What’s it like to lead a business into the post-pandemic future? Find out how Anne Donovan, President of Xenium HR, is approaching the next steps for the organization. In this, our 300th episode, Host Brandon Laws gets the candid truth about the challenges that Anne faces as a business leader during such unprecedented times, including what keeps her up at night, how she is approaching a hybrid return-to-work plan, and what she foresees over the next few months for her employees and Xenium as a whole.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, Sponsored by Xenium HR
🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws
📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.”
A NOTE FROM THE HOST
When I started this podcast back in 2012, I never would have imagined that we’d reach 300 episodes. Over the years, our focus has moved from solely HR topics to more of a general focus on leaders and culture development, all with the goal of creating great workplaces. Every podcast episode is centered on providing education to leaders who want to be a part of transformation at work. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done, and I hope you all enjoy our 300th episode with our very own President of Xenium: Anne Donovan.
PODCAST EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Tough Decisions in Unprecedented Times
“It’s such a dynamic time right now, Brandon. I think all of my leader peers are experiencing the same thing: a lot of tough decisions in front of us. Xenium is going to be going back to work with a hybrid approach. We made the decision early on — with childcare challenges and lingering COVID concerns — that after Labor Day, we’ll come back. But then there are all these nuanced decisions that have to be made and you want to do right by people. You want to make sure that you’re promoting something that’s fair and that people feel good about.”
Being Willing to Pivot
“And so I think the challenge that we’re experiencing is wanting to evaluate — department by department and position by position — how we make sure that we’re making the right decisions and also just being willing to try something out for a while. That’s what’s giving me peace. Let’s try this for a while. And if it doesn’t work, we’ll pivot and just be open to knowing that it’s a brave new world. I think that’s the most important thing to keep in mind.”
The Employee Response
“I am worried about it because it’s different and because we are taking an open and flexible approach. I know there’s going to be some concerns, right? Like there will be people that say, ‘I disagree with my manager’s analysis that my position should be more at work than at home.’ I think those are just natural outcomes when you make a big change like this. But as long as we keep the conversation open and welcoming and inclusive, I think people really appreciate that it’s not just dictated to them without the dialogue.”
Managing Performance
“And I think it’s going to require more accountability and organizational skills from managers because, you’re right, it’s too easy for someone to hide because they don’t know what to do, maybe because their job duties weren’t made perfectly clear. But a manager who sets those accountabilities, who has KPIs and measures against them, helps people be successful to know when things are due and why. People want to know where the guideposts are. There is going to be greater responsibility on managers to be more explicit about those accountabilities and KPIs. And I think that eventually if not immediately, the employees will appreciate it even more.”
Inventing a New Playbook
“We need a new playbook that outlines how to approach the new norms. How do you run a meeting when you have half at home and half at work? How do you, as an individual, participate in meetings where some of the folks are not there? How do you make sure it’s inclusive and that you don’t forget about those folks that are virtual and we’re working on it right now? It’s going to be ongoing and evolving because what we think is a good set of guidelines now will probably need to be tweaked 30 days after.”
The Compensation Challenge
“It’s one of the toughest challenges for all businesses because at the end of the day, there is a finite amount of money that the business has to budget. And there are also external pressures of the market moving. And in order to get great talent, you need to be able to pay market value. And you’ve got all these great employees who now may, all of a sudden, have become under-compensated because of the market moves. So I think that it has to be done with a lot of intention. I think it takes a village. You need lots of input and you need to make sure that you can retain top talent. That is one of the biggest concerns on my mind.”
“I think, with COVID waning, people are now more interested in making change. And I think if companies are not willing to really analyze the way that they do business, they will lose employees. Maybe it’s new incentives and compensation. It could be a lot of different things that you consider, but being close-minded to it is going to be a really tough path from a retention standpoint.”
Showing Appreciation
“When my head hits the pillow at night, I question whether I told everyone how much I appreciate them today. And there are people whose jobs don’t overlap with mine that are on my team, and those are the folks I worry about. Like the people who are quietly doing an amazing job. Have I neglected them? Have I reached out and let them know how much I appreciate them? I need to make sure that I am balancing that. In this job, you can imagine it’s often about putting out fires and addressing what’s on fire right now.
I want to make sure I recognize those who have done something extraordinary this week or month, and I want to make sure they hear from me.”
A SPECIAL “THANK YOU”
We hope you enjoyed this special episode inside the mind of Xenium’s President, Anne Donovan. And to you, our audience, we want to express our appreciation for staying with us over the past 300 episodes. We look forward to continuing our mission: to educate business leaders and watch as we transform our workplaces for the better.