The Alder Hour with Matt Alder

Purple Acorn

The Alder Hour is a podcast that explores the future of HR and Talent Acquisition through honest conversations with people driving change. Broadcast LIVE, we cover the bold ideas and real-world innovations shaping how companies attract, hire, and retain talent. While we don’t shy away from tough or awkward topics—like layoffs, AI ethics, and DEI backlash—our focus is on sharing practical insights, fresh perspectives, and inspiring stories that help talent leaders navigate change and build stronger, more human-centric hiring practices. Each week, host Matt Alder (of Recruiting Future) clocks in with unfiltered insights, smart headlines, and sharp banter from the frontlines of talent, tech, and the ever-shifting world of work. Broadcasting from the UK as part of the Purple Acorn Network, Matt brings a global perspective to local workplace dilemmas — and he’s never at the mic alone. You’ll hear from: Rhona Pierce, our go-to trendwatcher and pop culture pulse-checker, Jocelyn King, HR operations pro and master of The Situation Room, Regular appearances from guest co-hosts like John Baldino and Robin Schooling, And bold conversations with industry leaders — from TA innovators to employer branding experts and wellness coaches. No topic is too awkward: layoffs, AI ethics, DEI backlash, resume fibbing, hiring influencers, office politics, and yes — whether body cameras belong on retail staff. So pour a drink (alcoholic or not), punch that mental clock, and spend 60 minutes with The Alder Hour — part news, part group chat, all future of work.

  1. Federal AI Policy, CHRO Burnout & Fixing Hiring, with Claudine Trudeau

    12/15/2025

    Federal AI Policy, CHRO Burnout & Fixing Hiring, with Claudine Trudeau

    Join hosts Matt and Rhona as they tackle the critical shifts impacting the end-of-year HR landscape. The duo breaks down a major new Executive Order that limits state power over workplace AI, potentially ending the compliance patchwork for talent leaders. They also examine alarming new data showing CHRO turnover has hit a five-year high, as executives increasingly face burnout from stalling "workforce transformation" efforts. In the feature interview, we sit down with Claudine Trudeau, Assistant Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Vi, to discuss optimizing the candidate experience in the high-stakes world of healthcare hiring. Claudine shares how her team tackled a massive drop-off problem by slashing application completion times from over 15 minutes to just 3 minutes. By identifying friction points and removing unnecessary requirements, they successfully reduced candidate abandonment by 88%. Claudine also opens up about the operational changes that drove these results, including shortening assessments, reducing interview rounds by nearly half, and creating transparent "PUP" videos to manage expectations. The impact was immediate: applicant flow surged by 140%, and the organization achieved a 4.5/5 Glassdoor rating, proving that speed and empathy can go hand-in-hand. Finally, Matt and Rhona wrap up with a "Trending or Ending" debate on the concept of the "Vulnerable CEO". Sparked by the AT&T CEO’s recent admission of "mistakes" regarding their return-to-office rollout, the hosts ask if this is a genuine leadership shift or just a strategy to stop the talent bleed. It’s another packed episode from the Purple Acorn network—catch it now to end your workday right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

About

The Alder Hour is a podcast that explores the future of HR and Talent Acquisition through honest conversations with people driving change. Broadcast LIVE, we cover the bold ideas and real-world innovations shaping how companies attract, hire, and retain talent. While we don’t shy away from tough or awkward topics—like layoffs, AI ethics, and DEI backlash—our focus is on sharing practical insights, fresh perspectives, and inspiring stories that help talent leaders navigate change and build stronger, more human-centric hiring practices. Each week, host Matt Alder (of Recruiting Future) clocks in with unfiltered insights, smart headlines, and sharp banter from the frontlines of talent, tech, and the ever-shifting world of work. Broadcasting from the UK as part of the Purple Acorn Network, Matt brings a global perspective to local workplace dilemmas — and he’s never at the mic alone. You’ll hear from: Rhona Pierce, our go-to trendwatcher and pop culture pulse-checker, Jocelyn King, HR operations pro and master of The Situation Room, Regular appearances from guest co-hosts like John Baldino and Robin Schooling, And bold conversations with industry leaders — from TA innovators to employer branding experts and wellness coaches. No topic is too awkward: layoffs, AI ethics, DEI backlash, resume fibbing, hiring influencers, office politics, and yes — whether body cameras belong on retail staff. So pour a drink (alcoholic or not), punch that mental clock, and spend 60 minutes with The Alder Hour — part news, part group chat, all future of work.