Good Morning, HR

In episode 272, Coffey talks with Amie Fox about inclusive recruitment as a skills-first strategy — and why getting disability inclusion right across the hiring lifecycle unlocks better outcomes for all types of diverse talent. – HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 – Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ They discuss inclusive recruitment defined as removing intentional and unintentional barriers so the best-skilled candidate can move through the process without obstruction; honest, specific job descriptions that reflect actual role requirements rather than aspirational proxies and that allow unqualified candidates to self-select out; disability as the inclusion starting point — with the disability community twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled peers despite being frequently over-educated; the average $300 cost of a reasonable accommodation in the US and available government funding through state and county workforce boards to offset it; skills-based hiring as the most equitable screening approach because it focuses on demonstrable job-relevant competencies rather than credential proxies; AI and assistive technology as equalizers for candidates and employees with disabilities, enabling participation and independence in ways previously unavailable; designing the application process intentionally — including accessibility of job postings, assessments, and office environments — to remove barriers before the interview stage; how to handle disability disclosure in interviews, ask practical accessibility questions, and kick the elephant out of the room without legal risk; the medical model versus social model of disability and why moving past fear of offense is the key to unlocking genuine inclusion conversations; and onboarding as the most critical retention tool — including pre-start communication, 90-day planning, accommodations setup before day one, and maintaining connection so new hires know where the bathroom is. Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com. If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for three quarters of a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com. ABOUT OUR GUEST Amie Fox is the Founder of A Fox Consulting, a trainer and keynote speaker who helps founders, HR and operations leaders in growing organisations build practical people systems that improve employee engagement, manager confidence, and business performance. She moved into this work after a portfolio career across communications, training, fundraising, corporate responsibility, and operations exposed her to how differently people experience workplaces. A key turning point was struggling to find early employment as a visually impaired woman, which shaped her understanding of hidden barriers, workplace design, and the importance of systems that help people perform at their best. Her credibility is grounded in recent and current roles: she set up A Fox Consulting, serves as a non-executive director at Vision Ireland, and has held senior CSR and operations roles at organisations including SCOPE Eyecare & Healthcare. Through her consulting, communications, fundraising, and inclusion work, she has contributed to projects with organisations such as McDonald’s, Telefonica, Deloitte, Novartis, Abbott, Newstalk, and John Sisk & Sons. Amie’s work is built around the employee life cycle as the foundation for better people performance. She supports leaders and managers through coaching, training, and mentoring designed to maximise employee engagement and performance across each stage of that life cycle. Her book Mind the Blind Spot: Decision to Done and her FoxBuzz framework are practical manifestations of her central thesis: when people feel good, they perform at their best — but that idea only becomes useful when translated into clear routines, structures, and systems that work in boardrooms and in daily operations. Amie can be reached at: Website: www.afox.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amie-fox-a3420333/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consultingafox/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AFoxConsulting ABOUT MIKE COFFEY Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative (https://www.imperativeinfo.com/), a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening (https://pfcinformation.com/) brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast (https://goodmorninghr.com/), where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for all stakeholders. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council (https://texasshrm.org/), where he serves Texas’ 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County (https://workforcesolutions.net/); the Texas Association of Business (https://txbiz.org/); and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce (https://www.fortworthchamber.com/), where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Define inclusive recruitment as a skills-first, barrier-removal process and apply a five-stage framework — advertising reach, accessible information, application design, interview structure, and onboarding — to identify gaps in an existing hiring process. • Explain why disability inclusion serves as a foundation for broader inclusive hiring, and describe how accommodati...

In episode 271, Coffey talks with Mallory Herrin about recent workplace news stories involving AI note-takers, executive accountability, sex discrimination, and performance feedback. –HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 – Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ____________________________________ They discuss how an AI meeting transcript became evidence in a gender discrimination lawsuit; why vague termination explanations invite employees to assume discriminatory intent; the admissibility and reliability of AI-generated transcripts in litigation; the board ouster of Better.com CEO Vishal Garg after $1.5 billion in losses; why leader behavior and judgment are legitimate, quantifiable performance criteria; an Arkansas hospital's loss in a sex discrimination case brought by a male surgical tech barred from deliveries; why bona fide occupational qualification defenses rarely survive inconsistent application; how third-party referral sources pressure employers into unlawful employment decisions; survey data showing 43% of managers entered employee names, performance details, or PII into public AI tools; the difference between consumer AI accounts and enterprise agreements with zero data retention; why AI chat logs are discoverable in employment litigation; the need for written AI policies, training, and HR support; why subjective feedback like "executive presence" fails employees; and why continuous real-time coaching beats annual performance reviews. For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP271 Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com. If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com. About our Guest: Mallory Herrin is an experienced human resources consultant and industry recognized thought leader, serving as HerrinHR's CEO and Principal HR Consultant. She is a frequent speaker at HR conferences and the author of Intentional HR: A Revolution in Strategic Thinking. With over 20 years of HR experience, she holds certifications from both HRCI and SHRM. She is also the recipient of DallasHR's 2024 HR Executive of the Year Award - Small Company, and the 2025 Best Places to Work HR Impact award. Mallory is also the co-host of the fast-growing podcast 'Breakthrough with Mallory and Julie'. Mallory can be reached at: https://herrinhr.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/malloryherrin/ About Mike Coffey: Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make better people decisions. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, hundreds more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth. Learning Objectives: 1. Evaluate the legal and evidentiary risks created by AI note-takers and meeting transcription tools in employment conversations. 2. Distinguish between subjective personality-based feedback and objective, actionable performance criteria that hold up under scrutiny. 3. Develop written AI use policies that protect confidential employee data and address the discoverability of chat records.

In episode 270, Coffey talks with Mollie Campbell about how domestic abuse silently impacts the workplace and employers’ moral and business case for addressing it. – HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 – Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ____________________________________ They discuss the prevalence of domestic abuse and why survivors are skilled at hiding it; the broad definition of domestic abuse; the workplace impact of domestic abuse on productivity, absenteeism, engagement, and retention; behavioral and physical warning signs managers can watch for — without diagnosing — and how to have a compassionate, open-door conversation that offers resources without overstepping; the critical importance of individualized employee safety planning when a protective order is in place; the tension between training managers to recognize warning signs and avoiding hypervigilance or over-diagnosis; the eight components of the Safe Place Workplace Program; and resources for survivors, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domesticshelters.org , and the Employers Against Domestic Abuse Alliance website. For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP270 Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com. If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for three quarters of a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com. About our Guest: Mollie Campbell is a professional speaker, corporate trainer, and the Founder and CEO of Employers Against Domestic Abuse Alliance (The Alliance), a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to helping employers create workplaces where survivors of domestic abuse feel safe, seen, and supported. With more than 30 years of HR leadership experience spanning industries from healthcare to financial services, Mollie brings a rare combination of professional credibility and deeply personal insight to thetopic of domestic abuse in the workplace. As a survivor herself, she understands firsthand that the workplace can either be a lifeline for someone in crisis or a silent, complicit bystander. Through The Alliance’s signature Safe Place Workplace Program, Mollie partners with employers to implement meaningful policy, train managers and HR professionals, and establish referral systems that connect employees with life-saving resources. Her work bridges the gap between HR policy and human compassion, making the business case for employer engagement while never losing sight of the individual lives at stake. Mollie was a speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo (Orlando, June 2026), the Oklahoma SHRM Annual State Conference (Tulsa, April 2026), and will be a speaker at the Southwest HR Conference (Fort Worth, October 2026), and the Arkansas SHRM HR Conference & Expo (Hot Springs, October 2026). She has also presented for a variety of professional associations, nonprofit organizations, and corporate audiences across the region. Her message is direct: domestic abuse costs U.S. employers $8.3 billion annually, and most affected employees never speak up because no one told them it was safe to. Mollie is on a mission to change that, one workplace at a time. Mollie Campbell can be reached at: https://www.eadaa.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-campbell-1survivor/ About Mike Coffey: Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth. Learning Objectives: Define domestic abuse broadly — beyond physical violence — to include coercive control, emotional abuse, stalking, and financial manipulation, and explain why survivors often do not self-identify as victims. Identify the behavioral and performance warning signs that may indicate an employee is experiencing domestic abuse and describe how to initiate a compassionate, resource-focused conversation without overstepping appropriate boundaries. Outline the eight components of a Safe Place Workplace Program and identify at least three immediate steps an organization could take to begin creating a safer environment for survivors.

In episode 269, Coffey talks with Clint Pulver about what 11,000 undercover employee interviews revealed about why people stay, why they leave, and what separates managers who are merely tolerated from the ones employees call mentors. – HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 – Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ____________________________________ They discuss the gap between how leaders perceive their own organizations and the reality employees experience — and why employees rarely tell their boss the truth; the four manager archetypes — the removed manager, the buddy manager, the controller, and the mentor — mapped against the twin variables of standards and connection; mentorship over management as the consistent differentiator in organizations where people thrive and stay; the five Cs of mentorship — confidence, credibility, competency, candor, and care — and how each can be developed, not just inherited; why there is no universal retention formula and why getting to "the part about the individual" outperforms any generational strategy or workplace perk; the currency of recognition and why personalized, moment-based acknowledgment drives engagement far more than standardized rewards; the status check as a practical alternative to performance reviews — three questions that open a real conversation about what an employee needs, what's blocking their success, and what would keep them; why leaders who say they don't have time to connect are simply choosing other priorities, and what it costs them; and the difference between collaboration and control in difficult conversations, including how candor and trust work together when a manager can't give an employee what they're asking for. About our Guest: Clint Pulver is an Emmy Award winner, Hall of Fame Speaker, Pro Drummer and one of the world’s leading voices on employee retention and organizational culture. He’s the bestselling author of the book titled I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave and was named one of Business Q Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 for his groundbreaking research as the Undercover Millennial. As founder and president of The Center for Employee Retention, he has helped organizations like the NBA, Microsoft, Red Bull, and NASA create engaged, loyal, and thriving workplaces. He’s also appeared on America’s Got Talent, acted in feature films alongside stars like Jack Black and Jon Heder, is an avid helicopter pilot, and—fun fact—is a proud member of the R2D2 Builders Club. He is also the president and founder of Dream Machines, a foundation that gives children with disabilities the gift and magic of flight. Clint strongly believes that a single moment in time can change a person’s life. He has traveled the world speaking to a wide spectrum of diverse audiences, challenging them to dream, excel, connect, and believe--both in themselves and in the power of others. His mantra? “It’s not about being the best in the world…it's about being the best FOR the world.” Clint Pulvert can be reached at: Your Website: | https://clintpulver.com/ LinkedIn: | https://www.linkedin.com/in/clintpulver/ Instagram: | https://www.instagram.com/clintpulver YouTube: | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpWB8oLO5HOjstE9gmL9Qxg About Mike Coffey: Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for all stakeholders. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth. Learning Objectives: Identify the four manager archetypes defined by the intersection of standards and connection, and explain the employee outcomes each one produces. Apply the five Cs of mentorship — confidence, credibility, competency, candor, and care — to assess and develop leadership capability in their own organization. Conduct a status check conversation using the three core questions that surface what employees need, what's blocking them, and what would keep them — and distinguish this approach from a traditional performance review or one-on-one.

In episode 268, Coffey talks with Jeff Lay about what it means to build a conflict-capable organization, why artificial harmony is more dangerous than open disagreement, and how leaders can develop the skills and culture needed to handle difficult conversations before they become expensive problems. – HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 – Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ________________ They discuss the concept of a conflict-capable organization as an alternative to the unrealistic goal of conflict elimination; the conflict incubator — how childhood environments and previous workplaces shape an individual's default conflict behaviors; artificial harmony versus genuine trust, and why silence in a meeting rarely signals agreement; the financial cost of unresolved conflict, including disengagement losses that don't show up on a P&L but function like money thrown in a fire; becoming fluent in the language of small things — addressing friction early before emotions escalate into "you always" and "you never" conversations; how a leader's response to the first person who raises conflict determines whether anyone ever raises it again; the challenge of coaching up when the conflict source is the leader themselves, and how HR can build the relational runway to do it; social media, generational change, remote work, and AI as compounding forces making productive conflict harder to navigate; emotional intelligence, humility, and curiosity as foundational leadership skills for conflict resolution; and the CURVE framework — cared for, understood, respected, valued, and empowered — as a diagnostic for organizational health. For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP268 Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com. If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com. About our Guest: Jeff Lay is the Founder of The People Curve, a leadership and conflict resolution consulting practice focused on helping leaders and organizations navigate difficult conversations, strengthen workplace relationships, and build healthier cultures. With more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning nonprofit, ministry, and organizational leadership, Jeff has coached leaders through employee relations challenges, team conflict, organizational change, and workplace investigations. Jeff believes conflict is not something to avoid but a skill to develop. His work centers on helping organizations become conflict-capable—creating cultures where difficult conversations can be addressed with clarity, respect, and accountability. Jeff is a SHRM-SCP and frequent speaker for leadership teams, HR professionals, churches, and nonprofit organizations. He lives in East Texas with his wife and family and enjoys camping, reading, and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys Texas A&M football. Jeff Lay can be reached at: Website: | www.thepeoplecurve.com LinkedIn: | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-lay-shrm-scp-09987a10 About Mike Coffey: Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth. Learning Objectives: Distinguish between artificial harmony and genuine organizational trust, and identify the leadership behaviors that create each. Apply the "language of small things" approach to surface and address interpersonal friction before it escalates into formal conflict requiring HR or legal intervention. Assess the financial and cultural cost of unresolved workplace conflict and use that framing to make the business case for investing in manager training and conflict-capable culture.