Transformational Thinkers with Sara Sheehan

Susan brings a grounded, real-world perspective shaped by years of advising organizations through challenging employee relations, legal exposure, and leadership capability gaps. With the rise of wage and hour claims, understanding local laws has never been more crucial for companies expanding their workforce across state lines. This conversation is a clarion call for CEOs and CHROs to take proactive measures in addressing employee relations concerns, emphasizing the importance of timely action and thorough investigations when challenges arise. This episode is essential listening for executives who want to future-proof their organizations by strengthening managers and building cultures that balance performance, empathy, and accountability.  Sara addresses how, as workforces have become increasingly distributed, HR complexity has accelerated. Susan Levi explains why expanding across state lines introduces significant compliance risk, particularly around wage and hour laws and leave requirements. She emphasizes that many organizations underestimate these challenges and that proactive due diligence is now a leadership requirement rather than an HR afterthought. They discuss employee relations and highlight why ignoring issues, especially when high performers are involved, creates outsized legal and cultural risk. Susan explains why leaders must investigate concerns promptly with accurate documentation and resist the temptation to just move problems elsewhere within the organization. Addressing issues directly, even when uncomfortable, is critical to protecting both people and the business. Recruiting and retention remain front-line concerns for CEOs, and Susan shares why behavioral interviewing consistently outperforms hypothetical questioning by ensuring better cultural fit and significantly reducing employee turnover. Discover how to implement these transformational insights to foster a thriving workplace culture that empowers employees and aligns with your strategic goals. To retain top performers, she dives into the significance of stay interviews, a powerful tool for retaining top talent, and stresses the need for organizations to understand what keeps their employees satisfied, engaged, and empowered. With four generations now active in the workforce, leadership expectations around flexibility, feedback, and growth are colliding. Susan explains why flexibility has shifted from a perk to a business necessity in professional roles and why output, not micromanagement, is the standard for high-performing organizations. Sara and Susan urge leaders to adapt their management styles to cultivate a growth mindset within their teams. Susan and Sara discuss why poor manager capability is one of the most common drivers of disengagement and turnover. New managers often struggle with feedback, coaching, and difficult conversations, not due to lack of intent, but lack of training. Investing in foundational management skills is one of the best moves organizations can make.  Susan identifies how HR leaders can combat change fatigue through transparency and visible progress, and stresses that clear communication focused on why changes are being made is a necessity. Looking ahead, she identifies two critical shifts leaders must make to future-proof HR: moving from reactive to proactive people practices and streamlining HR systems to create more seamless employee experiences. This episode also addresses the integration of AI into HR processes, cautioning against over-reliance on technology without human oversight. Tune in for real-world change stories and innovative leadership strategies that will empower you to master change management and drive organizational growth. This episode is not just about insights; it's about transforming challenges into opportunities for thriving in extraordinary times. Join us for a journey of transformation that will elevate your understanding of employee relations, employee engagement techniques, and organizational change leadership. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your leadership development and become a transformational thinker!  About Susan Levi:  Susan Levi is the Founder of Jinji HR, a human resources consulting firm known for navigating complex employee relations, compliance challenges, and leadership development issues. Susan partners closely with CEOs and leadership teams to reduce risk, strengthen manager capability, and modernize HR practices to support sustainable growth. Susan received her PsyD in Organizational Management and Consulting from Phillips Graduate University and received a M.A. and B.A. degree in Psychology from Pepperdine University and the University of California, Irvine, respectively. She holds her SPHR and PHR certifications from the HR Certification Institute. Susan has experience providing HR solutions to both for-profit and non-profit employers in a wide range of industries. Susan leverages this experience and understanding to develop solutions that are not only compliant but also align with industry best business practices, and help support employees with their HR needs. When Susan is not working, she enjoys attending tap class, golfing, and spending time with her family and pomeranian, Sage.  Key Moments: 00:00 Introduction to Today’s HR Reality 00:40 Meet Susan Levi of Jinji HR 01:09 The Rise of Complex HR and Compliance Cases 02:51 Why Ignoring Employee Issues Creates Legal Risk 03:52 High Performers and the Cost of Looking the Other Way 05:35 Recruiting for Speed and Culture Fit in a Distributed Workforce 06:04 Behavioral Interviewing as a Competitive Advantage 08:10 Stay Interviews and Building Sticky Engagement 10:11 Growth Paths Beyond the Management Track 12:19 Leading Across Four Generations in the Workforce 13:35 Flexibility, Feedback, and Modern Performance Expectations 15:03 Preparing New Managers for Leadership Conversations 18:27 Responsible AI Use in HR and Recruiting 23:52 Managing Change Fatigue Through Transparency 28:27 Future Proofing HR Through Proactive Strategy and Process Simplification __ Contact Sara Sheehan | Sara Sheehan Consulting: SaraWSheehan.comSara Sheehan on LinkedInMeet with SaraContact Susan Levi | JinjiHR: Website: JinjiHR.comLinkedIn: SusLevi Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. 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