Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to the Human Factor. I'm Kimberly diamond and today we're talking about real challenges and real wins behind building strong teams. You're watching now Media Television.
[00:00:13] Speaker B: Welcome viewers to the Human Factor. Today we are exploring the intersection of health and self awareness and the choices that shape our lives. Today we're diving into something so many of us experience, and I know, I do, like I said, that constant feeling of exhaustion even after a good night's sleep.
Joining me is Bonnie London, an expert helping people optimize their health through nutrition and lifestyle. She's here to help us understand what's really going on when we're always tired.
So welcome, Bonnie.
What are some hidden causes behind chronic fatigue that most people don't think about?
[00:00:44] Speaker C: Yeah, great, thank you. Well, first I would say, I don't know hidden, but I would say a very common cause is again, what people are eating and what they are not eating because our diets have changed so much in the information we know since like the 1980s. And what I have found is predominantly people eating a very high carbohydrate cereal breakfast as opposed to starting the day with protein. And as far as your energy level goes, two things are going on here.
Protein is a game changer because it helps stabilize your blood sugar. So this means at 3 o' clock in the afternoon you are not going to have that dippity doo. And then the other part of the story is actually the worst time to be eating those carbs is when cortisol is high right after you wake up in the morning. And actually carbohydrates take your energy away. So even if you're eating like that great salad with protein at lunch, you think you're doing a great job if you are not eating that breakfast, which I would say I'm going to just give a range here, about 30 grams of protein, protein shake, a few eggs, something, something like that.
The blood sugar is still never going to come back even after that well balanced lunch meal. So to me that is probably number one change I make and everyone always notices the difference.
[00:02:17] Speaker B: No, I completely understand that.
Well then how do nutrition and stress impact your energy levels? I mean, we just talked about the protein, but then there's, you know, there's the stress factor which I think you kind of brought up when you mentioned cortisol, which is increased by that as well.
[00:02:33] Speaker C: Well, sure. Well, absolutely. Well, of course, when, when, when we are stressed, first of all, we probably are engaging and not the best habits and we might be forgetting to drink, which by the way, when we Thinking about energy level, if, if you look this up, I'm going to tell you one of the biggest things is being dehydrated, by the way. Right. Because even a short amount is going to increase all these chemicals in our body and things like that, so. Absolutely. Well, stress impacts every cell in our body. And so when we are going towards. I always say this, okay, so when you're like running away from like that imaginary bear, which we are all doing these days for one. Right. For one reason or another.
[00:03:22] Speaker B: For one reason or another, Right.
[00:03:25] Speaker C: So digesting food so acid will go down in your stomach and every, all the function in your body will go to running away, you know, protecting you.
And so this is how we risk, never mind the energy level, but also getting sick potentially. Right.
So that is a huge issue.
And then another thing I just would mention as another hidden cause of fatigue definitely is thyroid. And I want to mention this because even if you have normal labs that your doctor might tell you your TSH is what they normally will look at, I do actually suggest getting a full thyroid panel because we know this is the thermostat in the body.
And I mean, there's tons of information out there that even when the labs are normal, it is not in your head. You can definitely still be functioning at a way lower level. So I definitely always get my clients that I work with to do a full thyroid panel just to make sure everything is being converted.
I mean, there's a lot of stuff that can impact this, obviously with nutrition and co factors that can be preventing us from optimizing this functioning. And of course, toxins in our environment that also impact the thyroid, which is why I would mention that.
[00:04:58] Speaker B: Yes, that's interesting because you're right. I've had those panels done before and I feel like they're like, it's fine, it's okay.
You have to kind of press the issue sometimes when it comes to your physicians reviewing that, you know, so I, I find that interesting because I do think that's an effect that I personally have had with the, with the stress and noticing the difference based on that imbalance.
[00:05:22] Speaker C: So there is a big difference. I like to point out, like when I'm looking at labs between normal and optimal. Right. So when a doctor looks at them, of course they're looking to make a diagnosis. But when I am looking at it, because that's not what I do in my profession, but I will look at imbalances, but these can really come together and make a big impact, as I would say. Absolutely. A hidden Reason why someone could be really feeling fatigue.
[00:05:55] Speaker B: I agree with that because again, I've had to address that before myself. So thank you for that and I appreciate that you do that, take that extra step because I think that's highly important.
What are three simple steps or habits someone can, can start today to feel more energized.
And if you have more than three, feel free to share.
[00:06:16] Speaker C: Well, I think I already touched on this already, but I will just reiterate. Starting your day with that protein to me would be number one on, you know, as far as the nutrition part. But don't forget, you know, besides, obviously, you know, eggs would be great, like I said, a smoothie. But all the phytonutrients from berries, vegetables, healthy fats. Do not be afraid of fat. These, I mean, this also helps with the energy.
I mean, because it's going to keep again, help with that blood sugar, keep you satiated. It does all kinds of important things. Once again, hydration, but then exercise.
This is huge, huge, huge. Now you mentioned something earlier, Kimberly, with not having a good night's sleep, feeling exhausted. So this actually in the body, your body has the same response to a bad night's sleep as it does to stress and increasing cortisol. So when your cortisol is high, what do you feel like eating? You feel like eating all that.
And so actually.
Right, exactly. So actually what we want to do is the opposite. So we want to stay away from the carbs. But even if you don't have that much energy, I promise if you engage in even like 10 minutes of some high intensity like exercise, which is integral, so everyone obviously go at your own level. But the idea is that that is really going to set you off for success for the day.
And then along those lines as well, getting sunlight. There's so much research on the circadian rhythm and the light. And so what I have done myself, I'll just say, which has definitely been helpful, having to be waking up before the sun comes up, like literally sitting with the brightest light on in the bathroom if you have to. I'm just saying.
No, it really does help.
[00:08:17] Speaker B: Yes, I agree with that too, that I enjoy getting the sun. I'm a person who is always challenged with D3, my system, I have to take extra. So the sun is important to me to try to get it as naturally as possible.
You were saying a few things about the cortisol and I think a lot of people don't. I'm familiar with it being in the health industry years ago, but I think that's something that people need to hear a little bit more about. That, that, because you know how you get that people don't understand. Why do I feel so bloated all of a sudden? You know, it kind of creeps up on you. Is that something you know, that you can share with them how cortisol makes your body feel even outside of just sluggish and you know, non energetic and those sorts of things?
[00:09:03] Speaker C: Well, I mean again cortisol, this is, this is all secreted, has to do with our adrenals.
And so what I think about, with people, if they're having any issues with this like too much, if they're having, for example, there's a, there's something called like tired and wired.
Like okay, you're trying to go to bed at night and you're wired right after a big day and then of course you're like overly exhausted. So to me this, you definitely could need some, you know, support for your cortisol. Now cortisol is not all bad. I don't want people to think that it's definitely, we know about it with belly fat, which is absolutely true. But again you would not live without cortisol. But we want it to be in the right rhythm throughout the day. So as I was explaining like as you were waking up in the morning, let's just say you wake up at six, so by like five, your cortisol is going to start to raise.
So these are tests also that can be done so that you can see like kind of like what your, your rhythm is if this is if you are experiencing any of these things.
[00:10:14] Speaker B: Okay, that's good to know because like I said, I think people don't understand necessarily understand the correlation.
[00:10:20] Speaker C: Yeah. So again I would just leave you with this as far as cortisol. Again my recommendations which I've said a couple times, as far as eating in a way that controls blood sugar, that is really going to help with this cortisol, managing the cortisol too. So to me this is really the key of everything is, is you know, the protein, fat, fibrous vegetables and staying away from, you know, those real starchy, highly processed, fast, quick energy. You think they're fast, quick energy. Like whatever we know. Sugar you need a granola bar, you don't need it.
[00:10:56] Speaker B: Right.
[00:10:58] Speaker C: You might agree, but okay, you understand.
[00:11:02] Speaker B: Reach for the avocado.
There you go.
[00:11:05] Speaker C: Exactly. I like that.
[00:11:10] Speaker B: I'm one of those people. I like, I like all those, I call them good fats, the bacons and the avocados. But in moderation, of course.
Well, this has been great and we have more to talk about, so everyone stay with us. Coming up, we're going deeper. What's your body trying to tell you before a health crisis hits?
We're going to talk about early warning signs that you shouldn't ignore. So stay with us. Bonnie will be right back.
[00:11:35] Speaker A: We'll be right back with more stories, insights and real world strategies for leading with purpose.
This is the Human Factor on NOW Media Television.
[00:11:45] Speaker B: And we're back.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: I'm Kimberly diamond and you're watching the Human Factor on NOW Media Television. Let's dive back into today's conversation.
[00:11:55] Speaker B: Hello, everyone. In the first half of today's show, we talked about fatigue, but sometimes our bodies speak in quieter ways before things get worse. We're talking with Bonnie London, the CEO and founder of London Wellness, a dedicated dietitian and health expert with over two decades of experience.
So welcome back, Bonnie.
[00:12:12] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:12:13] Speaker B: Bodies often talk to us through health signals. And what are those signs that our body gives us that we shouldn't ignore?
[00:12:21] Speaker C: Well, I would say many people come to me because they are troubled by some unwanted weight gain that happened.
So I feel like that gets people's attention. But what I am going to tell you is that most of the time this is a warning sign, especially when it is belly fat, that something much more serious can be going on underneath the surface. And so there is like a misconception, I think, with weight thinking that you're going to lose weight to get healthy. But really it's more complicated. We really want to get healthy, dampen the inflammation and then this is how your body can lose weight. So often I find people are not eating that much and you could have something underlying and there's something called insulin resistance and why this is so, so important. So insulin is a hormone we talk about quite a bit. It is the manager of energy storage.
So when I recommend diets for people, I'm always thinking about how to manage insulin. But I highly recommend again with a blood chemistry getting this tested because it has been shown in research that this elevated insulin, which can go undetected for years behind the surface, can actually be triggering cardiovascular disease, not cholesterol. Insulin resistance is number one for cardiovascular disease, autoimmune, cancer, basically every chronic disease that we deal with.
So to me, this is, you know, more, more serious than, than aesthetics.
[00:14:04] Speaker B: Is there a particular test that they should ask for to, to go through to, to know more about that?
[00:14:10] Speaker C: I would say getting a fasting insulin. And then we also have an Epidemic, I should mention, because a lot of times what can precede belly fatigue, it can be fatty liver.
And that, that is, and so you can get a scan for that too. And this, the thing is that I want to say is it is reversible. These things can be reversible, but you want to know what's going on. You don't want to wait until it's, you know, too late or you want to catch it along its way before you get a diagnosis is really the message.
[00:14:47] Speaker B: Yeah, so I agree, I agree. I, I want to get tested frequently and I'm always watching my good old A1C.
[00:14:55] Speaker C: Yes. Which is great. And another big thing that's come up, which I really Recommend too, the A1C is fantastic. So that is terrific. You were doing that because that's a marker of blood sugar over the course of three months.
So often if you don't have diabetes, they may not do that. But now what's become really popular is actually getting a constant glucose monitor, which I think would be fantastic for almost every person to get as far as learning about foods that cause their blood sugar to go up. Inflammation like you can actually even show food sensitivities because you could eat, just as an example, you could drink coffee which has no carbohydrates in it, but you could respond to it and it can make your blood sugar go through the roof.
And so, so the A1C shows the number average but then we are missing out on these little spikes. And again, this is really like when we think about health span, longevity, how we want to function as we age, there pretty much is nothing much more important than this idea of controlling insulin.
[00:16:07] Speaker B: Well, I thank you for that because I've been teetering on getting that myself and I probably need to because yeah, I try to do my best but it seems to be creeping on me so I need to stay on top of that. So thank you, I'm going to take your advice on that. Okay, so now how does food act as either fuel or poison, depending on your choices? And I think we kind of touched on this a little bit. But if there's, you know, any more food.
[00:16:34] Speaker C: Yes, well, yes, I agree. I think when you sit down you can think almost about everything that you eat. Is this like supporting your goals or hurting your goals?
So yes, again, I would say coming back like a broken record to that blood sugar thing, eating whole foods, high quality proteins, cornucopia of vegetables and fruits, and then yes, please, staying off of all of the highly process pre made foods that break down to sugar and all that. But the problem now is if, you know, so many people have gotten away from cooking food themselves.
So that means that we are relying on someone else to take care of us. Like, to me, this is like the most important decision, obviously, is how we're feeding ourselves. And so. And there's a lot of hidden things that are in food.
In fact, I do have a free handout for people as far as navigating restaurants and just questions to ask what oils they put in. But even the containers that contain toxins, again, there's things that are in our food that can be attacking our hormones, our thyroid, all of this stuff, but they're hidden. Like, we don't see.
We don't see the BPA you're getting just as an example. This is crazy, but you're going to get a takeaway coffee cup, cup. And within 10 minutes, it is loaded with chemicals. It's paper, but it's covered on the whole inside of that cup with chemicals.
You see what's going on here. It's just. It's just gotten. It's gotten really, really much more challenging. And again, getting back to what we were talking about a moment ago about insulin resistance and weight.
So we understand now that these chemicals and things that we're exposed to are actually causing something called. Which I see on labs all the time, by the way, from whatever their markers are, it's called oxidative stress. And these toxins, there's actually a word, they're called obesogens because they actually change the way your body utilizes calories. And so this can really play a major role in your health and your weight.
[00:19:01] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. That's very interesting. I never even heard of that before.
[00:19:05] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, no, it's actually the. The latest theory of global obesity is oxidative stress and obesogens. And that what they have shown in the research is that actually newborn babies and animals in the wild. Think about that for a moment.
Are actually heavier.
[00:19:23] Speaker B: Now.
[00:19:23] Speaker C: You can't tell me eating too many carbs, right?
[00:19:26] Speaker B: They're just born.
[00:19:28] Speaker C: I mean, right? So when we're thinking about feeling healthy and we think about the weight and all of that, you see, there's so much more to consider now. And I feel our modern environment that we need to be thinking about. And yes, absolutely, food, I think can be poisoned if, you know, cooked in the wrong stuff, whatever. All of. I, I mean, I, I say some of the stuff, I don't even consider food anymore is how bad it's gotten.
[00:19:58] Speaker B: And you try to read labels, but you don't even understand what you're reading. You know, it's like you have to go back and Google or, or you know, find some translation. It's like foreign to you. And then you're not really sure and then you might get some mixed signals on what it really is. Same thing like with substitute sugars and things of that nature. So there is a lot in the nutrition side of that and the underlying effects if it's not, if you aren't.
[00:20:20] Speaker C: Getting the right nutrition.
[00:20:22] Speaker B: Right. It's not.
[00:20:24] Speaker C: I guess I really just say that I never have anyone count calories. We just think about. And the amazing thing happens when you're eating what your body wants. Like if you're eating nutrient dense food, guess what happens? You're not near it, you don't have the hunger.
Right.
[00:20:40] Speaker B: Right. Think about it.
[00:20:42] Speaker C: So this, this whole calories, calories out thing, I, I think has done such a great disservice to like an entire generation. And I, I meet more people that are overweight that actually are not eating enough. I actually had someone today all the time and when I get them, they get very nervous to eat more and they lose weight like crazy. I am, I'm serious. You can't believe it. But I, but I demonstrate it. Yeah.
[00:21:08] Speaker B: And they're start. Well, they're starving their body so they can't lose if they're not, you know, their body needs the proper fuel. Right.
[00:21:15] Speaker C: I mean, of course the body, the body is going to protest if you, I mean just, I always say just like if you don't have gas in your car, which 100 has happened to me, I'm not gonna lie. But you know, you turn off the ac.
[00:21:31] Speaker B: You don't go too fast, whatever.
[00:21:35] Speaker C: Well, it's the same thing in your body, like make you more lethargic, you know, I mean it's, it's, it's just, it's just not going to be. Everything slows down.
[00:21:47] Speaker B: Yes, I agree with that. Nutrition is so important.
So are there early warning signals that people, you know, like a basic set of signals that a lot of people wouldn't recognize to show that there's, there's some signs of something going wrong. Like, like you indicated, like maybe you're gaining weight all of a sudden or maybe you're losing weight all of a sudden and you're, you know, you're not understanding why that kind of, you know.
[00:22:13] Speaker C: Sure, Absolutely. And beyond that, the other thing that I suggest measuring I, is, is body composition. So not looking at just the number on the scale.
But like I have in my practice, an in body, so it measures muscle fat and all of that.
So we know especially as we get older, I mean, muscle is king. And so we really want to start be monitoring that.
But another thing we haven't talked about, but I think is really, really important is gastrointestinal issues. So it is not normal to feel like a soda machine in your stomach or to have gas and bloating after you eat. So to me, this is a signal from your body that something is wrong. Something it's not. It's not. Okay. Not everyone needs to be taking like these over the counter antacids. Actually, the truth of the matter is, the truth of the matter is, by the time we're 50 years old, you know, we have a decrease in the production of acid by like 30%.
So actually most of these issues are coming from too little acid, not too much acid.
Right. And there's a lot of downward spiral consequences. Right? So if we don't have enough acid, we're not getting nutrients out, we're not getting those B vitamins, then we're at risk for osteoporosis. And then the other problem is, is that this bacteria that's supposed to be killed off in our gut by that very strong acid now goes to your small intestine and can proliferate and grow. Which is why we have something, I don't know if, if people have heard of something called sibo. It's small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
But this is, it's, it's so much more common now.
So if you feel gas and bloating uncomfortable after you eat, to me, this is something you need to pay attention to for sure. And then like we talked about in the last segment, certainly fatigue is also something you want to pay attention to as well. And outside of the diet, something I have not mentioned, mentioned is, you know, you want to, you do want to take a look at your medications you're taking because they can deplete nutrients like statins, deplete CoQ10, you know, metformin depletes B vitamins. And these can affect, of course, your energy level, your functioning and all of that. It's fine. It's just you want to be, you want to be armed and educated, like, you know, what are the pros and cons of this?
I'm feeling this symptom could this.
And so I will look up the symptoms of medications for people. And it's not to say that you are going to have them, but the Point is, if you do have something, could this be related in some way? Is there something we can switch to? Perhaps that might, or to offset it, maybe taking CoQ10 when you take a statin might be one way around it as an example.
[00:25:14] Speaker B: Well, that's great advice because, yes, I'm sure there's a lot of us out here in the viewership that are on some sort of a medication, unfortunately.
Well, you know, we talked about this. Energy isn't just about, you know, sleeping, it's about listening and fueling your body. Just like you mentioned, the proper fuel is highly important. So this has been wonderful advice.
Again, I've learned a lot and I'm going to go ahead and get a few things that you mentioned.
But thank you for joining us. And I want, before we go, I want to make sure that you let everyone know how they can contact you. Bonnie?
[00:25:50] Speaker C: Okay, well, my email is bonnieundonwellness.net and I have a website which is London wellness.net and all of my contact information is on there. And also as I mentioned, I do have a free handout called the Dining Out Cheat Guide. And I don't know if there's good. There's a link, I know on the station but also on my website there's a link, but I definitely, of course I recommend it, it's a few pages long to really give you some like real suggestions of how to go out and not ruin anything, you know, and feel good. How about that?
[00:26:25] Speaker B: Does that make sense? That makes sense. No. This is wonderful, great information. Thank you. Well, I encourage you, the viewer to take action towards a better health program, one that encompasses sleep, proper foods and exercise. And please reach out to Bonnie if you have more questions and want some, you know, strong advice to get healthier. I know I might take her up on that.
Thank you again, Bonnie. I appreciate you coming on the show today.
If you love what love what you're watching, catch this episode on the Human Factor. And every NOW Media TV show Live on demand. Just download the free NOW Media TV app on Roku and get an instant access to our bilingual content in English and in Spanish. From business and news to lifestyle and culture, it's streaming 24. 7. Whenever you're ready, search Now Media TV on Roku device and never miss a moment. I'm Kimberly diamond. And remember, your body is always talking. The question is, are you listening? This is the Human Factor. See you next time.
[00:27:21] Speaker A: We'll be right back with more stories, insights and real world strategies for leading with purpose.
This is the Human Factor. On NOW Media Television.
[00:27:31] Speaker B: And we're back.
[00:27:32] Speaker A: I'm Kimberly diamond and you're watching the Human Factor on NOW Media Television. Let's dive back into today's conversation.
[00:27:42] Speaker B: Welcome back. Welcome back. So we were speaking with Bonnie London. Now we're moving on to Erica Butler. Erica is the CEO of Hire llc.
So if you run a tight, growing business and you know, every new hire can make a break, a culture and their bottom line, Today's guest has solved that puzzle for hundreds of small businesses. Erica Butler is CEO, like I said, of Higher LLC. It's HiHR LLC. And after years of leading HR for Fortune 100 brands, she now equips businesses with and family businesses with big company strategies on startup budgets. So from disc coaching to intercultural team building, Erica's mission is simple. Hire well, lead well, and let people thrive.
So, Erica, welcome to meeting with us today. I'm super excited to speak with you.
Your mission and thoughts and processes are directly close to my heart.
So we will dive in now.
So today we feel like people are facing many challenges in the audience today. They need talented workers. It often feels like the big brands get all the good people.
So what do you recommend for some simple steps for a small team business to be able to get the right candidates fast?
[00:29:00] Speaker D: Sure. So first off is really using your own network to get the word out when you're hiring and being aggressive with that. The best companies I see with the best cultures, they're actually attracting talent before they're even looking for talent. They already have some future role skills because people know they treat people well and they want to work with that.
A star team, you know, a plus team. So that's number one. Number two, I think if you don't have that yet is when you're looking for a role, looking for someone who has a track record of results.
Also a fantastic attitude. We always talk about what can you buy versus what can you train. And you can train so many things, but you can't always train. That can do jump in small business attitude. I'll help wherever I can and also know how to get results. But you can train different sectors, different, all kinds, kinds of things you can train. So what can you buy first? What can you train? And that's literally Learned from Fortune 100. They do that, you know, at the top, first, first down. It works really well.
[00:30:02] Speaker B: Right? Yeah, I agree with that. And you know, people don't necessarily look at it from that perspective, but I feel the same way. Certain things can be trained. Other things you need to really, they need to be kind of innate. Okay, so how can a caring culture beat a higher paycheck at attracting talent? This is always a challenge.
[00:30:21] Speaker D: I have seen so many people leave a manager that doesn't know how to leave well and they don't feel connected. So I think from day one, if you know how to know someone's name, care about them, show them that they have a path forward with the company that is going to be so valuable to someone, they're not going to leave for that extra few dollars or a lot of dollars, even if they feel like they're cared for, have real relationships and a path forward and that wins time and time again. It's really powerful. So if you can do that with your team, you will beat out the maybe higher paying jobs.
[00:30:53] Speaker B: Yes, I agree with that.
All right, well, there's, there's other resources that a lot of small businesses aren't aware of, ways that they can attract talent at a low cost.
A lot of people think that they need to invest, you know, a lot of money in order to get their information out there in order to attract talent. So what do you suggest that they look for or whether it's a resource or, you know, what other options might they have to find those candidates without having to spend, you know, a small fortune?
[00:31:23] Speaker D: Sure. I think one of the biggest surprises for our clients are alumni networks or local colleges and universities. You post for free and you can get interns. You know, you can reach that alumni network for $0 compared to all these job boards, which job boards are great. But if you have any connection to alumni networks, you have career services actively looking to match already and you pay $0 to have access to that. So it's really powerful. You just sign up in, I don't know, 20 minutes and you have access to all these candidates. So I think that's one really powerful tip. Also, I have to say, indeed, there's so many great boards out there, but indeed, for just a few hundred dollars, in posting some job ads, you get a huge amount of candidates, a huge response generally. So that is one also tip that we share with clients. And normally they jump on board with that, right?
[00:32:15] Speaker B: Yes, indeed. Can be a very inexpensive resource. And it's obviously, you know, the behemoth out there when it comes to looking at jobs that are being posted. So when you, when you think about the candidates and when you get to the interview process, what interview questions do you think reveals if someone will, will fit the team's heart, not, not just the job?
[00:32:36] Speaker D: I love this question so much. Because it does have to be a cultural fit and match, you know, high integrity for these small businesses, like all these things matter so much. So a few questions I love to ask that give us great, great in insight to that person is what are you most proud of?
Also what have you done that you feel like really exceeded expectations? It just tells you so much when you ask these questions. And again I love behavioral based interviews because you do find what did they do, what did they do to make an impact? We're looking a lot of times for small businesses to have self starters, entrepreneurial mindset. They don't have to be wait to be told to do something. And their resume and their examples should show that they move, they move the needle, they care enough to make things happen. Those are the people we're looking for for small to mid sized businesses typically.
[00:33:28] Speaker B: And don't you think that also you want to look for their ability to flex because a lot of times in these small businesses they have to wear multiple hats because it's just the nature of the business. So that's kind of what I look for too. The same thing is you want to hear, you want to hear their passion, their drive, their ability to flex to make sure it's, it, you know, matches the culture, you know, depending on what that situation is. And I always say there's culture within culture. You know, you have your, your top, top line culture and then you have the culture of the place that person's working day in and day out. So there's you know, two, in my opinion. There's like two levels that often need to be, need to be, you know, looked at when you're interviewing.
[00:34:06] Speaker D: So I couldn't agree more, Kimberly. And one thing we have people add typically to their job descriptions are like the job description but then and everything else, anything you're asked to do. This is a hands on role. Even top leaders in the role, it's hands on. And we always add that bullet point because you're right. So I couldn't agree more.
[00:34:26] Speaker B: And then they get to the point where they hire and this is always something I know that you and I probably spend a lot of time trying to coach people on is after you hire what welcome rituals keep new people excited to stay. You know, we get them in the door but then there's the onboarding in the first 90 days. And so you know, those are things that I know, I like to know as much as I can about when I'm interviewing a candidate so I can set an expectation. But it also kind of Helps to see the, how the company actually fosters that. So what, what rituals do you recommend people do?
[00:34:59] Speaker D: So what I'm about to say sounds nice to do, but it's actually thousands upon thousands of dollars of saving. All the effort you put in. And you know this from recruiting and interviewing and just so much effort to get that right person. So you just, you roll out the red carpet. I mean, because you're so excited for them to start. The CEO, if 50 or less or whoever, a senior leader, call that person to welcome them and make sure they have lunch with someone who's their mentor, who's their buddy. Do they have a 90 day plan? I think it's so important, I can't even stress it enough. Like make sure their name is known by their whole team and you celebrate and welcome them with, you know, a bag and merchandise and just like make it so special for them because it's a big deal for them.
They're nervous and just to welcome them. And then one thing we've done that has been so successful, I mean I've worked with clients that lost a lot of people in their first year. All we put in place was every 90 day at check in, 90 days for everyone new 91, you know, halfway. We just do it throughout the year for one year and they have, they meet other people in the company, they tell how they're doing, what they need help with and we follow up with them. And that alone, just one example, rocket it, the score to zero turnover in the first year just from putting check ins every quarter. It's just those check ins matter a lot to new people because they feel cared for, right?
[00:36:21] Speaker B: They feel like they weren't just brought on and kind of left to their own, you know, their own little corner or what have you.
[00:36:27] Speaker D: But the follow up matters. And I know you and I know that the follow up, you can't just do this focus group and nothing that follow up is so important. And when you do that, it's like, oh man, they're just so happy to be there and they feel engaged and it really works very well.
[00:36:40] Speaker B: It does, it does. I worked with an or, I worked with an organization and they put together what they called it based on the company name was like a flight plan. So they had all of that lined up the first 30 days. There was lunch and learns. There were the meetings with different people, the group meetings within their groups and little, you know, things that they would do even outside the organization just to make sure that they gelled and they felt, you know, engaged.
Part of everything, you know, just a community feeling versus just, you know, thanks for coming in and just go do your job and we'll, you know, we'll let you know if we have any problems.
[00:37:15] Speaker D: Totally. We're as strong as our team is. Right. So you want everyone to feel engaged, wanting to perform, excited. It just, it just elevates everyone around that. It's so powerful. So you and I, I could talk to you a lot about this. I can tell the energy. It's amazing. It just works.
[00:37:30] Speaker B: It does. It just works. And sometimes, yeah, I hate when I find out that it's not working and I check in with a candidate and if it's not, then I. It's one of those challenges and I, you know, we can't really. I can't really interfere with the business, but you can sometimes let them know that, hey, make sure, you know, reach out if you're feeling a little bit left out or concerned. You know what I mean? Just kind of coach them a little bit to make sure that they're saying something if they have something going on. So that way, you know, kind of clues in the client too, like, oh, I should have checked in with them.
[00:38:00] Speaker D: So, yeah, absolutely. It goes two ways. I do think new candidates you bring in have a role in raising their hand and saying, hey, I. I don't have this resource. I don't know where to go. You hope you hire people like that, but at the same time, I think it's more the players burden to. To really be aggressive and make sure they have everything they need because it's a new person. They're learning the culture and the team. It's a big deal.
[00:38:22] Speaker B: And that's a. And it's a difficult market to get good people and keep good people. You know, that's. This is just one extra step. I mean, it's not really rocket science. It's just. It's just engagement, so.
Well, fantastic insights, Erica. Where can viewers connect with you online and find out more about how you might be able to help them with hiring the right people?
[00:38:43] Speaker D: Sure. So our website is go hirehir.com yep, there it is.
[00:38:48] Speaker C: Perfect.
[00:38:49] Speaker D: And we're also on LinkedIn, so you can send us a comment or question on LinkedIn at hire. There's. If you just type in HIHR LinkedIn, it will come up. So happy to take questions, comments.
Love to help our team. We have a team of nine of us that are really loving to help our clients and elevate them and support them as much as we possibly can. So that's where to find us.
[00:39:10] Speaker A: We'll be right back with more stories, insights and real world strategies for leading with purpose.
This is the Human Factor on NOW Media Television.
[00:39:20] Speaker B: And we're back.
[00:39:21] Speaker A: I'm Kimberly diamond and you're watching the Human Factor on NOW Media Television Vision. Let's dive back into today's conversation.
[00:39:30] Speaker B: Welcome back. Welcome back. I'm still here with Erica Butler, an HR strategist, culture coach and a woman who has helped fully remote startups feel as tight knit as families. Very hard to do these days. In this we tackle a new reality. Teammates scattered across cities, across countries, time zones.
So how do we guard the connection of, well, being the performance, everyone, it feels like they're just a square on a screen, so to speak.
[00:39:56] Speaker D: Right.
[00:39:57] Speaker B: So workplace environment has changed significantly and, and we've all been through this and I'm sure a lot of people in, in our audience are experiencing the changes that have come about over the past several years. But we're working in different cities and we're working more remotely. Can it be very disconnecting?
So I wanted to ask Erica some questions about how she helps companies with, you know, like how do you, first off, how do you help the managers and the organizations manage their people with rules, hours and messages to prevent them from getting like a silent stress? It's one of those, it's, it's a very unique process to put in place.
[00:40:40] Speaker D: Yes, absolutely. I love this topic. I'm so happy we're talking about this because I actually did my master's thesis on this. I'm very passionate about, about this all the way through Fortune 100 companies and small businesses. And I've seen the results of when you do this well, how powerful it is for teams. So just a few simple things. Our team promote so I can talk about our team, but also clients. So if the business is Monday through Friday, as a leader, send the email. Just if you have to catch up. We all get that. We all have different schedules but send it for Monday. Little tricks like that.
Make sure you have regular team meetings to connect because that's one of the biggest gaps. People don't feel connected. Do you have a retreat every year where people can meet in person? Ours is in a few weeks and we all come together, we meet in person. So we're connecting and building those relationships because you can only do so much online. So I think those are just a few things you can put into place that are really powerful. It can absolutely be done. It can work very effectively. But just being mindful of other People's times and schedules and, and trying to support them in that life balance they get from remote. And the last thing I'll add is just the performance management piece. I have seen a swing back of big companies especially going from remote working and flexibility and I feel like it's because they're not managing the teams maybe well and a few people might be causing the problem that impacts the rest that are actually doing it quite well. So I think just being mindful as a leader, are we managing our results? Are we holding people accountable so that everyone can enjoy the autonomy and the life balance that can come from these amazing options that are absolutely possible.
[00:42:20] Speaker B: I agree with you on that because that has happened where they are bringing people back from remote and people are having to adjust lifestyles.
I mean, you know, especially people with children and daycares and you know, various things like that. They have a work life balance they're accustomed to. And now some people who may not be performing as they should are, you know, it's, it's hindering those that are, you know, by having to have that those changes happen.
So then how this is, this would be. I'd like to hear your, your take on this one. How can you spot burnout through a scre green before they implode on you?
[00:42:55] Speaker D: There's a few cues.
So a, a high performer or someone performing, you're going to see a drop in their results. They're not going to be getting back as much. They're not going to be as productive and you're going to notice. And then you follow up. Hey, are you okay?
Also on screen, they might not be as engaged, as excited about the work doing. You can, you can see it's like you're in the room sometimes, right? Like we're in the room. I can see your face, I see your reactions. You can read it, right? Are they late to things that they weren't.
Think that's the biggest way to get. Hey, are you okay? Do you need time off? And I have done that. I have asked that because I, I've caught that. So that's the biggest way to tell. And you can do it pretty quickly.
[00:43:34] Speaker B: Yeah, I've been in those meetings where I've actually, you know, we've ended a meeting and I may have reached out to, you know, the manager of the group and said, listen, I think we might, so we might be, you know, this person might be pulling back, disengaging just based on them not, not, you know, not not asking questions, not, you know, injecting input Foot that sort of thing. So I have actually, you know, said that to leaders when I've left a meeting, even though it wasn't one of my people, it was teammate, you know.
[00:44:02] Speaker D: So know your team and listen. Sorry, Know your team and listen and be engaged.
Yeah.
[00:44:08] Speaker B: And some people be like, oh, I didn't really notice that. And like I get it because you're paying attention to a lot of people. I'm really focused on what I do and then I can see that this person's reactions and interactions have withdrawn or changed, you know. So you know, it's always if you see that you should, if you should be able to share that with a manager as well. So okay, well, which quick virtual like win of the week sparks smiles. Like what do you suggest companies do to, to make people feel appreciated and really kind of, you know, get that smile back.
[00:44:42] Speaker D: Well, I think that's so important. But actually going off your last question, I've learned this from a group called entrepreneurs organization. 16,000 strong around the world and they're just a bunch of scaling up businesses like million dollars over. They're just amazing. And they say best practice and we are doing this now. One word, everyone goes around every week. What is your one word? It could be anything. How are you feeling? And then you don't necessarily as a leader, follow up right then. But if someone's saying stressed, you're going to have a call with that person later. But to your point of recognition, we do all of our team meetings starting with recognition and everyone has a chance to say what did do? Well it just lifts everyone up. We start on a great foot and I think going forward with celebration and positivity even in a hard time, it really carries the whole team. It's very powerful and it's a best practice for life I would say for any company.
[00:45:29] Speaker B: And I think they tend to not there's other ways they can do it. People really especially with now with what we have from the social media aspect, people like that recognition, it might be just a photograph of them but in a little blurb about what they did. So things like that are, are so easy to do now where they didn't used to be. I mean to get it across the company before, right before it would been probably only recognized right in the immediate department. Now you can, you know that recognition can go far and wide, you know, so I think that people should look at doing that. So, so back to the kind of you know, being diverse or you know, just distributed across time zones and countries and so forth. How do you handle the time zone fairness? So no one feels. Second have seen this before where people are in the east coast having to work west coast, you know, and so then their hours are adjusted and it's. I've seen this happen before and, and I've had to talk to candidates about having to do that. So what, what is your, what is your insight on that?
[00:46:34] Speaker D: Such an important topic, Kimberly. I've also seen teams that, they're in Asia and they're, they're calling in at their time to go home, their dinner time. And then people were from the U.S. right. And we're like, we have to get our coffee. Let coffee because it's our first meeting. And then they're sitting there waiting 10 minutes. I mean, this really happens. And it's so I, we've adjusted, we've fixed this because it's just not kind and not understanding of the global world we work in and that people are literally working past their deadline of their work to, to work with us in the west, vice versa. Right. It goes all around. So I think the best way to do it is take turns. It sounds so simple. But, but taking turns and like, hey, maybe we have to be on a call at 10pm if we have a global team, we signed up for that. Being willing to do that and taking turns just really means a lot. I think across the globe. We all value that.
[00:47:23] Speaker B: Yes, that's a great idea. That's, that's actually because I don't, I don't work globally, so I don't, you know, but time zones in the US where, you know, like you said, where somebody might, we might do need to do meeting, it's east coast time, you know, at what, nine and it's whatever seven or six in California, depending on what time of year it is. Right. So. Yeah. Right. Suggesting those are, that's, that's good. That's fair to kind of switch it off, change up the times.
Well, Wendy, we're getting back to the, the personal praise and, and we kind of, you know, we touched on that about, you know, engagement and, and calling them out. But are there any other tools that make feedback and praise feel more personal and not so robotic? You know, like not just the blanket email or the once a year. Here's your pen. Thank you for the year.
[00:48:11] Speaker D: Sure. There's a great tool I love. It's actually called Spark. But there's many organizations out there that do this. And what it does is it invites all levels of the organization to give like points, I guess, points to anyone. And A leader can give it and there's different levels and point things, but they can get iPhones and all these kind of amazing awards that they can work towards. And I just have seen people light up and be so excited and also be able to recognize their peers in a meaningful way. It's not just like, hey, great job, thank you, that means something. But to actually give them a special thank you through a program and give them points where they actually can earn gifts, I think it's really powerful. So you don't always have to do gifts, but it's just one idea, one way to recognize people and to allow every level to partake.
[00:48:58] Speaker B: And I think you're right, that's, I think that's key right there. Every level to partake. You know, you don't have to be within the immediate group. The recognition is broadcast and you know, people can see it and they can give it to them whether they, they're sitting next to them or they're sitting in a different city.
So I have a friend who works for a major global organization and she does a great job and she gets those rewards and they add up. I mean, every time I talk to her, she's got fifteen hundred dollars to spend somewhere. I'm like, that's awesome.
[00:49:29] Speaker D: I guarantee they're telling their spouse, their partner, their friend. I just know it because I've seen it. That's what they talk about at the dinner table. It's a big deal.
[00:49:37] Speaker B: Erica, where should viewers go if they'd like your playbook on remote culture?
[00:49:42] Speaker D: The best place to find us is@gohir gohire.com if you send us a message, we get back that day and love to help you. Also, we're on LinkedIn. If you type in HiHR, you can find us very easily on LinkedIn and we're very quick to respond and would love to help you on partnering. How to reach our remote teams and work better as a team.
[00:50:05] Speaker B: Well, thank you for sharing. You shared with practical heart centered strategy. From scrappy hiring hacks which to remote rituals that keep people seen and supported to everyone watching. Remember, your business isn't powered by tech stacks and spreadsheets. It's powered by humans. Hire with intention. Protect that connection. Celebrate wins big and small. When you invest in people first, that performance will come naturally. I'm Kimberly diamond and this is the human factor. Keep leading with empathy, keep learning with curiosity and keep putting the human back into the decisions you make every day. See you next time.
