It's been neat to see how much flexibility has evolved and improved in the work place the past decade+.   In many cases, there is more flexibility in the workplace than ever before.  This can come with some challenges but in general is a huge win for families and organizations alike.  

Organizations who provide flexible work options have higher employee retention, employee engagement, top- candidate offer acceptance rates, and trust in leadership (to name a few).   We love coming alongside companies to craft, structure and support processes that uphold these initiatives!

One way we recently are enjoying this at HIHR is pulling our kids into a team volunteer event we had this, Summer.
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Stay tuned for our Q3 newsletter this month! Not only are we happy to highlight our Summer Retreat, but we are going to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the volunteer efforts of our HIHR team and our Future HIHR Team Members in training. It was a genuine HIHR family affair, and we can’t wait to share more with you!

Author: Erika Butler, CEO

Legacy. What a concept. What a reality.

What legacy did you inherit?

More importantly, what legacy will you leave?

My parents visited us in Latvia for several weeks. It was a really special time together. This had me thinking a lot about LEGACY.

I realize now how fortunate I am to come from such a dependable, high-integrity family. That is a huge part of the legacy I received from the generations before me (no matter how little money or opportunities – they kept their integrity in tact).

This provided real stability throughout my life. Many people around the world are not as fortunate to receive this type of family love and support in their early life.  We care greatly about this.

As I think about my own legacy…I'm starting to grasp the following:

Every routine, every rhythm, how you spend each day.... will eventually turn into how you spend a month, year...your life…your legacy.

What habits/beliefs/examples are you passing on to your children, your nieces/nephews, your community, our world?

I aim to stay focused on our vision/mission/goals/legacy.  To help, I pick 3 HARD things a day to “win the day”.

The kicker –

If I do these 3 hard things, I won the day.

If I don’t do these 3 hard things, I STILL won the day.

Why did I win, even when I didn’t do all 3?
I still WON, because my day was more purposeful/exciting/fulfilling than if I did not set my Big 3. I still won because I believe I acted with the best intentions, integrity and kindness. I still won for my own self-care, my mental health, the “imperfectly perfect” example I’m setting for my kids (full of mistakes & not giving up).

My 3 hard things are often connected to our “Go Higher!” mission. However, many times they are more personal. They could include increasing weight for my exercise routine or helping to solve a challenge our kids face.
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My Big 3 drive me in a very focused way towards my faith, health, family, and our mission. My Big 3 drive me towards making the legacy on my heart a true reality!

YOUR Big 3 will make the legacy your heart wants to leave your family, community, the world, etc…a true reality as well.
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Our “Go Higher” Team US Retreat is rapidly approaching next month!  This is something I look forward to every year. It's a time for the HIHR Team to celebrate, enjoy quality time, talk about our vision/plans/future! For me, legacy will absolutely be woven into our discussion.

I know MANY people in our community share the heart and willingness to leave a positive legacy. It's not tied to their name/fame/fortune. It can be put so simply....

"We care, do you?" - Novatore

Author: Erika Butler, CEO

​We're thrilled about our collaboration with KnowledgeWorkx. Aligned in our objectives and principles, we anticipate maximizing our collective proficiency alongside KnowledgeWorkx's top-tier development resources like DiSC, ICI, Promote, and more. The successes we've already experienced working with Marco Blankenburgh and his team over the past few years have been incredibly motivating. We eagerly look forward to celebrating many more victories as we grow our impact in the years ahead!

​“You can do this for a living?” - My surprised response to a Penn State Career Counsellor almost 20 years ago as a Sophomore at Penn State University.

I immediately called my mom to tell her the amazing news. I was changing my major to “Human Resources Management”, and I have not looked back! :)

Sometimes, you just know when you know.          
 
Not everyone perceives HR (People & Culture) in the same way.  To our team at HIHR, HR is a driver and keeper of thriving culture, a builder of talented teams, fosterer of environments with open/honest communication...committed to growing team potential, working hard to break down any “us” vs. “them” mentality...connecting people to amazing purposes and thrilling opportunities...I could go on. :)
 
It’s an incredibly rewarding and exciting career path!
 
As referred to in this podcast, sometimes people go into HR because they “love people”. I love people too but there is much more involved to providing solid HR support.  I’m talking about the kind of support and level of engagement that creates building blocks to thriving teams and sustainable success.
 
It all goes hand in hand. Without understanding the business, world views, finances, commercial strategies, analytics, etc… HR leaders can’t effectively move the needle.
 
The best leadership teams I’ve worked with align closely on priorities from culture to fair and accountable business practices. One real-life example of this is my experience with the Knowledge Workx Team. We run together on shared values, engaging in dynamic and passionate discussions across the team.

They appreciate and understand our perspective. They actively equip and enable stronger workplaces across the globe. We're in agreement that the more we create spaces for people to come to work as they are (easier said than done)…the more our teams will thrive and grow successful organizations.
 
With this I need to thank Marco Blankenburgh, for the recent podcast discussion! I continue to learn from you! I continued to be inspired by KnowledgeWorkx and how we can leverage the proven strategies to bridge cultural gaps, increase understanding and grow spaces where team members can truly thrive and love coming to work! 

Podcast episode here: Unlocking the World of HR Through Cultural Agility with Erika Butler (knowledgeworkx.com)

Cross-cultural teams are growing and are here to stay.  The more equipped we are to lead in this beautifully diverse (ever-changing) world, the better! 😊

​Author: Erika Butler, CEO

​Erika recently sat down with Marco Blankenburgh of KnowledgeWorkx to explore how cultural awareness can influence personal development and shape corporate culture. The podcast goes in-depth on the topic of intercultural agility, asking listeners to reevaluate their approach to HR and team management.

Celebrating with Erin Halper, CEO of The Upside for an awesome goal achieved! Erin has impacted my life personally and professionally. I'm so glad she started her business and has poured into/impacted thousands as this point.

It's never too late to take steps towards a dream/goal/vision on your heart. Erin is such a great example of this and is helping MANY people across the globe.

Thank you, Erin for creating and so well executing The Upside; where community members are humble, generous, brilliant, helpful, dependable, put each other first...and grow together...It is a beautiful environment and culture to be part of.

I'm so grateful and excited to be involved in the movement. You and your Team are absolutely amazing. So glad to have found you and I believe there is much more to come! :)