Tom’s ENGAGING HR

Episode 7: Leo Tokar Talks About The Power of Total Rewards

We're excited to present a special episode that I recorded with Leo Tokar from Lockton in 2023.  I think the content is especially relevant to what companies and employees are focused on today.  Leo joins the podcast for our first in-depth conversation about Total Rewards. We cover Total Rewards at a high level but also focus on how Total Rewards Strategies can be leveraged in today’s uncertain economy. Leo also connects the dots of how to engage your employees with Total Rewards to drive the best employee experience.  
Noted in Podcast: 
HR HOTSAUCE “Favorite song to bring you out of a funk playlist”:  Coldplay 
 What Leo is listening to:  
Marketing School Podcast 
Book: Atomic Habits  
Our Guest, Leo Tokar 
Leo serves as President, People Solutions and partner with Lockton Companies, a consulting and brokerage firm that provides insurance, risk management, total rewards, employee benefits and retirement solutions. Lockton is the 8th largest risk and benefits management firm in the world and the largest firm that is private and independent. 
Leo leads the strategy and financial performance of health & welfare, retirement, and executive benefits practices. In addition, he oversees consulting teams for key accounts and manages employee benefits and total rewards strategy for public and private organizations in a variety of industries.  
Leo has a MS in Marketing and MBS from the University of Colorado executive programs, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of Kansas.  
Leo is a current board member of Delta Dental of Colorado, Denver Metro Chamber, Ensemble Innovation Ventures, and the American Cancer Society. He is also a graduate of Leadership Denver and has won the “Forty Under 40” Award from the Denver Business Journal. 
Leo.Tokar@lockton.com 
LinkedIn: Leo Tokar 
Lockton Website 
 
Where to find your host Tom Horne and Tom’s Engaging HR
LinkedIn: Tom Horne
Email: tom.horne@adp.com
Personal Twitter: @TomsEngagingHR
Podcast Twitter Page: @EngagingHRPod
Youtube: @Tom’s ENGAGING HR
Instagram: @TomsEngagingHRPod
TikTok: @Toms.engaging.hr
Facebook: Tom’s Engaging HR Podcast
THANK YOU:
Intro and Theme song for Tom’s Engaging HR is “Better” by Break Signals.  Break Signals just released their first studio album “A Steady Frequency” and it absolutely rocks, check it out here:  Break Signals: A Steady Frequency
Fun fact, the song “That Guy”, which is also on the album, was inspired by a magician that was hanging around outside The HR Technology Conference in 2022
Thanks to Jon Thurmond for your mentorship and help getting the podcast off the ground.  I appreciate you lending the voice for the introduction as well!
Karl Pawlewicz: He was integral with helping with our logo, social media, and answering my 1,000 questions while building out the show.  I appreciate you and your friendship for over 20 years, you’re the man!

Episode 6: John Bernatovicz, HR Like a Boss

John Bernatovicz joined me to talk about his journey to writing his best-selling book HR Like a Boss.  We cover a lot of ground from his early days at ADP, to a great story about how he beat Tiger Woods in a golf tournament, how he founded Willory and finally the main topic: How to HR Like a Boss.  It’s a really fun and engaging conversation with a great leader and voice in the HR Space.
Our Guest: John Bernatovicz, Founder, Author, Speaker
Email: john@willory.com
Company: Willory
LinkedIn: John Bernatovicz
HR Like a Boss Podcast
HR Like a Boss Community and Book
Mentioned in the show:
What John’s Listening to: John's Playlist
 
Where to find your host Tom Horne and Tom’s Engaging HR
LinkedIn: Tom Horne
Email: tom.horne@adp.com
Personal Twitter: @TomsEngagingHR
Podcast Twitter Page: @EngagingHRPod
Youtube: @Tom’s ENGAGING HR
Instagram: @TomsEngagingHRPod
TikTok: @Toms.engaging.hr
Facebook: Tom’s Engaging HR Podcast
THANK YOU:
Intro and Theme song for Tom’s Engaging HR is “Better” by Break Signals.  Break Signals just released their first studio album “A Steady Frequency” and it absolutely rocks, check it out here:  Break Signals: A Steady Frequency
Fun fact, the song “That Guy”, which is also on the album, was inspired by a magician that was hanging around outside The HR Technology Conference in 2022
Thanks to Jon Thurmond for your mentorship and help getting the podcast off the ground.  I appreciate you lending the voice for the introduction as well!
Karl Pawlewicz: He was integral with helping with our logo, social media, and answering my 1,000 questions while building out the show.  I appreciate you and your friendship for over 20 years, you’re the man!

Episode 5 RyanMae McAvoy Talks About Implementing the 4 Day Workweek

RyanMae joins us to talk about how her team came to the decision to roll out a 4 day workweek.  I’ve heard this talked about a lot but excited to finally speak with someone who’s successfully launched it for their organization.  It may not be for every organization but Ryan shares how they came to the decision, rolled it out, where some of the pitfalls are, how they manage it and what it’s done for their company.  We also dig into her time at the Transform HR Show, some stories of the ski season and how she started her career in HR at a ski resort.  It’s a great conversation and Ryan is just so awesome to speak with!
Our Guest: RyanMae McAvoy, Director of People Operations
Company: Blackthorn.io
LinkedIn, Ryan-Mae
Mentioned in the show:
Transform HR Conference
Brittany Pietch Layoff on TikTok
21b Slack Consulting
What Ryan’s Listening to: Everything from Michael Buble to Taylor swift to Jimmy Buffet
Koe Wessel: Damn Near Normal
T-Pain: On Top of The Covers
 
Where to find your host Tom Horne and Tom’s Engaging HR
LinkedIn: Tom Horne
Email: tom.horne@adp.com
Personal Twitter: @TomsEngagingHR
Podcast Twitter Page: @EngagingHRPod
Youtube: @Tom’s ENGAGING HR
Instagram: @TomsEngagingHRPod
TikTok: @Toms.engaging.hr
Facebook: Tom’s Engaging HR Podcast
THANK YOU:
Intro and Theme song for Tom’s Engaging HR is “Better” by Break Signals.  Break Signals just released their first studio album “A Steady Frequency” and it absolutely rocks, check it out here:  Break Signals: A Steady Frequency
Fun fact, the song “That Guy”, which is also on the album, was inspired by a magician that was hanging around outside The HR Technology Conference in 2022
Jon Thurmond: Thank you for your guidance, support and inspiration.  Jon also recorded our introduction to the show, he's one of my favorite podcast voices! 
Karl Pawlewicz: He was integral with helping with our logo, social media, and answering my 1,000 questions while building out the show.  I appreciate you and your friendship for over 20 years, you’re the man!

Episode 4: Christie Engler Talks about Coming off PEO and Networking in HR

Christie joins the podcast to talk all about networking in HR.  The conversation starts out talking about college sports before we get into some of the great place for HR to network and share Ideas.  Christie talks about the bi-monthly #HRSocialHour Twitter chats and how you can find them.  We also get into some of the other places to find a HR Community and some of the truly wild questions that get asked.  Tune in, it’s a great conversation with a seasoned HR Leader!
Our Guest: Christie Engler, VP of HR
Company: Diversified Systems
Twitter, @christie_engler
LinkedIn, Christie Engler
Mentioned in the show:
#HRSocialHour Twitter Chats: 2 x a month on X (Twitter, Twix, whatever you may call it) on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 7PM ESTSearch #HRSocialHour and you’ll find the chat on the above dates/times!
The HR Social Hour Half Hour Podcast with Jon and Wendy
 
Where to find your host Tom Horne and Tom’s Engaging HR
LinkedIn: Tom Horne
Email: tom.horne@adp.com
Personal Twitter: @TomsEngagingHR
Podcast Twitter Page: @EngagingHRPod
Youtube: @Tom’s ENGAGING HR
Instagram: @TomsEngagingHRPod
TikTok: @Toms.engaging.hr
Facebook: Tom’s Engaging HR Podcast
THANK YOU:
Intro and Theme song for Tom’s Engaging HR is “Better” by Break Signals.  Break Signals just released their first studio album “A Steady Frequency” and it absolutely rocks, check it out here:  Break Signals: A Steady Frequency
Fun fact, the song “That Guy”, which is also on the album, was inspired by a magician that was hanging around outside The HR Technology Conference in 2022
Karl Pawlewicz: He was integral with helping with our logo, social media, and answering my 1,000 questions while building out the show.  I appreciate you and your friendship for over 20 years, you’re the man!

Episode 3: Matt Meadows, Performance Reviews For Today

This is our first episode with video: Check us out on YouTube Here: Tom's Engaging HR YouTube, Matt Meadows
In our 3rd episode Matt Meadows joins us to talk about the much debated topic of Performance Reviews.  Does doing reviews once a year make the most sense for the employee and the business?  We share stories of people we know engaged in months long review processes and explore ways that organizations can better leverage feedback to drive outcomes for both employees and the business.  We also chat about buying houses in wild markets across the country and a super fun HR Hot Sauce Segment!
Our Guest: Matt Meadows
CEO and Co-founder of WorkStory, Matt Meadows, is working to reshape the landscape of performance management. Matt brings a wealth of experience from his time in various startups, working in a variety of leadership capacities from account management to marketing to customer relations. His entrepreneurial journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace, which led him to co-found WorkStory. Frustrated by the outdated and time-consuming traditional performance reviews that failed to foster real improvement, Matt envisioned a new way forward.
Under Matt's leadership, WorkStory is pioneering the move away from conventional evaluation methods by implementing continuous feedback and data-driven insights. This approach not only engages employees more meaningfully but also streamlines the performance review process, making it quicker and more impactful. Matt's innovative mindset is backed by a solid foundation in management and entrepreneurship, earned from the University of Central Florida. Beyond his professional endeavors, he's an avid fan of the Florida Panthers and a staunch supporter of the rest of South Florida's professional sports teams. Matt also keeps active with frequent ultimate frisbee games.
Company: WorkStory
Twitter, @meadowsm 
LinkedIn, Matt Meadows
Mentioned in the show:
Superlist
What Matt’s Listening to:
Freakonomics
Revisionist History Podcast
Cautionary Tales w/ Tim Harford
Where to find your host Tom Horne and Tom’s Engaging HR
LinkedIn: Tom Horne
Email: tom.horne@adp.com
Personal Twitter: @TomsEngagingHR
Podcast Twitter Page: @EngagingHRPod
Youtube: @Tom’s ENGAGING HR
Instagram: @TomsEngagingHRPod
TikTok: @Toms.engaging.hr
Facebook: Tom’s Engaging HR Podcast
THANK YOU:
Intro and Theme song for Tom’s Engaging HR is “Better” by Break Signals.  Break Signals just released their first studio album “A Steady Frequency” and it absolutely rocks, check it out here:  Break Signals: A Steady Frequency
Fun fact, the song “That Guy”, which is also on the album, was inspired by a magician that was hanging around outside The HR Technology Conference in 2022
Karl Pawlewicz: He was integral with helping with our logo, social media, and answering my 1,000 questions while building out the show.  I appreciate you and your friendship for over 20 years, you’re the man!

Episode 2: Laura Mazzullo Talks HR Vulnerability, Burnout and Tearing Down Your Walls

In our 2nd Episode we connect with TA Leader Laura Mazzullo and dig into vulnerability, building walls, and burnout in HR.  We get pretty deep into a pretty hot topic for many people, looking inward.  Laura’s compassionate approach and genuine desire to help leads us through a discussion addressing the outcomes of these pressures HR faces.  Heck, we even hold up the mirrors to ourselves and unlock opportunities for empathy and to better support HR Leaders.  We delve into how HR Leaders that are looking for positions can approach the search for their next great opportunity.  Don’t worry we still have plenty of fun talking about our favorite city, “big salads”, and TikTok for HR folks.
Our Guest: Laura Mazzullo
Company: Founder/Owner at East Side Staffing
Twitter, @eastsidestaff 
LinkedIn, Laura Mazzullo  
Youtube: Learn With Laura
Mentioned in the show:
Ben Brooks on HR Happy Hour Podcast
Kelly Swingler
Where to find your host Tom Horne and Tom’s Engaging HR
LinkedIn: Tom Horne
Email: tom.horne@adp.com
Personal Twitter: @TomsEngagingHR
Podcast Twitter Page: @EngagingHRPod
Youtube: @Tom’s ENGAGING HR
Instagram: @TomsEngagingHRPod
TikTok: @Toms.engaging.hr
Facebook: Tom’s Engaging HR Podcast
THANK YOU:
Intro and Theme song for Tom’s Engaging HR is “Better” by Break Signals.  Break Signals just released their first studio album “A Steady Frequency” and it absolutely rocks, check it out here:  Break Signals: A Steady Frequency
Fun fact, the song “That Guy”, which is also on the album, was inspired by a magician that was hanging around outside The HR Technology Conference in 2022
Karl Pawlewicz: He was integral with helping with our logo, social media, and answering my 1,000 questions while building out the show.  I appreciate you and your friendship for over 20 years, you’re the man!

Introducing Tom’s ENGAGING HR

Tom Horne has been podcasting in the HR space for over 3 years and is excited to release his new podcast: Tom's ENGAGING HR.  In our Introductory Episode our guest Jon Thurmond turns the tables and interviews me to showcase what Tom’s Engaging HR is all about.  We talk about what it takes to start a podcast, introduce the goals of the show, preview some of our upcoming guests and set the stage for Tom’s Engaging HR.  We dig into some of the trends I’m seeing in HR Today as well. 
Our Guest Jon Thurmond is a HR Practitioner, Podcaster and community builder.  You can find him and his podcast via the links here:
The HR Social Hour Half Hour Podcast
LinkedIn: Jon Thurmond
Twitter: @Jon_Thurmond
Mentioned in the show:
A new word was invented: Circularity (insert facepalm)
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things
ADP
Dudesy Podcast
“TwiX” = an answer to what do you call twitter or x these days…thanks Jon for sharing and thanks to whomever came up with it!
What Podcasts is Tom Listening To?
What Now? with Trevor Noah
Punk Rock HR, Laurie Ruettimann
HR Happy Hour with Trish McFarlane and Steve Boese
Where to find your host Tom Horne and Tom’s Engaging HR
LinkedIn: Tom Horne
Personal Twitter: @TomsEngagingHR
Podcast Twitter Page: @EngagingHRPod
Youtube: @Tom’s ENGAGING HR
Instagram: @TomsEngagingHRPod
TikTok: @Toms.engaging.hr
Facebook: Tom’s Engaging HR Podcast
THANK YOU:
Intro and Theme song for Tom’s Engaging HR is “Better” by Break Signals.  Break Signals just released their first studio album “A Steady Frequency” and it absolutly rocks, check it out here:  Break Signals: A Steady Frequency
Fun fact, the song “That Guy”, which is also on the album, was inspired by a magician that was hanging around outside The HR Technology Conference in 2022
Karl Pawlewicz: He was integral with helping with our logo, social media, and answering my 1,000 questions while building out the show.  I appreciate you and your friendship for over 20 years, you’re the man!