From Teaching to HR Leadership: Justin Ostrynski's Journey & Insights | Shifting People Podcast

In this episode of the Shifting People Podcast, co-hosts Derek Williamson and Kathleen McDonough interview Justin Ostrynski, Director of People and Culture Development at Hendricks Commercial Group. Hear Justin’s incredible journey from teaching to corporate HR, including his impactful roles at Chick-fil-A and Krispy Kreme. He shares his experiences in navigating career transitions, championing frontline workers, implementing successful training programs, and fostering company culture. Gain actionable insights on listening to employees, executing change management, and measuring the ROI of investing in people. Whether you're in HR, talent acquisition, or business leadership, Justin’s story will inspire and offer practical strategies you can apply in your own organization.

00:00 Introduction to the Shifting People Podcast

00:27 Meet Justin Ostrynski: From Teacher to Director of People and Culture

01:48 Journey into the Restaurant World with Chick-fil-A

02:54 Corporate Experience and Return to Operations

04:58 Navigating COVID and Transitioning to Krispy Kreme

07:13 Joining Hendricks Commercial Properties

08:55 Challenges and Strategies in People Development

11:15 Importance of Frontline Worker Engagement

16:50 Values and Culture in Organizations

20:56 Project Spark: Building an LMS from Scratch

23:36 Collaborative Training Development

24:27 Project Spark: Igniting Learning

24:59 Celebrating Small Wins

26:33 Executive Support and ROI

31:56 Scaling Culture for Growth

33:54 The Value of the Food Service Industry

37:08 Listening to the Frontline

39:31 Calculating Turnover Costs

44:02 Final Thoughts and Farewell