HR Works Podcast: Scaling Empathy—A People Leader's Approach (Part 1)
HR Works: The Podcast for Human ResourcesShow Notes
In this episode, we're joined by an incredible leader who's redefining what it means to run a successful, rapidly growing business with a truly human touch. Joining us is Kyla Hanaway-Quinlan, Chief Operating Officer and Head of People at Feast & Fettle – one of the country's fastest-growing food brands. With years of experience witnessing both the magic and the tough realities of the food and hospitality world, Kyla brings a unique perspective. As a single mother of two and a senior executive, she's passionately committed to leading with empathy and building environments where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Since joining Feast & Fettle in 2021, Kyla has been pivotal in scaling the team from 30 to 300 employees. Today, she's here to share her insights on how she embeds empathy and emotional intelligence into every single aspect of operations – from how they hire, to how they serve customers, and even how they navigate tough times. It's about making sure these aren't just values, but operational mandates that drive real success.
More from HR Works: The Podcast for Human Resources
As student debt burdens increase and traditional white-collar career paths leave many college graduates underemployed, the skilled trades are emerging as an unexpected solution for both workers and employers. College graduates represent a largely untapped talent pipeline for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical careers, and they often outperform traditional hires in leadership potential, adaptability, and retention. While technical skills can be taught, the critical thinking, communication abilities, and problem-solving mindset that many graduates bring to the table prove invaluable in an industry facing acute labor shortages.
As student debt burdens increase and traditional white-collar career paths leave many college graduates underemployed, the skilled trades are emerging as an unexpected solution for both workers and employers. College graduates represent a largely untapped talent pipeline for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical careers, and they often outperform traditional hires in leadership potential, adaptability, and retention. While technical skills can be taught, the critical thinking, communication abilities, and problem-solving mindset that many graduates bring to the table prove invaluable in an industry facing acute labor shortages.
AI has been changing how we work for well over a couple years, and now employees and employers alike are starting to figure out what works, and what doesn't. A lot of organizations need to start asking harder questions about how AI actually works, as in many cases, employers still do not fully understand the tools they are buying, how they function and where the risks lie.
Success in the workforce starts with your leaders. If those taking charge don’t have clarity and a focused direction, their talent will lag behind. But knowing exactly where you, your team, and your talent needs to go isn’t always simple, and sometimes, you need to bet on your success.
Burnout and boredom have been plaguing the workplace more and more with each passing year, with HR leaders feeling more pressure with less reward. But what if we could bring creativity, flexibility, and genuine joy back into the workplace, and up productivity. According to Kevin Bishop, the Director of Talent Development at LinkedIn, it's not just a pleasant wish, but how the workforce should be moving forward.