Episode 12: Building a People-First Organization from Top to Bottom with Kim Rohrer and Tony Jamous of Oyster
With Kim Rohrer & Tony Jamous
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Key Takeaways
This week’s engaging episode of the Leading Real Change podcast brings a dynamic conversation with Kim Rohrer and Tony Jamous of Oyster who spill the beans on "Building a People-First Organization from Top to Bottom."
Key Nuggets of Wisdom:
Beyond Fixing, Impact Building: Tony highlights the goal isn't just fixing one company but creating a ripple effect to teach others how to do it right.
Leadership Evolution: Tony shares his experience, emphasizing the shift from solely focusing on numbers to embracing a balance between caring for employees and business success.
Trust and Dispensability: Trusting your team during crucial times like parental leave is key. Great leaders make themselves dispensable and trust their teams to step up.
No More Career vs. Family Dilemma: Kim stresses the importance of creating a world where caregivers don't have to choose between their career and family.
Human-Centric Strategy: Tony emphasizes the need for a human-centric approach in business strategies. It's not just nice, it directly impacts performance and engagement."
Mission-Driven Culture: Aligning the organization's mission with daily objectives brings meaning to work.
Mental Health Normalization: Kim talks about operationalizing mental health by implementing regular check-ins and fostering open discussions.
Non-Linear Workdays: Kim's on a mission to explore the beauty of non-linear workdays for knowledge workers.
Future of Work: Tony envisions a future where work adapts to individual lifestyles.
Ready for a workplace revolution? Tune in for more insights. Let's build a people-first workplace together!
Guest Bios
Kim Rohrer
Kim Rohrer is a passionate people person with over a decade of experience building inclusive, sustainable, values-based company cultures at tech companies. She is a progressive PeopleOps leader, with a history of implementing forward-thinking policies and practices, developing frameworks for living company values, and creating scalable people analytics for small teams. Kim is the founder of and advisor to OrgOrg, a global community of over 3,500 operations professionals, as well as the Principal People Partner at Oyster. Kim believes fiercely in holistic support for working caregivers, and is proud to be a part of the movement to create change as a cofounder at TendLab and member of the Parents in Tech Alliance. Her eclectic career has taken her from theater to tech, always with the common threads of community and care. She continues to serve as an advisor to several early-stage companies and their founders, and is a proud member of the FamTech, Careforce, HR Peer 150, PeopleTech Partners, and Amplify Accelerator communities. When she's not wrangling her two young kids or talking PeopleOps and Parenting, Kim enjoys baking, writing, home organization, thematic decorations, being in nature, and pretending she knows how to knit. She is always open to exploring interesting projects and partnerships, so please reach out!
Website | LinkedIn |X (Twitter) | PeakHR Learning
Tony Jamous
Tony, CEO and founder of Oyster, brings a unique perspective shaped by his tumultuous childhood in war-torn Lebanon. The first decade of his life immersed in civil conflict instilled in him enduring values of humility, gratitude, and resilience. Despite outward success, he remains grounded, recognizing the impact of his traumatic past. Tony's journey led him from Beirut to France for a computer science degree and later to Switzerland's IMD Business School.
Driven by a passion to empower individuals in emerging economies, Tony conceptualized Oyster in response to the inequities forcing talented professionals to relocate for career success. As Oyster's CEO since 2019, he pioneers a global HR platform that streamlines the complexities of employing remote teams, making it accessible for skilled individuals worldwide to unlock job opportunities without geographical constraints. Tony's commitment lies in dismantling barriers to remote work, fostering a more inclusive and equal future.
Website | LinkedIn | X (Twitter)
