Operating without trust in HR is almost IMPOSSIBLE. The even crazier part is that trust can be destroyed instantly if you say or do the wrong thing! I mean, I’ve never met a human being who says they love micromanagement. In this season finale, Minda Harts and I are dragging trust issues into the light! We’re dissecting her Seven Trust Languages, why “transparent” leadership feels like a bad magic trick, and how to rebuild trust after your org set it on fire. Remote teams, chaotic offices, leade...
Jun 23, 2025•56 min
Look, we’ve all been there at this point: Your company claims it's “all about accessibility,” but somehow, employees still struggle to find answers to basic questions. Leadership preaches an open-door policy, but good luck getting a response anytime soon. And don’t even get me started on the “We’re ADA compliant!” flex like it’s some kind of gold medal when it’s actually the bare minimum! That’s why I brought in the brilliant friend Lia Seth, Director of People at Cylinder Health, disability adv...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 10 min
I hate to say it, but your “amazing culture” might be a lie. Today, Latesha Byrd and I are ripping off the culture band-aid to expose what’s actually happening in your org! You know the drill: shiny values on the wall that nobody abides by, all-hands full of empty promises, and that lovely gaslighty feeling when leadership says “we’re family” but acts like a toxic ex. We’re explaining why “bring your whole self to work” is a scam if your culture is performative, how to spot and fix the disconnec...
Jun 09, 2025•55 min
Look, I’ll be honest: most “leadership experts” lowkey make me want to throw my laptop into a pool. But Dr. Matt Poepsel? This man’s the REAL DEAL! Marine veteran, Ironman triathlete, PhD in psychology, and the actual godfather of talent optimization (no, really, he wrote the book on it)! So when he says leadership today is broken, you listen. Today, we’re dragging egos, calling out the “hero leader” BS, and answering the question employees are too scared to ask: Why are so many leaders terrible...
Jun 02, 2025•51 min
Whether we like it or not, office politics are an unavoidable part of corporate life. But don’t worry—you’re in for a TREAT today because one of my absolute favorite humans, Jessica Winder, is back on the pod, and we’re diving into the BS of corporate life in detail! You know, the kind where you’re expected to read minds, kiss ass, and perform miracles while leadership acts like promotions are some kind of Da Vinci Code situation. We’re talking about why “being liked” often beats “being right,” ...
May 26, 2025•51 min
This should come as no surprise anymore, but your employees aren’t just asking for certainty these days, they’re BEGGING for it! And yet, most workplaces still operate like a Magic 8 Ball: "Ask again later," "Outlook not so good," and my personal favorite, "Cannot predict now." Cool, cool. So why do we keep acting shocked when people quit over unclear expectations, bad leadership, and the soul-crushing weight of "figure it out yourself" culture? Joining me today is Kat Kibben, recruiting expert ...
May 19, 2025•55 min
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: MONEY. 💸 And who better to talk about money with than compensation guru Matt McFarlane? In this episode, we’re ripping apart everything you think you know about fair pay. Why do employees feel stiffed? Are pay gaps accidental or systemic? And why the hell is talking about salary still taboo? We’ll also be discussing why fair pay is still a myth at most companies, how to handle founders who treat compensation like a dark art, and what actual pay transpa...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Let’s get one thing straight: People Leaders are tired of companies pretending they care about equity while quietly rolling back DEI initiatives and gaslighting employees into thinking they’re the problem. So I brought in someone I admire DEEPLY, Cierra Gross, Founder of Caged Bird HR and Wrk Receipts, to drag corporate America’s favorite lies—and yes, it got spicy! We’re discussing why “accountability” is a corporate buzzword for “we’ll investigate ourselves and find no wrongdoing,” how Gen Z i...
May 05, 2025•59 min
Employees aren’t just asking for feedback—they’re begging for it. So why are we still serving them stale, twice-a-year performance reviews like it’s 1999? This week, I’m sitting down with Jessica DeVlieger to unpack why your team is secretly screaming, “Just tell me if I’m doing a good job!”—and how leaders keep missing the mark. We’re digging into: 🔥 Why employees ALWAYS know who’s underperforming before managers do (and the awkward truth about what happens next) 🔥 The #1 reason managers avoi...
Apr 28, 2025•50 min
Let’s talk about fairness—or, more accurately, let’s talk about how your company is probably failing at it! You know the drill: the ‘neutral’ policies that somehow always disadvantage the same people, the DEI initiatives that start and end with a Slack emoji, the performance reviews that feel more like a lottery than actual feedback. This week, Zach Nunn (founder of Living Corporate and certified corporate truth-teller) joins me to rip apart the illusion of fairness at work! We’re talking remote...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr
I’m back in your ears with another banger of an episode, and this one’s the season finale! I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap things up than by geeking out with my incredibly impressive friend Jeet Mukerji, co-founder and CEO of Kinfolk. Whether you’re an AI skeptic or a full-on tech enthusiast, there is a lot of food for thought to digest. Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive resul...
Mar 24, 2025•49 min
I’ve been on a mission this season to learn something new in every episode, and today? Buckle up, because we’re diving into the world of investing and retirement planning—and I promise, it’s way more interesting than it sounds! It’s also an incredibly important topic that not enough people in our roles are talking about at length. Unfortunately, financial stress is the #1 stressor for most people, and HR leaders are no exception. But here’s the thing: investing doesn’t have to be a jargon-filled...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Recruiting is rough right now. Job seekers are frustrated, recruiters are overwhelmed, and everyone’s wondering, “Is it just me, or is this whole system broken?” In this episode, I sit down with Kiersten Greggs, founder of Trap Recruiter and a 24-year recruiting veteran, to unpack the chaos. Kiersten pulls back the curtain on what’s really happening in today’s job market, why recruiters are the unsung heroes of HR, and how both candidates and hiring teams can navigate this mess. Are you ready to...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 10
Work is changing FAST. Between global pandemics, remote work, and the Great Reshuffle, it’s no wonder we’re all feeling a little unhinged! Nothing like building a deep work connection to help you adjust to it all, eh? That’s why this week’s episode is a fun (slightly wild) ride with Chris Hagood, CEO of AstutEdge and all-around HR powerhouse. We’re covering everything from the role of work friendships to whether you’d take $10,000 to return to the office (spoiler: Chris has thoughts). Plus, we’r...
Mar 03, 2025•52 min•Season 7Ep. 9
There’s more to people than what you see when they show up for work. Stories matter because we are in the age of radical authenticity and transparency. Exciting? Yes! Challenging? Also yes. Torrin Ellis, a powerhouse in recruitment, talent development, and operationalizing diversity and inclusion is here to break it all down! We’ll unpack Torrin’s latest report, Reducing Bias in HR Using AI, and explore building trust, vulnerability, and doing things differently to push humanity further and deep...
Feb 24, 2025•59 min
There's so much we can learn from the sports that we love. So lace up your sneakers and pull up your socks, because this episode is a full-court press of insights, laughs, and way too many basketball metaphors! Today, Chris Henrichs is giving a masterclass on how the lessons from the court can transform the way we think about HR, leadership, and building a workplace that doesn’t just survive, but thrives. From Michael Jordan’s killer competitiveness to the art of drafting the right players (or e...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 1 min
On today’s episode, you’re going to hear one word a million times… And that is strategic. Let’s be real, we’ve all heard the word “strategic” thrown around a million times, but what does it ACTUALLY mean? And why does it feel like everyone has a different definition? It’s probably because they do. Joining me today is the incredible Morgan Williams, CEO and founder of Peak HR. Morgan’s resume is basically the HR equivalent of a mic drop—she’s handled everything from massive layoffs to reopening r...
Feb 10, 2025•56 min
Today we’re going to embrace the messy, imperfect, and downright hilarious side of learning from making mistakes. Kim has seen it all, done it all, and definitely messed it all up a few times too! It’s part of the growth process, as you know. From compensation catastrophes to performance management mishaps, she has the stories (and the scars) to prove that sometimes, the best lessons come from the biggest blunders. Besides, who doesn’t love a good “I can’t believe I did that” moment? Are you rea...
Feb 03, 2025•56 min
Want to know what’s at the heart of every successful organization? Connection, gifting, recognition, and appreciation! All four of these are so core to making somebody feel seen and heard at work. So in today’s episode, we're discussing connection-building because let's face it, loneliness is hitting hard and it's an epidemic that is creeping into our workplaces. Join me and Ross Langley from Snappy as we unpack innovative and personalized ways to foster connections with anybody in the office. W...
Jan 27, 2025•48 min
If there is one silver bullet for connecting with other people, it’s storytelling! Last episode, my friend Georgia Clark and I unpacked the lessons HR can glean from romance novels about character development and storytelling. Today, I’m pushing that conversation forward with Tara Turk-Haynes. Tara isn't just any guest—she’s a powerhouse in talent acquisition, employee engagement, and DEI, with a vibrant background in the arts like playwriting and screenwriting. With her at the helm of DEI initi...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 1 min
Beyond the typical day-to-day activities in HR… I’m just a mega-dorknerd with a fierce love for books, especially when they whisk me away to worlds filled with fantasy, sci-fi, and heart-stirring romance! And today, we're exploring how the twists and turns of romance novels can actually offer fascinating insights into HR. I'm thrilled to have Georgia Clark with us to guide us through these narrative mazes! She’s not just any novelist—she’s a storytelling wizard who’s penned titles like Most Wond...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Welcome to a brand new season of the podcast, where I’m flipping the script and diving deep into more diverse topics! I’ll be challenging myself (and my guests) to rethink what we think we know about the world of work, and how seemingly unrelated topics still tie back to HR. Today, we’ve got the one and only Sarika Lamont, aka my Comp Guru Queen, joining us! If you want to understand pay transparency and total rewards in a way that actually makes sense, Sarika is here to break it all down. Spoil...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 24 min
As we wrap up 2024, it's time to start thinking ahead to 2025—and let’s be honest, it’s about time we take our place as the experts in the room. From fixing the broken candidate experience to building stronger bridges with other teams, it’s time for HR to show up and show out! This episode features a series of friends/leaders sharing their bold wishes for the future, and why 2025 is our year to make real change happen. We’re not holding back! Now, Working Not Working is helping to keep that tale...
Dec 23, 2024•30 min
As People Leaders, we love our people, but sometimes we miss how the two worlds of business strategy and people strategy need to work together to drive results. Joining me is the brilliant Halai Shukran, COO at Pluribus Digital, who’s built her career around understanding exactly how people and business strategy intersect. From leading talent functions to overseeing operations, IT, and comms, Halai’s insight is next level. She’s breaking down how to speak the language of other business units, wh...
Dec 16, 2024•58 min
If HR should be anything it’s these two things: creative and curious. This week’s guest is as delicious as the bagels her company makes (and that’s saying something). Nikki Rappaport, Chief People Officer at Call Your Mother—aka my go-to for stress-eating bagels—is here to share her creativity and wisdom! With a decade of experience in creative marketing and employee experience design, Nikki shares how curiosity and creativity drive exceptional HR practices. From storytelling to culture-building...
Dec 09, 2024•53 min
Ever feel like recruiting is just herding cats—or maybe gremlins? And job searching? Let's call it what it is these days: a special kind of torture. In this episode, I’ve rounded up some previous guests and we’re tackling the dual headache of being a recruiter and a job seeker in today’s chaotic market! With 2025 shaping up as the “Year of the Personal Brand,” we’re dishing out the tea on trust, relationships, and why recruiters who don’t build a foundation are always playing defense. Now, Worki...
Dec 02, 2024•48 min
Hot take: Nobody is inherently a good leader. Being a leader is a learned skill. What does it really take to be a good leader? It’s not about being perfect, having all the answers, or walking in like a natural-born boss! Leadership is messy, vulnerable, and learned. In this episode, my unofficial co-host (and leadership guru) Jessica Winder is back to break it all down. We talk about why vulnerability is a must (not an option), how to lead when you have zero authority, and why leadership isn’t a...
Nov 25, 2024•47 min
Just how different is a work environment that’s unionized versus one that isn’t? Today, we’re diving headfirst into the world of unionized workplaces with the brilliant Morgan Williams! Spoiler alert: unions aren’t just about strikes and tension—they can actually make your organization stronger if you know how to play the game. Morgan’s expertise? Managing unionized environments, reducing conflict, and building collaboration that lasts. She’s here to drop some knowledge on how you can navigate u...
Nov 18, 2024•49 min
Last week, the US elected its 47th president. As I was sifting through the reactions of family, friends, and coworkers online, feelings of excitement and feelings of sadness were all over the place, and it was a lot to think about. But the thing I kept coming back to was the mission of I Hate It Here and the ways that elections affect us all! So today, we’re taking a stroll down HR memory lane, digging into the laws that flipped the script on how we work. From the Fair Labor Standards Act to the...
Nov 11, 2024•25 min
Most of us have experienced it before—there’s nothing worse than working for a company that doesn’t practice what it preaches. If you don’t actually stand for the things you’re talking about, how can your employees gain the trust you need for them to succeed? Today, we’re talking about authenticity and why the “long game” in business means actually living up to what you say. Joel Lalgee, aka The Realest Recruiter, joins us with insights from his 2 billion views of no-BS content on how companies ...
Nov 04, 2024•54 min
