We were fortunate to speak with Kevin about what brought him to Disrupt HR Vancouver and his role as a speaker.
Editor: Please tell us a little about yourself – your career path and expertise.
Kevin: My expertise is designing Pension and Benefit programs that allow organizations to attract and retain the talent they want and need. When I look at my career path, I’ve intentionally sought out a variety of roles, from starting a tech company with some close friends to expanding my horizons personally and professionally in India for a couple of years, to working for a major insurance carrier. That’s given me a great understanding of people, and combined with my analytical skills, I believe makes for a great fit in consulting.
Editor: What’s your company and how does it help professionals in the Talent arena?
Kevin: Pointbreak Consulting is a fantastic boutique consulting firm, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a member of our team. We advise clients on the development and management of all manners of benefits programs. What our clients love and what sets us apart is how we engage with our clients and how we constantly innovate.
Editor: How did you become a speaker at Disrupt HR Vancouver?
Kevin: A friend of mine thought I’d be a great speaker on disruption in our field. I jumped on it!
Editor: What topic will you be speaking about at Disrupt HR Vancouver?
Kevin: I’ll be challenging the status quo with benefits plans, arguing that the current model is broken.
Editor: Why is that an important topic to HR and Talent pros?
Kevin: When we look at the future of work, change is occurring so fast that the strategies used to attract and retain talent will be obsolete sooner than ever before. I’ll be looking into the future and recommending a different way of doing things.
Editor: You only get 5 minutes to speak to the audience. What unique challenges, and indeed opportunities, does such a condensed speaking slot offer?
Kevin: I love this format because it’s the way we relate to our clients on a regular basis. We are adept at simplifying complex topics, translating complicated language into simple, actionable tactics for our clients. So while the condensed speaking slot is certainly challenging, it fits well with our service mantra. Case in point, next week I have 10 minutes to present to a board of directors to convey an important concept. The same rules apply.
Editor: How does Disrupt HR provide you with a platform to talk about talent in new ways?
Kevin: The very definition of this format gives permission to go places I wouldn’t otherwise go to in a speech. In addition to the format, there’s a receptive audience that’s looking to learn about disruption…that’s exciting!
Editor: Please share 2 or 3 ‘influencers’ in the talent and recruitment space who you follow and tell us why.
Kevin: 3 CEOs I follow who are talent influencers:
1) Kevin Jeffrey, Principal at Pointbreak Consulting: Kevin is one of my mentors in our business and a natural leader both in our office and within the benefits community. I am constantly learning from his approach and commitment to excellence.
2) Mike McClenahan, CEO at Benefits by Design: Mike has demonstrated a passion for challenging the status quo, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible from a service provider’s perspective. 3) Greg Malpass, CEO at Traction on Demand: Greg has built a thriving business around a culture of community, not just company, and in doing so has innovated how he brings in and keeps talent at Traction. Greg has also taught me the importance of having fun in business!
3) Greg Malpass, CEO at Traction on Demand: Greg has built a thriving business around a culture of community, not just company, and in doing so has innovated how he brings in and keeps talent at Traction. Greg has also taught me the importance of having fun in business!
Editor: The HR Gazette is a big believer in the shift from traditional thoughts of HR to embracing modern HR as part of ‘people and culture‘. What does ‘people and culture’ mean to you?
Kevin: The shift to people and culture to me exemplifies everything that a modern business should be focused on, empowering people within an organization to be the best version of themselves, both as individuals and collectively as a group. This concept is wonderful when truly embraced. What potentially concerns me is slapping the label on without fundamentally changing anything. It needs to be owned.
Editor: What do you think will be the major developments in the Talent space to watch out for in the next 12 months and why? For example, how does the growing numbers of Millennials in the workplace shape traditional talent management approaches?
Kevin: Did you see an advanced copy of my presentation?! This is exactly what I’ll be addressing at DisruptHR Vancouver. Without giving away major details, in challenging the status quo, I’ll offer what I see is a massive opportunity to modernize how we design programs to attract and retain individuals in a younger workforce.
DisruptHR Vancouver is hosted by Learnkit and will be held at the Rise office on Wednesday, March 30th 2016. You can learn more here.