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It’s the most wonderful time of the year… unless you’re in HR. In this episode of Dear HR Diary, Dawn pulls back the tinsel to talk about the holiday party—why companies keep having them, why HR loses sleep over them, and how to survive one without becoming next year’s training scenario.

From holiday party dilemmas to unspoken etiquette, this episode serves up practical advice, honest laughs, and just enough tough love to help leaders and employees navigate the “necessary evil” of workplace celebrations.

What We Cover in This Episode

🎁 The Holiday Party Dilemma

• Why organizations keep hosting holiday parties (even when everyone complains about them)
• The fine line between “fun culture moment” and “Monday morning HR meeting”
• When a holiday party actually helps engagement—and when it backfires

🧑‍💼 HR’s Holiday Party Wish List

• What HR really wants from this year’s party (hint: it’s not karaoke)
• Clear expectations, smart planning, and fewer “surprise performances”
• Why proactive rules beat reactive investigations every time

🎤 Advice for Leaders

• How leaders set the tone (yes, people are watching what you drink)
• Why presence matters—but boundaries matter more
• The leadership behaviors that turn a party into a trust-building moment instead of a liability

🥂 Employee Etiquette 101

• What employees should absolutely do—and absolutely not do
• How to enjoy yourself without oversharing, overdrinking, or overshooting your career goals
• Remember: it’s a party, not a personality reboot

🎄 Fun (but Necessary) Holiday Party Rules

• Pace yourself—HR would like a quiet January
• Phones down, professionalism up
• If you wouldn’t say it in a team meeting, don’t say it near the open bar
• Leave with your dignity (and job) fully intact

Key Takeaway

Holiday parties don’t have to be awkward, chaotic, or career-limiting. With the right expectations, smart leadership, and a little common sense, they can actually be enjoyable—and even strengthen workplace culture. Yes, really.

Quote from the Episode

Call to Action

If this episode made you laugh, nod aggressively, or rethink that third drink—share it with your leadership team. And if you’re a manager trying to survive the season with your sanity intact, check out more leadership tools and training at Manage With Hart.

🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and tune in for more real-talk HR conversations—because someone has to say the quiet parts out loud.

Support the show

Connect with Dawn:
Website: www.managewithhart.com
Instagram: @managewithhart

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In this episode, host Dawn Hart sits down with Josh Hart to unpack the real meaning of workplace culture—beyond the free snacks and casual dress codes. Together, they dig into how intentional leadership, clear communication, and genuine respect for employees can shape a culture that actually works. Josh doesn’t hold back when discussing common missteps organizations make, including a real-life example of how a poorly executed “diversity initiative” backfired, and what leaders can do instead.

They also explore how social media has completely changed the game, putting every company’s culture under a public microscope. From navigating generational differences to shifting outdated management mindsets, Josh offers straightforward advice that every leader—new or seasoned—needs to hear.

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. Culture isn’t perks—it’s purpose. You can’t buy culture with pizza parties; it’s built through trust, respect, and meaningful connection.
2. Get HR involved early. Cultural decisions without HR’s guidance often miss the mark (and sometimes make headlines for the wrong reasons).
3. Social media is the new employee forum. If you’re not cultivating culture internally, your employees will do it online for you.
4. Five generations, one workplace. Flexibility, empathy, and communication are the glue holding it all together.
5. Managers must evolve. Today’s workforce expects leaders who listen, adapt, and engage—not just enforce.

💡 Quote from Josh Hart

📚 Resources for Listeners

• Book: The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle – A deep dive into what makes teams thrive.
• Article: “How Social Media Is Reshaping Workplace Expectations” – Harvard Business Review.
• Tool: Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey
  – A resource for measuring and improving engagement.

📞 Connect with Josh Hart

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mrjoshuahart
• Email: josh@JoshuaHartConsulting.com
• Website: joshuahartconsulting.com

🎧 Listen, Learn, and Lead

Subscribe to Dear HR Diary wherever you get your podcasts. Because building a great culture isn’t a one-time project—it’s the way you show up, every single day.

Support the show

Connect with Dawn:
Website: www.managewithhart.com
Instagram: @managewithhart

Send us a text

In this episode of Dear HR Diary, I sit down with Diane Yarbrough, founder of Castaway and Company, to talk about her incredible career journey starting with Disney and how those experiences shaped her approach to culture, communication, and leadership.

We explore some powerful management and HR practices you can use right now, including:

• Re-Recruiting & Re-Onboarding: Why it’s essential to “re-recruit” your employees by re-onboarding them, showing them their growth matters even after their first 90 days.
• Internal Opportunities: How creating clear career paths and internal opportunities helps keep talent engaged and loyal.
• Stay Conversations: Practical ways to ask your employees why they stay—and how to have open, honest discussions if they’re considering leaving.
• The Impact of Culture: Understanding that culture isn’t just “fluff”—it directly impacts performance, retention, and employee well-being.
• Communication & Feedback Loops: How to build a culture where communication flows both ways and feedback becomes a tool for growth, not fear.

✨ Quote from Diane:

Resources for Listeners

• Gallup – State of the Global Workplace Report (for engagement and retention insights)
• SHRM: The Importance of Stay Interviews – SHRM Resource
• Disney Institute Blog (for leadership and culture lessons inspired by Disney)

Connect with Diane Yarbrough

• Website: castawayandcompany.com)
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dianeyarborough
• Email: diane@castawayandcompany.com

👉 If today’s episode sparked ideas for how you can re-recruit, re-onboard, or simply start better conversations with your team, don’t let it stop here. Share this episode with a fellow leader who needs it, and let’s keep building workplaces where people stay because they want to, not because they have to.

💬 Have thoughts on this episode? I’d love to hear them! Connect with me on LinkedIn
and join the conversation.

🎙️ And don’t forget—subscribe to Dear HR Diary so you never miss an unfiltered truth about management, leadership, and culture.

Support the show

Connect with Dawn:
Website: www.managewithhart.com
Instagram: @managewithhart