Well, hello there!

Welcome to the official re-launch of the Want To Work There newsletter! 

Some of you may be wondering how I ended up in your inbox, as it’s been over three years (😬) since I sent any updates your way. As a refresher, here are a couple ways we may be connected:

1. You listen to the Want To Work There podcast! That’s me, your host and forever champion of practical, actionable ways to build better workplaces.

2. You attended my former in-person event series, Culture Catalyst, in San Diego. I looked forward to them every month and miss you all so much!

3. Perhaps you’re one of the bold souls who signed up for this newsletter in the past few weeks. If that’s the case - hello! Something tells me we’re going to be fast friends. 

So, why now? Because I finally have the time, energy, and support (hi, Emily and Adrienne!) to launch the weekly newsletter I’ve been dreaming of for oh-so-many years.

Every Thursday from here on out, you can expect:

• Questions, prompts, and insights you’ll use to improve your culture

• Speedy steps you can take today to create positive momentum ASAP

• Templates and tools that will make change easier and more attainable

• A smattering of all sorts of good stuff from across the web

• And so, so much more...

It's my intent to make this a newsletter you actually look forward to opening. No easy task - I know your inbox is a busy place - but we're up for the challenge!

This week, I'm all about getting reacquainted. We’ll kick things off with a recap of what we're all about at Want To Work There, along with some resources and a few delightful finds you won’t want to miss.

But this goes both ways, friend, and I want to know what you’ve been up to lately! Hit reply and share your biggest 2023 highlight to date.

No really. Please do. I truly can’t wait to hear from you!

Your long-lost culture companion,,

Jill

Why did you open this email? Why did I even bother to send it? And why does someone like me even start something like Want to Work There?

I mean, work is just work, right?

We log on and off, we clock in and out. Maybe we score some decent benefits. Hopefully we don’t put up with too much BS along the way. We collect our paycheck, count minutes til the weekend, come back and do it again next Monday, and the Monday after, and the Monday after…

The feeling you just got in your chest reading that? That little pang of despair you felt with every part of you that craves fulfillment, creativity, and community? The sense of dread.

That, right there, is why I started Want to Work There.

Because yes, work is work. But imagine if it were infused with so much more: with meaning and energy and fulfillment, with collaboration, creativity, curiosity, and learning. If you’re still reading, I suspect you believe - or perhaps want to believe - that it’s possible. 

I started Want to Work There to prove you right.

And to provide you with everything you need to actively build that environment within your own company.

If you’re in the wide world of People and HR, you already know there is a ton of info out there. That said, I never found that one-stop resource focused only on curated answers to some of the most challenging aspects of building a positive work culture. So eventually I stopped searching for it and started building it myself. 

Want to Work There isn’t just a resource library, it’s the nudge you need. My biggest passion is uncovering well-researched, time-tested information on building positive work cultures, and then distilling it into the actions you can take - today - to start transforming your workplace for the better.

Because theory is great, but action is better.

Resource-strapped? I got you.

Overworked? I got you.

No time for anything? Been there - and I got you.

Whether you’re a one-person HR team, a career newbie, a leader who wants better for your team, or a lifelong People professional who’s had enough with the way it’s been done, I’m here to help you break down intentional culture-building into something you can do, at your workplace, starting today.

Ready? Let's go!

Speaking of that bookmarks folder, each week I'll be rounding up links to some of my favorite things on the internet. What's a friend for, if not sharing?

• A better butter: Portland, OR company GroundUp cranks out delicious nut butter flavors (don’t sleep on that Chocolate Pecan Turtle re-release…). Bonus: their mission-driven hiring model supports incarcerated women reentering the workforce with meaningful training and career development resources.

• What Gen Z wants. In the 90’s, we had Christina to tell us what a girl wants. In 2023, we have Melanie W. to tell us what Gen Z wants (and expects) from work. After interviewing over 1,000 Gen Zers, we were eager to hear what she learned.

• We love a good nature moment: My mom first introduced me to "forest bathing," a term coined in the 80's to describe the centuries old Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku. As someone who spends a lot of time by screens, it's become a must for my own mental health.  

• HR, Top Gun style: Looking to stack your calendar with learning opportunities? The HR Mavericks community (think: SHRM with a modern glow-up) is hosting a free virtual conference on June 12th.  Why not sign up and mark your calendar now!?