A Grassroots Approach to Employee Engagement with Jackie Shyman Holt

Leveling Up

Grassroots change requires a lot of trust, and it takes a lot more effort around communication, engagement, and ‘buy-in’ than simply barking out orders! Today’s guest is Jackie Shyman Holt, the Head of Human Resources at 7 For All Mankind. Jackie has more than 20-years’ experience in all aspects of HR, including transformational leadership and change management, organizational design, talent acquisition and retention, diversity and inclusion, and internal and external branding and communications. In this episode, she shares her experience of the last year and a half during the pandemic and the importance of creating both physical and psychological safety for employees. Jackie also emphasizes the value of strong communication in a post-pandemic world and shares her grassroots approach to engagement through employee-led programs, highlighting the importance of executive buy-in for these programs to be successful. We also discuss the role of employee education, reimagining executive structures, and taking a collaborative approach, and Jackie shares some invaluable insights and practical advice for taking a grassroots approach in your organization. Tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Jackie and her experience of the last 18 months during COVID-19.
  
• How she has approached pulling employees in and ensuring their engagement.
  
• Some of the strategies that Jackie hopes to continue implementing, even after COVID, including strong internal communications.
  
• Hear about the charitable environment that 7 For All Mankind has cultivated.
  
• Jackie shares how she takes a grassroots approach to employee engagement.
  
• What sparked her interest in employee-led programs and the importance of executive buy-in.
  
• Jackie reflects on the topic of lunch-and-learns and how she made them work.
  
• Thinking about the “PR of HR” and how the department is perceived by the company.
  
• What role employee education plays in implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
  
• The value of reimagining what executive leadership and marketing structures look like.
  
• How a diversity of perspectives contributes to innovation.
  
• The power of what Jackie calls a “scrappier” attitude toward employee engagement.
  
• Where she suggests organizations start: by hearing the ideas of individual employees at different stages of their careers.
  
• Jackie shares some of her favorite resources, including books, podcasts, and her peers.
  
• Her advice for her past self: relax, think before you jump in the deep end, and take risks.
  
• Why she recommends building robust boundaries between work and life.