The PEOple's Podcast

Workplace safety is more than compliance. It’s a key driver of employee morale, retention, productivity, and long-term business success. In Part 2 of our Simpler. Safer. Stronger. series, host Alyse Kimble sits down with GMS Senior Safety Coordinator Steve Barr to discuss how business owners can build a proactive safety culture, reduce workplace risks, and protect both their employees and their bottom line. Tune in to learn practical safety strategies, common workplace hazards to watch for, and how GMS helps businesses create safer, stronger workplaces.

Simpler: Fundamental and Proactive HR is the first episode in the three-part Simpler. Safer. Stronger. series from The PEOple's Podcast. Host Alyse Kimble is joined by Julie Grund, Client Services Manager, for a conversation about the HR foundations every successful business needs, including employee handbooks, job descriptions, and proactive HR practices that help prevent issues before they arise. They discuss how building a strong HR framework can simplify day-to-day operations, reduce administrative burdens, and give business owners more time to focus on growing their companies. As Part 1 of this three-part series, Simpler explores how GMS helps small and mid-sized businesses streamline HR processes and create a stronger operational foundation through expert support and guidance. The PEOple's Podcast is a valuable resource for business owners looking for practical insights on HR, compliance, payroll, benefits, and business growth. For more information about how GMS can help simplify your business, visit the GMS website and explore additional resources and services.

Workplace safety is about more than compliance. It’s about protecting employees, reducing risk, and creating a stronger business. In this episode of PEOple’s Podcast, host Alyse Kimble sits down with Gary Overy, Vice President of Operations at Ohio Metallurgical Service, Inc., to discuss the impact GMS Risk Management has had on his organization and how its approach to workplace safety has evolved over the years.Gary shares how partnering with GMS helped strengthen his company’s safety culture, improve risk management strategies, and increase employee safety awareness. He also highlights real-world results and examples that demonstrate the value of proactive risk management, offering valuable insights for business owners looking to reduce workplace risk and create a safer, more productive work environment.

When it comes to HR compliance, many business owners don’t realize how broad and critical it really is. In this episode of PEOple’s Podcast, host Alyse Kimble sits down with Stacey Larotonda, Chief Customer Officer at GMS, to break down what HR compliance actually means and why it matters. From paying employees correctly to maintaining a safe workplace and following hiring and anti-discrimination laws, Stacey explains that compliance is ultimately about doing the right things for your people while staying aligned with the law.Alyse and Stacey also explore why a one-size-fits-all approach to HR fails, especially across industries with unique compliance challenges. They discuss the risks of getting HR wrong, like costly audits, wage violations, and discrimination claims, and how businesses can shift from reactive to proactive by conducting regular audits, updating policies, and implementing consistent training. This episode offers practical insight for business owners looking to reduce risk, stay compliant, and build a stronger HR foundation with the right partner.

Employment-related issues often start small but can quickly escalate into serious problems when HR best practices are overlooked. In this episode of PEOple’s Podcast, host Alyse Kimble sits down with Megan Wagner, Client Services Manager at Group Management Services, to share real-world HR horror stories and the lessons employers can learn from them.Megan walks through examples of workplace situations that went wrong, from mishandled employee complaints to inconsistent policies and compliance gaps, and explains how these missteps can lead to broader challenges, including legal risk, reputational damage, and employee dissatisfaction. When HR processes aren’t followed or updated, even minor issues can snowball into costly consequences for a business.This episode provides valuable insights for business owners and HR leaders who want to avoid preventable mistakes and build a stronger, more compliant workplace.