David Klink’s Post

HRs were my "work besties" when I was Head of Customer Success. Leading a team of 18 after managing just 5, I knew I didn’t have all the answers about how to be a good manager. But I wanted to learn. In my search I realized important thing. HRs don't push you writing feedback, reviews, making docs & doing analytics to make their work easier. They do it to make YOUR work easier. To make YOUR team happy and productive. Violetta, Maria and the team showed me this firsthand. So instead of resisting, I started thinking about how I could help them. And how I can show that I see their impact and am grateful. I started doing few extra steps — giving regular feedback on which HR workflows we use worked for me or not and why — bringing them challenges i have with team so they knew where to dig — sharing what worked well for our team so they can use learnings to the whole org And it paid off big time! Yesterday, I got a video message from a CS manager in my old team. He said, “You were my leader and i have you as a reference, as someone I look after” Without my work besties' help, I’d probably read smth about my incompetence on a Glassdoor instead.

In the past year and a half, I’ve experienced two layoffs that were handled so poorly they left a lasting impact on me—and not in a good way. The way a company handles departures says so much about its values, and unfortunately, these experiences still resonate with me. I often share these stories with friends and peers, not out of spite, but as a reminder that the way we treat people when they leave matters just as much as when they join. This is why I’m proud to have developed this new campaign with When. It’s all about bringing attention to the real people affected by layoffs and departures every day, in companies of all sizes and industries. We need to do better, and that starts by reimagining the offboarding experience. Let’s make those last impressions count.

Early in my professional career I unexpectedly lost my job and after 6 months of looking (and a week before Christmas) I started a new one. I went through all the interviews, passed all the background and financial tests, and was genuinely super pumped to get started. Day 1 on the job, about 6 hours in, they pulled me in to a room and said “sorry, we just got your reference check back and unfortunately they wouldn’t provide one so we have to let you go.” I was devastated. Partly because of the let down after 6 months of looking, partly because it was so unexpected at that point in the hiring process, and partly because the prior company was a large publicly listed company in finance who always took the standard HR route of “yes they worked here on these dates and this was their title”, no more, no less. This isn’t entirely uncommon for large organizations. I offered up multiple references that weren’t direct to HR, but no go. A week before Christmas I was jobless. Again. At the end of the day, the hiring company handled the whole process super poorly (I learned a lot about HR and how to treat people in that process), but more importantly if I had a When back then things probably would have ended a little differently for all parties involved. Don’t let yourself or your employees get stuck in a bad offboarding process. Take a second to recognize weaknesses and how you can play a hand in maintaining your companies reputation during an already painful situation.

Isn't it time For When we reimagine the traditional offboarding experience? When’s holistic approach to offboarding transcends traditional practices and transforms the often-neglected departure process from an afterthought into a strategic advantage. Our platform addresses the unique challenges of career transitions head-on, alleviating stressors for both employees and employers. Discover how we're changing the way companies handle departures at www.forwhen.com.

6 months 🎉🤯 Wow! 6 months ago I joined Nicole Phipps and Maureen Allen in the charge to continue to deliver gracious global onboarding and exit experiences at Kohler Co. It was a jump back to ‘ole HR roots after 2.5 years collaborating with our global teams to understand and address associate and community needs as we strive to help people live gracious, healthy and sustainable lives. 💡6 insights for 6 months: 1️⃣ Empathy is key: Understanding the associate journey from start to finish helps us design more meaningful and effective processes during some of an employee’s most vulnerable moments- so how can we zero in on the moments that matter most? 2️⃣ Data tells a story: Leveraging feedback and analytics has been crucial in making informed decisions that impact our associate experiences. And helps us prioritize and tackle opportunity at the root. 3️⃣ Partner for Impact: Cross-functional collaboration is everything and partnering with different teams ensures that our approach is holistic and aligned with the bigger picture- and this collaboration is essential to understand needs and scale. 4️⃣ It’s hard to let go: I was deeply passionate about the work of my old team. And while still close, it’s incredibly hard to be on the sidelines now. But, that creates opportunity for extending that work into what we’re building (see #3) #ally 5️⃣ Never stop iterating: There’s always room for improvement. And zero shortage of opportunity in this space. The best programs evolve based on feedback and changing needs- and the best way forward is constant tinkering. 6️⃣ Celebrate the wins: It’s important to take a moment to appreciate progress, big or small. Many days it feels like we haven’t done much (my brain is just trying to boil the ocean over here **see previous post**), but it’s important to acknowledge every milestone along the way! Looking forward to where we’re headed and continuing to partner to shape these critical moments for our teams globally! 🌍🚀 — TL;DR 6 months in my current role. Learning lots. Going great. #Onboarding #HR #EmployeeExperience #InternalMobility #enagement #growth

Last year, I attended FirstService Residential Illinois's annual kick-off meeting as a brand-new associate. I shook hands, met many new faces, and was introduced to a culture that puts its organizational values and associate appreciation first.   During our kick-off meeting, we come together as a market to celebrate the previous year's accomplishments and name our goals for the year ahead. We honor milestone anniversaries + put our #values first with our Core Values award series.   This year, I was proud to be recognized as one of our "Improve It" Core Values award winners. I'm so proud to be recognized for my contributions to "Improve"-ing all things recruiting operations throughout 2023. Balancing my drive for results with change management is no easy task, but I'm proud to be part of an agile HR team that helps me hone my passions with a "Yes, and" attitude.   And yet, it took me almost a month to sit down and write this LinkedIn post. What held me back?   The work to "Improve It" is never over.   Our team is agile - we're proud to solve challenging problems with a growth mindset. Not to mention, working with people means that the goalpost is constantly changing. New technologies, recruiting trends, and new challenges always give us the opportunity to evolve and build back even stronger. I love coming to work every day with a curious attitude, ready to solve the next problem that comes my way.   So now, 2 months into 2024, I'm celebrating the way our HR team has grown over the past year. Here's to another impactful year of putting our values first and leading with curiosity! #recruiterlife #leadwithyes #recruiting #hrcareers #growthmindset #professionaldevelopment #growth

The role here at Work.Life was my first Maternity cover role and certainly opened my eyes and mind. I'd encourage anyone considering a similar contract role as a Marketing leader to give it a shot. Here were some of my learnings and tips to help you along the way supported by the brilliant Sarah Mourtada Sich and Laura Ash:   🤝 Make sure it's the right fit for both of you - a thorough interview process is helpful both ways to get a sense of the people you'll be covering for and, more importantly, working with. Make sure you have time with the leadership team, your direct reports and your peers to ensure it's a good culture fit and you get a sense of what you're walking into.   📆 Try and secure a decent handover period - I was really lucky and had a month of cross over to cover off in detail the team ways of working, current and upcoming projects, processes and reporting as well as team development. Phase the handover from shadowing to dividing and conquering to the full handover period giving your predecessor time to wrap up the admin they need to whilst being available to help with questions and sense-checks.   📞 Keep in touch through the contract (if the mum is happy to keep in touch of course). Helpful to have little chats here and there on key hiring, development of team-members, strategy updates to make sure you're factoring in historical context and their experience, particularly if they've been in role a long time. In-person catch ups with the team to stay connected and maintain the relationship, an office visit or team lunch invite are perfect.   🗒 Keep good notes and records - to support the handover on the other side, making sure you have a reference for things that have changed, documentation that captures the process and the outcome saved on a central portal for easy access even after you've gone. Set them up for success like they did for you! ☕ Support the team through the transition - remembering that a change in direct management is a time of change for them, so help them work through what that will mean for the individual and their way of working, even if they've worked together before. A lot can change in a year!   As I wrap up my current contract I'm looking forward to my next challenge having learned so much in this role and around the workspace industry. 😍 #FTC #growth #marketingleadership #newbeginnings

📢 Exciting Trend Alert: Dry Promotions in the IT Industry in 2024! 🚀 Have you heard about dry promotions? 🌟 This emerging trend is making waves in the IT industry, so let's dive in and explore what it's all about and why it's gaining popularity. In a nutshell, dry promotion refers to recognizing and rewarding employees for their outstanding performance and contributions without changing their job titles or offering immediate financial incentives. Instead, employees are given increased responsibilities, growth opportunities, and heightened recognition. So, why has dry promotion become the talk of the town? Here are a few key reasons: 1️⃣ Cost-saving measures: In today's uncertain economy where budgets for salary raises and additional benefits can be limited, organizations are turning to dry promotions as a cost-effective way to acknowledge their top performers. 2️⃣ Employee retention and motivation: Dry promotions are a powerful tool for keeping talented individuals engaged and motivated. By providing challenging roles, new responsibilities, and growth opportunities, organizations boost morale and job satisfaction, leading to improved retention rates. 3️⃣ Skill development and career progression: Dry promotions offer employees the chance to broaden their skill sets and gain valuable experience. Whether it's learning new technologies or taking on more complex projects, these opportunities promote professional growth and pave the way for future advancement. 4️⃣ Agile organizational structures: With the rise of agile methodologies and flatter hierarchies in the IT industry, traditional job titles are becoming less relevant. Dry promotions align perfectly with these structures, enabling organizations to recognize and reward expertise and contributions without being constrained by outdated titles. While dry promotions offer numerous benefits, it's important to note that fair compensation and benefits should not be overlooked. Striking the right balance between recognition and financial rewards is crucial for employee satisfaction and organizational success. Let's embrace this exciting trend of dry promotions, fostering a dynamic and motivated workforce that thrives in the ever-evolving IT industry. #DryPromotions #ITIndustryTrends #EmployeeRecognition #CareerGrowth #AgileOrganizations

🚪 Joining vs. Exiting a Company: A Journey from Excitement to Reflection 🚪 It’s always fascinating how different the energy is between starting a new job and wrapping up your time at one. When you join, you’re welcomed with open arms, excitement, and endless onboarding materials. But when you leave? Well, it’s more like a quick handshake, a badge return, and a survey that may or may not ever be read. 😅 🗝️ Key Moments: - Joining: “Welcome to the team! Here’s your onboarding schedule, a company-branded water bottle, and 100 emails to catch up on.” 🎉 - Exiting: “We’re sorry to see you go. Please return all company property and take 15 minutes to fill out this exit survey.” 📋 - Onboarding: Learning everything, meeting everyone, and attending countless orientation sessions. 🤝 - Offboarding: Handover meetings, signing forms, and maybe a brief farewell email. 📝 - The Beginning: Full of hope, possibility, and fresh goals! 🚀 - The End: Reflecting on lessons learned, growth, and the next chapter. 🌱 It’s a cycle we all experience, yet it feels different every time. How has your journey between joining and exiting shaped your career? #CareerJourney #OnboardingAndOffboarding #ProfessionalGrowth #WorkplaceExperience #HRInsights #EmployeeExperience #CorporateCulture #NewBeginnings #ReflectAndGrow

🕺  Here’s a nice thing to drop during your next office party… "𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦?" It’s something we have all experienced, with others I mean. Not with ourselves…. No, we know what we are doing. 🙄 We 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 that promotion, we have 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 for it and we are 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 that we are able to pull it off. 😰 Oh. Until we actually don’t pull it off. But, we are there now so we are definitely not letting go. Just pull through and make the lives of others and ourselves miserable. There you have it. A somewhat free interpretation of the Peter Principle: 🤯  𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. In our push for more power, more money and more respect (?) we highly overestimate our own capabilities and keep jumping higher higher in the tree. Until that inevitable moment. We have absolutely no idea anymore what we are doing. And oehh … your team knows it. 🎤  So, drop this nice ‘𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸’ at an office party and you’ll get plety examples of others who are great examples. But who reflects on their own position? Feeling challenged is great, being overwhelmed is not. And denying you are is just one step towards the abyss. Be honest to yourself, it will get you to a better place. Recognizable? Have you ever reached a point of your own incompetence (don’t confuse this with a learning path). Happy weekend! --------- 🙋♂️ Hi! My name is Jorrit. I'm one of the three musketeers at 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿. Our mission? We want to re-design the experience of work, and make it more human. Go to  The House of Wonder [𝚠𝚠𝚠.𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚘𝚏𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛.𝚌𝚘] if you want to join our quest and be a part of a growing community of HR, EX and people & culture humans. #morehumanexperiences #employeeexperience #peopleexperience #humanfirst #thehouseofwonder