Courtney Martinez
Chief People Officer
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
Episode 200
Why Your Employee Perks Fail: Building Trust is the Real Retention Strategy
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleMay 7, 2025 · 11:36
Thesis
“High employee retention and performance are fundamentally driven by fostering genuine, trusting relationships and actively valuing employees, rather than relying on conventional perks or superficial incentives.”
Show notes
The Power of Relationships: Insights from HR Leader Courtney Martinez
In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, host interviews Courtney Martinez, an HR leader with a career rooted in the principles of relationship-building and mentorship.
Courtney shares her unique journey from retail to the restaurant industry and discusses the importance of networking, emotional awareness, and cultural practices in fostering employee retention and performance.
Key highlights include her strategies for maintaining professional relationships, the role of mentoring, and the significance of building trust and providing honest feedback within teams.
Courtney also emphasizes the importance of exercising influence and self-awareness in the HR profession.
00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast
00:14 Sponsor Message: Previ Network
00:38 Guest Introduction: Courtney's Career Journey
01:20 The Power of Networking in Career Growth
02:14 Building a Strong Workplace Culture
04:04 Mentorship and Its Impact
06:09 Challenges in Building High-Performing Teams
08:06 Developing Emotional and Self-Awareness
10:25 Final Thoughts and Parting Advice
11:30 Conclusion and Farewell
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What you'll take away
- 1Prioritize building strong, trusting relationships and a 'relational business model' as the most effective strategy for employee retention, going beyond typical perks.
- 2Cultivate a culture of honest and direct feedback, delivered with sensitivity, to drive individual growth and build high-performing, inclusive teams.
- 3Actively engage in mentorship, both as a mentor and mentee, to facilitate career growth, navigate industry nuances, and leverage professional networks.
- 4Develop emotional awareness and self-awareness in leaders and team members by providing candid feedback and creating forums for personal development.
- 5Recognize and develop 'influence' as a critical muscle for HR professionals to become strategic business partners who guide employees and leaders toward their best selves.
What most organizations get wrong
- •Courtney argues that perks like ping-pong tables or coffee bars do not make people stay, emphasizing that genuine relationships and being valued are the true drivers of retention.
In Courtney's words
“My entire career has been built off this belief that's not what makes people stay. But more importantly, here at Lumen Alnatis, that is something that has been actively pursued by this organization for over 30 years. And we really do believe that the power of relationship, the power of honest feedback with each other, the power of having a relational business model, which is the foundation of Hulu, is the fact that creates that stickiness that you want for people to continue.”
This quote clearly articulates her core philosophy on employee retention, emphasizing relationships over superficial perks, and links it to long-standing organizational practice.
“If you think that you have all the answers to all the questions, you would be mistaken. And walking into an industry such as ours, such as the restaurant industry, is a very dynamic, fast-moving, industry. And if you don't understand that you need to have resources, you need to have connections, you need to have relationships with people to help guide you through that, then you're going to be in for a tough road.”
This highlights the importance of continuous learning and networking for success, especially in a challenging sector like hospitality HR.
“Feedback is a gift. You can choose to take it or not, but ultimately it's my responsibility to be honest with you. And I think that is really where we continue to drive and be so successful.”
This succinctly captures her approach to feedback as a crucial element of high-performing teams, emphasizing honesty and choice.
“I believe that some people, especially in our world, in the HR world, forget that influence is a muscle that you continue to have to develop. And if you want to continue to be considered as a very strong business partner that is strategic, not only in how you think, but also in how you support people, I think it's important that you remember that the influence muscle needs to be exercised, it needs to be used.”
This quote offers valuable parting advice, stressing the often-overlooked importance of influence as a strategic HR competency.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Employee retention challenges in dynamic, high-turnover industries like hospitality, often exacerbated by a reliance on superficial perks.
- •HR professionals misinterpreting the true drivers of employee loyalty and engagement, focusing on transactional benefits rather than foundational relationships.
- •Lack of trust and clear communication within teams, hindering the ability to provide and receive honest feedback essential for performance and growth.
- •Leaders and team members lacking self-awareness or emotional intelligence, leading to communication breakdowns and suboptimal team dynamics.
- •New HR professionals, particularly those entering specialized industries, struggling to understand unique nuances without sufficient mentorship and an established network.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
Courtney says networking has been crucial in her career path
Courteney's Networking Strategy
Courtney Alnatis says Hulu has achieved impressive employee retention and tenure
What Makes Hulu So Attractive to Employees?
You're passionate about mentorship and currently mentoring someone transitioning into restaurant HR
Teaching in the Hospitality Industry: The Importance of Ment
When it comes to building an inclusive and high-performing team in a restaurant setting
Building an Inclusive Team at Lu's
Emotional awareness and self-awareness are key components of workplace relationships
Employment Relationships: Emotional Awareness and Self-awareness
What parting advice would you like to share with our audience about influence in HR
What parting advice would you have for HR professionals?
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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