E75: Leeza Klimetz on Humanizing the Workplace with Empathy
In this episode, Leeza Klimetz, Director of Human Resources at TAPPI, discusses breaking the stigma in HR by embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. She emphasizes understanding employees’ needs, creating a total rewards package that is inclusive and attractive, and supporting DEI from the top down. Clements encourages HR professionals to listen to their staff and advocate for and support them. The pandemic has helped organizations recognize the needs of workers and the importance of empathetic leadership in humanizing the workplace and recognizing employees.
Leeza Klimetz is the Director of Human Resources at TAPPI, a global association serving the pulp, paper, packaging, and converting industries. She has spearheaded the development of a comprehensive wellness program, prioritizing the health and well-being of staff members. With a focus on strategic goals, safety protocols, and diversity initiatives, Leeza has made a significant impact in her role, creating a positive and thriving work environment. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of People Analytics:
Solo HR professionals need to learn how to prioritize and lean on third party resources.
Diversity and inclusion go beyond race and culture, and companies need to walk the walk.
Understanding employees’ needs and communicating in a way that works for them is key.
Breaking the stigma in HR by advocating for employees’ happiness and growth.
Creating a total rewards package that is inclusive and tailored to employees’ needs and wants.
Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion from the top down by having a diverse leadership team and diverse speakers at conferences.
Listening to employees and adapting to their changing needs and wants.
Get our best people analytics content right in your inbox.
03:19 – “That’s one part of HR that I love, is that it is always changing. I’m a lifelong learner, so I am constantly growing my professional development, personal development and hopefully sharing that with my leadership and my staff as well. But yeah, you have to figure out what fits with your team, and that may change tomorrow. And you just have to keep on top of that and understand how you can keep the company flowing.”
06:13 – “And I think that if anyone is starting their DNI education, whether it’s personally or in the corporate world, you need to really understand that and dig deep into each category. You know, it’s not just about race and culture, it’s about gender, sexual orientation, military status, disability age. And really from a corporate standpoint, figuring out how you can make your workplace inclusive for all of those people from the top down.”
09:13 – “And I know one thing that you really are passionate about is humanizing the workplace and leading with empathy. Empathy. And you can’t do that without getting to know the people that you are working with.”
10:42 – “That is so important because, you know, I remember when, when I was a leader, like I would offer, you know, the people that I was working with, opportunities that I may have wanted, but they’re not me. So those opportunities, that gave them a little bit of anxiety.”
08:40 Lindsay: “But someone who’s doing more of that work that you need focus in your eyes on, they’re not able to access their phone or email right away. So how do you kind of find a balance for communication?” Leeza: “Yeah. You have to, to really figure out your staff and what, and that’s with everything, you know, even outside of communication, but what, what fits with them? Do you, you know, maybe phone communication for this employee is great and email communication, but then there are employees that you need to be face-to-face with and have more of a hands-on role with them.”
Find Your Perfect Fit
Your biggest investment is your team. StaffGeek uncovers your organization’s core Culture DNA so you can hire, manage and perform better.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits as well as for analytics, personalization and advertising. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent or read more about our cookie policy here Read More.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.