Synergy Acquisitions Group’s Post

🍷 Cheers to a Night of Fun and HR Inspiration! 🍷 Last night’s Virtual Wine Mixer was everything we hoped for—engaging, insightful, and just the right amount of “unwinding after hours.” To everyone who joined, poured a glass, and shared their thoughts, thank you for making it such a fantastic experience! Highlights included: 🥂 Learning the art of wine swirling (shoutout to Roger Beery from J. Cage Cellars for turning us all into sommeliers-in-training). 💬 Laughing at workplace clichés like “per my last email” and “circle back” while toasting to HR positivity. 🏆 Epic trivia battles (because who doesn’t love a good raffle and a little competition?). ❤️ Honest conversations about the challenges HR pros face—and how UKG is here to lighten the load. As we sipped our way through Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, one thing became clear: HR professionals deserve moments like this. Whether it’s about elevating employee experiences or simply savoring a glass of wine, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Huge thanks to Julie Develin, SHRM-SCP, GTML for dropping wisdom (and some great moments of laughter) and to everyone who brought their energy and expertise to the table. 🍷 If you missed this one, don’t worry—we’ll have more events like this soon. Until then, here’s to great wine, great company, and even greater HR solutions. 👉 What’s your favorite wine or go-to workplace cliché? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments! Caitlin Grogan Cole Hodges, MBA Christianne Williams Terry Tran Molly Bondellio

I continue to be amazed by the "teams of one" HR leaders in the TroopHR community. They're expected to cover ALL aspects of HR - from recruiting and onboarding to compensation, benefits, employee relations, culture building, and so much more. These incredible professionals are often the sole People/HR person at fast-growing Series A-B funded companies with up to a few hundred employees. Could you imagine hiring a single marketer and expecting them to execute all paid strategies, build the brand, manage PR, run events, create content, and strategize organic SEO? The breadth is staggering. And yet, these HR leaders rise to the challenge day after day. They wear countless hats, juggle competing priorities, and somehow manage to create thriving workplace cultures. What inspires me most is how they rally around each other in our community - sharing advice, resources, and moral support. It's a testament to their resilience and commitment to the HR profession (and each other). To all the solo HR practitioners out there - we see you, we appreciate you, and we're in awe of how much ground you cover. You are the unsung heroes powering the growth of tomorrow's breakout companies! #teamsof1 #communitycounts #peopleleaders #HRpros #jointhetroop Alicia Henríquez (she/her/ella) Joy Young, MBA Anne Nicholson Juceam Stephania Alexander Gonzalez Margaret Dwyer Simran Bhatia Natalie Shaheen, SHRM-CP Anthea Rafique Victoria Sprenger Aviva Werde, SHRM- SCP Brittany Burton Penina Eichler Claudia Ponce, MBA, PHR Sarah Elkin Miles Randle Sarah Flaherty Liz Chepul Stacey Nordwall (she/her) Danielle Tucker Kat Campbell Morgan Curtis Matt Needleman Leah Ward Nicole Cliff, SHRM-CP Alex Osborn Manpreet Brar Carrie Carroll John Germinario Danielle Tucker Nadia Eran Cindy N Gordon

A great list of HR leaders to follow. There’s folks representing every speciality of HR from DEI, Comp and ben and Operations, Coaching and Strategy. Too good not to share! Check out the comments in Adam’s post for more recommendations too.

I was lucky to spend the last two days facilitating Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue with a great group of Nutrien Ag Solutions employees. In one of the lessons we discuss types of clever stories we tell ourselves that let us off the hook or not acknowledge how we’re accountable for our circumstances. One of the clever stories we discussed was the convenience of making HR the villain, and how believing a narrative like that can keep you from building a relationship with your HRBP that can add immense value to you and create a safe place for your team. But if you or your team believes we’re a villain, they’re not going to come to us when they need help. Because I’m in HR, the LinkedIn algorithm of course feeds me a high percentage of HR-related posts. I’ve noticed lately that a significant number of those posts carry a strong sentiment that perpetuates these stories- so very many fingers being pointed at HR, when I can tell pretty quickly that the terrible outcome probably had nothing to do with HR at all. I’m curious if other professions experience something similar. Do you scroll the platform and get hit in the face with repeated messages about your role or function not being valued, or feeling the vitriol of employee discontent? The site meant for networking and learning has left me feeling less than inspired. I suppose this is an inevitable outcome of social media- eventually most platforms seem to find a way to devolve to narratives built for clickbait… Not all posts are this way. There are still so many of you lifting each other up and making each other better here. Let’s do more of that! Challenge yourself to not hit the easy button by oversimplifying complex issues. Avoid adding to the dogpile by laying the blame on HR for every single company issue. (We’re not perfect and we should take the heat when we are at fault.) And maybe stand up for your HR department if your experience with HR is different than the negative narrative being shared. We’re here for you and we love you!

🎥 Our CEO & Co-Founder Mark Goetz on Changing the Game in Aging Services Recruiting 🎤 The aging services industry is set to grow by 50% over the next 5 years, and with that comes a critical focus on recruiting the right team. But here’s the question: Does your workplace culture inspire your frontline workers—CNA’s, LPNs, RNs, caregivers, and culinary staff—to refer others without the need for a bonus? 🤔 In-home care workers are looking for three things: 1️⃣ A friendly and approachable team. 2️⃣ Managers who are great communicators. 3️⃣ A professional environment they can be proud of. Is your culture delivering on these expectations? 💬 It’s time we have real conversations at the employee level about what makes a great workplace. 📢 Watch the full conversation with Mark in this Reel and stay tuned for more insights on recruiting trends in the caregiving industry. 👉 Follow us for updates on how you can build a culture that attracts and retains top talent! #CaregiverCulture #AgingServices #CaregiverRecruiting #WorkplaceCulture #TeamworkMatters #RecruitmentStrategy #SeniorCareProfessionals

Good advice for HR.

🎢 The Rollercoaster Ride Called HR: My Journey So Far At the beginning of my career in HR, I thought that the job was only done when people were hired, fired, and boring paperwork was worked on (oh, those days were so naïve!). Instead, I discovered quite a few things along the way and it has been an adventure I would not exchange for anything. The Early Days: I thought everything was in the bag, Interviewer questions, and answers, contracts and agreements, onboarding checklists. All that and even more I had to learn about matchmaking and to what. People, it’s finding the right people for the right reasons. The Reality Check: Then came the "fun" part listening to hundreds of stories, mediating conflicts that could rival any courtroom drama, and learning that empathy is not just a skill, it's a superpower. The Breakthrough: At some point, it clicked: HR isn't about processes; it’s about people. It’s about making sure your employees feel seen, heard, and valued. From celebrating birthdays to solving career dilemmas, I’ve worn many hats, some that weren’t in the job description, but are now my favorite part of the job. The Creativity Part: Along the way, I've learned to get creative with how I communicate. I stopped talking "HR jargon" and started speaking in ways that resonate, with humor, with honesty, and most importantly, with heart.✨ 🛤️ The Road Ahead: The journey isn't over. HR continues to evolve, and so do I. As long as there are people, there will always be challenges, but also endless opportunities to make a difference. To all my fellow HR professionals: Keep riding the rollercoaster with a smile, a sense of humor, and a never-ending supply of empathy. #HRJourney #LifeInHR #PeopleFirst #EmpathyInAction #CareerGrowth #LeadershipWithHeart #peoplemangment #worklifebalance #HR

Career advice from 4 Chief People Officers ⬇️⬇️ ____ 1. Embrace your authenticity sooner "You'll be much happier if you embrace your authenticity sooner. I'd also say to trust your values. If you have the right intent, a good work ethic, and you co-create, magic will happen. I'm not here because I'm great at what I do. I'm here because I was fortunate enough to work with amazing human beings that have given me freedom, courage, and support. And I was wise enough to listen." - Pat Wadors 2. Ask questions, learn new things, and try a different approach to HR "I used to think that because I was surrounded by an HR team, I had all the connections I needed. I operated in a silo and didn't bother to network on LinkedIn or learn from other perspectives in the field. If I could go back, I'd tell myself to get out there, ask questions, learn new things, and try a different approach to HR." - Melanie Naranjo, VP of People at Ethena 3. Just go with it "I would say anything goes, and go with anything. What might appear as a really silly career or personal decision, sometimes means you're getting really clear on what you don't want. There's always a reason, so just go with it." - Hannah Yardley, Chief People Officer at Achievers 4. Stop people pleasing and do what you want "Even if it doesn't seem like you're doing what the "smart people" are doing, don't be afraid to do the thing you want to do. I could have gone straight into HR consulting at the beginning and it would have all worked out pretty similarly. And those first few years I would have just spent more time doing what I actually loved. 22-year-old me also wanted to please so many people. So, I would say, worry less about that and focus more internally." - Vanesa Cotlar, MBA, VP of People & Culture, PolicyMe Want more HR tips and insights like these? Sign up for our weekly newsletter in the comments. #CHRO #chiefpeopleofficer #HR #humanresources

I love all of these, especially embracing authenticity. 1. Embrace your authenticity sooner 2. Ask questions, learn new things, and try a different approach to HR 3. Just go with it 4. Stop people pleasing and do what you want

To all the solo HR practitioners out there - we see you, we appreciate you, and we're in awe of how much ground you cover. You are the unsung heroes powering the growth of tomorrow's breakout companies! #teamsof1 #communitycounts #peopleleaders #HRpros #jointhetroop