Introducing Our New Host, Nicole Alvino!

This episode features an interview with Nicole Alvino. Nicole is a visionary entrepreneur and CEO with a passion for transforming the employee experience. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Firstup, a leading enterprise SaaS company, Nicole is responsible for driving innovation and growth in employee experience, engagement and communications. She believes that investing in employees is key to building high performance cultures that improve the top and bottom lines of any business, and is proud to call 40 of the Fortune 100 customers. In this episode, Nicole talks about how the employee experience starts with the pre-hire motion all the way through retirement, how to hyper-personalize it for each employee, and working cross-functionally to deliver a truly exceptional employee experience.Quotes*”The employee experience is something that every single leader needs to get better at, full stop. It is all about our people and understanding how we can connect them to the purpose of the company, their job, and how they feel a sense of belonging. This is the only way that we move business forward.”*”With any time of difficulty, crisis, or change, there are two things that I always do: Lead with transparency and empathy. I think you have to be incredibly transparent, with clear communication so people know what is going on, what you expect of them as a leader, and then how you will continue to support them throughout this difficult change. So that piece with communication at the core is so important, and the empathy goes hand in hand.”Time Stamps[0:33] Meet Nicole Alvino, Founder & CEO of Firstup[3:25] Where did the idea for the Cruising Altitude podcast come from?[4:41] What are the challenges Nicole faces as CEO of Firstup?[5:59] How does Nicole create a world class employee experience at Firstup?[9:00] What metrics is Nicole tuning into to know employees are having a successful experience?[11:14] What are the best experiences Nicole has had in her own career?[12:36] What lessons has she learned about fostering a positive employee experience?[14:07] How does Nicole lead during times of difficulty or change?[16:08] Where does Nicole do her best thinking?[17:47] What’s one thing Nicole always does, and one thing she never does?[18:35] Where can listeners connect with Nicole?LinksConnect with Nicole on LinkedInLearn more about FirstupThanks to our friendsThis episode is brought to you by Firstup, the company that is redefining the digital employee experience to put people first and lift companies up by connecting every worker, everywhere with the information that helps them do their best work. Firstup has helped over 40% of the Fortune 100 companies like Amazon, AB InBev, Ford and Pfizer stay agile and keep transforming. Learn more at firstup.io