WTF is Business Casual

Rise Human Resources
  • 4.8 (17)
  • MANAGEMENT

Buckle up for real HR stories that'll make you laugh, cringe, and thank your lucky stars you're not that guy. WTF is Business Casual is the HR podcast where two seasoned consultants—Sarah Bursten and Jenny Lavey, co-founders of RiseHR—dish on wild workplace fails, toxic bosses, employee drama, and leadership gone wrong. With 35+ years of combined experience in HR, leadership development, and people management, they offer surprisingly useful advice wrapped in real talk and hilarious storytelling. If you’re an HR professional, small business owner, people manager, or just someone who’s survived office politics, this show is for you. Subscribe to WTF is Business Casual—because work is weird, leadership is messy, and people always be peopling. Hosted by Sarah Bursten & Jenny Lavey | RiseHR www.risehumanresources.com

  1. DEC 17

    Performance Reviews Are Broken (Part 2): Why Development Planning Keeps Missing the Point

    Send us a text Development planning is the most ignored, and most misunderstood, part of performance management. In this episode of WTF is Business Casual, HR consultants Jenny Levy and Sarah Burston break down why development planning deserves its own lane and why bundling it into performance reviews quietly wrecks employee growth, engagement, and retention. This is Part Two of their performance management series, focused on the forward-looking side of work. What’s inside this episode: Why development planning deserves its own conversation separate from performance reviewsWhy tying development to compensation creates false expectationsWhat Individual Development Plans are supposed to do versus what they usually becomeWhy training is the smallest piece of real developmentHow on-the-job learning actually builds skills leaders care aboutThe problem with leaders deciding career paths without asking employees what they wantWhy succession planning often ignores human realityHow lateral moves develop people without inflating titlesWhy growth doesn’t look the same in every season of lifeWhat leaders owe employees when they say they “care about development”Listen to Part 1: Performance Reviews Are Broken (Part 1): The Messy Reality of Workplace Evaluation Want Practical Tools Without Corporate Jargon? Jenny and Sarah also share details about upcoming free HR training sessions through Rise HR, focused on continuous feedback, development tools, and modern performance management for small and mid-size businesses. Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    40 min

  2. DEC 3

    Performance Reviews Are Broken (Part 1): The Messy Reality of Workplace Evaluation

    Send us a text This week, Jenny and Sarah drag the workplace ritual everyone hates: performance reviews. They open with a simple truth HR has known forever. Nobody likes them, nobody trusts them, and nobody thinks they actually work. Managers dread writing them. Employees dread reading them. Yet here we are, still clinging to a system that feels older than a fax machine. And yes, they get into the cultural shift that has managers terrified to say anything direct, the rise of “triggered” responses in the workplace, and the confusion leaders feel when employees treat normal feedback like a personal attack. The conversation gets honest about accountability, psychological safety, and why discomfort is not the same as danger. What’s inside this episode: Why everyone complains about performance reviews but nobody changes themThe four pieces of performance management that companies mix up constantlyWhat continuous feedback actually looks like when it’s not performative nonsenseWhy managers need to stop blending praise, coaching, and conflict into one chaotic meetingThe problem with leaders who want to fire someone but never documented a thingWhen corrective action is appropriate — and why clarity matters more than comfortThe real difference between doing your job and “going above and beyond”Why market adjustments, merit, promotions, and bonuses should never be lumped togetherHow generational shifts and therapy language have changed workplace conversationsWhat managers owe employees, what employees owe themselves, and what HR is tired of explainingJenny and Sarah don’t pretend performance reviews are going anywhere tomorrow. But they do challenge the entire way we think about them, and push for a version that’s clearer, kinder, and way less convoluted. Hit play for unfiltered HR truth, some laughs, and the reassurance that if you hate performance reviews, you’re not alone, and you’re not wrong. Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    53 min

  3. NOV 19

    Sick at Work: Why You Showing Up Is Everyone’s Worst Nightmare

    Send us a text Cold and flu season has arrived, and Jenny and Sarah have officially reached their breaking point. This week, they break down the circus of people dragging themselves into the office sick, logging onto Zoom while sweating through a fever, or insisting it’s “just allergies” in the middle of December. From vomiting kids to adults powering through meetings mid-retch, this episode gets blunt about how unhinged workplace culture has become around “pushing through.” The hosts explain why showing up sick isn’t brave, why it’s often selfish, and why everyone else is tired of catching your germs. This week’s chaos includes: A car ride that felt like a biohazard eventA client who tried to finish a Zoom call while actively throwing upKids who refuse to drink water and are confused when their throat hurtsAdults claiming “winter allergies” while running a feverJenny’s emergency plan for vomiting during a video call (step one: slam laptop shut)How France sees working sick as selfish while the U.S. calls it dedicationThe badge-of-honor culture that keeps people working when they should be in bedThe germ gauntlet of parenting small childrenPeople with paid sick leave who refuse to take itA reminder that potluck food handled by children should be illegalJenny and Sarah say it plainly: If you're too sick to be in the office, you're too sick to “just check email.” Take the day. Drink some water. Stop distributing your germs like confetti. Key takeaways: Your company can replace you faster than it can fix your immune system.Rest is essential, not optional.No one is impressed when you show up sick.Closing your laptop immediately removes you from a Teams call. Use that information wisely.Listen in for an unfiltered breakdown of why sick-at-work culture makes no sense, why boundaries matter, and why rest is part of being a functioning adult human. Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    44 min

  4. OCT 29

    Please Stop Hugging Me (and Other Workplace Crimes)

    Send us a text Welcome back to WTF is Business Casual, where HR consultants Jenny Levy and Sarah Bursten roast, rant, and reality-check the weird stuff that somehow passes for “normal” in the workplace. This week we’re calling out all the things people still think are fine at work, but absolutely aren’t. From awkward hugs to speakerphone oversharers, cubicles that look like dorm rooms, and the office “Happy Birthday” song no one actually enjoys, Jenny and Sarah break down what’s WTF-acceptable and what’ll get you side-eyed by HR. WTF Moments & Hot Takes: Hugging at work. Friendly or lawsuit waiting to happen? (Hint: keep your hands to yourself.)Cubicle clutter. Your desk isn’t a daycare or a personal museum.Being BFFs with your boss. How “we’re just friends” turns into “why did HR call me in?”Reply All crimes. Stop hitting that button, Sally. Just. Stop.Forced birthday singing. Why workplace celebrations feel more like hostage situations.Speakerphone culture. If we can hear your conversation, it’s already gone too far.The unspoken workplace rules. The stuff you’ll never find in an employee handbook (but should).Jenny and Sarah also unpack how corporate culture has shifted from “we dealt with it” to “I’m reporting you,” and why that might be both progress and a buzzkill. Because let’s be honest. We can’t have nice things anymore. Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    46 min

  5. OCT 8

    Gen Z at Work: Lazy, Loud, or the Wake-Up Call Corporate Needed?

    Send us a text Gen Z has officially entered the chat and corporate America isn’t ready. Jenny and Sarah rip into the chaos (and low-key brilliance) of the newest generation in the workplace. Are they entitled job hoppers with no soft skills… or the only ones brave enough to call BS on burnout culture?  Spoiler: it’s complicated — and very, very human. They unpack everything from Gen Z’s allergy to fake leadership to why they’ll quit faster than you can say “circle back.” Plus, the hosts drag every generation (including their own) through the mud for good measure. You’ll get: The truth about Gen Z’s “bad attitude” and why it’s actually a boundaryHow pandemic schooling and parenting styles rewired workplace expectationsReal talk on feedback, flexibility, and why managers need to grow up tooThe tension between “just do your job” and “I need meaning in my job”A mirror moment for HR pros who keep trying to lead with policies instead of peopleBecause every generation swears the next one’s the problem, but maybe Gen Z’s just the first one bold enough to say the quiet part out loud. Hit play. Laugh a little, cringe a lot, and maybe rethink how you talk about “kids these days.” Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    1h 1m

  6. SEP 24

    The Detachment Paradox: Why HR Bias Punishes Employees Who Unplug

    Send us a text Employers love to say they support work-life balance and encourage you to take your PTO. But here’s the workplace reality: when employees actually unplug, they’re often seen as less committed, and less promotable. Welcome to the detachment paradox. In this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah unpack the HR bias that rewards “always on” employees and punishes those who set healthy boundaries. It’s the messed-up cycle that fuels employee burnout, slows career growth, and leaves leaders scratching their heads about why people keep quitting. Drawing from corporate HR experience, research from Harvard Business Review, and their own stories, the hosts get candid about how organizations really evaluate “commitment” at work—and why leaders need to rethink what performance looks like. In this conversation, you’ll hear: Why workplace detachment (logging off, PTO, boundaries) helps performance but hurts promotionsHow unconscious HR bias still favors visibility and “green dot” culture over resultsReal stories of burnout, PTO guilt, and leaders who say “set boundaries” but expect 24/7 availabilityThe generational clash over hustle culture, career growth, and work-life expectationsWhat France’s “Right to Disconnect” law shows us about protecting employee wellbeingHow commitment bias skews performance reviews and promotability decisionsJenny and Sarah also get personal about their different leadership styles. One is wired to respond immediately, the other is comfortable letting things wait, and how those differences play out when managing clients, careers, and sanity. If you’ve ever been penalized for taking a vacation, wondered why promotions go to the loudest hustlers, or debated whether “healthy boundaries” and “career growth” can actually co-exist in today’s workplace, this episode is for you. We want your take. Have you seen the detachment paradox play out in your own company? Or caught yourself judging employees (or yourself) for unplugging? Share your story with us on Instagram @wtfisbusinesscasual. Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    38 min

  7. SEP 10

    WTF Meetings: Why Your Workplace Productivity Is Dying in Conference Rooms

    Send us a text Jenny and Sarah rip into the black hole of modern work life: meetings. Endless updates, back-to-back Zooms, and “quick syncs” that somehow eat your entire day. It’s no wonder productivity is tanking. They break down: Why update meetings are the real productivity killersThe hidden cost of meetings when you factor in salaries (spoiler: it’s a lot)How stripping recurring meetings off the calendar could actually fix workplace cultureWith plenty of side-eye for the corporate “I’ll give you three minutes back” lie, Jenny and Sarah also share horror stories of leaders who confused talking with working. If your team’s working nights and weekends because their days are filled with meetings, you’re not leading, you’re clogging the damn pipes. And if your meeting could’ve been an email, it probably should’ve been. Highlights: [01:57] The one-hour meeting that inspired this rant [04:39] What if meetings had a running cost ticker? [09:45] Dropbox’s 3D model for meetings (debate, discuss, decide—or don’t meet) [13:49] The “no update meetings” rule every workplace needs [17:27] A company that wiped all meetings—and only brought back what mattered [23:34] Why recurring meetings are the productivity death spiral [30:36] Your end-of-year challenge: cancel everything and start fresh 🎧 Hit play, because your workplace culture isn’t broken, it’s just buried under bad meetings. Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    33 min

  8. AUG 13

    Leadership Boundaries: Non-Negotiables That Keep Teams Sane

    Send us a text Jenny and Sarah lay down the leadership boundaries that keep their teams sane, their workdays functional, and their patience intact. From bosses who brag about “open door” policies but vanish when the tough stuff hits, to leaders who think skipping lunch is a sign of commitment (spoiler: it’s not), they’re calling out the habits that quietly wreck morale, and the ones that actually build trust. You’ll get: Boundaries that protect your time and your credibilityHow follow-through turns you from “just a manager” into a trusted leaderHR horror stories about leaders who couldn’t manage a coffee order, let alone a teamRespecting your boundaries is the first step to getting anyone else to respect them too. Highlights: [00:02] “Non-negotiables” without the corporate handbook jargon [08:15] When “availability” turns into a 24/7 leash [19:45] The follow-up that shifted team trust overnight [34:20] Why skipping lunch is a terrible leadership flex [47:10] Red flags that scream “don’t follow this person” What’s your leadership non-negotiable? DM us @‌WTFisBusinessCasual or send a voice note, we might share it in a future episode.  Visit our website: RISE Human Resources Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation Follow us on Instagram: WTF is Business Casual

    35 min
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4.8
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Buckle up for real HR stories that'll make you laugh, cringe, and thank your lucky stars you're not that guy. WTF is Business Casual is the HR podcast where two seasoned consultants—Sarah Bursten and Jenny Lavey, co-founders of RiseHR—dish on wild workplace fails, toxic bosses, employee drama, and leadership gone wrong. With 35+ years of combined experience in HR, leadership development, and people management, they offer surprisingly useful advice wrapped in real talk and hilarious storytelling. If you’re an HR professional, small business owner, people manager, or just someone who’s survived office politics, this show is for you. Subscribe to WTF is Business Casual—because work is weird, leadership is messy, and people always be peopling. Hosted by Sarah Bursten & Jenny Lavey | RiseHR www.risehumanresources.com

Information

  • Creator
    Rise Human Resources
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 WTF is Business Casual
  • Show Website
    WTF is Business Casual

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