September 2024 | 51st EDITION NEWSLETTER

What Actually Motivates Employees to Perform? Clarity, One Report Says.

HR Dive | Carolyn Crist | August 26, 2024

Consistency and simplicity win when it comes to goals and assessment, as well as updates throughout the year, a McKinsey report finds. Performance management appears to be most effective when it features consistent principles that employees understand, according to an Aug. 21 report from McKinsey & Co. In particular, approaches with a coherent and connected framework across four areas — goal setting, performance reviews, feedback and rewards — correlate with the highest motivation to perform, the firm said. “Each company can design a fit-for-purpose approach tailored to the needs of its organization, ensuring core elements are well connected and articulated to employees,” according to the report.

How HR Can Usher Talent Development into The Future of Work

HR Brew | Mikaela Cohen | August 22, 2024

“If we think about talent as just disposable resources, people shuffling around organization to organization, we’re going to continue to fall short,” says Mike Ohata, talent and learning leader. The world of work is changing, and with it how talent is developed. Mike Ohata, a talent and learning leader who was formerly chief learning officer at consulting firm KPMG, has developed talent at several employers over the course of his career. In his recently published book, The Talent-Fueled Enterprise: A Powerful Approach to Build Tomorrow’s Workforce, co-written with Larry Durham and Eric Dingler, he shares his advice for developing employees for an AI-driven future. He shared with HR Brew his views on talent transformation.

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 

Embracing Mindfulness in Leadership in The Age of AI And Corporate Complexity

Forbes | Gamini Hewawasam, PhD | August 19, 2024

In the fast-paced, high-stakes environment of the corporate world, leaders are often required to make decisions that can significantly impact their organizations. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies, the capacity for analytical thinking and problem-solving has reached unprecedented heights. Yet, despite these advancements, the human element—marked by emotions, biases and psychological intricacies—remains a pivotal factor in leadership effectiveness.



The Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy recently introduced the Risk Management Profile for Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights on July 25, 2024, highlighting the ethical and human rights considerations in AI deployment. This underscores the growing importance of integrating emotional intelligence and ethical decision-making into leadership practices to manage the complex risks associated with AI.

3 Things People Get Wrong About Collaboration

Fast Company | Art Markman | August 27, 2024

These common mistakes can derail those big, ambitious projects that require lots of working together. Most of the problems we have to solve at work are too big for any individual to handle. There are too many different areas of knowledge needed to be successful. The projects require too much time for one person to do in a timely fashion. And, the tasks that need to be done are not always the most appropriate for one person to carry out.

As a result, these projects must be done collaboratively. Unfortunately, effective collaborations don’t just happen naturally. They have to be built. Sadly, we don’t teach people how to do this well. As I often say, most of our education is an individual sport, while much of work life is a team sport.

7 Ideas: Creating a Successful Employee Onboarding Experience

HR Exchange | Cornelia Gamlem and Barbara Mitchell August 10, 2024

Starting a new job is a significant transition for employees, so make it a positive and memorable experience with onboarding. People’s memories are defined by unique, out-of-the-ordinary moments. So, make your onboarding process extraordinary by taking a strategic look at how you welcome new employees into your organization. Doing so will get them engaged from the start.

Get the Manager Involved Early

A successful onboarding process starts with the manager’s involvement before the new hire arrives. There is a magical period between an employment offer being accepted and the first day of work.

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 

How To Be a Success at Everything

Fast Company | Ophira Edut | August 27, 2024

These 3 phrases are a recipe for being misunderstood. Here’s what to say instead. Knowing the basic types of coworker can help your innocent words not be subject to great misinterpretation if you attack their values. George Bernard Shaw famously said, “The single biggest illusion about communication is that it has taken place.” Yet communication based in curiosity about each other can infuse life back into the workplace. “When you build a culture of curiosity, people feel seen and heard—like they truly matter,” says Scott Shigeoka, author of Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. ”This kind of positive organizational culture does wonders for employees’ well-being, hiring top talent, retention rates, and productivity and fulfillment at work.”

Are Your Co-Workers Annoying — Or Downright Toxic?

HR Dive | Ginger Christ | August 27, 2024

When experiencing annoying behavior from a co-worker, only 12% report the behavior to a manager or HR, a new survey showed.

When I worked at my first full-time journalism job, fresh out of college, I offered to drive a new co-worker to the office after his car broke down. During the short drive to the newsroom, we made small talk about the stories we were working on or were excited about pursuing.

Enter the weekly editorial meeting. This co-worker proceeded to pitch my stories as though they were his own. In hindsight, I’d like to say he felt insecure in a new job and wanted to make a good impression with the bosses. At the time, I didn’t feel as generous. 

A Noisy Office Is a Nuisance – And A Business Opportunity

Forbes | Jena McGregor | June 28, 2024

After years of remote work, post-pandemic employees are struggling with office distractions. The solutions run from in-office phone booths to libraries to, surprisingly, adding more sound. Chad West doesn’t go into his London office more than once a week. As a vice president of marketing at crypto smart wallet Argent, West shows up for strategy or creative meetings. But when he’s just trying to get work done, the distractions and noise at Argent’s open plan office make him 40% less productive than at home, he estimates. Music escaping from coworkers’ headphones and coworkers’ voices pull at his attention while the sound of software engineers banging away at their keyboards grates on his nerves.

Employee Stress: Why HR Isn’t Getting to The Heart of The Problem

HR Executive | Peter Cappelli | July 2, 2024

It has been hard to miss the many reports about rising stress in the workplace. Despite the fact that we also hear that the tight labor market in recent years has given employees more power to address their concerns, why is it that we have made so little progress in reducing employee stress? The short answer is that what we have been doing doesn’t help much. The June issue of National Geographic has an extensive and readable overview of the science behind stress. We think of this as a human problem, but much of the research about it focuses on animals, who experience stress in much the same way.

Take A Quick Test on Culture Health: Can Your Workforce Recite Your Values?

HR Executive | Kevin Oakes | August 13, 2024

The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) just conducted a new survey on the state of organizational culture health—part of our ongoing research into this important topic. The preliminary analysis of responses to one question we asked jumped out at me: In companies of 1,000+ employees, respondents who indicated that their organization’s culture is somewhat to very toxic are three times more likely to report not being able to recite their organizations’ values (41% vs. 13%) than those indicating their organizations have a healthy culture.

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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Empowering Women to Take Control of Their Health

Dept of Labor Law Blog | Lisa M. Gomez | August 12, 2024

As women, we work hard to harmonize our careers and our personal lives. We face many challenges along the way that often means putting ourselves and our own needs on the back burner, particularly when it comes to our own health. When we think about taking some time for self-love and self-care, we may think of taking some time to read a good book, or listen to our favorite music, or simply enjoy the quiet. But self-love and self-care also means taking the time to make sure to safeguard our physical and mental health by getting the care and treatment we need.

1. The Department of Labor helps women address their health needs and the challenges that impact accessing care for their health. We’re working to increase awareness of protections related to health benefits, maternity care, paid family leave access, pregnancy discrimination, access to mental health and substance use benefits and more. At our Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), we want you to get the health benefits you are entitled to from your job-based health plan with knowledge of the protections available for these benefits. This is key to taking control of your health for a longer, stronger and happier life for you and your loved ones.

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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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Are you an employer or employee who has been affected by an emergency or unforeseen circumstance, such as a natural disaster or national emergency?

Check out our new Emergencies and Unforeseen Circumstances webpage for guidance on Form I-9 and E-Verify if these circumstances arise. 

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Laws Enforced by EEOC

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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

Strengthen Employee Connections with Stay Interviews

Bukaty Companies | August 6, 2024

Beyond offering employees experience-enhancing perks, like free lunches, casual dress codes and gym memberships, employers should supplement retention and job satisfaction efforts to connect with employees at different times throughout the year. Stay interviews are one simple and cost-effective option that ensures employees feel valued throughout their employment lifecycle.



Much like initial onboarding and exit interviews, stay interviews provide an opportunity for the employer and employee to have an open dialogue throughout their employment lifecycle. Stay interviews occur during an employee's tenure and are an effective communication channel between employees and management. Employees can share and receive feedback on their employee experience. Management can use stay interviews to identify and mediate issues within their employee population that would have otherwise gone undetected. Stay interviews highlight where an organization excels in the eyes of employees and what could be improved upon.  

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

STRONG MINDS | STRONG HEARTS

Overinvolved In Your College Kid’s Life? It’s Understandable but Not Helpful, Experts Say

CNN | Madeline Holcombe | August 16, 2024 | XiXinXing/iStockphoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Letting your child take the lead gives them the chance to grow, Lahey said. 



Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being

Academic tutor Ned Johnson recently received an email from the father of one of his high school clients.

“Can you please make sure that he is taking a practice test this weekend? He really needs it to do well,” said Johnson, founder of academic and test prep company PrepMatters, repeating the email’s contents. “Oh, and don’t tell him that I had this conversation with you.”

“I’m really invested in your kid doing well on this test. But you know who was also invested in doing well on this test? Your kid,” responded Johnson, author of “The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Child More Control Over Their Lives.”

It’s clear to those who work with high school and college students that their parents and caregivers are increasingly overinvolved with their kids, said Jessica Lahey, author of “The Gift of Failure.”



Parents are having their laundry done for their kids, making sure that college bunkbeds have safety rails so the student won’t fall off in their sleep, and even emailing professors about grades, Lahey said. (Higher education officials are limited in what they can share under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).

50 Best Game Day Foods That Are the Ultimate Touchdown

Good Housekeeping | Trish Clasen Marsanico and Samantha MacAvoy | August 19, 2024

Football fans will love these chicken wings, party dips and more!

Football fans may argue about the game, but no one disputes the fact that there ought to be game day foods — and plenty of 'em. Whether you're hosting a watch party or headed somewhere else for the big game, be a good sport and whip something up that will make everyone feel like a winner. While your Super Bowl spread is super-important, we'd argue that whenever football airs, it is an opportunity to try game day snacks, party dips, fan-favorite desserts and winning cocktails you don't normally enjoy the rest of the year. Any good sports fan knows you can't let a good opportunity go to waste.

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.

IOWA OR IOWA STATE OR MIZZOU

Every year I get asked which team do I root for, Iowa or Iowa State? My answer for years has always been Northern Iowa! Why do people seem to forget there is a third university in Iowa?!

I am a Panther, and I loved my time in Cedar Falls. I met some wonderful people and made some fantastic memories at the University of Northern Iowa. That being said, I married a Buena Vista University Beaver who is also a huge Cyclone fan. I have a niece at Iowa, so I cheer on all Iowa schools. My closet is full of every sweatshirt from every school.

Whether you are a family who has watched the Hawkeyes for generations or "I bleed cardinal and gold" kind of person or something very different, I encourage you to wear your university pride boldly. Let’s celebrate our unique affiliations and understand that each perspective brings something valuable to the table.

As we gather to cheer on our teams, share insights and network, let’s remember that our diverse loyalties can unite us in a common goal: fostering a vibrant, inclusive community where everyone can thrive.

Join us at the Missouri Employment Conference, where together we can build bridges and create opportunities that reflect the full spectrum of our experiences.

Nan, Sue & the Missouri Employment Conference Team

( Note from Nan this month, thus Iowa)