evolved—taking him into HR leadership positions at companies including Eli Lilly, Novartis and TripAdvisor. In 2020, he became chief people officer and head of corporate affairs at ophthalmic equipment manufacturer BVI Medical.

5 Strategies for Staying Calm as a Leader During Times of Chaos

FastCompany | Dax Dasilva | February 17, 2025

Rather than hit the panic button, leaders can model grace under pressure with a little bit of practice.

Picture this: It’s Black Friday, and the point-of-sale system your thousands of customers depend on keeps crashing. Understandably, those retailers are livid. Complaints pour in day after day, and you start to wonder if the business will survive.

That’s exactly what happened to me when I was just starting out as an entrepreneur nearly 20 years ago. And as painful as it was, that “near-death” experience taught me something invaluable: the power of calm leadership.

In today’s unpredictable world—whether that’s due to economic, environmental, or political events—it can be harder than ever to stay calm and centered. 

CHROs Struggle to Prevent the Exodus of C-Suite Leaders, Report Finds

HR Dive | Ginger Christ | February 10, 2025

Less than 1 in 4 C-suite executives surveyed think their CHRO effectively manages tension between C-suite members, Gartner found.

More than half of CxOs — C-suite leaders who report to the CEO, excluding the CHRO — say they are likely or extremely likely to leave their job in the next two years, according to a Feb. 5 report by Gartner, Inc. Of those, 27% expected to leave in the next six months. 

Stop Being the Hero Leader: Why Great Teams Need Less Leadership

Forbes | Keith Ferrazzi | January 31, 2025

“I’ve hired a team of stars, but I really need them to work like a constellation,” a CEO once said to me. It’s a great line and captures a frustration I’ve heard so often over the last 20 years of coaching the world’s top teams. This particular CEO did what most leaders think impossible: he was chasing down a moonshot 10x growth goal while freeing up 30% of his time. The breakthrough came when he realized that despite hiring exceptional talent, his hub-and-spoke leadership style was creating a bottleneck.

Employee Leave Requests Rise for the Third Consecutive Year

HR Brew | Theresa Agovino | January 31, 2025

Mental health issues, new company policies, and state laws granting paid leave drive up employees’ requests for extended time off.

Employee leave requests rose for the third consecutive year, with 57% of organizations reporting that more workers asked for extended time off in 2024, according to a survey released earlier this month by AbsenceSoft. The pace of the requests is slowing, however. Requests increased by 62% in 2023, after swelling by 96% in 2022.

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 to Improve Women’s Retirement Security in 2025

Dept of Labor Blog | Jeff Hayes | January 13, 2025

Saving for old age is challenging for most people, but recent data suggest women are less likely than men to consider their retirement savings on-track. Nearly half of women find making retirement savings decisions to be complicated and confusing and nearly six in 10 women feel they do not earn enough to save for retirement. It’s not surprising that women have these concerns, as they continue to provide more care for family members of all ages, earn less than men even when working full-time and year-round and live longer on average. Among women and men ages 50 and older, women report 77 cents in wealth ($165,691) for every dollar of wealth reported by men ($213,948). That’s one of many reasons why it’s so important for women to plan for their lifetime financial security, and for policymakers and employers to support their efforts. 

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Employer Resources

When you hire a new employee, you must verify their identity and employment eligibility using Form I-9. You may be among the nearly 3 million proactive worksites that also use E-Verify to electronically verify Form I-9 information. The checklists, videos, and other English resources on this page will help you understand your responsibilities and make the hiring process easy.

Check out the resources customized for employers like you.

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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. 

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Thank you for hosting us, MEC. Making connections, both professional and furry, has been the highlight of our day.

Spring 2024 MEC Sponsor UMSL Graduate Business Programs

CLICK HERE FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES! 

Grow with the Conference & Benefit from the Marketing Enhancements

PRESENTING SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

ACA Reporting – What to Know and When to File

MEC Presenting Sponsor Bukaty Companies Blog | January 28, 2025

What are Forms 1094 / 1095?

Forms 1094 / 1095 are used by employers and health insurance carriers to report coverage and enrollment information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and benefit-eligible employees.

When is the deadline to submit these forms?

Employers filing ten or more returns of any type for the year must electronically file Forms 1094 and 1095 with the IRS by March 31, 2025. Those with nine or fewer information returns for the year can file by mail through February 28, 2025. If an extension is needed, employers can file

Form 8809 to receive an additional 30 days to file.

How have ACA reporting processes been updated?

Passage of the Employer Reporting Improvement Act and the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act modified the ACA employer reporting processes. 

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

We can't wait to show you what we have in store for the 2025 conference!!

SAVE THE DATES 4/30 + 5/1!

I really enjoyed this conference and hope to be able to attend in the future. Thank you for your hard work and dedication :) I was very impressed.

I appreciate the friendly environment. This conference was well organized.

Love this conference! Sue & Nan do such a great job organizing this event!

Definitely would recommend.

Feedback from Spring 2024 MEC Attendees

Thanks to Nan Boland and Sue Kmet and the teams putting on the Iowa and Missouri Employment Conferences! - Barb Ranck

Enjoyed my time! They do a phenomenal job! Just finished with a cruise of the lake on top of fun and great experience!! - Reggie Harris

Had a great time at the Missouri Employment Conference this week presenting on behalf of Cottingham & Butler on ways to measure, prioritize, and strategize on your employees’ wants. I took it as a positive sign to have Dubuque coffee served at the event. I’m so grateful for the time I spent in HR where I was able to implement various solution to drive retention and optimize health plan performance, and love sharing some of the great experiences! - Julie Oeth

Spring 2024 MEC Speakers

Had a blast sharing the infinite ROI of leading with care with 200+ HR professionals at the Missouri Employment Conference! I always feel humbled and lucky every opportunity I have to share my message on the new rules of care. Thank you Nan Boland and Sue Kmet for inviting me to join this wonderful event! - Danny Goldberg

Another successful presentation on workplace anxiety and stress. Today’s breakout room was packed with HR representatives who are all too familiar with organizational stress. Thank you Missouri Employment Conference for inviting me back to speak. - Kelli Risse

Spring 2024 MEC Speakers

Michelle, Lisa, Nan, Sarah & Sue

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.

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.

Join the fight against human trafficking.

Together, we can raise awareness, educate and work towards bringing an end to human trafficking.

What is Human Trafficking?

Find out here!

10 Family-Friendly U.S. Vacations, From the Mountains to the Beach

National Geographic | Taryn White | February 13, 2025

Photograph by Flashpop, Getty Images

Looking for a multi-generational getaway this year? These destinations strike the right balance between price and comfort, and offer a range of activities for everyone in your group. 

Planning the perfect family vacation is no small feat. From ensuring kid-friendly activities to securing spacious and comfortable accommodations, it's about striking the right balance between entertainment, comfort, and price. A recent Family Travel Association (FTA) survey highlighted affordability as the top challenge for planning a family vacation. 

Wildly Delicious Weeknight Dinners for March

Delish.com | Camille Lowder | 2025

photo: rocky luten; food styling: makinze gore

Shh, do you hear that? Yep, that's the sound of the doldrums of winter blowing away on a March breeze. Sure, it might snow again, and there will certainly be lots of rainy days, but we’re convincing ourselves that every one could be the last, and that spring is truly right around the corner. With spring comes fairer weather and, our favorite, lots of fresh produce like asparagus and peas. To celebrate, we’re cutting our takeout and delivery habits (well, somewhat, we’re not monsters), and getting back in the kitchen. We’ve got 40 recipes to help inspire you to make dinner this March—one for every day of the month, and then some!

Get the Beef Noodle Casserole recipe!

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.

Embrace the Spring Vibes & Get Ready for April’s Conference

As the chill of winter melts away and the first blooms of spring begin to show, we’re filled with a renewed sense of energy and excitement. March brings with it longer days, warmer weather, and the perfect opportunity to reconnect with the world around us.

We’re also thrilled to share that April is just around the corner, bringing with it our highly anticipated Missouri Employment Conference!

Mark your calendars for April 30-May 1s and get ready to join us for two full days of inspiration, learning, and networking. We can’t wait to see you there!

Wishing you a wonderful start to spring!

Sue, Nan & the MEC team