What's Your Company's Love Language

Summary

In the Walsh College Creator Lab, a panel of experts including Tara Tomsic Husek, Dean Austin, and Lyla Lazarus, along with others, discuss the evolving labor market and the upcoming 'movement' event. They emphasize the need for companies to understand and adapt to the changing needs of employees, addressing challenges like remote work, multigenerational workforces, and the importance of employee engagement. The discussion highlights the importance of communication, understanding individual 'love languages' in the workplace, and the role of HR in facilitating a supportive and inclusive corporate culture. The event aims to bring together HR professionals, business owners, and CEOs to explore solutions and strategies for a more connected and effective work environment.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The event is called 'The Movement' and aims to address the evolving needs of the modern workforce and workplace dynamics.
• 🤝 Tara Tomsic Husek, President and CEO of the TR Chamber of Commerce, focuses on connecting businesses to the resources they need.
• 🏥 Dean Austin, President and CEO of Austin Benefits Group, discusses solving benefit issues and administering benefits for clients.
• 📢 Lyla Lazarus, a former news anchor and health reporter, emphasizes the importance of communication and understanding love languages in the workplace.
• 🔍 The labor market has changed due to COVID-19, leading to an evolution in how companies view and manage their employees.
• 💡 There's a call for a transformation in the way employers understand and meet the needs of their diverse workforce, including issues of remote work, burnout, and engagement.
• 🌐 The discussion highlights the challenges of managing a multi-generational and geographically dispersed workforce.
• 🎓 Walsh College is highlighted for its focus on adult learners and its adaptability to remote learning, preparing students for the modern workforce.
• 💼 The event is intended for HR professionals, business owners, CEOs, CFOs, and anyone influencing corporate culture.
• 💡 The panel discussion will include industry and community leaders, providing insights and answering audience questions, fostering a safe space for dialogue.
• 🎫 The Movement event is free to the public, aiming to be inclusive and offer valuable learning opportunities for attendees.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the event being discussed in the script?

The event, referred to as 'the movement', aims to address the changes in the labor market since COVID-19, focusing on the evolving needs of employees and how employers can better support them in this new landscape.

Who are the panelists expected to be part of the event?

The panelists include Susie Seagull, Tara Tomsic Husek, Dean Austin, and Heidi Rice from Sage HR, with Lyla Lazarus moderating the discussion.

What is the role of Tara Tomsic Husek in the context of the script?

Tara Tomsic Husek is the President and CEO of the TR Chamber of Commerce, and her goal is to connect businesses to anything they need.

What does Dean Austin's company, Austin Benefits Group, specialize in?

Austin Benefits Group specializes in helping people solve their benefit issues and problems, handling all the benefit administration for their clients.

What is Lyla Lazarus' background, as mentioned in the script?

Lyla Lazarus is a former news anchor and health reporter, and she is involved in the event to help people connect and communicate, particularly about the languages of love in the workplace.

Why is the labor market undergoing an evolution according to the script?

The labor market is evolving due to the changes brought about by COVID-19, with companies realizing that employees need different things from employers and the workforce transforming to include remote, hybrid, and freelance workers.

What is the 'preferred education partner' program mentioned in the script?

The 'preferred education partner' program is an initiative where TR chamber members receive a 15% discount on their education at Walsh College, with additional benefits for employees' families.

What is the significance of including charities in the event?

Charities are included to highlight the importance of giving and community involvement. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with these charities and understand how they can contribute to the community.

What is the main target audience for the event?

The main target audience for the event includes HR professionals, business owners, CEOs, CFOs, and anyone involved in dictating and shaping corporate cultures.

How does the script address the issue of remote work and its impact on team building?

The script discusses the complexity of including remote employees in team conversations and building team mentality, emphasizing the need for creative solutions to ensure all employees feel included.

What is the date and location of the event?

The event is scheduled for May 30th at 8:30 a.m., to be held at Walsh College.

How can one register for the event?

Registration for the event can be done through the website AustinBenefits.com.

Outlines

00:00

🤝 Introductions and the Purpose of the Event

The script begins with introductions of the panel members at the Walsh College Creator Lab. Tara Tomsic Husek, President and CEO of the TR Chamber of Commerce, discusses her role in connecting businesses. Dean Austin, President and CEO of Austin Benefits Group, explains his company's focus on solving benefit issues. Lyla Lazarus, a former news anchor, mentions her work in communication. The panelists then discuss the upcoming event's aim to address changes in the labor market post-COVID, emphasizing the shift from employees performing tasks to a more complex, evolving workforce needing different things from employers. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by HR and the need for companies to adapt to new work models and technologies.

05:03

🌐 The Evolving Workforce and Communication Challenges

This paragraph delves into the complexities of the modern workforce, with a focus on remote work and the challenges it presents for team building and inclusion. The panelists discuss the need for companies to adapt their corporate culture beyond superficial gestures like pizza parties, to genuinely engage with a multi-generational and geographically dispersed workforce. They also touch on the importance of understanding and adapting to different 'love languages' in the workplace, referencing Gary Chapman's concept and suggesting that appreciation and value are key to employee satisfaction and engagement.

10:05

🏢 The Workplace Culture Shift and Individualized Approach

The discussion continues with the importance of adapting to individual needs within the workplace. Panelists suggest that understanding employees' 'workplace love languages' can help in providing the right support and creating a sense of belonging. They emphasize the need for leaders to be open to feedback and to be willing to step out of their comfort zones to connect with employees on a personal level. The conversation also highlights the importance of not stereotyping generations and understanding that each individual has unique goals and backgrounds.

15:07

🎓 Addressing the Needs of the Modern Workforce

The panelists explore the challenges faced by HR professionals and business leaders in creating a corporate culture that supports the modern workforce. They discuss the need to design benefits packages that cater to remote and hybrid work models, taking into account varying state regulations. The conversation also touches on the importance of continuous improvement in company policies to attract and retain talent, with examples such as adding maternity leave and pet bereavement to benefit packages.

20:07

🤔 The Importance of Partnerships and Community Engagement

In this paragraph, the focus shifts to the benefits of partnerships and community engagement. The panelists discuss the launch of a preferred education partner program with Walsh College, offering discounts to chamber members and their families. They highlight the value of such partnerships in fostering a sense of community and supporting local businesses. The conversation also mentions the upcoming seminar, 'The Movement,' which aims to educate attendees on workplace love languages and the importance of giving, with charities present to connect with business owners and community members.

25:08

🗓 The Movement Event and Its Significance

The final paragraph provides details about the upcoming event, 'The Movement,' which is designed for HR professionals, business owners, CEOs, and CFOs. The event aims to facilitate conversations and collaborations to address the challenges of the modern workforce. It will feature a panel discussion with audience participation, allowing attendees to ask questions directly to industry and community leaders. The panelists for the event include Susie Seagull, Tara Tomsic Husek, Dean Austin, and Heidi Rice from Sage HR. The event is free to the public, emphasizing the organizers' commitment to inclusivity and community engagement.

Keywords

💡Labor Market

The labor market refers to the pool of individuals available for work and the demand for their labor by employers. In the video's context, it is discussed how the labor market has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a shift towards remote work and a transformation in the workforce's expectations and needs from employers.

💡Employee Engagement

Employee engagement refers to the emotional commitment and involvement an employee has towards their work and the organization. The script mentions that employees are not engaged and are experiencing burnout, highlighting the need for employers to address this issue and create a more fulfilling work environment.

💡Remote Work

Remote work is the concept of employees performing their job responsibilities from a location outside the traditional office setting, often from home. The script discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by remote work, such as the need for inclusion and connection among remote employees.

💡Workforce Diversity

Workforce diversity encompasses the variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives present in a company's employee base. The video script touches on the importance of understanding and managing a multigenerational and multi-geographical workforce, which requires different approaches to communication and benefits.

💡HR Challenges

HR challenges refer to the difficulties faced by human resources professionals in managing employee relations, benefits, and overall workplace culture. The script highlights the overwhelming nature of these challenges, especially with the rapid changes in work dynamics and the need for HR to adapt and innovate.

💡Company Culture

Company culture is the shared values, beliefs, and practices that characterize a workplace. The video script criticizes superficial aspects of company culture, such as pizza parties, and calls for a deeper understanding of employees' needs to build a genuine team mentality and sense of belonging.

💡Benefit Administration

Benefit administration involves managing the benefits offered to employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and other perks. The script mentions Austin Benefits Group's role in helping companies handle benefit administration, emphasizing the complexity of providing benefits in a diverse and remote workforce.

💡Workplace Communication

Workplace communication is the exchange of information between employees and employers, which is crucial for a healthy work environment. The video script discusses the importance of effective communication in connecting with employees across different platforms and the need to move beyond traditional methods.

💡Love Languages

Love languages, adapted from Gary Chapman's concept, refer to the ways individuals prefer to give and receive love and appreciation. In the script, love languages are recontextualized as 'appreciation languages' in the workplace, suggesting that understanding these preferences can improve employee relations and satisfaction.

💡Philanthropy

Philanthropy is the act of promoting the welfare of others, typically through the donation of money to good causes. The video script mentions the organizers' philanthropic efforts in making the event free for the public and including charities, showing a commitment to giving back to the community.

💡Panel Discussion

A panel discussion is an interactive format where a group of experts or notable individuals discuss a specific topic, often answering questions from the audience. The script mentions a panel discussion at the event, which will involve industry and community leaders, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage with them directly.

Highlights

Introduction of panelists at the Walsh College Creator Lab discussing the upcoming movement and their respective roles in their companies.

Tara Tomsic Husek, President and CEO of the TR Chamber of Commerce, emphasizes connecting businesses to resources.

Dean Austin, President and CEO of Austin Benefits Group, discusses solving benefit issues and handling administration for clients.

Lyla Lazarus, a former news anchor and health reporter, highlights the importance of communication and connection in the workplace.

The discussion on the labor market changes post-COVID and the evolution of employee expectations.

The challenge of meeting diverse employee needs in small, midsize, and large corporations amidst rapid change.

The importance of addressing overwhelm in HR, CEOs, and employees and finding ways to engage and support them.

The broadened job market due to remote work and its implications for hiring the best talent regardless of location.

The complexities of building team mentality with a mix of remote, hybrid, and in-person workers.

The need to move beyond superficial corporate culture tokens like pizza parties to genuinely engage employees.

The transformation from employees as cogs in the wheel to giving value to employees in the modern workplace.

The struggle for employers to understand and effectively work with remote employees to foster connection.

The role of HR in bridging high-tech tools with human connection and understanding in the workplace.

The importance of recognizing and supporting the multi-generational and multi-geographical workforce.

The upcoming seminar on workplace love languages and their significance in appreciating and valuing employees.

The sneak peek into the event's discussion on individualized approaches to working with employees' unique needs.

The significance of understanding and adapting to different 'workplace love languages' for effective communication and support.

The upcoming event 'The Movement' aimed at HR professionals, business owners, and CEOs to foster better corporate cultures.

The challenges of designing benefit packages that cater to diverse and remote workforces across different states.

The initiative of the TR Chamber of Commerce to offer educational discounts to its members in partnership with Walsh College.

The inclusion of charities in the event to promote community engagement and support for local causes.

The Movement event details, including date, time, location, and the free registration for the public.

The panel discussion at the Movement event featuring industry and community leaders for audience interaction.

Transcripts

all right so I'm sitting here today uh

in the Walsh College Creator lab and I

have some Incredible Minds here as we

prepare for the uh the upcoming movement

uh what is your love language of your

company so uh really quick here I want

you guys to just introduce yourselves

and uh and talk about uh what you do and

what companies you work for uh hello

everyone I am Tara tomsic husek I am

president and CEO of the TR Chamber of

Commerce and my main goal is to connect

businesses to anything that they need

perfect and I'm Dean Austin president

CEO of Austin benefits group and we help

people solve their benefit issues and

problems and we handle all the benefit

Administration for all their all of our

clients and that's the Austin Advantage

I like it I'm Lyla Lazarus former news

anchor Health reporter Adventure Creator

and I love to help people connect

communicate and we'll be talking about

the languages of love so I'm going to

let you guys kind of dive in and we're

going to start with building a

foundation of why are we doing this and

what is this

event yeah so uh so I think why the

event um really we believe that the

labor market has changed since uh since

Co and we're seeing an evolution in the

uh in the labor markets and one of the

biggest things that we've seen is

companies companies believe that um the

employees are there to perform whatever

productivity that they need need to

perform and and basically yield a result

um you know for the company but the

biggest difference is is that what we're

seeing is is we're seeing a

transformation of the labor workforce so

I asked Laya and Tara and Susie which

couldn't be with us today and Heidi um

rice which is the president of sage HR

to join our movement yeah and and this

is the new beginning because we really

believe that employees need different

things from employers and that's the

biggest that's the biggest challenge

that we see small midsize and a larger

corporations people are overwhelmed

they're so anxious there's so much

change things are moving faster than

they ever have and this is the slowest

they'll ever be again you know we had a

leak in our roof at home slow drip drip

drip and I said to my hus this morning

we got to take care of this before

there's a disaster right it's the same

for HR it's the same for workplaces

across the country there's too much

change it's too much overwhelm you're

working here but somebody else is remote

someone else is hybrid someone else is

virtual someone else's freelance someone

else's 4-day work week right and the HR

person has to deal with all of that in

top on top of being green and

sustainable and dealing with diversity

and inclusion and the new technology and

AI

and suddenly all your employees have

phobo fear of being Obsolete and it's

just too much it's too overwhelming so

your HR person's overwhelmed your CEO is

overwhelmed your employees are not

engaged and they're burnt out how do we

all come together and say let's do

something about this and if you ask Tara

she deals with people through the

chamber who are dealing with this every

single day absolutely and you know and

one of the things that we've noticed is

when you come into a job market now

where you can do remote work your job

market of where you can hire from has

become exponentially larger because now

I don't have to find the best person

that can drive here I can find the best

person that lives wherever they want to

live and now that that has opened up so

dramatically but to your point if some

people are remote some people are on

ground some people it's such a weird mix

of things well and it's complicated cuz

you're trying to build a team mentality

yes so if you're looking at that like

can you include that remote employee and

what are the steps I need to do to make

sure that that person feels included in

the conversation so it does make it

complicated and a lot of times we get

stuck in this bubble of corporate

culture as a pizza party that's not what

a that's not culture that's pizza and

that's delicious but but beyond that

point how do we make sure we're building

our teams and understanding their needs

and understanding what's also

limitations in flexibility there's a lot

of time saying okay we'll give everybody

everything well what is everything to

each person and making sure that you're

still looking at your employees first

but making sure the goals of the company

are still continuing right right well

that's kind of been you know what the

labor force has seen as the pizza party

and employers doing many different

things like that it's the party it's

this I only want yellow M&M's that's it

just I want green ones and blue ones you

know all that but but it's but it's very

different because you have a

multigenerational Workforce and the

needs are very different and that's what

the hope is that we're going to you know

help shine some light on that with this

event and it's not just

multigenerational right because it's now

it's multi- geographical so you can't be

a good CEO just by walking around the

cubicles anymore that's right now you

have to connect and communicate with

everybody across all of these different

platforms which is difficult in the

Industrial Age you know employees were

numbers they were cogs in the wheel it

was how much value can you get out of

each employee and now it's really about

how much value can I give the employee

based on what you just said cuz there's

so many to choose from let me show you

the value and the benefits we're going

right well well I was saying because the

other the other side of what I said is

is true as well that although employers

can hire from anywhere around the

country anywhere around the country they

can apply for any job they want now and

so that you do you kind of have that

balance of both sides you have to be an

employer that's providing all these

benefits as well to to show them that

they're real people and make them feel

like they're part of something connected

belonging communicated to exactly ex and

you look at the whole okay when Co hit

all of us were getting used to that Zoom

mentality but there are still employ

employers who don't really understand

how to work with remote employees you're

you're sitting on an island did you oh I

I did my 15minute check-in is that

really enough for that employee because

we are seeing the need even though they

want to stay remote there's still a need

to connect and how do we actually

overcome those obstacles to make sure

somebody without micromanaging and

saying what did you do the last 17

minutes we really don't care right but

but how do we get to that place where

they still feel a part of something and

then the challenge is of course the

college graduates since we're here at

wall college right I mean how do you

inspire the young the new in the

workforce yeah that's challenging yeah

well and it's part of the reason that

Walsh is designed the way it is is it's

a it's very much a it's a it's an entire

College designed around working

professionals because we don't we don't

conform to the normal of a college if

you want to take online class or on

ground classes they don't even start

until after work hours we're here for

that right we were remote since 1998 we

can do we can do online learning for the

last over 20 years now because it was

important thing it is something that we

find a value in that and now those

students are being prepared to go into a

Workforce who has remote first work and

it's such a powerful thing to happen and

our students are quickly moving into

into careers in a way that they can they

can feel comfortable immediately but

what you just said in the general

economy it's much more difficult for an

employer to be able to make those type

of transitions right and so quickly yes

that's the thing it's going so so fast

and thank goodness for HR but

with all of this technology they have to

become that bridge between the high-tech

and the AI and incorporating all those

things and Humanity just you know

because we're real people the way we

communicated in the past eye to eye

mouth to mouth I could see your head you

know bobbing up and down and we

connected and now the way we connect is

so different it's so different it's so

funny when right after Co I remember we

did so many of these like Zoom events

and seeing people not the size of a tiny

Square I would I may have had 50

conversations with them and I'm like

you're

tall wow I've never I didn't know that

but it's that piece of like really you

do have to understand it when people

turn their cameras off I I get anxious

almost because I was like are they

watching do they listen are they a part

of the conversation or are they really

doing laundry because they could be but

it's that piece of making sure we take

the time to also when we say Love

Languages I I know we're all

interpreting this very differently but

is the love language making sure you

really know your employees and making

sure you have you take the time to be a

part of their lives and know what's

going on with them and know that you're

supporting them in their work and

everything that they do or is it saying

this is my communication style the

adaptability of this is my directness

this is me who wants to hear it in a

more softer tone like it's going to be a

lot of different conversations I think

people are familiar with Gary Chapman's

five love languages and you know it's

words of mouth it's acts of service it's

gifts it's uh physical touch which you

have to be careful in front of HR to say

this it has to be appropriate touch but

it's also quality time and now take that

to the workplace what do we mean it's

really not love language it's

appreciation language it's value

language and that's what need people

need to focus on they need to learn it

because they've never thought of that

they turn off love and emotion the

moment they walk in the workplace but no

no no no no no we're humans

and the best thing you can do is bring

back that human quality mental health

that's why we're having this seminar

next week yeah and I and I I don't want

to jump the shark here because I want to

I want you guys to have something at

this uh I I know that the things that

you're going to be talking about at this

event are going to be incredibly

powerful but I do want you to to give us

a little bit of a sneak peek so when you

talk about your these employers that are

trying to learn how to do this how do

they how did they learn to to work with

each of us individually if we may have

completely different languages what are

some things that you guys are seeing in

the workplace or or talking about in the

workplace when it comes to how to work

with your employees on a very

individualized basis I'm sorry but

you'll have to come to the

sum great but I will say one thing I can

pretty much figure out what your

workplace love language is based on how

you behave throughout the work day I'm

sure so if you're the one who brings in

donuts and coffee I know that you're

making the health reporter really

bad but if you're I know that you're

probably an ax of service kind of guy or

you may be a gift person but it's also

coming up with courage and the

willingness to get uncomfortable look

speaking another language is not easy

and most of us I mean you know what they

say if you're if you're trilingual you

speak three languages if you're

bilingual you speak two languages if

you're you only speak one language

you're American

because we're afraid it makes us

uncomfortable to try to speak in another

language but in the workplace you have

to speak in the other person's language

and if I know you're an active service

person maybe I need to bring in a little

extra support right for you yeah and I

would say too sometimes it's also asking

the questions because there may be

things that we can identify I mean I

wouldn't say Sheila our vice president

is gifts but I would buy her a purse and

she'd be elated she would love that

stuff but I I think it's it's also the

piece of making sure you're open to

feedback because as a leader you may be

making the wrong decisions on what you

believe they are and making sure you're

you're open-minded and open to the

conversation I think some of that is

equally as important I love that sure

absolutely I had a uh news director once

I was um I had been robbed I mean they

cleaned me out I'll probably tell this

story at the

movement um and see it's it's working

it's working it's moving I was it's

labed already I was completely

devastated and the boss showed up at my

home to bring me an alarm clock so I

wouldn't be late for work the next day

but you know what it hit all the Love

Languages he showed up he was there

there was quality time I had a gift it

was an AC of service and I would do

anything for that boss because he would

do anything to figure out what what what

will connect to me yeah and that that's

pry then that's that's a big part of it

yeah I mean you even look at the people

graduating wsh college today sometimes

what happens is is businesses feel like

they don't want to work right that

that's been the label same way we did

with the Millennials right we put labels

on them which as we have learned it's

just not appropriate so really I mean

we've hired you know two interns and and

another recent college grad right from

Walsh College as a matter of fact and

they want to be seen they want to be

understood they want an opportunity cuz

they want that same opportunity that we

had when we graduated and they have the

same Vigor to make something of

themselves but we can't categorize

people and I think that's the biggest

piece too I remember do that's that's

part of the problem I had a thing where

it was like a I went to an 40 under 40

event and it was like an award thing and

they're like come to this we're going to

do a learning seminar and it's all about

how bad 40 people under 40 are and how

you can get better and I was like why do

you not know your demographic right now

missed the Target on that one I

literally started laughing at the event

and they kind of looked at me and I was

like I guess I'm just confused you're in

a room full of 40 under 40s talking

about everything they're doing wrong in

life when these are the people who are

pushing forward and being recognized for

greatness I was like understanding your

audience is super important and I will

reiterate if if we look at it and say oh

you know the Boomers they're only going

to do this the generation X's they're

going to exceed no that these are

individual people

they have different goals they have

different educations they have different

backgrounds we need to bring that into

play and the diversity of all of this

actually only makes us better for sure I

love what you just said because

immediacy is a is a thing too we didn't

grow up with immediacy like the Next

Generation understands immy so we wanted

vacation time we wanted to advance we

just wouldn't ask for it so immediately

okay we work on that working for you for

two days and I need

I need the rest of but their sense of

time is people's sense of time is

different depending on what age they

grew up in and so they want the same

things it's just a different timeline

yeah no absolutely so as we look into

this event now because I want to I want

to make sure that we that the listener

understands who this event is for so are

we talking to employers or employees in

this event yes I love it I love it both

yeah who doesn't want to be in the

movement but but really the main event

is is HR professionals business owners

CEOs CFOs you know anybody that that is

dictating and and Tempo the corporate

cultures okay to be able to do so we we

need support because one of the other

things that we haven't talked about we

talked about the remote work and you

know hybrid and in you know in-person

work now imagine trying to design your

benefit package surrounding that so so

for from an employment standpoint that's

one thing in HR multiple states have

different regulations and all the

challenges that that face but it's the

same with benefits so so with regard to

that the the medical programs that

employers offer just here in Michigan

and they hire somebody in Ohio or

Florida California whatever that is you

know their benefit package and their

medical plan may not be traveling with

them so making sure that it's designed

correctly to match that culture and

match you know those remote that remote

Workforce bring good point on that so we

were looking at our handbook and kind of

adjusting and it's always taking a look

like you you don't just have a handbook

and say this is the what we're going to

do this is forever and it's where but

because things change and I I was

looking at it and even seeing a younger

Workforce we have I mean we're a

nonprofit so we don't have as much

flexibility from a dollar's perspective

but could I give a little more Flex time

could I do things like that and seeing

as I'm trying to attract new Talent now

I have some younger Workforce and I was

like I need to be adding maternity leave

I need to be doing these things that are

important I'm adding pet bereavement I'm

adding all these things um which it may

sound hokey but I have to look at who

our employees are and how we can

continuously get better to help them and

bringing it to the next level yeah you

know and the new modern Workforce the

needs are different the world's changing

right in front of our very eyes it's

moving it's moving see that's what I

call I'm going to keep we're going to

keep rolling with

I do and we should I'm feeling the

movement exactly now complication to

that and what we're talking about right

so all that's great what factor haven't

we

included the economy the inflation

factors that all these businesses have

seen you know and it's and it's

squeezing budgets and all the rest and

there's not enough dollars to go around

to to accommodate and do everything and

inside the work like skyrocketing

inflation and now political turmoil and

all kinds of things that that have to be

dealt with in ways that we've never

dealt with no no and you have you have

companies that are being squeezed and

they're also trying to get creative in

their benefits packages but they're also

being squeezed financially and they're

you can only get as creative as your

budget will allow you that's right so so

I do have one thing Tara I want you to I

want you to mention because I think this

is really really uh pertinent to this

piece of the conversation is I want you

to just briefly talk about the the pet

program that you guys launched because

with with us because I I do think that

that's something that it it opens up

doors to other things other

conversations that can happen it's

something that cost almost nothing to an

employer but through Partnerships allows

for a larger benefit so as we were

talking about so when I we moved our

office to Walsh college so that's no

secret to a lot of people but one of the

reasons we did it is we always like to

look at collaborations and we Susie who

is the president um of Walsh we actually

sat down and had a conversation I go

look we'll move in here I go we've got

to figure out some strong Partnerships

that's going to help a greater audience

and as we're talking to employers higher

education is needed we are seeing the

workforce change and there's new things

coming out how to understand AI cyber

security all these things that we don't

have a Workforce trained yet in these

kind of sectors so sitting down we said

hey I'm proposing something it might be

crazy let's see how we can do this but

what if we launch a thing called the

preferred education partner and every

Troy chamber member because I do believe

when you support local businesses we all

rise together so all TR chamber members

can get 15% off their education at Walsh

and it was like a deep breath and then

you know Susie yeah pure excitement and

joy and I was like okay so can we make

this work she's like well we I have to

do the numbers um so it took a few days

but then we continue to talk and I said

okay so I love this I'm so glad we were

able to move this forward but we have

people who are working in restaurants

they're dishwashers we've got

housekeepers I grew up my mother was a

housekeeper and things that I noticed

was what about their kids what about

their

spouses can we include that because I

know from a retention standpoint I would

stay in my job longer if my spouse or

child would be able to get such a

substantial discount off their education

could we do that and of course in

typical Susie fashion so excitable um

and and we did so now all of our try

chamber members get 15% their education

at Walsh but then we have like little

add-on packages as well where it's a

very small amount for an employer but

they can put in their benefits package

that hey you work for us we're a Troy

chamber member you guys will get this

percentage off for and maybe even some

of them have tuition reimbursement so

it's saving them the company's money as

well so it's it's helpful but it's every

little step we can take to help our

businesses is so important and it's fun

when you have these conversations

because it only brings things to yeah

that's right I want to mention one more

thing for anybody who's interested in

coming to the seminar the movement the

affair the

event and that is you know everybody's

looking for happiness peace of mind one

added little thing there's three things

that lead to happiness you know giving

loving and learning you're definitely

going to learn you're definitely going

to love because you're going to learn

the love languages of the workplace but

you'll also have a chance to understand

the importance of giving we'll have five

Charities there that talk about what's

truly needed in our community and how

people can help you know they say you

make a living by what you get and you

make a Life by what you give and so

people have an opportunity to connect

with those Charities as well which is

just a nice thing and it's an

opportunity for these Charities to

connect with business owners and and

people in the community and so it's a

win-win for everybody yeah and anybody

that knows me I'm a big supporter of all

of those that you are so we felt and and

when I made the decision to do that it

was really important to include you know

those Charities that are near and dear

to to the community to our hearts that

make a big difference and these aren't

the only Charities this is just the

start of what's to come yeah because

many of our clients and and you know the

community at large will see us doing

many more things you know in a

charitable way because we been a very

successful organization I feel an

obligation to give back as I've said you

know to to everybody but but this is

very different cuz we could have chose

to bring different insurance carriers to

different vendors and things like that

but you know it's time for them to shine

too because we're all together in the

community and it makes a big difference

and it's good for the employees too

because your employees feel better about

where they work because you're giving

you're doing you're helping the

community and to your point when we help

a few people we all rise so well I think

too with this event I'm sorry the

movement um what's great about it is

that everyone it's the truth it's great

though but when we all come into a room

together we're opening up conversations

we're opening up collaborations and all

that does is open up new doors yeah and

there's nothing ever bad about coming to

something and knowing that you could

learn something you could meet someone

you could be a part of something open

the doors for another person to achieve

there's nothing greater than that well

and the conclusion of the event will be

movement the

conclusion hold on wait

cut the movement you know the the the

the great part about it is is we're

going to have a panel discussion at the

end and we want audience participation

we're GNA have mics in the audience for

them to ask questions about what they're

experiencing which is one of the reasons

why we have the panelists that we do

right I mean think about the power that

that that'll bring that that morning to

that room that people can ask you know

the industry leaders the community

leaders you know what's on their mind

and what their opinions are yeah and and

they can ask them directly you know yeah

and I'd like to reiterate one thing it's

free yeah it is free so so that mean the

benefits is paying for it's not free for

them but it's free for the public and I

think that's actually what's so great

about it is because you guys are so

generous you talk about philanthropy but

you're making it free because you want

people to be included and make sure that

everyone can so it's awesome you can

think of this as group therapy for

employees for CEOs for heads of HR a

chance to air your Grievances and find

real solutions and it's a safe space

yeah so as we wrap up here I wanted I

want to uh I want you to cover really

quick so you talked about the panel

discussion name who's going to be on

that panel who who is who's everybody

going to be looking forward to seeing so

you have Susie seagull which is

phenomenal yep you have Tara who you you

find is she's going to be one of the

main leaders of the movement along with

Dean Austin you a you don't have a

choice and then Heidi rice from Sage

solutions group so all of them together

and then I'm going to be talking about

the Alby Ming but I'll also be talking

about The Love Languages and I'm all

about connecting communicating and

bringing people together so it should be

a pretty impressive group so so you know

I've done a good job with selecting our

panelist when I'm the weakest

L it's you always throw on yourself with

people that are bigger and smarter than

you and it really works great now you

got now you've got the Austin Advantage

cranking there it is there it is can we

wear these cool headsets though cuz we

really feel kind of yeah we can for sure

bring these down we won't hook them at

anything we'll just it'll be fine yeah

so I feel like I'm I'm part of the the

Drake and that other guy's movement

argument you know should I like yeah

you're what's the other guy's name um

you don't even know uh uh no I

don't who is it it's what Kendrick Lamar

kri lar I've heard that name before I

think so maybe we Kendrick's team maybe

we should have invited them to talk

about their love language okay next

session next session think ahead we'll

just call them up real quick no no

problem yeah it's no problem so all

right so as we wrap up

um so we had to add some humor either

way you know it's going to be fun so

hell yeah it is all right so so when is

the event and how can people uh find

their registration link May 30th 8:30

a.m. right here Walsh College

uh it'll go right through lunch take the

morning because it's going to be worth

it and as you as you wrote down it's

Austin benefits.com that's the one

register that's the one awesome well

thank you I am looking forward to seeing

how this event movement all shakes out

and and seeing everybody there so thank

you so much for thank you this was fun