What The Hell Just Happened?!

Paul Edwards
  • 4.7 (33)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

You don’t know what you don’t know. And, when it comes to HR and employment laws, most employers are SHOCKED by what they learn from talking to CEDR CEO and Founder Paul Edwards for just ten minutes. But Paul’s a busy man. And, though he would love nothing more than to talk one-on-one with each and every business owner and manager interested in learning about HR compliance, team management strategies, and how to protect their businesses, there’s only so much Paul to go around. So, we’ve got the next best thing for you - Introducing ”What the Hell Just Happened?” In this new podcast, Paul sits down with a different HR expert from his Solution Center team each week to discuss the burning HR questions facing you now, and to offer expert insights on important HR considerations you didn’t know you didn’t know.

  1. Sep 23

    Your Team Expects Raises You Can’t Sustain... What the Hell Happens Now?

    Your employee did a great job. Their performance didn't suddenly get worse, but that does not always mean the business can afford another large raise. After several years of bigger increases, employees may come to expect the same pace even when operating costs rise, the economy changes, or the business simply does not have as much room in the budget. So how do you reset those expectations without making a good employee feel punished? In this episode of What The Hell Just Happened!?, Paul Edwards and CeCe Delgado talk through one of the most uncomfortable compensation conversations for a practice owner: resetting raise expectations without making a strong employee feel punished or undervalued. They break down the difference between cost-of-living, merit, and “difference-maker” raises, and why a few years of larger increases can quickly become the new normal in an employee's mind. They also dig into why tying annual reviews too closely to raises can create expectations, how pay bands and measurable goals give compensation decisions more structure, and why the health of the business matters when deciding what raises are actually sustainable. Paul and CeCe discuss how constructive financial transparency can give employees more context about costs, business performance, and economic pressures so a smaller raise does not automatically feel like a judgment on their work. They also cover total compensation statements and other benefits that can help employees see the full value of working for your practice. In this episode: Your team has come to expect 6% or 7% raises, but the business can't sustain that pace. How do you explain that strong individual performance and the financial performance of the business both affect what is available for raises? Annual reviews have quietly become “raise day.” How can you separate performance conversations from automatic pay expectations? You want compensation decisions to feel fair instead of arbitrary. How can pay bands, goals, and data give you a more consistent framework? You can't put a large permanent increase into base pay this year. What else can you communicate or consider so employees still understand the value of their total compensation? Related resources: Pay Transparency: How It Can Help You: https://www.cedrsolutions.com/podcast/pay-transparency-how-it-can-help-you/ How to Set the Pay Range for Any Position: https://www.cedrsolutions.com/blog/employee-pay-rate/ How Should I Handle an Off-Cycle Raise Request?: https://www.cedrsolutions.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-employee-raise-request/ 5 Ways to Help Your Team Manage Inflation Without Breaking the Bank: https://www.cedrsolutions.com/blog/help-your-team-manage-inflation/ Take the next step: CEDR HR Solutions: https://www.cedrsolutions.com/ Join CEDR’s HR Basecamp™: https://hubs.ly/Q04wxxSV0 Schedule a call to learn more about how CEDR can help your practice: https://hubs.ly/Q04wxyyZ0

    Your Team Expects Raises You Can’t Sustain... What the Hell Happens Now?

  2. Sep 9

    When Feedback Makes an Employee Cry... And You... What the Hell Happens Now?

    Giving corrective feedback is one thing. Knowing what to do when the employee reacts badly is another. What happens when they say the write-up is unfair, start crying, get angry, walk out, ask who complained, or refuse to sign? In this episode of What The Hell Just Happened!?, Paul Edwards and CeCe Delgado talk through the part of Progressive Corrective Coaching that managers are rarely prepared for: the reaction after the feedback. They break down how to keep the conversation productive without becoming defensive, backing away from the issue, or matching the employee’s emotion. They also explain how CEDR’s FIRR Method© gives the conversation structure, why documentation changes the discussion when an employee says “this is the first I’m hearing about it,” when it makes sense to give someone space to cool off, and what an employee’s signature on corrective documentation actually means. In this episode: Your employee starts crying, and suddenly you’re wondering if you went too far. Do you back off or keep the conversation moving? They swear this is the first time they’ve heard about the problem, and now you’re questioning whether you handled it correctly in the first place. Your employee gets angry and walks out. Are you supposed to follow them, let them cool off, document it, or start thinking about termination? They refuse to sign the write-up, and now you’re sitting there wondering whether the whole conversation even counts. Learn more: CEDR Progressive Corrective Coaching resource CEDR HR Solutions Join CEDR’s HR Basecamp™ Schedule a call to learn more about how CEDR can help your practice

    When Feedback Makes an Employee Cry... And You... What the Hell Happens Now?

  3. Apr 20

    AI in HR: The Risks Most Employers Miss

    AI is already showing up in the workplace, but many employers aren’t thinking through the risks. In this episode, Paul and Jennie break down how AI is being used in HR, where it can create compliance issues, and what employers need to watch for. From policy drafting to employee communication, using AI the wrong way can lead to costly mistakes. If you’re using AI at work, or considering it, this episode will help you do it more responsibly.

    AI in HR: The Risks Most Employers Miss

  4. Apr 2

    Why Nothing Gets Done...Even When Everyone's Working Hard (The 3-Step System)

    Your team is busy. You’re busy. Everyone’s working hard. So why does it still feel like nothing’s getting done? In this episode of What the Hell Just Happened?, Paul Edwards and CeCe unpack one of the most frustrating realities in growing businesses. The harder everyone works, the more stuck things seem to become. It’s easy to blame burnout. Or staffing. Or motivation. But the real issue is simpler and harder to see. The work is a mess. Not because your team isn’t capable, but because no one has stepped back to actually look at how the work is structured. Who owns what. What’s piling up. What’s getting dropped. And where leaders are quietly becoming the biggest bottleneck in the business. Paul shares the exact moment this clicked for him, standing in front of a wall covered in tasks and realizing two things at once. He was doing too much of the wrong work, and the team had more capacity than anyone thought. From there, the conversation dives into the key shifts that make all the difference: Why your most reliable people are often the most overloaded How being “good at something” can actually hold your business back The hidden cost of jumping between tasks all day And why starting more work is usually the reason nothing gets finished This isn’t about working harder. It’s about finally seeing what’s actually happening inside your business and fixing it. Because once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And that’s when things start to move. Have an HR situation you want Paul to unpack on the show? Record a voice memo and send it to podcast@WTHJustHappened.com. Learn more at WTHJustHappened.com. CEDR HR Solutions is here to help when your HR issues leave you thinking, “What the hell just happened?!” Learn more here: CEDR HR Solutions Or give them a call (866) 414-6056

    Why Nothing Gets Done...Even When Everyone's Working Hard (The 3-Step System)

  5. Mar 16

    The Hidden Risk of Taking Advice Without Context

    Most HR problems don’t start with bad intentions — they start with bad advice. In this episode of What the Hell Just Happened?, Paul Edwards and CeCe, CEDR’s COO and HR expert, unpack one of the biggest mistakes employers make when dealing with HR issues: going on the internet or an A/I tool and asking a question that requires much more context and nuance to answer, than you would ever imagine. What may sound like a simple problem to you, can quickly become risky when you consider the many variables, including laws, that must be taken into account by an expert before they can give you a correct answer. They discuss how experienced HR professionals approach problem-solving differently, relying on curiosity, investigation, and thorough documentation before taking action. Along the way, they highlight how balancing legal compliance with thoughtful leadership helps businesses resolve issues while protecting both their people and their organization. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why HR advice should never be given without context How investigations and documentation can shape the outcome of a workplace issue Why employment rules can vary significantly depending on the state What experienced HR leaders do before making difficult people decisions How asking better questions leads to smarter and safer HR outcomes If you own a business, manage a team, or handle HR responsibilities alongside everything else you do, this episode will help you approach internal investigations with confidence and a more informed strategic mindset before you act. Have an HR situation you want Paul to unpack on the show? Record a voice memo and send it to podcast@WTHJustHappened.com. Learn more at WTHJustHappened.com. CEDR HR Solutions is here to help when your HR issues leave you thinking, “What the hell just happened?!” Learn more here: CEDR HR Solutions Or give them a call (866) 414-6056

    The Hidden Risk of Taking Advice Without Context

  6. Feb 16

    The “No Reason” Breakup: You Just Created a Lawsuit

    Termination Without a Reason: Why Lawyers Love It, and How Smart Employers Protect Themselves Many business owners believe “at-will employment” means that when firing someone, not giving a reason is more protective than giving one. In this episode, Paul Edwards and Jennie (Director of Compliance at CEDR HR Solutions and former employment attorney) dismantle that myth and explain why “no reason given” can be one of the fastest ways to invite legal trouble. They break down real-world termination mistakes, why vague or abrupt firings often push employees straight to a lawyer, and how even legitimate issues (like tardiness or performance) can start to look like discrimination when you don’t communicate clearly. You’ll also hear why coaching and documentation matter, and how to keep termination conversations respectful, brief, and defensible. You’ll learn: Why your at-will status alone isn’t a legal shield How “no reason” can support create discrimination claims after the fact What lawyers looking to sure hate to find in the employee's record How to run a clear, respectful, defensible termination meeting   Have an HR situation you want Paul to unpack on the show? Record a voice memo and send it to podcast@WTHJustHappened.com. Learn more at WTHJustHappened.com.   CEDR HR Solutions is here to help when your HR issues leave you thinking, “What the hell just happened?!” Learn more here: CEDR HR Solutions Or give them a call (866) 414-6056

    The “No Reason” Breakup: You Just Created a Lawsuit

  7. Jan 20

    You Can't Unsee HR Things, and two other WTH Moments

    Employees don’t usually quit “out of nowhere”, but for managers, it can feel that way.   In this episode, Paul Edwards sits down with CeCe, COO of CEDR HR Solutions, to unpack why surprise staff shortages happen and what leaders often miss before employees walk out the door.   Unexpected turnover can leave business owners scrambling, frustrated, and short-staffed. Paul and CeCe break down the early warning signs managers overlook, the HR blind spots that lead to sudden departures, and how better communication and leadership habits can prevent staffing crises before they start.   You’ll learn: Why “surprise” employee exits are rarely sudden Common management missteps that drive quiet disengagement How to spot early warning signs before turnover hits Practical steps leaders can take to reduce unexpected staffing gaps What to do when an employee leaves without explanation Whether you’re a small business owner or a people manager handling HR issues daily, this conversation offers clear, actionable insights to help you protect your team and your business from surprise turnover. CEDR HR Solutions is here to help when your HR issues leave you thinking, “What the hell just happened?!” Learn more here: CEDR HR Solutions Or give them a call (866) 414-6056

  8. 04/29/2025

    We Knead a Break: Making Pizza, Not Policies

    Paul Edwards gets cheesy with this episode of What the Hell Just Happened?! With a totally new topic - Pizza. He does still answer a listener HR question at the end, however, this episode is a break from the typical HR content we typically share and gets into something more fun - how to make the perfectly imperfect pizza. Join Paul Edwards and Eileen Lyons as they share their culinary wisdom around all things pizza and take a mental break from all you’ve been holding onto this Tuesday.    Recipe for Paul’s Not-Perfect Dough:  Ingredients:  All Purpose Flour 700gr. Semolena Flour 71 grms Instant Yeast 3gr. Water 501 Oil 23.5 Sugar 7.7gr. Salt 19 gr.   Instructions:  Mix all ingredients except for salt. 12 total minutes mixing. Let dough mix for about 6 minutes at medium speed in a stand mixer. Then let it rest for about two minutes before adding salt for the remaining 6 minutes. Turn dough out on a lightly floured counter. Form a large ball and then cover and let it double in size. Punch down and split into four balls. Place covered in the fridge for 48 hours to proof. You can use them or wrap in saran wrap and freeze. Recipe for Paul’s Pizza Sauce:  Ingredients: Quarter of a medium onion, minced Seeded tomato sauce: Paul recommends a puréed style like Mutti, as removing seeds helps prevent heartburn Olive oil: About 3-4 tablespoons Finely minced garlic: 2-3 cloves Dried oregano Dry red pepper flakes: A pinch to taste (don't overpower the dough) Fennel is mentioned for Italian sausage flavor but not explicitly in this sauce recipe   Instructions:  Heat olive oil in a deep sauce pot over medium-high heat Cook minced onions until translucent (1-2 minutes) Add chopped garlic and cook for about a minute (don't fry too long to avoid bitterness) Add red pepper flakes and salt; cook together briefly Turn off the heat, add the tomato sauce, stir, then turn the heat back on low for another 2-3 minutes Adjust seasonings to taste The sauce can be refrigerated for 2-3 weeks, but be mindful that garlic can cause food poisoning if left too long.

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4.7
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

You don’t know what you don’t know. And, when it comes to HR and employment laws, most employers are SHOCKED by what they learn from talking to CEDR CEO and Founder Paul Edwards for just ten minutes. But Paul’s a busy man. And, though he would love nothing more than to talk one-on-one with each and every business owner and manager interested in learning about HR compliance, team management strategies, and how to protect their businesses, there’s only so much Paul to go around. So, we’ve got the next best thing for you - Introducing ”What the Hell Just Happened?” In this new podcast, Paul sits down with a different HR expert from his Solution Center team each week to discuss the burning HR questions facing you now, and to offer expert insights on important HR considerations you didn’t know you didn’t know.

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