What #SHRM21 Taught Me About Resilience
It took quite some time for me to warm up to the idea of attending SHRM21, just because a lot has changed since I attended SHRM19, and it has been a struggle to keep my energy up. But the four days of SHRM21 turned out to be just what I needed to get my mojo…
Tips for Virtual Networking During SHRM21
The SHRM Annual Conference and Expo is back! The last time I attended the conference was in 2019—which feels like such a long time ago—and that’s because it got canceled in 2020. So, I’m excited and looking forward to my third annual conference. Have you been seeing my countdown on Twitter? Lol. Next week, from September…
ADHD and Work: What It’s Like and How to Manage It | Julie Turney
I once worked with a talented teammate who had some persistent work-related issues. Now, we’re best of friends, but at the time, I didn’t know what to make of his behavior at work. All I saw was someone who could hardly stay at his desk, was quite impulsive, and was usually late on deliverables. During…
How to Nail Your First Job Interview: 12 Tips From HR Experts
Last month, a relative reached out to me, asking me to prep her for an upcoming interview. This was going to be her first full-time position since graduating from school, and she needed me to run a mock interview with her. So, I collected her resume and all the details about the position. As we…
4 Misconceptions About HR Professionals
Today, September 26th, is #HRProfessionalDay. It is a day dedicated to everyone who works in HR and an opportunity to appreciate HR professionals for the work we do in organizations. Unlike many HR professionals who “fell” into the profession, I like to say I chose HR. During my undergraduate study, I majored in Business Administration,…
Can Your Job Posting Attract Diverse Candidates?
Even though it is difficult to admit, we have unconscious biases that influence our interactions and decisions. If we do not check those biases, organizational leaders and HR professionals might create unintended outcomes in the workplace. A few years ago, I didn’t pursue a career opportunity with a particular consulting company. The reason was this—…
Creating a Powerful Workplace Culture: Key Takeaways from Former Netflix CTO, Patty McCord
When SHRM canceled the 2020 Annual SHRM Conference due to the pandemic, I felt I had missed out on what would have been another fantastic opportunity to learn and interact with HR professionals from around the world. However, when SHRM announced its brand-new digital series called Tune in Tuesdays, you can imagine how excited I…
Today, I Choose to Celebrate My Small Wins!
After completing the 5-part blog series on Mental Health in May, I promised myself that I would rest for a week. One week turned into one month, and here I am in July, without any new blog posts. I realized that there was more to this. I had allowed unpleasant memories from the past to…
Let’s Talk About Mental Health: An Interview With Erica Reed, LCSW-C
At the beginning of this month, I introduced a blog series called “Let’s Talk About Mental Health.” Through the interviews and stories shared, we explored mental illnesses such as Anxiety and Depression, the various stigmas associated with them, ways to manage our mental health in the workplace, and ways to support people living with those…
Let’s Talk About Mental Health: An Interview With Paul LaLonde, SHRM-CP
We are fast approaching the end of May, which means that we will be closing out this blog series on Mental Health Awareness in a couple of days. I’m grateful for all the support that this project has received so far. I’ve had a great time working with some amazing mental health advocates, and I’m…
Let’s Talk About Mental Health: An Interview With Amy Curtis, SHRM-SCP
I’m excited to be back with another post in my blog series for mental health month—many thanks to my amazing guest, Amy Curtis, SHRM-SCP! Amy is the Director of HR Operations at Connections Health Solutions in Phoenix, Arizona. She has been in the HR department with the company for six years. Before that, Amy spent 16…
Let’s Talk About Mental Health: An Interview With Tamara M. Rasberry, SHRM-CP, PHR
May is Mental Health Month. In recognition of this, I decided to start a blog series called, “Let’s Talk About Mental Health!” —which is my way of advocating for and driving conversations around mental health. The goal is to raise awareness, and hopefully, make people know that they are not alone. Of course, I couldn’t raise…
Let’s Talk About Mental Health!
Image Source: Mental Health America Mental illnesses are quite prevalent among us. According to the World Health Organization, over 450 million people currently suffer from mental or neurological disorders worldwide. Also, mental disorders affect at least one in four people. Our mental health determines how we behave, act, or feel on any given day. It’s…
10 Things You Don’t Need on Your Resume
A job search can be an arduous task with many steps. Typically, the first step is to create a resume that convinces the recruiter to consider you for an open position. Think of your resume as a spokesperson or a promotional tool—it is important to create a resume that makes a great first impression to…
Dear Blog Reader: How Are You?
Hello everyone! I genuinely hope that you are doing well and staying safe. Indeed, our world has changed. Like you, I never imagined that I would ever experience anything like the COVID-19 pandemic in my lifetime. We’re forced to say goodbye to the lives we once knew and accept our new reality. Sometimes, I sit…
How to Stay Mentally Healthy During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Since the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak became a global concern, the world has experienced a whirlwind of unexpected events and emotions. In every direction I turn to, I get a heartbreaking report about the spread of the virus. I hear about new cases of infected patients, the troubling death rates, and the scarcity of healthcare…
How to Set Employees up for Success During Onboarding
I always look forward to the weekends because those are times for me to catch up with friends and family. During most weekends, there is often a planned or unplanned phone conversation that occurs, which could last for a couple of hours. Sometimes, those conversations touch on HR-related subjects, especially if we discuss work. This…
Career Lessons I’ve Learned as a Young Professional
The idea for this blog post came during a chat with a former colleague, when she asked if I could share “what I’ve learned navigating my career as a curious and talented young professional.” I felt honored that she used those words to describe me, and more so, that she challenged me to reflect on…
7 Positive Habits for the New Year
I love how end-of-year reflections cause us to think about making self-improvement. However, I do not believe that self-improvement automatically occurs at the start of a new year. Instead, I believe that it occurs after we have maintained positive habits throughout the year. For the New Year, I’ll like to share a few positive habits…
How to Prepare for Your PHR Exam
Earlier this year, I took the PHR (Professional in Human Resources) certification exam and passed it. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing some tips for those preparing to take the test. An HR certification is a great way to demonstrate your HR experience and knowledge. I took the PHR exam, administered by the HR…
5 Ways to Practice Disability Inclusion #NDEAM
Every October, the US Department of Labor (DOL) observes the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This national campaign celebrates the contributions made by workers with disabilities and also raises awareness about the issues they face in employment. According to reports from the World Health Organization and the World Bank, over a billion people live…
Never Give Up!
“The most important thing is to never give up, never give in to circumstances, believe yourself, and to soldier on, no matter what’s in your way.” — Luka Modrić I came across this quote during a challenging time in my life, and it was just what I needed to see. Have you ever been in…
My #SHRM19 Experience: Highlights and Takeaways
Since I returned from Las Vegas, I have been reminiscing about my experience at the SHRM 2019 Annual Conference & Exposition (#SHRM19). I thought it would be worth sharing in a blog post. From June 23rd to 26th, 2019, the city of Las Vegas was buzzing with so many HR people. With a total of…
Life Lessons from a Hiking Trip
On a beautiful Saturday morning this summer, my friends and I went on a hiking trip in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. It was an early trip, and the weather was just perfect for hiking. Before this trip, I had looked for opportunities to visit Harpers Ferry, and so I didn’t waste any time in accepting…
The Occupational Phenomenon Called Employee Burnout
Employee burnout is fast becoming prevalent in many workplaces and is also a recurring theme in my day-to-day conversations with people. Unfortunately, many workplaces dismiss the subject and make it more of the employee’s issue than a workplace issue. “Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully…
Reasons to Look Forward to #SHRM19
In June 2018, I attended my first SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition (#SHRM18) without knowing what to expect. SHRM stands for The Society of Human Resource Management and is the largest HR professional society in the world. With over 300,000 members worldwide and serving as the leading provider of resources that help professionals do their…
Expressing the Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace
© Wayhome Studio/Adobe Stock In recognition of Valentine’s Day, a group of employees engaged in an exercise around love languages. The task was for them to identify and discuss their love languages among themselves. The goal was for each person to have a better understanding of how they like to show or receive love in…
Simple Ways to Prioritize Your Mental Well-being in the Workplace
One of the highlights of 2018 was seeing the attention that the subject of mental health received globally. This awareness of mental health issues has shown us the importance of creating environments that support the mental well-being of people. In my role, one of the areas of HR that I champion wholeheartedly is Workplace Wellness. I…
Overcoming Reality Shock in the Workplace
I have learned that different psychological phases come with starting a new job. Let’s use this scenario: You followed the activities of Company X for years and wished to be part of such a great organization. Finally, an opportunity emerged, and you wasted no time in pursuing it. You got called for an interview, and…
Anyone Can Be a Micromanager
Recently, I received a call from a friend I hadn’t heard from in a while. Typically, when calls like this come in, I want to catch up on everything including work. The last time we talked, he had just gotten a new job in the tech industry and so I was excited to learn about…
The Journey Begins
Thanks for joining me! Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Osasu Arigbe 