HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story!

John Thalheimer, MS Org Leadership and Chuck Simikian, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
  • 5.0 (18)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the HR Stories Podcast - where there is a lesson in every story. Our Storytellers - John Thalheimer and Chuck Simikian, the Team behind HR Stories, share real-life tales about where a business made a preventable mistake. At The HR Stories Podcast, the STORIES are the teaching tool! LISTEN to the stories of those who did not heed the warning signs. LEARN from their mistakes. ACT on best practices shared by our hosts and guests. Each year, our hosts, Chuck Simikian and John Thalheimer, deliver thousands of live seminars around the country to business owners, executives, and HR professionals discussing the fundamentals of Human Resources, Leadership best practices, and legal risk reduction activities for organizations. Each HR Story episode shares a story of where a company missed the mark, what went wrong, and how you can avoid their fate. As the Team at HR Stories, John and Chuck continue to develop and provide resources to help HR leaders, business owners, and organizations with the confidence they need to successfully handle employee issues and build strong employee practices to comply with employment laws. Both successful entrepreneurs help businesses through HR consulting, training, and coaching leaders. They have coached and trained thousands of HR Professionals, Business Owners, and Leaders to prepare them for the future. John is the Founding Director of True Star Leadership™, which focuses on helping managers and leaders learn performance management principles. Chuck is the Founding Partner of Alliance HR Partners, which provides HR consulting and training to businesses nationwide. Together, they have over 40 years of experience navigating the challenges of HR and recently published their book, The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklist Edition. Go to https://ultimateguidetohr.com/ for more information, download a free sample, and watch their webinar on the Secret Power Behind Successful Businesses.

  1. MAY 19

    Ep162: Why Raising Minimum Wage Creates Upward Salary Pressure

    Send us Fan Mail Most HR conversations overlook the real drivers behind employee retention and wage satisfaction. What if the secret isn’t just about raising minimum wages, but understanding why people stay or leave? This episode dives deep into the hidden forces shaping compensation and workplace culture—revealing surprising insights on how pay, benefits, and environment influence your team's longevity and engagement. Join us as we unpack the overlooked impact of minimum wage trends—from the 1970s to today—and how wage compression and salary compression threaten your ability to attract and retain talent. We explore the science and psychology behind fair pay, highlighting why many organizations underestimate the subtle, yet powerful, effects of culture, benefits, and intrinsic motivation on employee happiness. You'll discover: Why minimal wage levels (like $7.25) are less relevant than you think, and how wage floors influence upward pressure across salaries.The secret science and complexity behind compensation decisions, even for HR pros. Spoiler: It's not just market rates, but perceived fairness and culture fit.How supply and demand, job difficulty, and societal factors like gas prices impact employees' decision to stay or jump ship, often unnoticed by leadership.The critical importance of benefits and company culture in fostering engagement, especially for long-term employees who've "checked out" but stay out of comfort or routine.Why money motivates during overtime but isn't the main factor fueling daily work passion.In a climate where workers are overwhelmed by economic pressures, such as rising gas costs or inflation, it’s more vital than ever to understand what motivates your team beyond paychecks. Ignoring these insights risks high turnover, disengagement, and a workplace where employees feel undervalued despite seemingly competitive salaries. Whether you're an HR leader, manager, or business owner, this episode equips you with the knowledge to rethink your compensation strategies, improve workplace culture, and build loyalty from the inside out. Perfect for anyone committed to creating workplaces where people want to stay long-term. Don’t miss these game-changing insights! If you want to understand the real levers behind employee retention, this discussion will give you a fresh perspective that combines data, psychology, and practical wisdom. Tune in and get ready to transform your approach to compensation and engagement. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    16 min

  2. MAY 12

    Ep161: Clarity. Capabilities. Capacity. Change Your Workplaces Today.

    Send us Fan Mail Most HR advice misses the real secret to building thriving teams and it’s not just about training or benefits. On this episode, leadership guru John shares a powerful, simple framework for transforming your workplace from the inside out. Discover how clarity, capabilities, and capacity can be the game-changers for your team’s decision-making, motivation, and energy. John reveals how understanding and enhancing these three ingredients can lead to higher engagement, better decisions, and a more resilient workplace. He breaks down practical strategies like aligning team values with behavior norms, assessing resource gaps, and managing energy like a capacitor, so you can improve decision quality at every level. You’ll learn why traditional HR tactics often fall short and how focusing on decision-making conditions can unlock hidden potential. Whether you're a manager, HR professional, or leader, this episode gives you the tools to foster a culture where employees are energized, aligned, and equipped to succeed.  Don’t settle for mediocre teams! Harness the power of these insights to make work better for everyone. Perfect for workplace leaders looking to elevate decision-making, engagement, and team dynamics. This is your blueprint for creating resilient, motivated, and high-performing teams. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    17 min

  3. APR 28

    Ep160: You Can Pump... If We're Staffed

    Send us Fan Mail When a medical facility told a new mother that she could take a couple of minutes to pump ONLY if they were well-staffed, it wasn't a benefit they were withholding. They took away her rights. While it's easy for managers to feel that following the law is getting in the way of the operation, it's important for them to understand how the law works and where there isn't any room for exceptions.  Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    18 min

  4. APR 21

    Ep159: Friction-Causing Jolts Making Your Employees Quit

    Send us Fan Mail When your employees experience moments of friction that make them question their relationship with their job or the company they work for, you want to make sure there's enough "love in the tank" to sustain their relationship with the job. How do you get ahead of these moments of friction to make sure the overall satisfaction in the job outweighs the frustrations they encounter? Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    24 min

  5. APR 14

    Ep158: Succession - It doesn't need to be TV-worthy drama

    Send us Fan Mail Having a solid succession plan at your company can not only help you have the right people to fill a role and provide clarity for your employees, but it could also save you from a lawsuit. In today's story, you'll see that even the EEOC couldn't escape a court battle when an employee claimed their succession plan was exclusionary and violated their own laws. Were the claims accurate? Listen to find out! Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    22 min

  6. APR 7

    Ep157: The Changing Landscape of Internships

    Send us Fan Mail Internships have long been seen as stepping stones in careers, but recent developments have raised serious questions about their structure and compensation. As corporate America grapples with evolving norms, young professionals must navigate this changing landscape. In this episode, we’ll explore the current state of internships, the implications of recent legal cases, and what you can do to protect yourself in this competitive field. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    24 min

  7. MAR 31

    Ep156: Discrimination By Customer Request

    Send us Fan Mail When a patient requests that they re-assign a home-health nurse because they didn't want them to be black, the company made a dangerous and costly agreement to try and make the customer happy. Can customers make requests based on discriminatory reasons and, if they do, how do you handle it? Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    15 min

  8. MAR 24

    Ep155: Let Your Employees Gossip (Kind Of)

    Send us Fan Mail Office gossip is an unavoidable fixture of the work environment and can even have benefits to the relationships your teams build. But when does it cross the line? When is concern around gossip just a manager's ego talking? And what does gossip actually point to as the real issue in the workplace? Listen to Chuck and John break it down for you on this weeks episode with a five-part solution to tackling gossip head on.  Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

    20 min
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Trailer

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About

Welcome to the HR Stories Podcast - where there is a lesson in every story. Our Storytellers - John Thalheimer and Chuck Simikian, the Team behind HR Stories, share real-life tales about where a business made a preventable mistake. At The HR Stories Podcast, the STORIES are the teaching tool! LISTEN to the stories of those who did not heed the warning signs. LEARN from their mistakes. ACT on best practices shared by our hosts and guests. Each year, our hosts, Chuck Simikian and John Thalheimer, deliver thousands of live seminars around the country to business owners, executives, and HR professionals discussing the fundamentals of Human Resources, Leadership best practices, and legal risk reduction activities for organizations. Each HR Story episode shares a story of where a company missed the mark, what went wrong, and how you can avoid their fate. As the Team at HR Stories, John and Chuck continue to develop and provide resources to help HR leaders, business owners, and organizations with the confidence they need to successfully handle employee issues and build strong employee practices to comply with employment laws. Both successful entrepreneurs help businesses through HR consulting, training, and coaching leaders. They have coached and trained thousands of HR Professionals, Business Owners, and Leaders to prepare them for the future. John is the Founding Director of True Star Leadership™, which focuses on helping managers and leaders learn performance management principles. Chuck is the Founding Partner of Alliance HR Partners, which provides HR consulting and training to businesses nationwide. Together, they have over 40 years of experience navigating the challenges of HR and recently published their book, The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklist Edition. Go to https://ultimateguidetohr.com/ for more information, download a free sample, and watch their webinar on the Secret Power Behind Successful Businesses.

Information

  • Creator
    John Thalheimer, MS Org Leadership and Chuck Simikian, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    181
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story!
  • Show Website
    HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story!

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