The people your business depends on today won’t be there forever. Who are you preparing to take their place?
Host Bryn Griffiths sits down with Trina Casey-Myatt, Regional Director with Robert Half, to talk about succession planning and developing the people your organization will need next.
After nearly three decades in recruitment, Trina says the workplace has changed more in the past six years than in the previous 23. Remote and hybrid work have shifted expectations, personal and professional lives have become more intertwined, and AI is changing both how work gets done and the skills employers need.
Against that backdrop, succession planning becomes increasingly important. Trina argues that organizations should continually ask a simple question: who is being developed to step into each key role?
The conversation explores mentorship, reverse mentorship and why good leaders shouldn’t be afraid to develop someone who could eventually become better than they are. Trina also explains why experienced professionals need to keep learning as technology changes their jobs, and shares a great example of a company that hired a summer student with one assignment: figure out how AI could help the rest of the team.
For credit leaders and business owners, it’s a practical conversation about retaining knowledge, developing talent and making sure the departure of one important person doesn’t leave an organization scrambling.
Episode Highlights
00:00 — Meet Trina Casey-Myatt
Bryn introduces Trina, her recruitment background and the growing importance of succession planning.
01:03 — Six Years That Changed the Workplace
Why Trina believes the workplace has changed more since 2020 than during the previous two decades.
02:37 — Is Hybrid Work Fading?
What Robert Half is seeing as more employers return to four or five days in the office, and where flexibility remains.
03:41 — What Different Generations Want From Work
Why younger employees may value the office for learning while experienced workers approaching retirement may increasingly value flexibility.
05:16 — When Work and Personal Life Blended Together
How remote work changed the boundaries between employees’ professional and personal lives.
06:53 — Who’s Ready to Take Over?
Trina gets to the heart of succession planning: identifying the talent you already have and developing people to step into key positions.
08:07 — Your Mentee Should Become Better Than You
Why mentorship benefits both sides, and why leaders shouldn’t be threatened by developing talented successors.
08:41 — The Opportunity in Reverse Mentorship
Experienced employees have knowledge to share, but younger employees can return the favour with technology and new ways of working.
09:52 — Keeping Up When Work Keeps Changing
Why experienced professionals who continue learning and adapting are better positioned as technology reshapes the workplace.
10:34 — What AI Changes About Our Jobs
Trina and Bryn discuss automation, eliminating mundane work and using AI to spend more time on higher-value thinking.
13:19 — Succession Planning Isn’t Only for Executives
Why every organization should be thinking about who can step into important roles throughout the business.
14:13 — The Danger of “We’ve Always Done It This Way”
How resistance to change can make it harder to retain and attract talented people.
14:52 — Why the Future of Work Still Excites Trina
After 29 years in recruitment, Trina explains why the pace of change has made her more interested in what comes next.
16:53 — The Summer Student Who Became the AI Expert
A company gives one student a deceptively simple summer assignment: learn how AI can help the team and teach everyone else. The result becomes a practical example of reverse mentorship in action.
18:25 — Finding the People Your Business Needs Next
Trina explains how Robert Half works with employers and candidates to match changing organizational needs with people and career opportunities.
Transcript
Bryn Griffiths: This is Overdue Advice, the podcast about how and why debt collection works for your business, brought to you by MetCredit.
Bryn Griffiths: My name is Bryn Griffiths. The world of credit and credit collection is always changing, mostly because the world is always on the move too. Trina Casey-Myatt is a Regional Director with Robert Half. They’re the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm. With more than 20 years in recruitment and a background in investment banking, sales and marketing, she also oversees teams across the Alberta market.
Now, with fewer than 50% of Alberta’s businesses in transition currently having a succession plan, her message on identifying and developing tomorrow’s leaders today is becoming increasingly urgent. We had a chance to meet up at the National Credit Conference in Jasper, Alberta, this past June.
Bryn Griffiths: Okay, so when did I see you last? About a year ago? Two years ago?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah, about a year ago.
Bryn Griffiths: Wow. It’s amazing how fast time goes by. What’s going on at Robert Half?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Well, you know, good things at Robert Half. There are always changes happening in the workplace and different economic impacts. And so every day is a new day at Robert Half.
Bryn Griffiths: I know you’re obviously speaking at the National Credit Conference in Jasper, and I want to hear all about that. But I want to ask you about something that’s becoming a big topic. We stayed away from it for the longest time, and that was talking about the pandemic, and I use quote fingers for that. How much has changed for you in the last six years with everything in terms of that?
Trina Casey-Myatt: I think we probably need more than the time that we have to talk about all the changes that we’ve seen since the pandemic. I’ve been in the industry for 29 years, and I would say over the past six years, we’ve seen more change in the work environment than we had seen in the 23 years prior to that. So there’s been a lot of change, and it’s been fast and furious, I would say.
But it’s also been challenging. It’s been challenging for organizations to adapt to what people are wanting today. It’s been challenging for people to adapt to the balance that they’re looking for today. So while I feel it’s brought some great things, because I think it helped people put into perspective what was really important for them, it’s brought some challenges into the workplace that I don’t feel are fully ironed out today. And I think we’ll continue to see some adjustment as we move forward.
Bryn Griffiths: Can we talk about the challenges first? What are you finding? I know that there’s still a lot of remote work done out there. There are employers that would like to have people back full-time. I’ve got to think that maybe there’s someplace in the middle, but all the way through these last six years, I think it’s basically reinvention. But what are you finding?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Well, we are finding that a lot of organizations are back on a full-time basis, if not four days a week. So we’re seeing a lot less from a hybrid perspective. We are seeing hybrid in areas that are highly specialized. So technology, we’re still seeing a bit more hybrid because they may not be able to find the skill set that they need in their location. So they’re open to across Canada or whatnot. But we are seeing a lot of organizations that have moved back to four to five days in the office. That’s created some challenges for individuals.
Bryn Griffiths: I bet it has. I’ve got to ask you, though, is there a demographic? I’m trying to find the right way to word this. If I was younger, would I want to work hybrid-wise? I’m older, I love the energy of the office, but that’s just me. Can you break this down by demographic? Is that possible?
Trina Casey-Myatt: You know, it’s interesting because there are definitely some demographics that we’re seeing, but we are also seeing that there are a percentage of the newer generation in the workplace that are wanting to be in the office because they’re wanting to learn.
They understand that being with the individuals who have the knowledge will help them succeed, and being with their peers and whatnot are helping. There’s always that percentage that prefer to work at home in their PJs.
Bryn Griffiths: I’ve got to admit, I do like working at home in sweats.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Right, there you go.
Bryn Griffiths: And I can do that occasionally.
Trina Casey-Myatt: And then I would say there’s also a portion of the generation that are getting ready for retirement that are looking for a little more flexibility. They’re not ready to leave the workforce yet, but they do want that flexibility. Maybe working remotely from some amazing exotic location for a period of time really appeals to them. So it’s interesting that we’re seeing differences that you wouldn’t expect in the different generations.
Bryn Griffiths: Is that the biggest thing for you over these last six years since the pandemic, now having to deal with that? Because I don’t ever remember talking about this before 2020.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah. You know, it’s that. And I think the other component of it is that when we were all fully working remotely from home, now you’ve got a glimpse into people’s personal lives. You were now in their home. You saw the kids running in the background. Sometimes you saw other things in the background that you shouldn’t see. We’ve all seen those videos.
Bryn Griffiths: Yeah, a couple.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Hopefully it wasn’t you, but—
Bryn Griffiths: No.
Trina Casey-Myatt: But now it’s more that there’s a blend of the personal and the professional lives that we haven’t seen in the past. And so people are more willing to share information about their personal lives, and they bring their personal lives to work. When I started in the workplace, the term was, “When you walk through that door, leave your personal life behind it,” right?
Bryn Griffiths: Oof. How long ago was that?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Well, that was a few years ago. A while ago. We won’t date myself here.
Bryn Griffiths: Okay.
Trina Casey-Myatt: But, you know, that’s what the mentality was. When you were at work, you only focused on work. And when you went home, you focused on home. Now it’s blended. And that is a challenge for a lot of organizations to maneuver through, depending on the type of position that people are in and the flexibility that they can provide. And yeah, it definitely has created some differences in the work environment.
Bryn Griffiths: I was busy recording, so I did not hear your session in Jasper. Is this kind of the direction?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah. What I’ve been talking about here in Jasper is succession planning and how organizations can set themselves up for future success by planning for what is going to happen.
Bryn Griffiths: How do we do that?
Trina Casey-Myatt: I wish I had all the answers, but one of the big things is really always looking at what is the talent that you have currently, and do you have a successor for that talent? Each person on your team, do you have someone who is being developed to take that next step, to move into that next position? And I think if organizations just start with that very basic concept, they will be in a much better place. We’ve all seen and heard, you know, when people leave an organization, they leave a massive hole.
Bryn Griffiths: Yeah.
Trina Casey-Myatt: It’s because there isn’t anyone ready to take their position. And so, if you are organized and planned, then hopefully you do.
Bryn Griffiths: Mentorship is a word that kind of pops up. But it seems to me that people are afraid of mentoring somebody because they might be their next replacement. Do you hear that a little bit?
Trina Casey-Myatt: You know, I’ve always taken the attitude that, hey, my mentee should be better than me.
Bryn Griffiths: Always you.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Because it means that I’ve done a good job.
Bryn Griffiths: Yes.
Trina Casey-Myatt: And that’s what you want. You want people to be better. They help challenge you. I love mentoring people. They make me think. They maybe make me look at things a little bit differently.
Bryn Griffiths: Might even make me better.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah, well, it does that too, right? So it’s a benefit for both parties. I think, again, if organizations really set up a great program, it can be so beneficial to both individuals. We hear a lot about reverse mentoring. What that is, is the newer generation may be coming in that are very technology savvy and then, you know, maybe reverse mentoring individuals who aren’t as tech savvy and haven’t had to use the same level of technology in their position.
Bryn Griffiths: This requires, though, two-way conversation, communication, because, okay, so I’m in my mid-60s. I’m of that vintage. But the one thing I hear from a lot of the younger people in the media business that I work with, and at home from some particular residents of the house, is that I’m not a typical 60-plus person because I’ve learned all this new technology. But isn’t innovation of yourself personally important? And you must see that a lot, and maybe don’t see that a lot as well.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah. You know, I think it’s unfortunate if you don’t have that attitude and you don’t embrace new technologies and new ways of doing things. I think that’s one thing that we’ve seen since the pandemic: the speed of change has increased, if you can believe it. And so if you’re not embracing that, you’re going to get left behind. And we are seeing that right now in the employment market where, unfortunately, some very senior-level individuals are being displaced because they’re not keeping up with the changes. They’re not embracing the changes, the technologies, and unfortunately they’re being replaced.
Bryn Griffiths: I’m going to go there. I’m going to talk about AI, though, for a moment. Is that concerning to you, the direction we’re going, or is there a good side and a bad side to this?
Trina Casey-Myatt: You know, I think with every change, there’s some good and there’s some maybe not so great. And it is a big topic that we have been talking about as to how it is going to impact the employment market. And what we’ve seen is that there are definitely some positive impacts, taking some very mundane tasks that nobody wanted to do—
Bryn Griffiths: Yeah.
Trina Casey-Myatt: —automating some of those things and allowing individuals to maybe utilize their brain a little bit more, be more creative, think more. So it’s been very positive in that way. In the areas where it’s maybe not as positive, it’s those individuals who are not embracing the changes because I think the flow of information, the quality of information that you’re getting today, can provide you with a great deal more opportunity to impact the organization by making the right decisions versus just compiling data and information that’s being done for you.
Bryn Griffiths: Right. I’ve brought this up numerous times on this podcast, that my dad told me when I started in broadcasting, you might have to reinvent yourself two or three times. I think it’s been about eight times. However, I’ve taken every single one of those on with a great amount of gusto and enthusiasm because I think it’s all part of the process of you learning how you do that. Do you find that with the people you work with?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah. You know, I think it’s an exciting time. On the drive to Jasper, I was with one of my colleagues, and this was part of our conversation: how are we using AI? How can we use it differently? And, you know, can it do all of these things for us? Which makes it really exciting, and it allows us to do the things that we love more versus, you know, sitting in front of a computer and punching in numbers or whatever it is.
Bryn Griffiths: The boring stuff for me.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Exactly, exactly.
Bryn Griffiths: Okay, so let’s talk about the direction things are going now. You’re speaking at the conference, and so I’ve got to think that we’re talking about a lot of people. Obviously, when you’re at a national credit conference, how do you take your topics and kind of make it work for the credit people? Because, you know, talking to various people at MetCredit, they’re always excited about—you talk about doing a great job of mentoring people and bringing people along.
How do you bring your ideas into their ideas? How do you do that?
Trina Casey-Myatt: You know, I think my topic spans any position at any level, truly anywhere. So that succession plan and having the plan of who’s the next person that’s going to take your position, I think it resonates for everyone. And again, you know, the success of organizations relies on the talent that they have. Hey, you can have the best idea, you could have the best product, but if you don’t have the best people to make that happen, where do you go?
Bryn Griffiths: Yeah, and I always think that, you know what, the best executives are the ones with their eyes wide open, the ones who are looking for the next best thing and the next exciting candidate out there, and also working with the people that they have. And some organizations have it. I’m sure you’ve got horror stories about companies that have not done it like that, right?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah. You know, I think if you are stuck in the “this is the way we’ve always done it”—
Bryn Griffiths: Oh yeah.
Trina Casey-Myatt: —that’s a telltale sign that you’ve got some challenges, and you will have more challenges in the future. Unfortunately, you’re not going to retain the top talent.
Bryn Griffiths: Yep.
Trina Casey-Myatt: And you probably won’t attract the top talent. So without that, where are you going to go?
Bryn Griffiths: So I do have to ask you this. How long have you been in this business for? You kind of said it.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah, so 29 years total.
Bryn Griffiths: Okay. Do you get excited by the future when you see what’s going on and then look back at the past and go, I can’t believe we’ve gone from point A to point B?
Trina Casey-Myatt: You know, it’s funny you ask that because I’ve been in the industry for a while.
Bryn Griffiths: Yes.
Trina Casey-Myatt: So you can kind of start putting the numbers together. And so, I would say of my peer group, you know, a lot of us are talking about retirement and when is that coming? And while that’s an exciting topic, I’m like, you know, I’m not ready to go there yet. I’m excited to see where things go. It’s energizing. It’s exhausting some days, for sure.
Bryn Griffiths: Yep.
Trina Casey-Myatt: But it’s energizing to think, where are we going to go? You know, I was at an AI session yesterday that we held with audit professionals, and we were talking about the different AIs that they use. And, you know, we kind of got off track a little bit in talking about Claude and the things that Claude can do for you.
Bryn Griffiths: I know Claude very well. He’s a good friend of mine.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah, good. Okay. And, you know, it’s like the world of possibilities when you start implementing some of these things. It’s kind of mind-blowing from, you know, when I started in this industry, everything was manual. We didn’t even have a computer on our desk. I have my team back at the office laugh at me when I talk about those things and, you know, how we had individual files of each person that we met and a colour-coding system to figure out what their skill set was, to where we are today. But, you know, where we’re going in the next five years, I think is going to accelerate from where we have been in the last, I’m going to say, 15 years.
Bryn Griffiths: Before we let you roll, are you absolutely blown away by how fast this is going? Like for me, I don’t know if that’s my age or not, but I just can’t believe how much we are learning and how fast this is all coming at us. You’ve got to hear, I’m sure, all sorts of things about that.
Trina Casey-Myatt: Yeah, it’s really cool, actually. And you know what’s really exciting for me? My kids are 23 and 25, and just seeing the opportunities that they may have. And I was speaking to a company the other day, and I loved this. They brought in a summer student. So their team was of a genre that they weren’t necessarily embracing AI. And they brought in a summer student and they said, “Your only job is to figure out how AI can help us. And once a week, you’re going to put on a training session.” That’s what the student’s job was.
Bryn Griffiths: How did that work out?
Trina Casey-Myatt: How cool is that?
Bryn Griffiths: I love it, but how did it work out?
Trina Casey-Myatt: It worked out amazing. And so, to be able to provide them with some guidance, they had to learn the different jobs and what they were doing. So they did that. And then they gave them some great practical ideas as to how they could implement AI. So by the end of the summer, the student was the most important person in the room because everyone was going to them to say, “Okay, now what? If I wanted to do this, how would I do it?” So that student inspired this team to really embrace what they were afraid to. And I love that. I love hearing that students are coming into the workplace and having that level of impact.
Bryn Griffiths: This is that reverse mentorship thing you’re talking about. Wow. Hey, tell everybody, because not everybody knows what Robert Half is all about. Can you kind of break it down for us a little bit?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Sure. We are a specialized recruitment firm, so we specialize in a variety of different areas, most professional—technology, accounting and finance, human resources, supply chain—both on a contract and permanent basis. We work very closely with organizations to help them identify the talent that they require for where they’re going and what their needs are. We work with the candidate to try to help them figure out what is the path that they want to go from a career perspective, maybe open their eyes to some different ideas, and then we put them together.
Bryn Griffiths: You’re having fun. That’s the big thing.
Trina Casey-Myatt: We are having lots of fun.
Bryn Griffiths: Hey, well, thanks for coming here and having fun. And obviously, thanks for being at the National Credit Conference. And hey, listen, continued success. Okay?
Trina Casey-Myatt: Thanks, Bryn. It’s always a pleasure.
Bryn Griffiths: Hey, that’s it for today’s episode of Overdue Advice. We’re easy to find online. MetCredit is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X @MetCredit. And you can also check out Brian Summerfelt’s blog. It’s easy to find too. It’s blog.metcredit.com. The website also includes numerous helpful tools and calculators to assess your business debt risk. And we’d also love to hear from you.
So subscribe, like or leave us a review on this or any of our podcasts, and make sure you share that podcast with your friends and business associates. You can drop us a line at overdueadvice@metcredit.com. Overdue Advice, the podcast about cash flow strategies to grow your business. I’m Bryn Griffiths.