Exclusive Interview with David Windley, CEO, IQTalent Partners, Inc.

Authentic, Transparent Communication Build Stability With Remote Workers

 

David Windley is a Veteran Human Resources Leader and CEO of IQTalent Partners, Inc. He oversees the firm’s strategic direction, business development, and day-to-day operations. Prior to joining IQTalent Partners, Windley was the Chief Human Resources Officer at Yahoo! and Fusion-io. Additionally, Windley held executive human resources positions at Microsoft, Intuit and Silicon Graphics, Inc. He is currently the Board Chair for the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Further, he serves on the Tenant Company Board of Directors as the Compensation Committee Chair in addition to a recent appointment to the Board of Directors at the DHI Group. Windley is a Governance Fellow with the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).  Connect David Windley Follow @IQTalent

“Leadership’s active involvement is critical during these uncertain times. It is important to acknowledge employees' concerns and angst”, says David Windley, Veteran Human Resources Leader and CEO of IQTalent Partners, Inc.

In an interview with HR.com, David outlines how COVID-19 has impacted his employees, how to keep employees connected and committed virtually, and much more.

Excerpts from the interview: 

Q. Are you facing any issues in terms of a drop in productivity, now that employees are working remotely?

David: We were a “work from anywhere” culture prior to COVID.  So, when the lockdowns occurred, it was not a major change for many of our employees. We have one major office in Nashville, and all other employees work remotely. Our Nashville employees would normally split their time between being in the office and working remote. With the lockdowns, it has caused many to now be exclusively remote that otherwise wouldn’t have been. While many of our team members miss working alongside their colleagues, our productivity hasn’t missed a beat.

 

Q. Remote burnout is becoming a reality today. How do you plan to address this issue?  

David: Again, working from home is not a new issue for us. We have always provided tips and tricks to our employees about working from home. We have also had some grass-roots employee groups form during this time, for example, we have a virtual meditation group, parents with kids at home group, etc. These peer groups serve to share ideas and provide support among our employees.

Q. How have you been engaging your remote workforce? Did you face any challenge in this aspect?  

David: We are implementing various engagement activities to keep people connected. We are heavy users of Microsoft Teams and have encouraged our teams to meet in a video-conference mode as much as possible. It is amazing how much more engaged and connected people feel when they can see their teammates (even virtually). Many of our work teams have virtual lunches or other virtual gatherings. Our grassroots social committee is sponsoring virtual social events, and our leadership is scheduling virtual roundtable discussions with employees.

Q. Communication is key during these critical times. What has been your strategy in terms of internal communication? 

David: At the beginning of the COVID crisis, we increased the frequency of our All Hands meetings. We are now back to our normal rhythm. Our managers have weekly 1:1s with their employees and leadership is holding skip level roundtables.

Q. How critical is the leadership's active involvement during these times? 

David: Leadership’s active involvement is critical during these uncertain times. It is important to acknowledge employees' concerns and angst. Even if you don’t have all the answers, it is best to be transparent with what you do know and admit to things that are still uncertain. Authentic, transparent communication is key during these times.
 

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