When it comes to dollars and sense, the bigger picture of total compensation has changed so much in the post-pandemic world that many leaders in tech are still in transition. We sit down with 3rd Quartile Inc. founder Steven Osiel to talk about the state of total comp in a pay-focused present and why some leaders are struggling to strategically steer compensation conversations beyond hardcore numbers alone.

Despite layoffs and hiring reductions—or perhaps because of them—many tech companies are gearing up their competitive offers, while taking a good look at how their employee stock ownership programs (ESOPs) might serve everyone better. We sit down with McKenzie Hunter, Senior Director of People & Culture with 7shifts, to talk about why ESOPs have become a hot topic and what to keep in mind when creating or retuning yours to optimum benefit.

For Tonie Minhas, Neuroinclusion Services Project Manager with Auticon Canada Ltd., there is a clear business case to be made for DEI, but it can become one that serves everyone when approached through the lens of inclusive design—wherein grudging accommodations become individualized opportunities to fully contribute. Bearing in mind the need for due diligence in addition to data, we sit down to quantify the larger organizational opportunity by exploring four KPIs that drive and define the success of not only DEI efforts these days, but business itself.

Group co-founder and GM Josh Nilson had his career choices laid out for him early on in a small, Northern BC town. ”They didn’t include becoming a game designer, a sought after speaker or winning countless gaming and business accolades”. Since climbing to the top of the game though—from an indie, gaming studio in 2011 to being acquired for $159 million in February 2021 and now trading on the TSX as part of the East Side Games Group (TSX:EAGR-T)—Josh has taken a deeper look at the challenges of the co-lonial workplace. We sit down with Josh to talk about what is holding Indigenous and underrepresented talent back—and what leaders need to be doing to bring those colo-nial barriers down and people to thrive.

Without a doubt, leaders’ perceptions of HR changed during the pandemic, as people issues flooded the forefront and HR rose to the occasion. Counted upon in countless ways throughout the chaos, the opportunity exists for HR to capitalize on their accomplishments, but is now the time? We sit down with the founder of Kickstart HR, Lewisa Anciano, a self-professed, passionate provocateur and veteran CHRO turned consultant, to talk about why HR’s role as a disruptor is so critical—as well as why being fired for doing the right thing is perfectly acceptable.