What does it actually take to keep teams engaged when everything is changing around them?

In this episode of CultureClub X, host Darcy Mehta sits down with Jamy Conrad, Director of People at University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) - a 25-year HR veteran who has led people strategy through a pandemic, a corporate acquisition, and a full digital transformation.

Jamy introduces the Change Readiness Loop - a four-stage framework built for CHROs and HR leaders who need their managers to lead change with empathy, consistency, and confidence rather than improvisation and mixed messages.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE

→ Why coaching skill is the single most powerful engagement lever during change

→ The Change Readiness Loop: Scenario Planning, Language Alignment, Real-Time Feedback, Peer Accountability

→ How one leader took their team eNPS from -8 to +57 in 18 months through real-time feedback discipline

→ Why mid-level managers are where change communication breaks down — and how to fix it

→ How to run scenario planning that prepares leaders before crisis arrives

→ Why GenAI tools can make leadership more human, not less

→ The safe word technique for peer accountability during live meetings

ABOUT JAMY CONRAD

Jamy Conrad is Director of People at UFCU (University Federal Credit Union), Austin's largest locally owned credit union. With 25+ years of HR leadership across tech, healthcare, and finance, she has partnered with organizations including TrustRadius, HG Insights, PAM Health, and Travis Medical Sales Corp. She is a founding member and board advisor to multiple HR industry bodies.

Career highlights: reduced regrettable turnover from 40%+ to under 5% in two years, saved nearly $500K annually through benefits strategy optimization, and boosted new manager effectiveness scores by 28% in 12 months.

Connect with Jamy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamyconrad

ABOUT CULTURECLUB X

CultureClub X is CultureMonkey's global thought leadership videocast where CHROs, CPOs, and senior people leaders share real strategies for building thriving, future-ready cultures. Hosted by Darcy Mehta.

Full episode page + transcript:

https://www.culturemonkey.io/cultureclubx/s06-e02-leadership-during-change-empathy-confidence-sustained-engagement-in-2026/

ABOUT CULTUREMONKEY

CultureMonkey is an AI-powered enterprise employee engagement platform that helps people leaders listen to their employees and build workplace cultures where trust, growth, and performance thrive.

Website: https://www.culturemonkey.io

Book a demo: https://www.culturemonkey.io/features/book-a-demo

All episodes: https://www.culturemonkey.io/cultureclubx/