Bringing the Human back to Human Resources

Traci Chernoff
  • 4.7 (89)
  • MANAGEMENT
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People are at the center of every business--or at least they should be. "Bringing the Human back to Human Resources" is a podcast hosted by Traci Chernoff, a Senior Director of Employee Engagement, who has spent 10 years in critical HR leadership roles. Traci explores the delicate balance between people and business and destigmatizes what it means to be in "Human Resources".

  1. 1D AGO

    Emotional Integrity: The Real Reason You're Burning Out

    This week on a replay episode, Traci welcomes Bianca Best to discuss what actually stops burnout and why values alignment matters more than sleep, exercise, or vitamins. Bianca Best is a globally recognized speaker, author, and strategist whose career includes collaborations with Google, Amazon, Deloitte, Barclays, and Unilever. She's dedicated to empowering professionals to achieve extraordinary results without sacrificing their health or happiness. Her book Big Impact Without Burnout offers actionable strategies to help leaders align purpose with performance while thriving sustainably. (00:00) Meet Bianca and What This Episode Is Really About (03:11) From Side Hustle to Entrepreneurship: How the Burnout Cycle Started (08:14) Why Your Last Burnout Happened in 2015—And What Changed (10:30) The Missing Piece Nobody Talks About (15:10) That Feeling in Your Gut That Something's Wrong (22:08) Energy Management as Your Foundation (24:16) Why Where You Work Actually Matters (26:24) How Gender Changes the Burnout Equation (30:32) What the Workforce Is About to Look Like (34:27) The One Question That Changes Everything About Your Career This conversation will change how you think about your career, your values, and what burnout really costs you. If you're feeling stuck between ambition and exhaustion, this is for you. Connect with Bianca Best: Website: BiancaBest.com  Book: Big Impact Without Burnout (endorsed by Arianna Huffington) Connect with Traci: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci  Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen. Share this with someone on your team who's running on empty. Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    39 min

  2. FEB 10

    263. Leaders Need Cynics: Here's Why Most Organizations Fire Them

    This week on the Traci explores what it really means to be cynical at work with Hywel Berry, CEO and founder of Alicorn Learning. A veteran of corporate leadership, sales, and organizational training, Hywel challenges the narrative that cynicism is inherently toxic—and argues that some of the most valuable people in your organization might just be the ones asking tough questions. Throughout this conversation, you'll discover how to harness skepticism as a leadership tool, understand why tone matters more than words, and learn what "realistic optimism" actually looks like when everything feels impossible. What we cover: The cynic paradoxChallenging without being dismissiveTone as strategyRealistic optimism in actionThe role of the natural cynicSpeaking up safelyFeedback meets cynicisIIntention versus impactCode switching for leadersMoving the needle forward Connect with Hywel Berry: Website: alicornlearning.com | LinkedIn  Connect with Traci: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    29 min

  3. FEB 3

    262. The Champions List: How Your Network Actually Lands Jobs feat. Karen Worthy

    This week, Traci welcomes Karen Worthy, an executive career transition coach who helps leaders accelerate their job search and land their dream roles often in half the time of their peers. Karen unpacks why building community and leveraging your network is the most powerful tool in your career transition toolkit. What We Cover: Your personal "champions list" and how it opens doors across companies, not just within them Why the person you talked to three years ago at a training class can be your secret career weapon The three communities you should be part of at any given time How to network when you're terrified of reaching out to someone you barely remember The transferable skills framework that helped Karen go from engineering to HR Breaking into HR (or any new field) when job postings require experience you don't have yet Why "applying off the street" is only 5-10% successful and what actually works The gym buddy, the neighbor's son, and other weak ties that landed real interviews How to identify and articulate your transferable skills in a new career The difference between having one amazing mentor and building multiple supportive communities Connect with Karen Worthy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenworthy/ Website: https://www.worthycareerp­aths.com/ Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    28 min

  4. JAN 27

    261. Greatest Hit: We Own Our Own Career Development

    This episode is all about taking control of your own career development instead of waiting for your manager to hand you opportunities. Traci shares personal lessons learned from influential leaders and her own journey as both an HR professional and podcast founder. You'll walk away understanding that career growth—whether vertical promotions or horizontal skill-building—is ultimately your responsibility, not your manager's. As part of our greatest hits replay series, we're revisiting this powerful solo episode that continues to resonate with our audience about owning your career destiny. Spoiler alert: The best way to get promoted isn't to ask your manager to promote you. It's to demonstrate you're already ready for more. What We Cover: – Your development is your own—taking ownership as the first step toward growth – Why managers can't (and shouldn't) solve your career problems for you – The distinction between vertical growth and horizontal growth—and why you need both – How to shift from "I want more" to "Here's what I'm doing to get there" – The role of self-awareness and honest feedback partners in identifying your gaps – Mentorship, stretch assignments, and seeking feedback as accelerators – Why advocating for yourself matters—especially when negotiating salary – Setting boundaries without sacrificing your value or contribution – Aligning your career vision with your life goals so they work together, not against each other – How filling your own tank outside of work fuels your performance inside of work Key Quote: "Our development is our own. We own every stage of our development. If I want to do more, I can do more. If I want to go beyond the scope of my role, I can go beyond the scope of my role." Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    36 min

  5. JAN 20

    260. The Fiduciary Duty Conversation HR Leaders Need to Have

    Traci sits down with Chris Hamilton, a benefits consultant who specializes in helping employers cut through the noise of rising healthcare costs, to dig into what's really driving the hardest insurance market in 15 years.  If you sat through open enrollment this year wondering why insurance premiums jumped 20% when you thought it would be single digits, this episode reveals why—and what you can actually do about it. Chris walks through the misaligned incentives that make traditional insurance companies profit when your costs rise, exposes waste hiding in your current plan (like medications available for $300 being charged at $1,000), and breaks down why Wells Fargo and Johnson & Johnson ended up in fiduciary duty lawsuits over benefits decisions.  But the real value is the concrete timeline and strategy for what to do starting this month—not waiting until August—to completely reshape your 2026 renewal and actually improve coverage while reducing costs. Contact Information: Connect with Chris Hamilton: Website | LinkedIn | YouTube | The Insider Playbook Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    40 min

  6. JAN 13

    259. What's Coming to the Podcast in 2026

    Traci shares an exciting update about the podcast's production plans for 2026. What You'll Hear: A peek at the production schedule and what's planned for the coming months Why Policy Pulse episodes will return in the summer with new content An invitation to share what topics and guests you want to hear about A sneak peek at next week's episode on insurance and benefits Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci  Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    10 min

  7. JAN 6

    258. Policy Pulse: Bra Inspections, NLRB Control, and Your 2026 Compliance Nightmare

    This episode unpacks the real danger of a female-dominated profession being policed through male eyes, the seismic shift happening with NLRB independence, and what HR leaders need to prepare for as workplace regulation becomes a political ping-pong ball. Bryan breaks down why the next few years will be anything but predictable for your compliance calendar. What We Cover – The Michigan firefighter bra inspection case and why "professionalism" is being weaponized to keep workplaces male-dominated  – Why this case matters even though it shouldn't exist—and how past court rulings could doom the firefighter's lawsuit  – The NLRB's loss of independence and what it means when presidents can fire board members at will – How decades of stable labor policy will now swing with every election cycle  – The real difference between independent agency oversight and direct presidential control  – Why rapid policy reversals in employment law will crush compliance predictability  – Union membership trends: will the NLRB chaos actually drive more unionization or accelerate decline?  – Bryan's three bold bets for 2026: AI implementation, AI discrimination issues, and te blue state/red state divide  – The impossibility of creating one handbook that works across incompatible state laws  – Why HR is the only department in the room protecting the human impact of business decisions Connect with Bryan here: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanjohndriscoll/⁠     Connect with Traci here: ⁠https://linktr.ee/HRTraci ⁠  Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    45 min

  8. 12/16/2025

    257. The Resume Red Flag Hiring Teams Can Spot a Mile Away

    This week, Traci sits down for a solo catch-up to address the elephant in the room: the influx of obviously AI-generated resumes and job applications flooding inboxes. Plus, this is our last episode of 2025, so you won't want to miss this episode! What starts as a cautionary tale about resume fraud becomes a deeper conversation about reputation, confidence, and why the "spray and pray" approach to your career is actually costing you more than it saves. Whether you're tempted to let AI write your resume from scratch, use automated job application services, or lean on generative tools during interviews, this episode challenges the all-or-nothing thinking that's driving so many job seekers to compromise their credibility before they even get in the door. What We Cover: – The telltale signs of AI-generated resumes (generic language, zero personality, missing data points) – Why perfect keyword matching actually hurts your chances despite what you think about ATS systems – The reputation damage that never really goes away in smaller industries – The interview nightmare scenario: claiming experience you don't actually have – How one hiring manager caught a candidate using AI mid-interview (spoiler: the camera angle was a dead giveaway) – Why automated job application services are just spray-and-pray without the actual effectiveness – The difference between using AI as a prep tool versus letting AI replace your thinking entirely – How to leverage AI ethically—workbook prep, question practice, resume critique—without faking your way through applications – The real thing that lands jobs: being prepared, being specific, being YOU – The competitive job market pressure that's driving candidates to abandon authenticity Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci For resume support, interview prep, or career coaching, reach out: https://hrtraci.com/career-services  Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

    28 min
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4.7
out of 5
89 Ratings

About

People are at the center of every business--or at least they should be. "Bringing the Human back to Human Resources" is a podcast hosted by Traci Chernoff, a Senior Director of Employee Engagement, who has spent 10 years in critical HR leadership roles. Traci explores the delicate balance between people and business and destigmatizes what it means to be in "Human Resources".

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