Why Listening, Not Leverage, Is the Future of Labor Strategy with Michael VanDervort

Episode notes

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Michael VanDervort, a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space, to discuss how organizations can build extraordinary workplaces through better employee relations, whether unionized or not. What You’ll Learn: How to transform labor relations from risk management to relationship building Why approachability is the key leadership trait for preventing union organizing How to create effective listening systems beyond annual surveys Why responding to feedback matters more than collecting it The critical role of middle managers in building employee trust and engagement Why organizational culture change must start with executive commitment and modeling Michael VanDervort is a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space. He’s also a key voice behind LRI Consulting Services and HR Acuity, where he leads communications, content, and events focused on building extraordinary workplaces.