Best Hiring Idd Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 37 - Hired an underperformer: fire them or change them? 13:19

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29d ago13:19

13:19

Anyone involved in management knows the painful decision: "Can this underperforming team member be changed or do I need to let them go?" This episode breaks down the behavioral science of why this dynamic often drags on for too long at IDD agencies (and at many other businesses) and how to quickly implement a system that makes it clear when to help…

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Ep. 41 - Supervisor training that actually works w/ Dr. Dennis Reid 37:37

20h ago37:37

37:37

In Part 1 of this powerful interview, Dr. Dennis Reid—renowned author of The Supervisor’s Guidebook—shares how to train supervisors effectively, what to do if a supervisor is struggling, and how to start developing future leaders from your DSP team. If you want to improve staff performance, reduce drama, and build stronger supervisors, this episode…

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Ep. 40 - From "too many vacancies" to "fully staffed" - How to recruit more DSPs 18:20

8d ago18:20

18:20

The problem isn't the people. It's the process. Fix your recruiting process and your vacancies will drop. This episode offers 12 simple changes that make a huge difference in improving your hiring funnel. And if you want a blank Hiring Funnel Worksheet to help you in that process, get yours at iddleader.com/funnel. Ready to level up your retention …

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Ep. 39 - How to recruit more DSPs and reduce your job vacancies 15:07

15d ago15:07

15:07

If you're at all involved in the hiring process of Direct Support Professionals (or you oversee the people who do), then this episode is for you! Drop your agency's job vacancy rate and stop burning through overtime costs. Leverage the power of behavior science to stop getting ghosted on interviews, to keep your best candidates engaged, and to stop…

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Ep. 38 - 3 Secrets to Increase your Staff Retention 16:18

22d ago16:18

16:18

Tired of the revolving door of staff? Consider these three secrets to increase your staff retention--and the quality of services you provide. Ready to level up your retention strategy? I've got a free playbook for you: The Turnover Fix Playbook: 4 Simple Supervisor Habits that Reduce DSP Turnover Fast. Get your free copy at www.iddleader.com/superv…

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Ep. 36 - Stop staff burnout before it starts 12:35

1M ago12:35

12:35

Too often, mission-driven organizations end up driving their people into burnout. We've all seen it--but how can you burnout-proof your workforce? In this episode, Nate breaks down the behavioral science of burnout and provides three easy next steps to stop it at your organization. Ready to level up your retention strategy? I've got a free playbook…

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Ep. 35 - The 3-sentence script for any tough employee conversation 13:07

1M ago13:07

13:07

Sweaty palms and a knot in your stomach? Or a raised voice and regrets later? Whatever your 'style' of handling tough conversations with employees, you can benefit from a clear, 3-sentence script that will help guide you through these uncomfortable moments. In this episode, Nate breaks down the science behind tough conversations with employees and …

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Ep. 34 - Work/life balance for leaders? From pipe dream to reality 15:24

2M ago15:24

15:24

Many human services leaders struggle with finding the right balance between work and the rest of life. It's a demanding, heart-and-soul line of work that lends itself to frequent crises which can happen at all hours. And yet, neglecting to promote (or protect) work/life balance for yourself or your staff is a recipe for burnout... and for perpetuat…

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Ep. 33 - What Happens When You Invest in Your People? w/ Core Services 41:42

2M ago41:42

41:42

If you've ever wondered about the long-term impact of investing in your staff, Core Services has been innovative and unrelenting in their efforts... And they are getting a huge return on investment! Executive director Nick Filarelli explains why Core Services "bares their soul" on their website, how they dropped to an astoundingly low vacancy rate,…

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Ep. 32 - Improve team performance in 15 minutes a day 19:03

2M ago19:03

19:03

What if I told you that a zero-dollar, 15-minute strategy could transform your team? Would you believe me? If your frontline supervisors (or you) are constantly putting out fires, can't get your team to take initiative, or are the last to know when something's going wrong--this episode is for you. In it, Nate will unpack the art and science of a st…

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Ep. 31 - Why most supervisors struggle (and how to change that) 15:45

2M ago15:45

15:45

When someone gets promoted to supervisor, it's usually because they had great performance, not necessarily because they had great people skills. Sure, if they have been providing direct support, they will be good at that aspect of people skills, but what about providing feedback, addressing concerns, and asking questions to reduce team drama? It's …

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Ep. 30 - Please Don’t Go: How to Retain Employees (and Supervisors) on the Verge of Quitting 19:25

3M ago19:25

19:25

Sometimes, you know they're on the verge. But, is there a way to win them back?? Good news--the answer is yes! In this episode, Nate will discuss who's worth trying to save, a simple step-by-step process to win them back, and how to proactively build an experience that people don't want to leave. Plus, it covers common stuck spots and how to overco…

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Ep. 29 - Fix the employee experience: 5 small changes with big results 15:53

3M ago15:53

15:53

When we’re experiencing BIG challenges from high staff turnover, we’re tempted to launch BIG initiatives to solve it. “Let’s add a huge retention bonus!” or “Let’s double-down on DSP Appreciation Week!” Often, these big efforts fall flat. Truth is, the employee experience isn’t fixed in big initiatives–it’s fixed in the day-to-day experience for yo…

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Ep. 28 - Staff empowerment elevates retention w/ DSP Council from Welcome House 35:58

3M ago35:58

35:58

What does it look like when "employee empowerment" goes beyond corporate catchphrase and actually helps to shape the culture of an organization? In today’s episode, DSP Council members from Ohio-based Welcome House describe how their agency has launched an initiative that has impacted them personally and professionally. If you've wondered how to mo…

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Ep. 27 - No Good Options? Tough Staffing Decisions for Leaders 26:44

3M ago26:44

26:44

Sometimes leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place. Would you rather promote an employee who isn't quite ready or roll the dice and try to hire from outside? Would you rather take your time onboarding new hires until they're fully ready or bring faster relief to your already-stretched-thin staff? If you are wrestling with tough staffing d…

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Ep. 26 - Turnaround staff turnover in 60 days 12:27

4M ago12:27

12:27

What if you only had 60 days to turnaround the high employee turnover at your organization... Could you do it? Where would you start? In this episode, Nate provides 3 strategies to see fast results with lowering your turnover, and no it does not involve retention bonuses or better benefits. Although it takes a little while to see the full impact of…

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Ep. 25 - Person-centered care for staff: the secret to a less stressful workforce 17:59

4M ago17:59

17:59

In the IDD field, we talk a lot about person-centered care for the people we serve—but what happens when we use that same philosophy for our staff? Does it work without making our workforce self-serving? Can it apply to every level within our organization? In this episode, Nate breaks down how to apply a person-centered approach to your employees a…

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Ep. 24 - How one provider transformed their onboarding - Interview w/ leaders from VTC 38:09

4M ago38:09

38:09

Want your new hires to have a great onboarding experience? Yeah, that's one thing. But actually pulling it off? That another thing, entirely. In today's interview episode, Nate talks with Scott Burtsfield, Amy Schultz, and Jodi Freitag from Vocational Training Center in Fargo, ND about the incredible results they have seen from their onboarding pro…

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Ep. 23 - Turn around a struggling team with data. It sounds crazy, but... 17:13

4M ago17:13

17:13

High turnover (or low-performing) teams are usually struggling with data--either they aren't completing it properly or they're doing it but the results look bad. So how could data help fix things? Most data is outcome data. It's a lagging measure. But when you implement leading measure data, you suddenly help the team see what actions they need to …

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Ep. 22 - Five Things Toxic Organizations Say to Staff (And How to Fix Them) 25:12

4M ago25:12

25:12

Is your organization toxic? And if so, what can you do about it? In this episode that speaks to both direct support professionals and the leaders of human services agencies, Nate describes how if broken systems go unchecked, or known problems don’t get addressed… things can get bad. And he unpacks clear action steps you can take to make things bett…

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Ep. 21 - Staff retention at a new organization w/ Julie Bisi 34:01

5M ago34:01

34:01

How do you overcome staff retention challenges if you're a leader at a new or smaller human services organization? In this episode, Julie Bisi, founder of Artemis Supports, shares her insights and experience--including several innovative strategies she uses to increase staff retention. To learn more about Artemis or to contact Julie, go to artemiss…

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Ep. 20 - Three Easy Employee Retention Strategies 23:04

5M ago23:04

23:04

Stop the feeling of overwhelm. Employee retention doesn't have to be soooooo hard. Yes, there are many factors involved, but fundamentally, it is all about making a positive employee experience for everyone in your organization. And in this episode Nate shares three tried and true strategies that will help you retain more staff so that you and your…

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Ep. 19 - Give frontline supervisors more skills, not more trainings 17:59

5M ago17:59

17:59

It's no secret: successful frontline supervisors are essential for your organization's success. And to be successful, they not only need the ability to do the frontline care but they also need to be able to MANAGE PEOPLE. Unfortunately, when situations arise in which frontline supervisors are struggling to manage their direct reports, they often ar…

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Ep. 18 - Stop doing staff retention initiatives - Instead, build a culture 26:12

5M ago26:12

26:12

Stop *doing* DSP retention initiatives and instead build a culture. It's easy to slap another initiative on it rather than intentionally designing a workplace that staff love. But don't worry! In this episode Nate breaks down the Six Pillars of Staff Retention and gives you practical next steps to help build a retention-focused culture at your orga…

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Ep. 17 - Resources to help you fight staff turnover 22:44

6M ago22:44

22:44

You and your organization are not alone in the fight against DSP turnover. In today’s episode, Nate talks about a number of different organizations and outside resources that are working to stabilize and strengthen the workforce. Here are the links to the organizations he discusses: CQL - Articles highlighting organizations that are supporting thei…

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Ep. 14 - Transform the DSP employee experience with 1 simple method 19:21

6M ago19:21

19:21

"No employee cares about your organization until they know your organization cares about them." And how can you show them? Always have an answer to the most important question that every employee is asking, "What's in it for me?" In this episode, Nate describes how to leverage your answers this question so that your DSPs love their jobs, put forth …

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Ep. 13 - Common pitfalls with performance-based incentives (and how to avoid them) 23:37

7M ago23:37

23:37

Ready to level up your retention strategy? I've got a free playbook for you: The Turnover Fix Playbook: 4 Simple Supervisor Habits that Reduce DSP Turnover Fast. Get your free copy at www.iddleader.com/supervisorBy Nate Beers

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Ep. 12 - How NOT to increase staff retention at the holidays 6:52

7M ago6:52

6:52

Wondering how NOT to boost your DSP retention rate? Tired of all the holiday cheer? In this short mashup episode, Nate empowers your inner Grinch with 7 tried and true strategies to make sure you DON’T increase retention, but instead that you keep your turnover rate high. Unlike other episodes, this one definitely won’t help your organization win… …

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Ep. 11 - How to stop the next 100 fires before they start 25:24

7M ago25:24

25:24

When every supervisor in your agency conducts monthly "High Impact Supervisions", the effects are game-changing. Fewer fires, less burnout, higher retention. But it's one thing for you, as a leader, to understand this... and it's another thing to implement it across your organization. In this episode, Nate defines High Impact Supervisions and share…

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Ep. 10 - The real costs of DSP turnover 15:15

7M ago15:15

15:15

DSP turnover is costing IDD Providers like you a whole lot of money. But what is the real cost of DSP turnover? It extends far beyond the staggering financial costs and affects team morale and program sustainability. Even more than that, it leads to invaluable opportunities that are passed up due to staffing shortages. In this episode Nate explores…

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Ep. 9 - The #1 barrier to increasing your staff retention 19:46

7M ago19:46

19:46

Honestly, I was kind of surprised by this one, but then it all made sense. It will probably surprise you, too! When I first started helping with staff retention, I guessed the burnout rate or the wages would be the biggest barrier. And these things matter (a lot) but then I discovered an even more fundamental issue at the organizational level that …

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Ep. 8 - Addressing Performance Issues 22:38

8M ago22:38

22:38

Imagine addressing performance issues without all the stress. And imagine not having to bring up the same issue over and over again. Sound like a pipe dream? It doesn’t have to be. This episode provides practical tools for leaders to deal with this challenge constructively to create win-wins for everyone involved. Ready to level up your retention s…

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Ep. 7 - Stop losing staff: Top 5 changes you can make 21:27

8M ago21:27

21:27

There are hundreds of reasons your staff leave, right? Maybe so. But recent research on voluntary job “leavers” has identified the top 5 areas organizations could have addressed that would have kept these staff. In this episode, Nate offers actionable insights on how to change each of these areas in order to strengthen your organization and retain …

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Ep. 6 - Three ways to avoid the pitfalls of the struggling new supervisor 19:53

8M ago19:53

19:53

Maybe you've been there before. "She was such a good DSP but now that she's a supervisor, she's really struggling... Now what!?" If so, you're not alone. And while the specifics of that situation may have a fairly straightforward solution, it begs the question, how did we get here in the first place? The all-too-common challenge of the struggling n…

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Ep. 5 - Why didn't your staff retention initiative work? And what works instead? 22:46

8M ago22:46

22:46

It's such a sinking feeling to put all this time and effort (and expense) into a staff retention initiative only to have it... drum roll... fail to actually increase staff retention. But the good news is that the story doesn't end there. In this episode, Nate discusses how to create initiatives that WORK, and how to identify the key factors in dete…

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Ep. 4 - Are your DSPs about to "break up" with your agency? Your onboarding says a lot 19:55

9M ago19:55

19:55

Truth is, DSP retention can never really be about "retaining" staff. That just means they didn't leave. The true goal of DSP retention is always about building a workplace that your staff love, so that they actually WANT to come to work each day. And it all begins with onboarding and orientation... Change your organization's paradigm and you will c…

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Ep. 3 - Is this strategy the silver bullet of DSP retention? Not quite, but almost 23:31

9M ago23:31

23:31

High impact supervisions are more crucial than many providers realize in creating a culture that fosters DSP retention. In this episode, you will hear the three key qualities of a high-impact supervision and how you--and the supervisors in your organization--can leverage the seemingly mundane task of meeting with staff into something that makes peo…

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Ep. 2 - Start here: The first steps to reduce turnover 21:37

9M ago21:37

21:37

Maybe you've already tried increasing the DSP appreciation budget or added some extra benefits. Maybe you've been chalking up a high turnover rate to the job market and reimbursement rates. Maybe you've been trying hard NOT to look too closely at your turnover rate because, frankly, it's just so discouraging. Whatever your backstory, this episode g…

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Ep. 1 - What's it really like? How the employee experience can make or break your staff retention 14:59

10M ago14:59

14:59

What's it really like for the DSPs who work at your organization? Nearly every IDD Provider is focused on providing person-centered care, but have you considered the "employee experience" and are you in touch with what it looks like to make it better for your staff? This episode gives practical input on how to leverage the employee experience so th…

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Episode 7: Welcome Michelle Sie Whitten, President & CEO GDSF 47:40

2+ y ago47:40

47:40

In episode 7, Gena Sikorsky Mitchell is joined by Michelle Sie Whitten, President & CEO of Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GDSF). Based out of Denver, CO, GDSF is dedicated to improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through research, medical care, education, and advocacy. Together Michelle and Gena discuss the range of topics related to t…

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Episode 5: Welcome, Jade Gingerich, Director Employment Policy 45:08

3y ago45:08

45:08

In episode 5, Gena Sikorsky Mitchell is joined by Jade Gingerich, Director of Employment Policy, Department of Disabilities for the State of Maryland. Together they discuss how to incorporate the lifespan of individuals with developmental disabilities for the employment IDD.By Gena Sikorsky Mitchell

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Episode 6: A Closer Look at the Hiring Process 14:12

3y ago14:12

14:12

In episode 6 Gena Sikorsky Mitchell takes a closer look at the hiring process from the perspective of employment as an industry. She explores how skillsets and criteria drive the typical process and that to disregard this established process is a disservice to both employers and individuals with developmental disabilities.…

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Episode 3: Welcome, Dr. Camelia Fawzy, DM, MBA! 24:49

3y ago24:49

24:49

In episode 3, Gena Sikorsky Mitchell is joined by Dr. Cami Fawzy, a successful organizational development consultant and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of leadership experience in multicultural settings. Using evidence-based research, she coaches leaders through culture change design and implementation aiming to create authentically inclusive…

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Episode 4: Welcome back, Dr. Camelia Fawzy, DM, MBA! 37:14

3y ago37:14

37:14

In episode 4, Gena Sikorsky Mitchell continues the conversation with Dr. Cami Fawzy, with a focus on the importance of allies in the workplace and the importance of developing clear skills and other strengths that would make it easier for individuals with developmental disabilities to access competitive, inclusive employment. Dr. Fawzy co-authored …

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Episode 2: Picking Up The Conversation 23:14

3y ago23:14

23:14

In episode 2, host Gena Sikorsky Mitchell picks up the conversation and begins to explore possible ideas and solutions to consider regarding the business conversation of hiring individuals with developmental disabilities (IDD). She incorporates the premise for what “basic block” means in relation to both special education and employment while exami…

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Episode 1: Introduction 23:00

3y ago23:00

23:00

In the Inaugural Episode of the Basic Block Hiring Podcast, host Gena Sikorsky Mitchell, welcomes listeners to the business conversation of hiring individuals with developmental disabilities (IDD). She touches on the fundamental thoughts and ideas such as the economic impact of not hiring IDD, special education as a business plan, paralyzed by indi…