HR Unplugged

BambooHR
HR Unplugged

HR Unplugged is a show for HR and business leaders unafraid to ask the tough questions needed to tackle the competing challenges posed by today’s complex global economy. Each highly interactive episode will feature unfiltered conversations with HR professionals answering the most pressing questions in people leadership — including many sent in by listeners like you. Whether you’re seeking to re-engage your workers, navigate social justice issues, or simply learn the secrets to competitive pay — if you care about your people, you’ll find a home in our community.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    How AI Can Help HR Work Faster, Smarter, and Better

    AI has been one of the biggest talking points in HR for the past five years and it has already transformed the way HR operates. Whether you are already using it in your processes or are keen to experiment, this episode offers plenty of actionable tips on the best practices and use cases for AI. Joining the episode are Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research and Advisory and BambooHR’s Head of AI, Alan Whitaker, to share their experiences and advice for using AI the right way. Ethical considerations around bias are a conundrum for HR pros, but did you know that AI could actually help you stamp out those biases in the recruitment process? Alan and Ben share their tips on how you can use what you know about bias and train AIs to help rather than hinder the process. We hear how to best use AI across different levels of HR, including recruitment, retention, employee satisfaction, and learning and development. Key moments:  Ben explains what’s new in his recent book edition of Artificial Intelligence for HRThe problems with recruiters and candidates using AIThe upside of using AI in recruitmentHow AI can help to improve employee retentionUse cases for AI in HRHow AI can help in L&DTips for ensuring you use AI ethically  Key links: Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/Join HR Heroes Slack Community:https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQwBamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beneubanks/Connect with Alan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digiduke/

    49 min
  2. FEB 4

    The Top Concerns for HR in the New Year

    In between ongoing technological developments, new expectations from leaders, and lurking challenges, 2025 is promising to be a big year for HR teams. But how will the average HR leadership role change in the year ahead? For this episode, we grab the crystal ball and share our top predictions on how roles like Chief People Officer and more are changing as expectations broaden and tech makes new things possible. Vanessa Brulotte speaks with Brandon Welch, Head of Talent Acquisition at BambooHR, and Brad Warga, Partner at Heidrick & Struggles, to hear their takes on the top challenges facing HR professionals this year. We look at what CEOs want from CPOs today, the current state of AI implementation in HR, how HR teams can plan out a training roadmap for leaders, and much more. Key moments: Why shortage of HR talent remains a top challenge How the average role of Chief People Officer has changed Why a good balance of hard and soft skills are needed more than ever The current state of AI implementation in HRHow HR teams of one can get ahead in 2025The biggest challenge facing HR leaders today Attributes that companies need from HR professionalsAdvice for HR professionals in 2025Why training remains the biggest asset to a team like HRWhy employee wellness initiatives are still a major focus for companies in 2025 Key links: Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/Join HR Heroes Slack Community:https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQwBamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/

    49 min
  3. JAN 21

    Hiring and Retention—The Most Popular Topics from 2024

    What were the hottest HR topics of 2024? From navigating tricky hiring challenges to setting employees up for success, join Anita Grantham and Vanessa Brulotte as they break down the ten most popular conversations from HR Unplugged in 2024! We discuss everything from how the "cake” framework connects to HR strategy to attracting bilingual candidates, and why recruiters shouldn’t feel subordinate to hiring managers. You’ll also hear about some of the guests we’ve had on the show, including Tim Sackett and Casey Bailey, along with tips on how HR professionals can earn credibility as new hires. Plus, we discuss the importance of deciding on milestones and metrics to ensure transparency in the hiring and onboarding process, as well as how to make the most of performance reviews. Key moments: Why job onboarding is often overlooked compared to paperwork and company onboarding The importance of tone and approach when dealing with sensitive topics, such as firingWhy developing a scorecard for hiring is essential How to set employees up for success by demonstrating what winning looks likeWhy performance in a role should be tied back to performance management How to maximize the impact of performance improvement plans How to structure the first forty-four days of employee success Key links: Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/Join HR Heroes Slack Community:https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQwBamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/

    44 min
  4. JAN 14

    Speed Up Your Hiring Process and Find High Quality Talent

    From writing job descriptions to scheduling interviews, selecting applicants to assessing candidate quality, the hiring process is time-consuming and difficult. And after all that, the person who gets the job may not be the right fit! However, hiring well is vital to the ongoing success of any organization. In short, hiring needs to be done right. In this episode, we sit down with Tim Sackett, President of HRU Technical Resources and a best-selling HR author, to discuss how to make the hiring process as smooth as possible. We discuss measuring quality of hire, the reality of selecting bad candidates, and some common TA pitfalls. Tim also recounts some of his most memorable HR experiences and discusses how generative AI is impacting the work that hiring teams do. Key moments: Why a job sample is the best way of assessing candidate qualityWhy it’s important not to blame one another for bad candidatesHow to use data to judge quality of hireWhy TA and HR are not a cost center, but an essential business functionThe importance of well-thought-out job descriptions and why hiring managers often ‘skate’ on writing theseWhy quality of hire is industry-specificThe ways in which the idea of ‘quality of hire’ can be problematic Key links: Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/Join HR Heroes Slack Community:https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQwBamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsackett/

    52 min
  5. JAN 7

    Compensation Trends for 2025: New Data Readout and HR Advice

    Compensation is the reason people turn up for work. A great company culture helps, and the value of the work itself can make a difference, but realistically, money is what keeps people coming in each day. Indeed, compensation is one of the key factors in employee wellbeing, performance, and retention. However, as revealed in BambooHR's Compensation Trends for 2025 report, things are looking somewhat bleak in this area across the United States. In this episode, we chew over the report, talk about some of the key findings, and explain what’s going right and what’s going wrong for the employees surveyed. We discuss the data at length, talk about the divide between generations and genders, and explain how current economic conditions play into all this. While many are pessimistic about work and compensation, fear not: there are still positives to draw on and many actionable steps that businesses can take to improve employee satisfaction and engagement. Key moments:  How the uptick in dissatisfaction with pay from employees is linked to current economic conditionsThe value of salary tools such as MIT’s Living Wage Calculator Why transparent negotiation may be the reason Gen Z is seeing higher salary increases than other generations The optimum time to send out employee surveysWhy total pay transparency is not always optimal How to develop a compensation philosophy Why leaders are seen as out-of-touch by their employees – and how leaders can prevent thisUsing data to see whether pay has been mapped right and coaching leaders in trends Key links: Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQwBamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/Compensation Trends for 2025 Report: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/data-at-work/data-stories/2025-compensation-trends#:~:text=Average%20Salary%20Increase%20YoY&text=6.2%25-,For%20the%20second%20year%20in%20a%20row%2C%202%20in%205,42%25%20decrease%20over%20two%20years.

    45 min
  6. JAN 2

    Best Practices for Implementing 360 Feedback at Your Business

    Done right, 360 feedback is a great way of promoting growth in an organization, providing a more well-rounded view of individual and team performance, and strengthening collaboration. Done wrong, it can contribute to a culture of fear, lead to resentment, and be too focused on weakness rather than strength. In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Burton, Co-Founder of Talgo.io, to explore the ins and outs of 360 feedback. We discuss the challenges, the risks, and how to put in place a review system that leaves all parties satisfied. Jordan also offers some examples from his own professional life, suggests the times when a business is ready to implement a 360, and talks about why this process shouldn’t be remedial – that is to say, with the aim of ‘fixing’ somebody. Key moments:  The ‘three levels’ of 360 feedback The importance of trust in the process Why 360 feedback risks being overly evaluative How to prepare employees The value of including a third-party Why the ‘no attribution’ aspect of 360 feedback is so essential How employees can provide feedback on the feedback they have received Key links: Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQwBamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanwburton/

    56 min
  7. 12/26/2024

    How to Compete for Employee Attention in a Dopamine Addicted Society

    Dopamine is one of the most important chemicals in the body, playing a role in controlling memory, mood, sleep, learning, concentration, and movement. However, the modern world is challenging for dopamine levels because of the way our environment and habits overstimulate the brain's 'reward center' while also reducing opportunities for deep, sustained satisfaction. We sit down with Scott Byrd, Co-Founder of Pathways Global, for a discussion about how brain chemistry affects workplace performance, exploring the role of dopamine in motivation, the importance of understanding your brain's patterns to calm your nervous system, and how to improve workplace interactions, especially when giving feedback. We also discuss ways to increase dopamine, and explore the impact of ADHD on performance. Key moments:  The effect of blue light on dopamine levels Why being ‘up, light, and direct’ is key for workplace interactionsThe importance of orienting yourself around the ways your brain worksStrategies for helping employees stay engaged in this dopamine-addicted environment and societyADHD and modern work challengesWhy how-tos and checklists are less useful than a simple commitment to conversation and learning Key links: Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQwBamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-byrd-4a2081a/

    57 min
4.8
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

HR Unplugged is a show for HR and business leaders unafraid to ask the tough questions needed to tackle the competing challenges posed by today’s complex global economy. Each highly interactive episode will feature unfiltered conversations with HR professionals answering the most pressing questions in people leadership — including many sent in by listeners like you. Whether you’re seeking to re-engage your workers, navigate social justice issues, or simply learn the secrets to competitive pay — if you care about your people, you’ll find a home in our community.

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