http://www.happykatie.com

To be honest, I was not planning on attending SXSW this year – I've been lucky enough to attend the last 4 years and had anticipated taking this year off.  Rather, maybe I just wanted to give my liver the year off.

BUT!! along came a happy 'Your Kicking Recession Ass With Killer Company Culture Panel Has Been Accepted' email from the ever amazing Hugh Forrest (and other gazillion SXSWi worker bees) and the thought of getting to present with Kelsey Ruger (aka: the Moleskin aka: AWESOME TALL DUDE) was enough to bring my liver out of SXSWi sabbatical.

Here's the skinny:

Kelsey and I are rocking out a Core Conversation on Sunday (3/14) at 12:30pm in the Courtyard Brazos A/B.  This means that you'll be walking across the street and into the Courtyard Marriott.  Yeah, SXSW has gotten THAT big.  But it'll be worth it.

The topic of company culture is a hot one right now and rightly so for a number of reasons (in my little brain, at least).  With crunched budgets, many companies cannot afford to remain competitive with the salaries they offer so many are turning towards more creative benefits for employees.

Reeling from a fresh influx of newly graduated youngun's, other companies find themselves as diversified as they've ever been (halloo multi-generational workplaces, what a trip!!!) and they see the need to cater to vastly different employee needs and desires. 

And still other organizations have been seeing red thanks to the aforementioned financial strain, causing them to re-evaluate their corporate vision and mission.  Many workplaces proclaim a 'culture of excellence', but micro manage and browbeat their employees until the low morale is so thick you can slice it.  As businesses flounder, the smart ones take stock of their current situation and make the changes in their culture to keep together and keep it growing.   

At the end of the organizational climate rainbow, employees are the heart, the pulse, the lifeblood and the magical billable glitter of every business.  Kelsey and I look forward to holding a fantastic discussion with all of you, I know we will all leave inspired.

And, of course, huge and tremendous thanks to my company, Schipul – The Web Marketing, for keeping me sharp to what's good and necessary in the company culture world!