Jemar Ward
Chief People Officer
Public Health Solutions
Episode 223
From Policy Police to People-First: HR's Strategy for Engaging Gen Z.
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleApril 21, 2025 · 10:01
Thesis
“Effective HR leadership moves beyond traditional 'policy police' roles to truly empower supervisors, foster a culture of continuous feedback, and engage a values-driven workforce like Gen Z by focusing on people, performance, and purpose.”
Show notes
Empowering Supervisors and Engaging Gen Z: Insights from Jemar Ward
In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, host Dave welcomes Jemar, who shares his career journey from workforce development to leading HR roles in both government and nonprofit sectors.
Jemar discusses empowering supervisors to take ownership of performance management and the importance of continuous feedback.
He also highlights a case study on implementing a culture of continuous feedback and shares his experiences working with Gen Z employees.
Jemar concludes with parting advice for HR leaders, emphasizing the importance of understanding people, setting clear expectations, and modeling the desired culture.
The conversation offers valuable insights into effective leadership and employee engagement.
00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast
00:16 Sponsor Message: Previ Network
00:38 Guest Introduction: Jemar's Career Journey
01:59 Empowering Supervisors in Performance Management
04:33 Case Study: Continuous Feedback Culture
07:16 Engaging with Gen Z Employees
09:23 Parting Advice for HR Leaders09:55 Closing Remarks
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What you'll take away
- 1Empower supervisors to take daily ownership of performance management, providing continuous feedback rather than annual surprises, to foster accountability.
- 2Cultivate a culture of continuous feedback by integrating learning, offering supervisor training, transparently sharing and acting on employee feedback, and implementing 360-degree review tools (upward and peer feedback).
- 3Engage Gen Z by providing clear career progression, investing in genuine development without immediate output expectations, and ensuring transparency, clarity, and flexibility in the workplace.
- 4Redefine HR leadership by prioritizing 'people, performance, and purpose,' moving beyond policy enforcement to actively understand employees, optimize programs, set clear expectations, and model desired cultural values.
What most organizations get wrong
- •If a supervisor is anxious about upward reviews, it indicates they are 'not doing something right,' pushing back on the common discomfort with transparent feedback.
In Jemar's words
“I want supervisors to supervise”
Emphasizes that performance management is a direct responsibility of supervisors, not solely HR's.
“a performance review should not be a surprise”
Highlights the critical importance of ongoing, continuous feedback throughout the year.
“not being what I call askholes, right? And getting feedback and sharing the feedback that we got and what we're doing about the feedback”
Stresses the necessity of taking action on feedback and maintaining transparency to build trust and show value.
“If you're anxious [about upward reviews], then you're not doing something right.”
A bold challenge to leaders, suggesting that fear of upward feedback points to deeper issues in their management approach.
“I love Gen Z, and I love them because they're clear on what they want. And if it's not, if it doesn't meet their needs, they will leave.”
Underscores Gen Z's values-driven approach and their willingness to seek environments that align with their expectations.
“people think of HR as like policy or like the police, but it's really about people. It's really about performance and it's really about purpose.”
Redefines the strategic and human-centric role of modern HR leadership.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Supervisors avoiding performance management conversations for extended periods (e.g., 1.5 years), leading to unaddressed issues and eventual frustration.
- •Lack of timely documentation and coaching conversations in performance management, resulting in an inability to course-correct employee behavior before termination is considered.
- •Low incentive for employees/managers to complete performance reviews when they are not tied to tangible outcomes like merit.
- •Supervisor anxiety regarding upward reviews, indicating a potential fear of candid feedback and a need for leadership development.
- •Gen Z employees disengaging and leaving organizations if their needs for clear career paths, development, flexibility, and inclusive workplaces are not met.
- •Traditional workplace expectations overwhelming and alienating Gen Z employees, hindering their engagement and contributions.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
Dave: Jamar shares a little bit about his career journey
What's Your Career Journey?
You successfully coached a supervisor to take more ownership on performance management
Coach: Taking More Ownership of Performance Management
Shifting to a culture of continuous feedback led to significant improvements in employee performance
The Culture of Continuous Feedback
Jamarr says working with Gen Z employees challenged your assumptions about workplace expectations
How To Engage With Gen Z
Jamar, what parting advice would you like to share with our community
In the Elevator With Built By People
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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