Tara A Fournier, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

There are rooms you walk into as a speaker and leave as a student. Sacramento was one of those rooms. Last week, I spent the afternoon at the California Legislative and HR Leadership Summit with @TFournierSPHR in front of 250 HR professionals who showed up ready to engage the defining questions shaping work today. We talked about AI regulation and the reality that states are increasingly filling a void left by federal inaction. We talked about older workers, still the fastest-growing segment of the labor force, and still under-leveraged in most workforce strategies. We talked about apprenticeships, skills pathways, and what it takes to build real trust across six generations working together for the first time in history. A consistent theme emerged: HR is a strategic function shaping direction. Because workforce decisions are no longer downstream from business strategy, they are business strategy. Talent, skills, and leadership capability now determine productivity, resilience, and competitiveness in equal measure. The organizations paying attention to that reality will have a competitive advantage. The ones still treating HR as overhead will not. To Tara Fournier, thank you for the kind of moderation that makes real dialogue possible. To Andy Covell, thank you for the introduction. To @SHRMCalif , thank you for building a community across 16 chapters and 28,000 professionals who continue to elevate this work. And to leaders like Cherrity Ricks from @kerncountyshrm, and every #HR professional who stayed for every question, asked better ones of your own, and shared what you are navigating, thank you.

#Leadership is always more effective when it is representative of the workforce as a whole, so why isn't there more discussion about multigenerational leadership teams? #LeadershipDevelopment #Talent #TalentDevelopment #TalentRetention

We're seeing a lot more conversations taking place about the importance and benefits of a #MultigenerationalWorkforce. Each generation brings a new perspective to the table, which allows you to solve problems from multiple angles. hbr.org/2023/10/busine…

We all know how important #connection is in the #workplace. The good times and the bad are made better when you have someone to relate to and share them with. It turns out those connections are just as impactful in #remote models as they are in person. knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/what-o…

Multiplayer #VideoGames foster connections between #gamers and encourage communication and collaboration. Failing a level gives you the chance to learn from your mistakes and try again. Aren't these all qualities that should be present in the workplace? bigthink.com/smart-skills/v…

I'm intrigued by the idea of this "Fast Friends" game - what are some other successful strategies you know of that can strengthen the bonds of a virtual team? #AuthenticConnection #Communication #WorkplaceCulture

#Hybrid and #remote work models are here to stay. Instead of resisting this change, be proactive and think of ways you can foster #connection beyond the walls of an office.

"Implementing evidence-based connection exercises in a virtual context can help increase workplace camaraderie and trust, especially for a diverse workforce." knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/creati…

I like that this article highlights how helpful it can be to say "I don't know." Too often, we don't want to admit that we don't have all the answers. Re-frame your perspective to view it as an opportunity to learn more. Which of these phrases resonated with you the most?

A #culture that's fueled by #curiosity allows people to gain a better understanding of the people or processes around them. hbr.org/2023/11/4-phra…

We have no trouble understanding how music, TV shows, and movies can empower, inspire, and uplift audiences - why don't we extend that same courtesy to gaming? #DigitalMedia

A #DigialMediaTrends survey from Deloitte found that 73% of Gen Z and Millenial gamers agreed with the statement: "Experiencing success in video games boosts my self-confidence," while 49% agreed with the statement: "I feel better about my self-image when playing videogames."

The adverse impacts of #gaming are talked about far more than those of other #media and I think that's a bit unfair. There are so many ways in which gaming helps people. www2.deloitte.com/xe/en/insights…

How have you navigated supporting employee mental health within your organization? How has your strategy evolved over time? #EmployeeExperience #MultigenerationalWorkforce

The way we think about #MentalHealth in the workplace has evolved. The newest generation to enter the workforce, Gen Z, is used to open discussions about mental health and #wellbeing and expect that they will be supported by their employers. hbr.org/2023/10/naviga…

When adopting this framework, no one will get it 100% right on the first try - and that's okay. What matters is that we keep striving to do the best we can in making the world a better place. #SocialResponsibility

Organizations can create #value beyond the realm of pure business. One of the many benefits of embracing #CSR is the potential positive impact on the surrounding community.

Businesses can no longer use profits as the sole measure of success. As #business leaders, we all have to ask ourselves: what kind of legacy do we want to leave behind? entrepreneur.com/growing-a-busi…

Employees have a lot of stressors to contend with, both related and unrelated to work. This is why #wellbeing has emerged as such a priority among workers - the clear line between work and personal lives has become all too blurry. #EmployeeWellbeing forbes.com/sites/jackkell…