HR Happy Hour Network

At Work in America, the longest running and top downloaded HR podcast, focuses on human resources, management, leadership, and workforce technology. The show is hosted by Steve Boese, the Co-Chair of the HR Technology Conference and Trish Steed, CEO of H3 HR Advisors.

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S18 · E36
Yesterday · 26 min
The Labor Market, AI, and the Path to Better Business Decisions
The Labor Market, AI, and the Path to Better Business Decisions Host: Trish Steed Guest: Joseph Mayans, Chief Economist at Experian North America Summary On the latest HR Happy Hour episode, Trish welcomes Joseph Mayans for a conversation about the economic forces shaping the labor market and what they mean for HR and business leaders. While economic forecasts point toward continued growth, the underlying labor market presents a more complicated picture. Hiring has slowed, job creation has become increasingly concentrated in a few sectors, and organizations are weighing workforce investments against the rapidly evolving capabilities of artificial intelligence. Joseph shares his perspective on the economic indicators that deserve closer attention, including the growing influence of AI-related investment, the challenges facing white-collar workers and recent graduates, and the changing relationship between economic growth and job creation. The conversation also explores the promise and limitations of AI-driven productivity, why developing deep expertise remains essential, and how shifts in wages, consumer spending, and interest rates could influence business decisions in the years ahead. For HR leaders preparing for 2027, this episode offers a broader economic perspective on workforce planning, talent strategies, and the importance of looking beyond headline numbers to understand what's really happening in the labor market. Topics include: Why economic growth isn't necessarily translating into stronger hiring The factors contributing to a low-hire, low-fire labor market How AI is changing demand for white-collar workers and creating challenges for recent graduates Why healthcare and AI infrastructure investment are driving much of the current growth The relationship between workforce skills, deep expertise, and AI productivity What wage trends, interest rates, and consumer spending reveal about economic vulnerabilities Economic indicators HR leaders should monitor as they plan for 2027 Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Employees recognized for milestones are three times more likely to believe their company actually cares about them. Three times. So why are companies so bad at it? The stale bagels. The branded swag. The audacity. Workhuman believes milestones deserve their moment. A space for the people who know you best — your actual work circle — to reflect on your journey, your wins, your impact. The inside jokes. The big moments. All of it. It's called Service Milestones. AI finds the right people. Automation handles the rest. And employees choose their own reward — from millions of options, curated just for them. Milestone like you mean it with Workhuman, a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Podcast. Find out more at workhuman.com.
S4 · E16
Friday · 15 min
Mervyn's Take: Connecting the Trends Shaping Work
Mervyn's Take: Connecting the Trends Shaping Work Host: Mervyn Dinnen Summary In this episode of HR Means Business, Mervyn brings together key insights from recent HR technology conferences, industry research, and conversations with workplace experts to explore the evolving relationship between AI, organizational culture, and workforce development. From the rise of conversational HR systems and AI agents to the widening gap between technology adoption and organizational readiness, Mervyn examines what HR leaders need to consider as AI reshapes how work gets done. He also explores why different generations experience AI differently, how trust influences adoption, and what happens when the entry-level tasks that traditionally helped employees build expertise begin to disappear. The conversation raises an important question for the future of work: If AI takes over the tasks through which people traditionally learn, how will organizations develop the experienced professionals and leaders they will need tomorrow? Mervyn shares practical approaches for balancing AI innovation with human development, including reciprocal mentoring, protecting opportunities for early-career learning, and using AI as a coach rather than a substitute for critical thinking. Key Takeaways The evolution of HR technology AI adoption and organizational culture Generational differences in AI adoption The future of entry-level work Learning and skills development Building the future talent pipeline Thank you for your continued support of the show and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Employees recognized for milestones are three times more likely to believe their company actually cares about them. Three times. So why are companies so bad at it? The stale bagels. The branded swag. The audacity. Workhuman believes milestones deserve their moment. A space for the people who know you best — your actual work circle — to reflect on your journey, your wins, your impact. The inside jokes. The big moments. All of it. It's called Service Milestones. AI finds the right people. Automation handles the rest. And employees choose their own reward — from millions of options, curated just for them. Milestone like you mean it with Workhuman, a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Podcast. Find out more at workhuman.com.
S18 · E35
November 3 · 23 min
When AI Changes How Experience Is Built: Trust, Data, and the Future of Work
When AI Changes How Experience Is Built: Trust, Data, and the Future of Work Host: Trish Steed Guest: Michele Bodda, Group President, Experian Housing, Verification Solutions and Employer Services at Experian Employer Services Summary On this episode of the HR Happy Hour, Trish Steed is joined by Michele Bodda of Experian Employer Services to explore how Experian is approaching some of the most consequential moments connecting employers, employees, consumers, and financial institutions. Michele shares how her nearly three decades at Experian have shaped her perspective on leadership, innovation, and the importance of staying curious throughout a career. She also explains why Experian entered the employer services market and how the company’s experience managing sensitive information and high-trust interactions translates into HR compliance, employment and income verification, tax credit management, and other employer services. The conversation also explores Experian’s expanded relationship with Workday, which adds more than 15 million payroll records from Workday’s network to Experian Verify and supports Experian’s continued expansion of its income and employment verification network. But the discussion goes well beyond technology and data. Michele and Trish examine what happens as AI and automation become embedded in processes once driven primarily by human expertise. As technology produces more insight and handles more routine work, organizations will have to think differently about how people—particularly those early in their careers—develop the knowledge, judgment, and experience needed to act on those insights. Throughout the conversation, one theme remains constant: trust. Whether someone is applying for a job, renting a home, securing a mortgage, or navigating an employment relationship, accurate, secure, and reliable information can have an enormous impact on the outcome. Topics include: The connection between employment verification, compliance, tax credits, and the broader employee experience How Experian’s expanded Workday relationship strengthens its verification network Why every employment or income verification represents a meaningful moment in someone’s life How reliable data becomes even more important as organizations increase their use of AI The challenge organizations face in deciding what comes next in their AI and technology journeys Why developing human judgment and experience may become one of the most important workforce issues of the next several years How trusted partners can help HR teams manage complex compliance requirements while keeping their focus on employees Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Employees recognized for milestones are three times more likely to believe their company actually cares about them. Three times. So why are companies so bad at it? The stale bagels. The branded swag. The audacity. Workhuman believes milestones deserve their moment. A space for the people who know you best — your actual work circle — to reflect on your journey, your wins, your impact. The inside jokes. The big moments. All of it. It's called Service Milestones. AI finds the right people. Automation handles the rest. And employees choose their own reward — from millions of options, curated just for them. Milestone like you mean it with Workhuman, a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Podcast. Find out more at workhuman.com.
S1 · E9
October 30 · 34 min
The "Spooky" Side of Small Business Culture: Fixing Hidden Ghosts and Silos Before Year-End
The "Spooky" Side of Small Business Culture: Fixing Hidden Ghosts and Silos Before Year-End Host: Sabrina Baker Summary Cultural breakdowns in small businesses rarely start with a dramatic, headline-making crisis. They start as quiet friction points in the dark—ghosted feedback, zombie policies, and department silos—that everyone senses but nobody talks about out loud. Because of the close proximity in small businesses (1–500 employees), these "cultural ghosts" ripple through the workforce fast, eroding trust and setting up a wave of January resignations. In this episode of HR Connection, Sabrina Baker breaks down why small business leaders often default to silence and confrontation avoidance, sharing a jaw-dropping real client story of how conflict avoidance can backfire. Learn how to use neutral third-party focus groups, run quick 3-question pulse surveys, audit outdated handbook policies, and equip managers with feedback frameworks like COIN and Start/Stop/Continue to fix culture issues before year-end. Topics include: Introduction: The "Spooky" Cultural Monsters Why Halloween is the perfect metaphor for small business culture. Unpacking the three big monsters lurking in small companies: Ghosted Feedback Loops, Zombie Policies, and Silo Vampires. SECTION 1: Communication & Confrontation AvoidanceWhy small business leaders default to silence when news is uncertain or bad, and how information vacuums breed worst-case assumptions. Plus, a real-life cautionary client story about a demotion announced live during an all-hands meeting. SECTION 2: The Top 3 Focus Group ComplaintsUnpacking the three most common complaints heard during employee focus groups: constant changing of direction without context, uneven manager information cascading, and highly unrealistic expectations around scope and timeframe. SECTION 3: Survey Methodology & Third-Party TrustWhy small businesses are never too small for surveys, why employees open up to third-party facilitators faster than internal HR, and the 3 go-to pulse survey questions every small business should ask. SECTION 4: Zombie Policies & Departmental SilosHow to spot outdated handbook rules (from fax machine policies to punitive sick leave notes) and why Sales and Finance are the most severely siloed departments in small operations. SECTION 5: Tactical Manager Frameworks & Stay InterviewsStep-by-step coaching tools for managers: Using the COIN method (Context, Observation, Impact, Next Steps) and Start/Stop/Continue for feedback, plus 3 critical Stay Interview questions to ask in November. SECTION 6: Actionable Homework & Wrap-UpA 3-step action plan to conduct a cultural ghost hunt in your organization before the holiday slowdown. Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
S18 · E34
October 27 · 32 min
AI for Frontline Workers: Creating a Better Employee Experience
AI for Frontline Workers: Creating a Better Employee Experience Hosts: Steve Boese Guest: Gretchen Alarcon, GVP/GM of HCM and Payroll at UKG Summary On this episode of the HR Happy Hour, Steve Boese is joined by Gretchen Alarcon to explore how AI can help organizations create a better experience for frontline workers while also helping managers make smarter workforce decisions. Gretchen shares how UKG is approaching AI from both sides of the employee experience. For workers, that can mean making everyday tasks—like requesting time off, understanding a paycheck, accessing support, or navigating a leave of absence—faster and easier. For managers, AI can bring together information about skills, availability, overtime, scheduling, and workforce needs to help them make more informed decisions. The conversation also looks at the connection between schedule stability, skills, pay, and retention. For frontline employees, knowing when they will work and what they will earn matters. AI can help organizations create schedules that meet operational needs while considering the people behind those schedules. It can also connect employees with training and certifications that may lead to additional hours, greater earning potential, and new opportunities. Steve and Gretchen also discuss the role employers can play in supporting financial wellness, including greater pay transparency, earned wage access, and helping employees better understand the resources available to them. As organizations prepare for 2027, Gretchen offers a simple framework for thinking about the frontline workforce: find them, enable them, and keep them. That means finding people with the right skills, continuously developing the workforce with accessible learning, and creating an experience that gives employees the clarity and support they need to stay. Topics include: How AI can simplify everyday HR interactions for frontline employees Why schedule stability can have a direct impact on employee retention Connecting skills and certifications to hours, pay, and career opportunities Financial wellness and support for employees living paycheck to paycheck Preparing frontline employees for an AI-enabled workplace How leaders should think about finding, enabling, and retaining frontline talent in 2027 Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
S4 · E15
October 23 · 37 min
Making Change Stick: How HR Leaders Build Trust, Alignment, and Adoption
Making Change Stick: How HR Leaders Build Trust, Alignment, and Adoption Hosts: Mervyn Dinnen Guest: Amanda Arrowsmith, Executive Director of People and Culture at the Royal British Legion Summary In this episode of HR Means Business, Mervyn is joined by Amanda Arrowsmith to explore what it takes to lead meaningful organizational change. Amanda shares why successful transformation starts by connecting every initiative back to organizational purpose and strategy. She also explains why organizations sometimes need to do less, slow down, and create stronger foundations before moving forward. Rather than measuring success simply by whether a project launches on schedule, leaders need to consider whether people can actually adopt the change and whether it improves how work gets done. A major part of that process is the role of managers. Amanda describes managers as the “secret sauce” of successful change because they are the people translating organizational decisions into everyday conversations with employees. Giving managers early information, practical tools, space to ask difficult questions, and a clear understanding of the “why” helps them communicate change in ways that make sense for their individual teams. The conversation also explores employee voice, change fatigue, resistance, and the importance of allowing employees to make sense of change for themselves rather than telling them how they should feel about it. Amanda explains that leaders need to recognize the potential loss of agency and identity that can accompany even positive changes and create space for people to work through those reactions. Key Takeaways Turning long-term organizational strategy into manageable stages of change Why successful transformation requires prioritization and organizational capacity Building alignment between strategy, leaders, teams, and everyday work Creating meaningful employee voice without requiring consensus on every decision Recognizing and responding to change fatigue and resistance Measuring change through both business outcomes and employee behavior Thank you for your continued support of the show and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
S1 · E1
October 20 · 44 min
Take a Different Seat: What Are We Really Looking for at HR Tech Events?
Take a Different Seat: What Are We Really Looking for at HR Tech Events? Host: Chris Havrilla, Podcast Host & Founder of AI Alchemists™ Guests: Joanna Clark and Matthew Brown Summary What are you looking for when you walk into an HR technology conference? A new solution? The latest AI announcement? A vendor shortlist? A glimpse at where the market is headed? In the debut episode of Take a Different Seat, host Chris Havrilla starts with that seemingly simple question and invites two experienced HR technology leaders to examine it from very different seats. From the buyer perspective to the vendor and customer experience side, the conversation explores what really happens when organizations, technology providers, and practitioners come together at industry events. The answer turns out to have far less to do with collecting product information and much more to do with understanding the problems organizations are actually trying to solve. The discussion digs into the growing disconnect between buyers and sellers, the pressure to adopt AI, and the danger of applying new technology to processes built for yesterday’s work. Instead of starting with a product or feature list, the group makes the case for starting with the business problem, asking better questions, and staying curious long enough to understand what a solution will actually mean inside a specific organization. As the conversation progresses, another important gap emerges: the difference between what technology looks like in a demo and what it takes to make that technology successful on day one. Buyers may not always know what questions to ask, while providers can easily allow their own talking points to drive the conversation. The challenge for both sides is to move beyond the pitch and get closer to the realities of the work, the organization, and the people who will ultimately use the technology. And by the end of the episode, the original question has changed. Instead of asking people at the next industry event, “What are you here to see?”, perhaps the better question is: “What do you need to learn more about?” Topics Include Why the same HR technology event looks very different depending on the seat you're sitting in How buyers can move from shopping for solutions to understanding the business problem Why AI is exposing old processes rather than automatically fixing them The disconnect between technology demos and the reality of implementation Why learning, curiosity, and better questions matter more as technology changes faster Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
S18 · E33
October 16 · 21 min
The HR Happy Hour Network Welcomes "Take a Different Seat"
The HR Happy Hour Network Welcomes "Take a Different Seat" Hosts: Steve Boese & Trish Steed Guest: Chris Havrilla, Podcast Host & Founder of AI Alchemists™ Summary The HR Happy Hour Media Network is welcoming a new show to the network: Take a Different Seat, hosted by longtime technology strategist, analyst, advisor, and product leader Chris Havrilla. In this introductory conversation, Steve and Trish sit down with Chris to talk about the idea behind the new series, the experiences she brings to it, and why perspective matters more than ever as organizations navigate AI, technology, work, and increasingly consequential decisions. The premise behind Take a Different Seat is simple: better decisions begin with better questions, and better questions emerge when we are willing to see a problem from perspectives beyond our own. Rather than beginning each episode with a predetermined answer, Chris will start with a consequential question, bring together different perspectives, challenge assumptions, and see whether the conversation leads to an even better question. Chris also shares how her career across research, advisory, product strategy, and technology has shaped the new show. Her experience spans organizations including Deloitte and Oracle, where she worked through the rapid evolution of generative and agentic AI and saw firsthand how technological change creates new legal, ethical, operational, financial, and human questions for organizations. Together, they explore why context matters when making technology and workforce decisions, why organizations cannot simply hand responsibility for consequential decisions over to AI, and why leaders need to become more comfortable examining issues from more than one seat. As Chris puts it, sometimes the most valuable outcome isn't finding the answer. It's discovering the question you should have been asking in the first place. Topics include: The idea behind Take a Different Seat and what listeners can expect Why perspective and intellectual humility are becoming essential leadership skills How better questions can lead to better organizational decisions Chris's experience across AI, product strategy, research, and advisory work Why AI is creating new questions around accountability, transparency, and decision-making Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
S18 · E32
October 9 · 35 min
From Low-Wage Work to Career Opportunity: Building Better Talent Pathways
From Low-Wage Work to Career Opportunity: Building Better Talent Pathways Host: Steve Boese Guest: Connor Diamond-Yauman, Co-CEO of Merit America Summary In this episode of At Work in America, Steve is joined by Connor Diemand-Yauman, for a conversation about economic mobility, workforce development, and creating stronger pathways from low-wage work into sustainable careers. Connor shares the story behind Merit America and the realization that helped inspire its work: access to education alone does not necessarily create opportunity. The conversation explores their work with adults in low-wage jobs and why human coaching has become such an important part of its model. While learners may initially come for credentials in areas such as IT support, project management, cybersecurity, or semiconductor technology, Connor explains that many ultimately identify coaching as one of the most transformational parts of their experience. Steve and Connor also discuss the rapidly changing labor market and the challenge of preparing people for jobs and skills that continue to evolve. Rather than trying to perfectly predict the future of work, Connor argues that agility is becoming one of the most important capabilities for workforce development organizations, employers, and workers alike. For HR and business leaders, the message is clear: expanding economic opportunity requires opening the aperture on how we define qualified talent, taking thoughtful risks on people who may not fit traditional hiring profiles, and creating real pathways for people to turn their skills and potential into meaningful careers. Topics include: Why access to education does not automatically translate into career opportunity How workforce programs can keep pace with a rapidly changing labor market Why some perceived talent shortages may actually be workplace or business model problems The disconnect between removing degree requirements and actually changing hiring practices How employers can broaden their definition of qualified talent Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
S4 · E14
October 2 · 36 min
The Crossroads of HR: AI, Judgement, and the Future of the Profession
The Crossroads of HR: AI, Judgement, and the Future of the Profession Hosts: Mervyn Dinnen Guest: David D'Souza, Writer, keynote speaker, and advisor Summary In this episode of HR Means Business, Mervyn is joined by David D’Souza, former Director of Profession at the CIPD, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of HR and the capabilities professionals will need to navigate what comes next. David reflects on how the profession has evolved and why HR’s value cannot be defined by HR alone. Rather than beginning with programs, best practices, or what the function believes organizations should do, he argues that HR must begin with the problems the business is trying to solve and understand how people, skills, structure, and culture can help address them. The conversation also explores the growing role of AI in HR and why automation creates both opportunity and responsibility. As technology takes on more transactional work, skills such as situational judgment, evidence-based decision-making, curiosity, adaptability, relationship building, and critical thinking become even more important. Key Takeaways HR must start with the business problem Human judgment becomes more important as AI grows Curiosity and adaptability will be essential HR skills Workforce planning must become more agile HR needs to enable change, not become the point of resistance Thank you for your continued support of the show and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
S18 · E31
September 29 · 44 min
Compliance Is Cool: Using AI to Make Employment Law Easier
Compliance Is Cool: Using AI to Make Employment Law Easier Hosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Guest: Kimball Dean Parker, CEO at SixFifty Summary In this episode of At Work in America, Steve and Trish welcome Kimball Dean Parker, CEO of SixFifty, for a conversation about how technology and AI are changing the way organizations manage employment law and compliance. Kimball shares the story behind SixFifty and why employment law became such an important problem to solve. With regulations varying across states, cities, and counties — and changing constantly — staying current can quickly become overwhelming, particularly for organizations hiring across multiple locations. The conversation explores how AI and automation can help organizations manage everything from employee handbooks and hiring documents to required posters, training, and other compliance workflows. Kimball also explains why combining AI with established legal workflows can create more predictable and reliable outcomes rather than simply asking generative AI to produce an answer from scratch. The conversation also looks beyond risk reduction. When organizations have greater confidence in their compliance infrastructure, they can hire talent in more locations, respond more quickly to regulatory changes, and give HR leaders back time that would otherwise be spent managing administrative complexity. The group offers a practical example of where AI can create immediate value for HR: taking repeatable, time-intensive compliance work off people's plates while allowing HR professionals to focus more of their time on people, strategy, and the business. Topics include: Why employment law compliance becomes increasingly complex as organizations expand across locations How technology can help organizations stay ahead of changing employment regulations The importance of combining AI with structured, established processes How stronger compliance infrastructure can support multistate hiring and business growth How automation can give HR leaders more time for strategic work Why compliance may be one of the most practical places for organizations to begin using AI Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight. This episode of At Work in America is sponsored by Paychex, an industry-leading human capital management company that combines scale, trusted expertise, and innovation to help businesses succeed. SixFifty, by Paychex helps your business stay ahead of constantly changing laws and regulations with HR compliance software. Curated by experienced attorneys and powered by AI, SixFifty helps turn the impossible job of staying compliant with employment laws across every state into something simple, automatic, and stress-free. SixFifty is available both as a standalone solution and as an integrated offering within Paychex’s HCM platforms. To learn more about how you can make faster, more confident compliance decisions, head to sixfifty.com
S1 · E8
September 25 · 23 min
The Q4 Scramble: Setting Boundaries Before Budgeting & Open Enrollment Begin
The Q4 Scramble: Setting Boundaries Before Budgeting & Open Enrollment Begin Host: Sabrina Baker Summary September is the Sunday evening of the business calendar—summer vacations end, executive energy surges, and suddenly every department wants everything finished before December 31st. For small business HR leaders (1–500 employees) operating without a bench of specialists, handling Open Enrollment, 2027 budgeting, and performance reviews all at once can lead straight to severe Q4 burnout. In this episode of HR Connection, Sabrina breaks down how to move away from telling leadership "we're too busy"—a phrase executives often misread as a lack of time management—and start defining "busy" with concrete calendar data. Learn how to build Quarterly and Annual Roadmaps, translate HR initiatives into "time in weeks," navigate budget requests whether you have a formal HR budget or not, and execute Q4 scrappily without dropping the ball. Topics include: Use a quarterly roadmap to visualize workload and tradeoffs Build an annual roadmap to anticipate heavy periods and resource needs Create more structure and stronger boundaries around open enrollment Connect HR investments directly to time and capacity gained Streamline and automate performance review processes Avoid changing major HR processes right before launch Treat capacity management as a leadership responsibility Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight.
S18 · E30
September 22 · 42 min
Is the Culture You Have the Culture You Think You Have? How to Read the Culture Signals
Is the Culture You Have the Culture You Think You Have? How to Read the Culture Signals Hosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Guest: Meisha-ann Martin, Ph.D., VP of People Research at Workhuman Summary In this episode of the HR Happy Hour Show, Steve and Trish are joined by Meisha-ann Martin, VP of People Research at Workhuman, for a conversation about moving beyond stated values and getting a clearer picture of how culture actually shows up across an organization. The conversation explores one of the biggest sources of cultural disconnect: what organizations say they value versus what they actually reward and reinforce. A company may say it values efficient execution while celebrating heroic firefighting. It may promote innovation while only recognizing successful outcomes, unintentionally discouraging thoughtful risk-taking. Or it may tolerate harmful behaviors because an employee delivers strong business results. Meisha-ann shares how recognition data can give leaders a much richer view into these patterns. She also explains how advances in people analytics and natural language processing are making it possible to uncover insights that traditional engagement surveys alone could not provide—from identifying differences in how employees are recognized to detecting language that may serve as an early warning signal for burnout. Ultimately, Meisha-ann encourages HR and business leaders to approach culture with greater intentionality: define the outcome you want, understand the behaviors that lead to it, measure what is actually happening, and continually refine the system based on what the data reveals. Topics include: Why culture is more than the values written on the wall The gap between organizational intentions and employee experiences How organizations can unintentionally reinforce the wrong behaviors The relationship among vulnerability, recognition, and psychological safety How language data can uncover burnout risk, bias, and cultural misalignment Why recognizing behaviors—not just outcomes—can improve performance Connecting leadership behaviors to organizational outcomes Why measurement should come before analytics Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight.
S4 · E9
September 18 · 36 min
Ghosting the Ghost Jobs: Navigating Today’s Hiring Nightmare
Ghosting the Ghost Jobs: Navigating Today’s Hiring Nightmare Hosts: Jack McFarlane and Nicholas Schlemmer Summary In this episode of The Play by Play, Jack and Nick dig into the increasingly complicated world of modern job hunting, beginning with the rise of ghost jobs - job postings that remain online even when an organization may not actually be hiring for the position. Jack shares his own experiences navigating job postings and discusses why organizations may keep positions listed, while Nick offers a different perspective from the golf industry, where professional credentials and industry-specific hiring networks can make the recruiting process much more targeted. Then the conversation turns to AI. With job seekers able to automate applications at massive scale and employers relying on applicant tracking systems and AI tools to sort through growing applicant pools, Jack and Nick explore what happens when hiring becomes a bot-to-bot cycle. The result can be frustrating for everyone: candidates struggle to stand out while recruiters face enormous volumes of applications from people who may not actually be qualified. So what can job seekers do differently? They talk about the continued value of human connection in the hiring process, from referrals and networking to directly contacting an organization or hiring manager. They also discuss why demonstrating an actual body of work, accomplishments, and professional presence may become increasingly important as AI makes traditional resumes easier to create and harder to evaluate. And, of course, it wouldn’t be The Play by Play without a little competition. Jack puts Nick to the test with a round of Real or Fake Job Posting, featuring some job descriptions so outrageous that figuring out which ones are legitimate turns out to be much harder than expected. Takeaways What ghost jobs are and why they create frustration for job seekers How AI is changing both sides of the recruiting process Why AI-powered screening can make hiring feel like AI competing against AI How networking and direct outreach can help candidates stand out Why a visible body of work may matter more in an AI-driven hiring environment Why staying human may be one of the most important advantages in the modern job search Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight.
S18 · E29
September 15 · 38 min
What Signals is Your Culture Sending Out into the World?
What Signals is Your Culture Sending Out into the World? Hosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Guest: Saima Rashid, Chief Marketing Officer at Workhuman Summary It’s easy to point to a careers page, recruiting campaign, company values, or social media presence. But ultimately, an employer brand is shaped by something much harder to manufacture: what employees actually experience inside the organization. In this episode of the HR Happy Hour, Steve Boese and Trish Steed welcome Saima Rashid, Chief Marketing Officer at Workhuman, for a conversation about the evolving role of employer brand and how recognition data can provide a much more authentic view of workplace culture. Saima describes employer brand as the external expression of the internal employee experience. That means organizations need real examples that demonstrate how people collaborate, contribute, support one another, and live company values every day - and recognition data can help uncover those stories. Because recognition happens in the flow of work and comes from employees across teams, roles, and functions, it can provide leaders with real-time insight into the behaviors, skills, relationships, and contributions shaping the organization. It can also reveal where recognition is missing - giving leaders an earlier indication of potential disconnects before they appear in traditional measures such as engagement, retention, or employee referrals. Steve, Trish, and Saima also explore how recognition can help new leaders understand their teams, bring greater context into performance conversations, strengthen employee advocacy, and give organizations authentic stories that employees actually want to share. And with AI making it possible to analyze large amounts of unstructured recognition data, organizations have an opportunity to uncover even deeper insights about skills, leadership, culture, and whether business values are truly showing up in the way work gets done. Topics include: Why employer brand is ultimately shaped by the lived employee experience The difference between promoting company values and demonstrating them How recognition data provides real-time, human insight into how work gets done Why specific employee stories can be more powerful than traditional employer-brand messaging How recognition can help leaders uncover skills, contributions, and relationships they may not otherwise see Why authentic employee advocacy must be earned rather than orchestrated How organizations can compare their stated values with the behaviors employees actually recognize How AI can help uncover new insights from recognition data Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight.
S4 · E13
September 11 · 33 min
Reclaiming the Plot: HR’s Role in the AI Transformation
Reclaiming the Plot: HR’s Role in the AI Transformation Hosts: Mervyn Dinnen Guest: Dr. Kelly Monahan, Future of Work and AI Advisor Summary In this episode of HR Means Business, Mervyn welcomes Dr. Kelly Monahan, future of work and AI advisor and author of Reclaim the Plot, for a conversation about what it means to redesign organizations for a world where humans and AI increasingly work together. Kelly argues that many organizations are approaching AI transformation too narrowly - focusing on efficiency and automation without thinking deeply enough about how work, organizational structures, skills, leadership, and value creation need to change. Listen in for a thoughtful conversation about AI, leadership, workforce transformation, and why HR has an important opportunity to help organizations reclaim the plot. Key Takeaways Why AI transformation may increasingly become an HR responsibility How organizations can move from short-term workforce reduction thinking to longer-term workforce redesign Why HR professionals need greater exposure to how the broader business creates value The importance of keeping humans accountable for decisions, exceptions, and moments where judgment matters How leaders can approach workforce reductions with greater transparency and humanity Why inconsistent AI adoption and invisible workflows are creating new challenges for managers How principles, learning, and shared experimentation can provide better AI guardrails What the HR function could look like as human and AI work become increasingly integrated Thank you for your continued support of the show and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight.
S18 · E28
September 8 · 36 min
Rebuilding Pathways to Work: Removing Barriers for Overlooked Talent
Rebuilding Pathways to Work: Removing Barriers for Overlooked Talent Hosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Guest: Dr. Lee Bowes, CEO of America Works Summary In this episode of At Work in America, Steve and Trish speak with Dr. Lee Bowes, CEO of America Works, about what it takes to reconnect people with meaningful employment - and why employers may be overlooking individuals who have the ability and desire to contribute. Dr. Bowes shares lessons from decades of helping people navigate challenges including disabilities, employment gaps, limited transportation, justice involvement, outdated skills, and complex public-benefit systems. The conversation also examines the role employers and HR leaders can play in creating more accessible hiring processes, supporting frontline managers, and helping new employees remain successful once they are hired. Sustainable employment often requires individualized support, stronger employer partnerships, practical problem-solving, and a willingness to recognize potential that may not appear on a traditional résumé. Topics include: Why employment provides connection, dignity, and purpose in addition to income The practical barriers that prevent willing people from returning to work Transportation challenges facing workers in suburban and rural communities How complicated online applications and limited digital skills can restrict access Why employers and frontline managers also need support when hiring overlooked talent The importance of coaching, communication, and early intervention in employee retention What HR leaders can do to create more sustainable pathways into employment Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight.
S18 · E27
September 1 · 37 min
How Work Gets Done Now, and the Signals for How to Measure It
How Work Gets Done Now, and the Signals for How to Measure It Hosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Guest: KeyAnna Schmeidl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman Summary Work has outgrown the org chart. Today, work moves across teams, projects, functions, technologies, and informal networks that traditional workforce metrics were never designed to capture. Headcount, turnover, productivity, and performance data still matter - but they rarely tell the full story of how work gets done or who is making it possible. In this episode of the HR Happy Hour, Steve and Trish welcome KeyAnna Schmeidl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman, for a conversation about what leaders can learn when they look beyond traditional reporting and start paying attention to the human signals inside everyday work. She explains why reporting relationships and job descriptions often reveal far less than the connections, contributions, expertise, and informal influence that move work forward. The conversation explores how organizations can move from backward-looking dashboards toward more dynamic workforce intelligence that helps leaders understand what is happening now, and make better decisions about what should happen next. One of the richest sources of that insight may already exist inside the organization: recognition data. Because recognition captures what people notice and value in one another's work, it can reveal contributors who remove roadblocks, share expertise, mentor teammates, strengthen collaboration, and influence outcomes in ways that may never appear in a traditional performance metric. Topics include: Where traditional HR and productivity metrics fall short The shift from reporting what happened to understanding what is happening Why simply replacing a departing employee with the same role may no longer make sense How recognition data can uncover hidden contributors, connectors, mentors, and emerging leaders The role recognition can play in succession planning, internal mobility, and identifying future leadership potential What "dark spots" in recognition can reveal about culture and employee visibility How leaders can build workforce dashboards that combine historical, real-time, and forward-looking information Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight.
S1 · E7
August 28 · 21 min
The Accidental Manager Trap (And How to Fix It)
The Accidental Manager Trap (And How to Fix It) Host: Sabrina Baker Summary What happens when your top individual contributor gets promoted to manager but receives zero training on how to actually manage people? In small and mid-sized businesses (1 to 500 employees), "accidental managers" are created every day. While these star performers have great intentions, placing them in management without guardrails creates massive legal, financial, and operational risks, from wage-and-hour violations to undocumented performance issues and mishandled medical disclosures. In this episode of The HR Connection, host Sabrina Baker breaks down the hidden costs of untrained managers, walks through real-world "wrong way vs. right way" scenarios, and shares a 3-step framework to sneak high-impact leadership development into your managers' daily routine without spending a dime. Topics include: Why high-performing employees aren’t automatically prepared to become effective people managers Three major risks created by untrained managers: wage and hour violations, documentation gaps, and mishandled accommodation or leave conversations How seemingly small manager decisions can create significant legal and financial exposure The difference between how trained and untrained managers respond to common workplace situations How to create a simple set of first-30-day manager compliance guardrails Why 15-minute tactical micro-training sessions can be more effective and realistic for small organizations than traditional leadership programs How consistent manager training can improve the way performance, employee concerns, and compliance issues are handled across the organizatio Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman. Nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they don't have a strong leadership bench. Workhuman's Future Leaders gives organizations a smarter way to build one. Future Leaders is the first talent intelligence solution to identify high-potential VP+ talent already within your workforce—up to four years before promotion. Using proprietary AI and real-time recognition data, it uncovers the leadership signals hidden in everyday work long before traditional succession planning can. It's a smarter, data-driven approach to building tomorrow's leaders. Learn more at Workhuman.com. Thanks for joining us.
S18 · E26
August 25 · 44 min
Workplace Movie Hall of Fame - America's Sweethearts 2026
Workplace Movie Hall of Fame - America's Sweethearts 2026 Hosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Summary In this episode of At Work in America, Steve and Trish return to Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to unpack the workplace lessons found throughout Season 3. Following significant changes to DCC compensation, the conversation moves beyond whether these highly visible performers are being paid fairly and into deeper questions about the employee experience. Steve and Trish explore the tension between longtime leaders and a largely Gen Z workforce, the importance of meaningful feedback and recognition, and what happens when leaders listen to employee input without truly changing how they lead. They also examine the DCC selection process, the emotional weight of hiring and termination decisions, the role experienced employees play in supporting newer team members, and the “invisible work” that often holds teams together but goes unnoticed by leadership. Along the way, Steve and Trish don’t always agree - particularly when it comes to how much credit DCC leadership deserves for adapting. But their debate raises an important question for every organization: Is changing a process enough if the underlying leadership behaviors and culture haven’t changed with it? Topics include: Why listening to employees is only meaningful when leaders are willing to act on what they hear The growing expectations Gen Z employees have around feedback, recognition, connection, and leadership Can longtime leaders successfully adapt as workplace expectations change The danger of asking employees for input when the final decision consistently ignores their perspective What the DCC audition and selection process can teach employers about recruiting, evaluation, rejection, and candidate experience How peer leaders and experienced team members often perform critical coaching, encouragement, and culture-building work Why some of the most valuable contributions employees make may be invisible to traditional performance measures Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman. Nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they don't have a strong leadership bench. Workhuman's Future Leaders gives organizations a smarter way to build one. Future Leaders is the first talent intelligence solution to identify high-potential VP+ talent already within your workforce—up to four years before promotion. Using proprietary AI and real-time recognition data, it uncovers the leadership signals hidden in everyday work long before traditional succession planning can. It's a smarter, data-driven approach to building tomorrow's leaders. Learn more at Workhuman.com. Thanks for joining us.

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