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As the summer holidays beckon, demands on employers increase. Whether its parents requiring greater flexibility or singletons wanting to spend more time outdoors with friends or at festivals. Regardless of needs, employees of all stripes will want the support of their organisation.

In this week's episode we discuss how employers should approach these demands. And taking inspiration from one such leader, James Timpson, CEO of the Timpson retail chain we explore the various options open to leaders.

So join us (and Arif's croaky, unwell voice), as we explore these issues in this week's episode

And if you want to learn more about James' inspirational leadership, then watch his interview with Channel 4 News' Krishnan Guru-Murthy

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Earlier this year in an interview with Adam Grant, Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky revealed his regret at describing his company as a family during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode we go deeper into why Brian believes this is problematic. We'll look at how true it is. We'll also explore risks with this approach and what can be negative consequences for employees if this becomes overemphasised.

Finally we'll discuss alternative approaches that may prove more effective and a bonus discussion on the benefits of group coaching to improve team relationships.

Enjoy the episode!

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This week more than 3,000 staff could get right to bargain collectively for rights and pay for the first time at Amazon's Coventry Warehouse here in the UK. With union busting efforts costing Amazon $14million dollars, how do these efforts help improve employee wellbeing, engagement and productivity?

Agile Leadership demands leaders are far more reflective and collaborative overall, so how should leaders deal with efforts from employees to unionise? And are there other ways leaders can make changes to their organisation to reduce the power gap between employees and leadership.

And as always, if you've listened to the episode, here are some of the resources we reference:

[1] The Guardian: Amazon workers begin historic voting to join a union
[2] The Hill: Amazon spent a record $14million on union busting consultants
[3] Time: The Case For Business Leaders to Work Collaboratively with Unions
[4] UK Govt: Union membership data 1995-2023

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By the time this episode is released, the UK will most likely be waking up to a new Prime Minister and Government (well, that's what the polls suggest!). And if your'e living in Europe, France is also in the midst of a Presidential vote too

So with politicians seeking votes, what happens when they also seek power? We've all heard the famous comic book line "with great power comes great responsibility" but can power also trap leaders into not being performant?

We'll be exploring the different ways this happens, and how leaders can leverage their power in productive ways too

Tune in and enjoy the episode!

And as always, if you've listened to the episode, here are some of the resources we reference:

[1] Wikipedia: Swiss Federal Council
[2] Lunenburg: Power and Leadership: An Influence Process
[3] Northouse: Leadership: Theory and Practice (Page 11)
[4] Harvard Bus School: Power to Influence to Lead Change

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Workplace authenticity, no doubt a key topic in your organisation's HR agenda to create a more welcoming, diverse workplace. In fact, many studies now show the link between authenticity and wellbeing .

But has the push towards it failed?

Too many employees remain fearful of openly discussing topics that may be deemed 'controversial'. Some out of fear of reprisals, others due to a lack of knowledge around workplace etiquette

We break it all down in this episode and also explore what authenticity means for leaders and how it can be a paradox in its own right

PS: A HUGE thanks for listening to our 25th Episode!

And as always, if you've listened to the episode, here are some of the resources we reference:

[1] HR Dive: Confusion over workplace etiquette makes employees unsure how to act
[2] HBR: The Authenticity Paradox

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We frequently get told that middle managers are the problem. They are resistant to change, and in fact hold up change from occurring.

In this episode we explore these assumptions and question if they really stack up. Are middle managers simply corporate yes-men or is there more than meets the eye?

And as always, if you've listened to the episode, here are some of the resources we reference:

[1] BBC: Why cutting Middle Managers is often short-sighted
[2] HBR: Inn Praise of Middle Managers

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In this week's episode, we discuss the importance of involving employees in designing an Employee Experience for their organisation.

We consider the latest trend of treating employees like customers and the impact of not accounting for their needs.

Finally, we discuss the responsibility of leaders in crafting and creating a positive Employee Experience that supports the organisation.

Visit our website www.humble.associates
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Workplace motivation is a constant challenge, and post pandemic the challenge is only increasing. With 3 in 5 18-34yr olds say they feel lonely often, what can organisations do to ensure this generation feel greater connection to their colleagues and their organisations?

So much to unpack and discuss as we explore the power of employee recognition programmes, how they work and what are the benefits to implementing one. And ofcourse, do cash rewards work?!

Join us for an in-depth conversation!

Visit our website www.humble.associates
Or check out our LinkedIn page to learn more about Humble Associates