Katya Laviolette

I had the good fortune of participating in the #CHREATE project, The Consortium to Reimagine HR, Employment Alternatives, Talent, and the Enterprise, a select group of top HR leaders focused on the future of work, led by John Boudreau, Eva Sage-Gavin et al One of the CHROs that I have worked, as a mentor to our students, speaker at our programs, is Eric Severson. Eric is a seasoned board director, C-Suite human capital management executive with 30 years of experience in Fortune 200 companies Throughout his career as CHRO at Neiman Marcus Group (NMG), DaVita, The Gap, he has gained valuable insights that have shaped his leadership approach. These represent a special learning opportunity for other HR leaders who aspire to develop themselves. Some examples: 1. Embrace Agility and Innovation: At NMG, he re-engineered the people services model, adding five capabilities—analytics, PMO, enterprise talent acquisition, ESG, and Belonging/Evidence-based DEI—while reducing spending by $1M annually. This saved $100M over four years, increased employee net promoter score (eNPS) by 34%, time-to-hire by 16%, retention by 5%, and VP diversity by 46% 2. Foster a Culture of Inclusivity: Creating an inclusive workplace drives engagement and performance. By introducing NMG’s first Belonging/ Evidence-based DEI strategy that increased VP diversity, Glassdoor rating by 35%, LinkedIn followers by 48%, press impressions by 212% 3. Effective Crisis Management: Leading workforce management during NMG's Chapter 11 bankruptcy, involved restructuring 3,000 positions, highlighting the need for effective crisis strategies, resilient leadership. Co-leading the Smart Retail initiative resulted in $30M in savings and enhanced their business continuity and operational efficiency 4. Employee Engagement Drives Success: Improving eNPS, retention rates, and overall engagement reinforced the fact that engaged employees are key to success. Regularly seek employee feedback, recognize, and reward contributions, and create growth opportunities 5. Lead with Empathy: Implementing a 16-week paid parental leave program and other employee-centric initiatives taught him the value of leading with empathy. Addressing personal, professional needs builds trust. Lessons Learned 1. Embrace agile practices to stay competitive and responsive to change. through continuous improvement and innovation 2. Prioritize evidence-based DEI initiatives to build a diverse and inclusive workplace that enhances satisfaction, innovation, and performance 3. Have crisis management plans in place to lead decisively during challenging times. Communications and resilience are critical 4. Focus on boosting employee engagement through feedback, recognition, development opportunities 5. Show empathy towards your employees; create policies that support their well-being to build a strong, loyal, and motivated team Hopefully Eric's experiences can provide some ideas, tools, insights to help in your own situation

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Hey LinkedIn network—I need your help! Campminder is reimagining our approach to performance management, shifting away from the traditional, retrospective annual reviews toward a more agile, continuous feedback model. Claire Bonneau and I would like to connect with leaders or teams at companies who are pioneering innovative, human-centered approaches. We're particularly interested in companies who have effectively: 🙌 Phased out annual reviews in favor of agile, continuous feedback models. 👩‍💻 Implemented systems or tools that support frequent, meaningful conversations centered on forward-looking growth and development. 📈 Connected feedback directly to transparent career tracks to foster meaningful growth and advancement. If you know of anyone or any organizations who are excelling in this space, we’d love to be introduced to learn more abut the tools, frameworks, and philosophies that make it work. Please feel free to share your thoughts here or message me directly. Thanks in advance for your help!

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Beyond Tech: Exploring Talent Trends Across Industries #1   In today's rapidly evolving job market, talent acquisition has become more than just a transactional process—it's about understanding the unique needs and trends shaping diverse industries. At HVR, we're committed to going beyond traditional recruitment approaches, delving deep into various sectors to uncover talent trends and insights that drive success.   ·       Diverse Insights, Tailored Solutions In an era where technology intersects with virtually every industry, staying ahead requires a nuanced understanding of talent dynamics. While tech talent remains in high demand, other sectors such as automotive, engineering, and automation are experiencing their own shifts and challenges.   At HVR, we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt and innovate in response to these changes. Our team of experts conducts research and analysis to identify emerging talent trends across industries. Whether it's the demand for data-driven engineers in automotive or the need for automation specialists in manufacturing, we're constantly monitoring the landscape to provide our clients with the insights they need to make informed decisions.   Connect with us at https://hvrecruitment.com/ to discover how we can empower your organization's success in the ever-evolving tech landscape.   #TechTalent #FutureForward #HVR #Recruitment

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After 15 years in HR, I still see companies making the same mistake with their HR teams. I came across a job posting today for an HRBP that included this bullet point: "Engaged regularly and directly with US and Canadian employees throughout their journey as a common first point of contact, triaging and readily addressing concerns to mitigate risk. Proactively listen and inquire, keeping a finger on the pulse of the organization. Participate in and support organizational development and activities to create a positive working climate." If HR professionals are doing their jobs right, they should never be the 'first point of contact'—that responsibility belongs to the people manager. When I consult with organizations, I often tell them that I don’t want to be the one talking to their staff. Employee engagement hinges on the relationship with the manager—research consistently shows this. You could have the friendliest, most supportive HR team in the world, but if the manager is terrible, employees will still leave. The best HR people create managers, systems, and organizations that don’t need them.

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In my last post about the transformation of HR, I said we needed to change how we work by adopting a more agile, employee-centric approach. What I didn’t dig into, because I think it needs a separate discussion, is using technology to change how we work. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is a straightforward one. At least not yet. I say this because it doesn’t appear that we currently have a common understanding about what we want or need and how technology can solve the problems we have. 1 - In the conversations I’m seeing with HR folks, “AI” seemingly encompasses anything from automation to generative AI to simple data analysis to machine learning to ???. So, it’s unclear what HR folks collectively mean when we say we want to incorporate AI or that we need to better leverage technology to improve how we work. In some cases, it seems like what we want is simply automation and personalization, which doesn’t necessarily mean AI. 2- As I’ve said before, while AI tools are increasingly well-funded and everywhere, they often feel to me like a solution looking for a problem to solve instead of a solution custom built to solve the problem we have (particularly since the solution is so often not being designed by or in partnership with HR practitioners!). 3- On my initial post asking if HR had done enough to merit a rebrand, Viren Thakrar commented -> “Even when new tech gets implemented, it’s often retrofitted to an outdated process rather than taking an opportunity to redesign things in a more people-friendly way.”  This feels really true to me. What good is leveraging technology if that technology sits atop old ways of thinking and doing things? So, I think when it comes to AI and better leveraging technology for use in HR, we will get there and need to get there, but aren’t quite there yet. And luckily for us we have folks on LinkedIn who are leading the charge and post about this topic regularly: Theresa Fesinstine Amanda Halle Hernan Chiosso, CSPO, SPHR 💡 Matt Culturevist Enrique Rubio (he/him) And for folks to follow about AI and ethics more broadly check out -> Dr. Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru (I’m sure I’ve inadvertently left some folks out, so please feel free to share any people/groups you follow on this topic!)

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Retaining Talent in Uncertain Markets #2   In today's volatile job market, retaining top talent has become more critical than ever for companies seeking to maintain stability and competitiveness. As mass layoffs and workforce reductions become increasingly common, organizations must prioritize retention strategies to safeguard their most valuable asset - their people. One of the challenges of talent retention in a turbulent market is understanding:   The Importance of Retention   Retaining top talent is not just about maintaining a stable workforce—it's also about preserving institutional knowledge, maintaining morale, and sustaining productivity. Losing key employees can disrupt projects, impede innovation, and erode company culture, ultimately hindering long-term success. Therefore, companies must proactively invest in retention strategies to mitigate the risk of talent loss in turbulent times.   Connect with us today at https://hvrecruitment.com/ to explore how we can support your talent retention efforts and help you build a resilient and high-performing workforce in this dynamic tech era.   #TalentRetention #EmployeeEngagement #WorkforceResilience #HVR #Recruitment

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Retaining Talent in Uncertain Markets #1   In today's volatile job market, retaining top talent has become more critical than ever for companies seeking to maintain stability and competitiveness. As mass layoffs and workforce reductions become increasingly common, organizations must prioritize retention strategies to safeguard their most valuable asset - their people. One of the challenges of talent retention in a turbulent market is:   Understanding the Landscape   With widespread layoffs and downsizing occurring across industries, employees are feeling more vulnerable and uncertain about their future employment prospects. In this climate of instability, retaining top talent becomes a significant challenge for companies, as employees may feel tempted to explore other opportunities or seek greater job security elsewhere.   Connect with us today at https://hvrecruitment.com/ to explore how we can support your talent retention efforts and help you build a resilient and high-performing workforce in this dynamic tech era.   #TalentRetention #EmployeeEngagement #WorkforceResilience #HVR #Recruitment

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For those of you interested in the Future of Work and some solid research from a Canadian firm McLean & Company, with data from the US and Canada check this out. (Full disclosure: I did contribute to this report 😁) What stood out for me, among other things, was that as knowledge workers roles shift from doing repetitive, routine work, the whole nature of leadership will have to change. Check this stat out: For the full report: https://lnkd.in/dgAmE2MW

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A thriving organizational culture is the backbone of any successful company, but it begins at the highest levels of a company. Business leaders hold the key to building and investing in a culture that empowers and inspires their teams, laying the foundation for long-term success. I recently joined Bill Banham on #HRChat by The HR Gazette, to explore the role of leadership in shaping a workplace culture that both attracts and retains top talent. Listen here:

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Stay ahead in HR trends with HRD Canada's free newsletter! ✨ Get exclusive insights, industry updates, and expert advice delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here: https://hubs.la/Q02vC5YD0 #HRD #HumanResources #HRLeadership #HRNews

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"Trust Your Gut" as a Career Tool Ever ignored your gut feeling, only to regret it later? 🧠 In today's episode of "People in Transition," Cecile Peterkin shares why trusting your intuition is a game-changer in career transitions. Sometimes, our intuition recognizes what the mind has yet to see. 🎙️ Tap into Cecile's wisdom on listening to your inner voice. Share this episode with those who could use it as a reminder to trust their instincts. https://lnkd.in/gyEdQTW7

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Some Mondays are awesome. Like today. I spent today with this Richemont leadership team talking about the importance of Confidence and its impact on Performance, Relationships and Innovation. We discussed Self Confidence and Team Confidence. We talked about the importance of foundational Trust. I've worked with Michael Spangler's team for almost 3 years. Michael is an outstanding leader who is deeply committed to personal and team development. He embodies a growth mindset. He lives and models what we look for in a leader and wants the same for the people on his team. Every time I work with these people, I learn so much and feel richer as a person. How was your Monday? #candorcourageandcare #whatmattersmost #teamconfidence #itsallaboutrelationships #howdoyouassemble

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This week, I was so fortunate to share my thoughts in discussion with Kira Vermond in the The Globe and Mail around AI and the on the pressing need for HR leaders to quickly advance their knowledge and skills to prepare themselves, their teams and companies for the future of work.   AI is transforming businesses in ways we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. The feedback I am hearing from many CPOs and CHROs is that they are eager to learn about AI and its potential to fuel how their organizations work, not only for their own HR functions, but across their teams to improve productivity and impact while externally fuelling customer experiences, marketing and sales.   To support our community through this seismic shift, I am excited to announce that the HRPA - Human Resources Professionals Association is launching our first AI course HR Skill UP: Leveraging AI in the Workplace next month. For more information or to sign up click here: https://lnkd.in/gZN36p-Q This novel course is designed for People and Culture leaders and features real-world case studies and insights from leading industry experts. It’s a chance to learn and grow together, and to feel a more prepared for what’s coming, so you can understand the AI landscape, legal and ethical frameworks, Governance, HR use cases, how to help your teams build your AI strategies and policies so that you can innovate, and change how you work, responsibly.   If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all these changes, you’re not alone. This course is a great starting point to understand and harness the power of AI in HR. Let’s take this journey together. Sophisticated enough for leaders, accessible enough for anyone.   Thank you so much to for the feature Globe and Mail, and Kira I really appreciate that you called me for my point of view Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gb_tjcqz

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Employees are company lifelines and taking their pulse gives valuable insights into performance and growth. Keeping lines of communication open between management and employees offers fresh perspectives and increases engagement. It's a solution that works for everyone. 

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Last Tuesday HRD Canada and Key Media put together a great HR Tech Summit conference. Panel Discussion Highlights include: #AI in Human Resources - Understanding its Capabilities and How to Integrate it with Damir Kostic Dominica Sortisio and Megan Woerlein HR Analytics - Using Data to Deliver Actionable Intelligence with Konstantin Tskhay, PhD Danielle Bushen Christine Winiarz Schmidt Daniel Spadafora Updating your Approach to Talent Acquisition & Retention with Annabella Tamburro Tennyson Devoe Britta Kroupa Special Shoutout to Bunmi Ajagunna, GPHR, SPHRi, SHRM-SCP for getting a group pic with Joseph Giorgio and myself #humanresources #continuouslearning

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One of my favourite adages is "build a longer table, not a higher fence". When thinking about how we can help others to succeed, this post from the Forbes Human Resources Council shares 8 impactful pieces of advice for your own personal brand. #ForbesHumanResourcesCouncil #WomenExecutives #PersonBrand

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🎯 How to Identify (and Keep) Your Top Talent Traditional performance reviews often miss the mark when it comes to recognizing key contributors. According to Jessica (Jess) Johannson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Canada Goose, the "power law" principle shows that 10-20% of employees drive the majority of an organization’s success. So how do you make sure those stars are seen and supported? At Canada Goose, Jess and her team turned to Organizational Network Analysis (ONA): 1️⃣ Employees filled out surveys with questions like: • “Who do you go to for help and advice?” • “Who do you believe is making an outstanding impact?” 2️⃣ The results revealed major gaps. Some of the most impactful employees were rated as “meets expectations” in traditional reviews. 3️⃣ With ONA, these hidden stars were finally recognized, celebrated, and given career development opportunities. Jess described the experience as “hugely rewarding to finally give appreciation where appreciation is due.” The takeaway? Tools like ONA can help you identify top talent, close the gaps in recognition, and keep your key contributors engaged and growing. 👇 How is your organization identifying top talent? ____ 🔔 Get more insights like this delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up for our weekly newsletter in the comments.

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