Turning People Problems Into Process Solutions with Bernadette Jones

Turning People Problems Into Process Solutions with Bernadette Jones

July 16, 2026 · 35 min · Episode 261

About this episode

In this episode, Mike Coffey interviews Bernadette Jones about resolving workplace issues and the importance of effective leadership communication.

For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP261 In episode 261, Coffey talks with Bernadette Jones about how leaders can identify, triage, and resolve workplace issues before they escalate into legal and cultural crises. They discuss leader avoidance of difficult conversations and its organizational consequences; distinguishing between people problems, process problems, and leadership problems; using a triage framework to assess urgency and risk in workplace issues; the TRIAGE acronym as a structured people problem resolution framework; the role of documentation in at-will terminations and discrimination defense; when to bring in third-party HR consultants or employment counsel; the cost and cultural damage of nuisance lawsuits and settlement checks; transparent post-incident communication strategies that protect employee privacy; the connection between ongoing feedback practices and employee trust; and workplace trauma, post-COVID mental health, and psychological safety as cultural imperatives. Good Morning, HR is brought to you by…

People in this episode

Host: Mike Coffey

Guest: Bernadette Jones

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Organizations: Good Morning, HR, HRCI, SHRM

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