West Central MN SHRM: The Legal Lowdown: Mock Investigation (Thursday, October 01, 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:45:00 GMT

Mock Investigation

Josh Heggem, partner at Pemberton Law in Fergus Falls, is a recognized expert in the practice of Labor and Employment Law, which has been a major concentration of his work for more than fourteen years and currently makes up 90 percent of his practice representing and advising public and private employers. Workplace investigations have been a significant niche within his practice, and he has completed well over 150 investigations and presently conducts at least two per month. He also has a great deal of experience handling labor negotiations on behalf of employers, conducting workplace trainings, and advising employers on the myriad of issues they encounter on a daily basis, including contract issues, medical leaves, wage and hour, workplace misconduct, and employee separation issues.

West Central MN SHRM: The Midwest Nice Paradox: How Leaders Build High-Performance Cultures, Not Just Harmony (Thursday, November 05, 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 14:45:00 GMT

Program Summary

Are your most well-meaning employees quietly undermining productivity? In the pursuit of “Midwest Nice,” many companies unknowingly allow conflict to fester, leading to passive aggression, unresolved tension, and higher turnover. This session goes beyond surface-level niceties to uncover the behavioral science behind this unique cultural dynamic. You will learn to differentiate between performative “nice” and genuinely effective”kindness” to unlock a more transparent, high-trust workplace.

Leave this session with two immediately actionable strategies to elevate your conflict resolution from a perfunctory process to a powerful business driver. By transforming a potential weakness into a source of competitive advantage, you will not only foster psychological safety but also prove your value as a strategic HR leader.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

Diagnose the root cause of why traditional conflict management programs fail to gain traction in Midwest corporate cultures.
Strategically leverage the critical distinction between being “nice” and being “kind” to build a more resilient workforce.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Laura Janusik is a highly sought-after advisor to senior HR leaders, uniquely bridging the gap between communication science and strategic business outcomes. With a Ph.D. in Communication and an MBA, along with 15 years of hands-on experience in HR Management, she is an authority on leveraging strategic listening to resolve complex, culture-specific conflicts that impact productivity and retention.

As a trusted consultant, trainer, and coach, Dr. Janusik is known for translating decades of published research, cited in prestigious outlets like Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes, into practical, immediately implementable strategies for high-performance teams.

Laura’s deep understanding of HR's challenges, combined with her expertise as a professor at Rockhurst University, positions her as a leader who can not only diagnose cultural pain points but also equip organizations with the skills to build more resilient, transparent, and profitable workplaces.

West Central MN SHRM upcoming events

West Central MN SHRM: The Legal Lowdown: Mock Investigation (Thursday, October 01, 2026)

West Central MN SHRM: The Midwest Nice Paradox: How Leaders Build High-Performance Cultures, Not Just Harmony (Thursday, November 05, 2026)