Two podcasts about two sources of great employees – older adults and veterans!

The mature worker can be a great source of experienced talent.

A COVID-19 note: I was originally going to post this blog in early April, and then the COVID pandemic hit. I realized that interest in recruiting discussions would be quite low, so I held off. Now that the pandemic is not going away anytime soon and we are learning to adjust to this new reality, organizations realize that continuing to recruit talent is indeed a never ending priority.

The demographics of our workforce continue to change. I read so many articles and hear so many HR leaders talk about the scarcity of labor as so many baby boomers are retiring with a smaller number of working age millennials coming into the pipeline.

But look around you; there are many diverse sources of talent. Early this year, I did two 11 – 12 minute podcasts with Fred Coon of Stewart, Cooper & Coon and host of “The US at Work,” listed by FreeSpot in the top 15 nationwide workplace podcasts. Below are links to the two podcasts and short outline of what Fred and I discuss in the podcasts.

Podcast 1: Link to “Advice on Aging Workforce Management”

NOTE: With now more people working from home, mature talent should definitely be strongly considered when recruiting!

Our workforce is aging. Companies are wrestling with replacement and many workers are struggling to hang on. What should companies and organizations be doing to better leverage and value their older employees? This podcasts covers:


• Misunderstanding about and issues facing the aging workforce
• The impacts that unconscious bias and stereotyping have on older workers
• What older employees have to offer, the importance of understanding the expertise and value of the older worker
• How older workers can handle these challenges facing them
• Building bridges across the multiple generations in the workplace
• What companies can do to value and leverage their older talent.

Podcast 2: Link to “Companies Are Waking Up to Onboarding for Military Veterans”

The “Boots to Suits” is an image often used to portray the value of veteran talent.


Why is it important for companies to exert effort to hire and support military veterans? What can be done in all areas to better position veterans for success in the civilian working world? There seems to be an awakening of companies regarding the onboard of veterans. It is smart business and it improves the skill pool at any company. This podcast covers:


• Top issues facing veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce
• Tips for onboarding of military employees
• The value proposition for companies to hire veterans
• How to position veterans for success
• Various resources and initiatives supporting veterans entering the workforce.

I hope you all find these podcasts useful in expanding your talent search. And please do not hesitate to contact me if I can assist you in your diversity training or diversity recruiting consulting needs. [email protected] 919-787-7315

Helping Minorities Get Better Use Of Their Employee Benefits

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com

One critical diversity, equity and inclusion discussion which may not get much visibility in the workplace is around assuring that employee benefit programs are equally accessible and valuable to the full range of diverse employees.

With the upcoming millennial workforce being 16% more diverse than the baby boomers’ generation, diversity, equity and inclusion is an important aspect that companies and businesses must embrace and continue to strive for. As the push for more diverse inclusive workplaces continues, the way that an HR department helps under-represented minorities access their employee benefits plays an important role. Consider a few of these tips on how to aid in communication with and support of minority employees.

Encourage open communication. An important aspect of helping minority employees better navigate and understand their employee benefits is to make sure that they feel supported by their human resources department, as well as their company as a whole. Making it known that open communication and discussions are not just tolerated but actually welcomed and encouraged can help diverse employees feel more comfortable opening up and asking any questions they may have about their benefits package.

While it is important to have open communication within a team environment, it can also be beneficial to adopt some of those same philosophies for an HR department. When a company has minority employees, they should actively accept feedback, stay open to suggestions, and pay attention to the issues that affect their minority employees directly.


Offer inclusive benefits. While every benefits package does not always look the same, if a company is looking to directly support their minority employees, they must consider inclusive employee benefits and perks that support diversity—as this shows a commitment to creating an all-embracing workplace where individuals’ beliefs, cultures, and orientations are supported.

From offering holiday time to various cultural or religious backgrounds or offering professional development courses and instruction for employees whose backgrounds may not have offered them the same opportunities, there are many ways that companies can begin to create a more welcoming culture.

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Navigator on Unsplash

Discuss where they can save money.   Typically, employee benefits offer affordable, convenient options for employees to receive the types of coverage needed to secure their families and protect their financial well-being. As an HR department, taking this a step further can mean also discussing the areas where employees can save money by forgoing certain benefits and acquiring them on their own.

Life insurance coverage is an example of one of these benefits. Employee-provided life insurance is a great option for individuals that need basic coverage for their salary as an income replacement. But often, this plan isn’t enough coverage for individuals and they can actually find a more affordable and comprehensive plan through a life insurance broker. Because life insurance rates are dependent on many factors including age, health, hobbies, and more, some employees may qualify for lower rates than the set employer-provided plan. Taking time to have these discussions with employees shows that the company cares about more than just the work they do in the office.

Obtain the proper information. To better support minority employees with their benefits, it is helpful to be prepared with the correct information, research, or statistics. By prepping HR with adequate background knowledge, they are given the opportunity to provide better suggestions on how to navigate their benefits. Similarly, learning to adopt different perspectives is a form of having more information.

For some companies, this might include diversity training programs. These various types of training can be especially useful for human resources employees with hiring and promotion processes while also aiding them with the right language and best practices to support all the diverse populations within their organization.

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As employee benefits are a great incentive for all employees, specifically aiding HR departments with the correct tools to help minority employees get the best use of them is a great way to start creating a more welcoming workspace for all.