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In this special solo episode, Kyle pulls back the curtain on the chaos of HR process management — the constant firefighting, last-minute audits, and onboarding headaches that every HR practitioner, founder, and small business leader knows all too well. Drawing on 20 years as a HR Practicioner and CHRO and over 250 conversations on the Rebel HR Podcast, Kyle shares why systemizing HR is no longer optional and how building repeatable, flexible processes can save hours of wasted time and stress.

Kyle introduces the HR Strategy Toolkit, a Notion-based system packed with proven templates for compliance, onboarding, employee experience, and strategy — all built from real-world best practices. Available as individual modules or a discounted bundle, this toolkit is designed to help HR leaders and small business owners run HR with the confidence and clarity of a Fortune 500 company.

👉 Explore the toolkit and launch pricing here: hrtoolkits.kyleroed.com

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Episode Summary:
In this episode, we break down how to write and implement workplace policies that are fair, clear, and actually useful—no fluff, no meaningless jargon. Whether you’re an HR pro, a manager, or running your own business, we’ll walk you through the principles of good policy design, common pitfalls to avoid, and tools you can use to make your policies work for real people.

What You’ll Learn

• The difference between good policies and “because we said so” policies
• How to write policy language that’s clear, enforceable, and fair
• Common mistakes that make policies useless or even harmful
• How to roll out policies so employees understand and respect them
• Checking for bias, avoiding legal issues, and aligning with company culture

Key Takeaways

1. Clarity Above All – Simple, plain language beats fancy HR speak every time.
2. Consistency + Flexibility – You need a baseline of rules, but also allowance for reasonable judgment.
3. Transparency – Let people see why policies exist and how they apply; it builds trust.
4. Feedback Loops Matter – Policies should evolve. Solicit input and update them when needed.
5. Don’t Be Overly Punitive – Discipline should be fair and predictable; punishments that seem arbitrary or extreme erode morale.

Piece to Check Out

If you want a ready-to-use guide to writing good policies, check this out:

Policies that aren’t stupid
– a resource for creating HR policies that make sense.

Who This Episode Is For

• HR professionals looking to refresh or build policy frameworks
• Managers who are enforcing policies and want them to feel fair
• Small business owners who need to write policies from scratch
• Anyone interested in workplace culture, fairness, and good leadership

Quotes / Highlights (Optional)

Next Steps & Resources

• Review your current policies. Identify anything that’s vague, punitive, or doesn’t relate directly to business needs.
• Ask for feedback from employees about how policies are perceived or enforced.
• Use the “Policies that aren’t stupid” guide to audit your policies or draft new ones.
• Stay up-to-date with legal requirements in your state or country so your policies stay compliant.

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Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

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http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

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📌 Podcast Notes

In this episode of the Rebel HR Podcast, host Kyle Roed sits down with Iowa SHRM Conference Co-Directors Millie Fiebelkorn and Lucas Sperfslage to talk about the upcoming Iowa SHRM State Conference – HR Full Throttle (October 8–10).

From the motivation behind volunteering as conference leaders to the trends shaping the future of HR, this candid conversation highlights both the hard work and the excitement that goes into creating a high-impact event for HR professionals.

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why leading a SHRM state conference is a labor of love—and a two-year commitment
• How HR leaders are rethinking engagement in a rapidly changing workforce
• The technologies, like real-time language translation, that could transform workplace culture
• Why the future of HR is about being employee forward while still driving organizational success
• How to connect with the Iowa SHRM community and get the most out of the upcoming conference

👥 Connect with the Guests:

• Millie Fiebelkorn → LinkedIn
  | Iowa SHRM Website
• Lucas Sperfslage → LinkedIn
  | Eastern Iowa SHRM

📅 Event Details:

• Iowa SHRM State Conference
• Theme: HR Full Throttle
• Dates: October 8–10
• Location: Iowa (see agenda & registration on the Iowa SHRM website
  )

🎧 Whether you’re attending the conference or just looking for inspiration on where HR needs to keep “rebelling,” this episode will give you energy, insights, and a front-row seat to the future of the profession.

Audio Intro

Support the show

Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

https://twitter.com/rebelhrguy
https://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcast
http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

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How do we create workplaces where well-being isn’t an afterthought, but a core capability?

In this episode of the Rebel HR Podcast, Kyle Roed sits down with Professor Thomas Roulet, Professor of Organizational Sociology and Leadership at Cambridge Judge Business School, to discuss his new book Well-Being Intelligence (co-authored with Dr. Karen Blakeley). The book—out October 7 in the U.S. and already available internationally—translates cutting-edge research and clinical insights into practical tools for HR leaders, managers, and employees to protect and improve mental health at work.

Together, Kyle and Thomas explore:

• Why “Well-Being Intelligence” matters — and how it builds on emotional intelligence through self-awareness, reflection, and practical action.
• The hidden costs of remote work — from burnout to the struggle to disconnect, and why balance (not mandates) is the key to hybrid success.
• Why in-person connections still matter — how water-cooler conversations, mentoring, and psychological safety reduce stress and normalize challenges.
• Technology and mental health — the surprising downsides of over-reliance on AI tools, including social disconnection, sleep issues, and weaker onboarding experiences.
• The role of boundaries — why setting limits, taking real holidays, and modeling healthy behavior as leaders is essential for building sustainable cultures.
• What HR can do upstream — moving beyond crisis response to designing cultures, systems, and roles that prevent mental health issues before they escalate.

Thomas also shares insights from his research during the pandemic, his work on mentoring in high-stress professions like policing, and why simple reflection on the root causes of stress can unlock meaningful organizational change.

📘 Well-Being Intelligence is a must-read for HR professionals, leaders, and anyone who wants to build healthier, more resilient organizations. Pre-order your copy now (U.S. release October 7).

👉 Learn more about my work and access HR Strategy Tools—including assessments, templates, and AI-powered resources designed to help small and mid-sized businesses build great cultures—at www.kyleroed.com

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps bring more world-class thinkers like Thomas Roulet to the Rebel HR community.

Support the show

Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

https://twitter.com/rebelhrguy
https://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcast
http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

Audio Intro

Support the show

Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

https://twitter.com/rebelhrguy
https://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcast
http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

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In this bonus episode, Kyle re-lives his glory days of being a touring musician!

Kyle will utilize the concepts of music to help HR professionals understand:

1. What genre are you supposed to be playing, and how does that correlate to your company?

2. What does being on stage do you a musician and a HR professional?

3. How can you prevent burnout and truly fulfill your purpose

Rebel ON, HR Rebels!

Support the show

Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

https://twitter.com/rebelhrguy
https://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcast
http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

Send us a text

Dr. Brad Harris joins Rebel HR to blow the lid off the leadership industry. In this candid and evidence-based conversation, we unpack why most leadership books are built on fluff, what actually works when developing leaders, and how HR pros can cut through the noise to create real organizational impact.

We dive into:

• The science vs. fiction behind popular leadership advice
• How to spot snake oil in the HR world
• What effective leadership development looks like today
• Advice for HR leaders sick of copy/paste frameworks

Brad is a leading researcher, author, and professor who's helped organizations across the globe rethink leadership from the ground up — using data, not dogma.

Support the show

Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

https://twitter.com/rebelhrguy
https://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcast
http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

Send us a text

Ever wonder why large companies struggle to innovate despite having vast resources at their disposal? According to Andy Binns, co-founder of ChangeLogic and co-author of "Corporate Explorer," we've been looking at innovation all wrong.

The secret to corporate innovation isn't hiring outside entrepreneurs or creating flashy innovation labs. It's identifying and empowering the "corporate explorers" already within your organization. These individuals aren't necessarily the loudest or most charismatic people in the room. Often they're humble, introspective problem-solvers with deep institutional knowledge and the social capital to navigate complex organizational systems.

Binns challenges our assumptions about innovation, revealing that ideas aren't the problem—most organizations have plenty. The real challenge lies in properly incubating and scaling those ideas. He outlines a three-discipline approach: ideation (understanding customer problems), incubation (experimenting with data-driven learning), and scaling (converting experiments into revenue). While most companies obsess over ideation, the latter two disciplines determine success.

Creating separate systems for exploration is crucial. Corporate explorers need protection from the optimization-focused core business, which naturally squashes innovation for efficiency. This doesn't mean relocating to different buildings, but it does require distinct metrics, cultural norms, and management approaches. Surprisingly, special financial incentives aren't necessary to motivate these internal innovators—they're driven by impact, autonomy, and the opportunity to create meaningful change within organizations they care about.

For HR leaders, this means rethinking talent identification and development. The approach works for organizations of all sizes, not just corporate giants. By recognizing and empowering your internal explorers, you might discover that large companies actually have advantages over startups in the innovation game.

Ready to unleash the innovation potential of your organization? Start by looking within—your next breakthrough innovator is probably already on your payroll.

Support the show

Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

https://twitter.com/rebelhrguy
https://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcast
http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

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Ever wondered how your self-perception might be the key to your success? Join us as we explore this intriguing relationship with best-selling author Ben Eden, who shares transformative insights from his book, "How We See Ourselves." As an HR executive, Ben discusses his personal journey of overcoming societal pressures and the challenges of being defined by professional roles. Discover how understanding self-worth beyond career identities can lead to profound professional achievements and personal happiness.

As the role of HR evolves in the age of AI, there's an urgent need for HR professionals to redefine themselves as strategic business experts. Drawing inspiration from a recent meeting with Johnny C Taylor, we delve into how HR can take ownership of AI integration within organizations. This shift in mindset is crucial for confident decision-making and positioning HR as an essential component of organizational strategy. Personal reflections and insights on approaching HR with a holistic perspective offer invaluable guidance for navigating this dynamic landscape.

The challenge of maintaining authenticity while adapting to others' perceptions is a common struggle for many HR professionals. By embracing self-awareness and introspection, individuals can discover their true selves beyond professional roles, leading to enhanced personal satisfaction and career success. Ben Eden shares personal anecdotes that highlight the power of authenticity in the workplace. As we wrap up, we invite listeners to connect with Ben and explore additional resources for personal growth and fulfillment.

Ben’s Profile

linkedin.com/in/benedenspeaks

https://howweseeourselves.com/

Website

• reachyourultimatepotential.com (Company)

Support the show

Rebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation!

https://twitter.com/rebelhrguy
https://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcast
http://www.kyleroed.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/