With decisions being made that impact credit union operations as well as employee health and safety, human resources (HR) professionals know how critical their role is during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

It exemplifies why HR professionals need to take a holistic approach and ensure the department continues to have a “human touch.”

Nikki Badje, vice president of HR at $1.2 billion asset TruWest Credit Union in Tempe, Ariz., and Nate Brock, director of HR at $140 million asset LincOne Federal Credit Union in Lincoln, Neb., joined the CUNA News Podcast to talk about how to keep a human element within HR, especially during challenging times.

The CUNA HR & Organizational Development Council named Badje the 2020 Professional of the Year and Brock the 2020 Rising Star during its virtual membership meeting June 30.

You can listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple’s iTunes Store, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.

In this episode:

1:19: Badje on receiving the Professional of the Year Award

5:00: Flexible schedules and telecommuting

9:40: Creating an engaged workforce

12:17: HR from a laptop on a beach

15:25: Brock on receiving the Rising Star Award

17:44: Striving to ensure “the human remains embedded within HR”

19:01: HR during the pandemic

27:04: HR is a marathon, not a sprint