Here’s a startling statistic: in April 2021, a record 4 million Americans quit their jobs. In June, that record was almost met again when 3.9 million people left their offices to work from home – for good.
Why are all these people leaving the workplace? Well, there’s a lot of answers to that question, some of which you can probably guess at already.
In the words of this week’s guest, human resources consultant Mikaela Kiner, “People are no longer willing to accept the unacceptable.” Micromanaging, a lack of support for parents who need to stay home with their kids, and a lack of connection with workplace peers are all reasons why employees might choose to strike out on their own rather than keep grinding at the office.
Employers that find themselves in the awkward position of losing their workforce should ask themselves: are we supporting and providing for our employees? Are we fostering a team spirit, or are we running our employees into the ground?
If your answers to these questions are negative, then you may need professional help to turn your workplace environment from toxic to triumphant. The best way to do that is to change the way you think about “human resources.”
People Operations, Not Human Resources
When you hear “HR” or “human resources,” what is your visceral reaction? If you shudder, then you’re not alone.
Here’s what Mikaela Kiner has to say on the subject:
“The term, Human Resources, has quite a bad rap. There are two articles that are ingrained in my head: in 2005, there was “Why We Hate HR“, and 10 years later, there was “Why We Still Hate HR“.”
Instead of “human resources,” Mikaela likes to call the work her consulting firm does “people operations.” It’s a small difference, yet a crucial one. “People” is much more user friendly than “human.” It implies that it sees employees as people, not just cogs in the machine.
Mikaela believes that employees are missing the people’s connection. They’re being treated as if they are robots who can be demeaned by managers, misunderstood by coworkers, and driven to the point of exhaustion with their work. There is no element of teamwork, which is essential on all levels of a business, not just among employees. Managers and owners need to get in on the play, too, or else it all falls apart like a house of cards.
We can relate at Stride. This teamwork mentality resembles our code of principles we live by. It’s the framework upon which we’ve committed to building an organization driven by purpose. Investing in ourselves and each other means that Stride is a platform for both personal and professional growth. Those that feel this empowerment have a higher likelihood of thriving, of enjoying their work, and sticking around.
Who Is Mikaela Kiner?
Mikaela Kiner is the founder of Reverb, a human resources – excuse us, people operations – consulting firm. Reverb helps businesses reevaluate their treatment standards and compliance with federal and state law, as well as meets with employees one-on-one to suss out workplace problems and deal with them head on.
In addition to working as a full-time consultant and business owner, Mikaela juggled raising two teenagers with writing a book. You see, Mikaela is not just passionate about helping business owners and employees of all backgrounds and genders; she’s also passionate about giving a voice to women in the workplace, and addressing the safety and equality issues that still plague the corporate world. Thus she wrote Female Firebrands, which chronicles the experiences of real life women in the workplace.
Through our interview with Mikaela, our Stride 2 Freedom listeners will discover a new perspective on HR and the importance of working as a team.
In this Podcast episode with Mikaela, you will learn:
- Why the distinction between “human resources” and “people operations” is so important
- How complacency can lead to misunderstandings and destroy your team spirit
- Why it’s essential to make your workplace inclusive
- Why you need successful “people operations” to help your business evolve
We are fortunate to have Nitya available to spend time with us on this edition of Stride 2 Freedom. If there is a speaker you’d like us to interview, let us know. Stay well. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
This Stride Live Webinar is hosted by Stride Services. Stride is a comprehensive financial solutions provider, specializing in outsourced bookkeeping, accounting, tax, and advisory services for Managed Service Providers.
If you’re interested in being a featured guest on our Live Webinars or if there’s a subject matter expert you’d like us to interview, please let us know!
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Show Notes + Transcript:Â
Mikaela Kiner LinkedIn
Reverb
Mikaela Kiner Email
Webinar Transcript:Â
Work Is A Team Sport – The Evolving World Of People Ops And Management With Mikaela Kiner
