HR Happy Hour Network

4.1 (85)
Business
Weekly

At Work in America, the longest running and top downloaded HR podcast, focuses on human resources, management, leadership, and workforce technology. The show is hosted by Steve Boese, the Co-Chair of the HR Technology Conference and Trish Steed, CEO of H3 HR Advisors.

1d ago

The "Spooky" Side of Small Business Culture: Fixing Hidden Ghosts and Silos Before Year-End

The "Spooky" Side of Small Business Culture: Fixing Hidden Ghosts and Silos Before Year-End Host: Sabrina Baker Summary Cultural breakdowns in small businesses rarely start with a dramatic, headline-making crisis. They start as quiet friction points in the dark—ghosted feedback, zombie policies, and department silos—that everyone senses but nobody talks about out loud. Because of the close proximity in small businesses (1–500 employees), these "cultural ghosts" ripple through the workforce fast, eroding trust and setting up a wave of January resignations. In this episode of HR Connection, Sabrina Baker breaks down why small business leaders often default to silence and confrontation avoidance, sharing a jaw-dropping real client story of how conflict avoidance can backfire. Learn how to use neutral third-party focus groups, run quick 3-question pulse surveys, audit outdated handbook policies, and equip managers with feedback frameworks like COIN and Start/Stop/Continue to fix culture issues before year-end. Topics include: Introduction: The "Spooky" Cultural MonstersWhy Halloween is the perfect metaphor for small business culture. Unpacking the three big monsters lurking in small companies: Ghosted Feedback Loops, Zombie Policies, and Silo Vampires.SECTION 1: Communication & Confrontation AvoidanceWhy small business leaders default to silence when news is uncertain or bad, and how information vacuums breed worst-case assumptions. Plus, a real-life cautionary client story about a demotion announced live during an all-hands meeting.SECTION 2: The Top 3 Focus Group ComplaintsUnpacking the three most common complaints heard during employee focus groups: constant changing of direction without context, uneven manager information cascading, and highly unrealistic expectations around scope and timeframe.SECTION 3: Survey Methodology & Third-Party TrustWhy small businesses are never too small for surveys, why employees open up to third-party facilitators faster than internal HR, and the 3 go-to pulse survey questions every small business should ask.SECTION 4: Zombie Policies & Departmental SilosHow to spot outdated handbook rules (from fax machine policies to punitive sick leave notes) and why Sales and Finance are the most severely siloed departments in small operations.SECTION 5: Tactical Manager Frameworks & Stay InterviewsStep-by-step coaching tools for managers: Using the COIN method (Context, Observation, Impact, Next Steps) and Start/Stop/Continue for feedback, plus 3 critical Stay Interview questions to ask in November.SECTION 6: Actionable Homework & Wrap-UpA 3-step action plan to conduct a cultural ghost hunt in your organization before the holiday slowdown. Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
4d ago

AI for Frontline Workers: Creating a Better Employee Experience

AI for Frontline Workers: Creating a Better Employee Experience Hosts: Steve Boese Guest: Gretchen Alarcon, GVP/GM of HCM and Payroll at UKG Summary On this episode of the HR Happy Hour, Steve Boese is joined by Gretchen Alarcon to explore how AI can help organizations create a better experience for frontline workers while also helping managers make smarter workforce decisions. Gretchen shares how UKG is approaching AI from both sides of the employee experience. For workers, that can mean making everyday tasks—like requesting time off, understanding a paycheck, accessing support, or navigating a leave of absence—faster and easier. For managers, AI can bring together information about skills, availability, overtime, scheduling, and workforce needs to help them make more informed decisions. The conversation also looks at the connection between schedule stability, skills, pay, and retention. For frontline employees, knowing when they will work and what they will earn matters. AI can help organizations create schedules that meet operational needs while considering the people behind those schedules. It can also connect employees with training and certifications that may lead to additional hours, greater earning potential, and new opportunities. Steve and Gretchen also discuss the role employers can play in supporting financial wellness, including greater pay transparency, earned wage access, and helping employees better understand the resources available to them. As organizations prepare for 2027, Gretchen offers a simple framework for thinking about the frontline workforce: find them, enable them, and keep them. That means finding people with the right skills, continuously developing the workforce with accessible learning, and creating an experience that gives employees the clarity and support they need to stay. Topics include: How AI can simplify everyday HR interactions for frontline employeesWhy schedule stability can have a direct impact on employee retentionConnecting skills and certifications to hours, pay, and career opportunitiesFinancial wellness and support for employees living paycheck to paycheckPreparing frontline employees for an AI-enabled workplaceHow leaders should think about finding, enabling, and retaining frontline talent in 2027 Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
Oct 23

Making Change Stick: How HR Leaders Build Trust, Alignment, and Adoption

Making Change Stick: How HR Leaders Build Trust, Alignment, and AdoptionHosts: Mervyn Dinnen Guest: Amanda Arrowsmith, Executive Director of People and Culture at the Royal British Legion Summary In this episode of HR Means Business, Mervyn is joined by Amanda Arrowsmith to explore what it takes to lead meaningful organizational change. Amanda shares why successful transformation starts by connecting every initiative back to organizational purpose and strategy. She also explains why organizations sometimes need to do less, slow down, and create stronger foundations before moving forward. Rather than measuring success simply by whether a project launches on schedule, leaders need to consider whether people can actually adopt the change and whether it improves how work gets done. A major part of that process is the role of managers. Amanda describes managers as the “secret sauce” of successful change because they are the people translating organizational decisions into everyday conversations with employees. Giving managers early information, practical tools, space to ask difficult questions, and a clear understanding of the “why” helps them communicate change in ways that make sense for their individual teams. The conversation also explores employee voice, change fatigue, resistance, and the importance of allowing employees to make sense of change for themselves rather than telling them how they should feel about it. Amanda explains that leaders need to recognize the potential loss of agency and identity that can accompany even positive changes and create space for people to work through those reactions. Key Takeaways Turning long-term organizational strategy into manageable stages of changeWhy successful transformation requires prioritization and organizational capacityBuilding alignment between strategy, leaders, teams, and everyday workCreating meaningful employee voice without requiring consensus on every decisionRecognizing and responding to change fatigue and resistanceMeasuring change through both business outcomes and employee behavior Thank you for your continued support of the show and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
Oct 20

Take a Different Seat: What Are We Really Looking for at HR Tech Events?

Take a Different Seat: What Are We Really Looking for at HR Tech Events?Host: Chris Havrilla, Podcast Host & Founder of AI Alchemists™ Guests: Joanna Clark and Matthew Brown Summary What are you looking for when you walk into an HR technology conference? A new solution? The latest AI announcement? A vendor shortlist? A glimpse at where the market is headed? In the debut episode of Take a Different Seat, host Chris Havrilla starts with that seemingly simple question and invites two experienced HR technology leaders to examine it from very different seats. From the buyer perspective to the vendor and customer experience side, the conversation explores what really happens when organizations, technology providers, and practitioners come together at industry events. The answer turns out to have far less to do with collecting product information and much more to do with understanding the problems organizations are actually trying to solve. The discussion digs into the growing disconnect between buyers and sellers, the pressure to adopt AI, and the danger of applying new technology to processes built for yesterday’s work. Instead of starting with a product or feature list, the group makes the case for starting with the business problem, asking better questions, and staying curious long enough to understand what a solution will actually mean inside a specific organization. As the conversation progresses, another important gap emerges: the difference between what technology looks like in a demo and what it takes to make that technology successful on day one. Buyers may not always know what questions to ask, while providers can easily allow their own talking points to drive the conversation. The challenge for both sides is to move beyond the pitch and get closer to the realities of the work, the organization, and the people who will ultimately use the technology. And by the end of the episode, the original question has changed. Instead of asking people at the next industry event, “What are you here to see?”, perhaps the better question is: “What do you need to learn more about?” Topics Include Why the same HR technology event looks very different depending on the seat you're sitting inHow buyers can move from shopping for solutions to understanding the business problemWhy AI is exposing old processes rather than automatically fixing themThe disconnect between technology demos and the reality of implementationWhy learning, curiosity, and better questions matter more as technology changes faster Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
Oct 16

The HR Happy Hour Network Welcomes "Take a Different Seat"

The HR Happy Hour Network Welcomes "Take a Different Seat"Hosts: Steve Boese & Trish Steed Guest: Chris Havrilla, Podcast Host & Founder of AI Alchemists™ Summary The HR Happy Hour Media Network is welcoming a new show to the network: Take a Different Seat, hosted by longtime technology strategist, analyst, advisor, and product leader Chris Havrilla. In this introductory conversation, Steve and Trish sit down with Chris to talk about the idea behind the new series, the experiences she brings to it, and why perspective matters more than ever as organizations navigate AI, technology, work, and increasingly consequential decisions. The premise behind Take a Different Seat is simple: better decisions begin with better questions, and better questions emerge when we are willing to see a problem from perspectives beyond our own. Rather than beginning each episode with a predetermined answer, Chris will start with a consequential question, bring together different perspectives, challenge assumptions, and see whether the conversation leads to an even better question. Chris also shares how her career across research, advisory, product strategy, and technology has shaped the new show. Her experience spans organizations including Deloitte and Oracle, where she worked through the rapid evolution of generative and agentic AI and saw firsthand how technological change creates new legal, ethical, operational, financial, and human questions for organizations. Together, they explore why context matters when making technology and workforce decisions, why organizations cannot simply hand responsibility for consequential decisions over to AI, and why leaders need to become more comfortable examining issues from more than one seat. As Chris puts it, sometimes the most valuable outcome isn't finding the answer. It's discovering the question you should have been asking in the first place. Topics include: The idea behind Take a Different Seat and what listeners can expectWhy perspective and intellectual humility are becoming essential leadership skillsHow better questions can lead to better organizational decisionsChris's experience across AI, product strategy, research, and advisory workWhy AI is creating new questions around accountability, transparency, and decision-making Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
Oct 9

From Low-Wage Work to Career Opportunity: Building Better Talent Pathways

From Low-Wage Work to Career Opportunity: Building Better Talent PathwaysHost: Steve Boese Guest: Connor Diamond-Yauman, Co-CEO of Merit America Summary In this episode of At Work in America, Steve is joined by Connor Diemand-Yauman, for a conversation about economic mobility, workforce development, and creating stronger pathways from low-wage work into sustainable careers. Connor shares the story behind Merit America and the realization that helped inspire its work: access to education alone does not necessarily create opportunity. The conversation explores their work with adults in low-wage jobs and why human coaching has become such an important part of its model. While learners may initially come for credentials in areas such as IT support, project management, cybersecurity, or semiconductor technology, Connor explains that many ultimately identify coaching as one of the most transformational parts of their experience. Steve and Connor also discuss the rapidly changing labor market and the challenge of preparing people for jobs and skills that continue to evolve. Rather than trying to perfectly predict the future of work, Connor argues that agility is becoming one of the most important capabilities for workforce development organizations, employers, and workers alike. For HR and business leaders, the message is clear: expanding economic opportunity requires opening the aperture on how we define qualified talent, taking thoughtful risks on people who may not fit traditional hiring profiles, and creating real pathways for people to turn their skills and potential into meaningful careers. Topics include: Why access to education does not automatically translate into career opportunityHow workforce programs can keep pace with a rapidly changing labor marketWhy some perceived talent shortages may actually be workplace or business model problemsThe disconnect between removing degree requirements and actually changing hiring practicesHow employers can broaden their definition of qualified talent Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
Oct 2

The Crossroads of HR: AI, Judgement, and the Future of the Profession

The Crossroads of HR: AI, Judgement, and the Future of the ProfessionHosts: Mervyn Dinnen Guest: David D'Souza, Writer, keynote speaker, and advisor Summary In this episode of HR Means Business, Mervyn is joined by David D’Souza, former Director of Profession at the CIPD, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of HR and the capabilities professionals will need to navigate what comes next. David reflects on how the profession has evolved and why HR’s value cannot be defined by HR alone. Rather than beginning with programs, best practices, or what the function believes organizations should do, he argues that HR must begin with the problems the business is trying to solve and understand how people, skills, structure, and culture can help address them. The conversation also explores the growing role of AI in HR and why automation creates both opportunity and responsibility. As technology takes on more transactional work, skills such as situational judgment, evidence-based decision-making, curiosity, adaptability, relationship building, and critical thinking become even more important. Key Takeaways HR must start with the business problemHuman judgment becomes more important as AI growsCuriosity and adaptability will be essential HR skillsWorkforce planning must become more agileHR needs to enable change, not become the point of resistance Thank you for your continued support of the show and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Here’s a wild stat: 6 in 10 employees have never been meaningfully recognized for a work anniversary. Think about that. Five, 10, 20 years of someone’s life — and too often, the moment falls flat. Workhuman’s Service Milestones® makes recognition more personal, memorable, and impactful. Milestone tracking happens automatically through your HRIS, the right colleagues are inspired to share stories and congratulations, and employees get access to rewards they actually want. Ready to make your milestones meet the moment with Workhuman? Click the banner on this episode’s page or follow the link in the show notes to learn more.
Sep 29

Compliance Is Cool: Using AI to Make Employment Law Easier

Compliance Is Cool: Using AI to Make Employment Law EasierHosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Guest: Kimball Dean Parker, CEO at SixFifty Summary In this episode of At Work in America, Steve and Trish welcome Kimball Dean Parker, CEO of SixFifty, for a conversation about how technology and AI are changing the way organizations manage employment law and compliance. Kimball shares the story behind SixFifty and why employment law became such an important problem to solve. With regulations varying across states, cities, and counties — and changing constantly — staying current can quickly become overwhelming, particularly for organizations hiring across multiple locations. The conversation explores how AI and automation can help organizations manage everything from employee handbooks and hiring documents to required posters, training, and other compliance workflows. Kimball also explains why combining AI with established legal workflows can create more predictable and reliable outcomes rather than simply asking generative AI to produce an answer from scratch. The conversation also looks beyond risk reduction. When organizations have greater confidence in their compliance infrastructure, they can hire talent in more locations, respond more quickly to regulatory changes, and give HR leaders back time that would otherwise be spent managing administrative complexity. The group offers a practical example of where AI can create immediate value for HR: taking repeatable, time-intensive compliance work off people's plates while allowing HR professionals to focus more of their time on people, strategy, and the business. Topics include: Why employment law compliance becomes increasingly complex as organizations expand across locationsHow technology can help organizations stay ahead of changing employment regulationsThe importance of combining AI with structured, established processesHow stronger compliance infrastructure can support multistate hiring and business growthHow automation can give HR leaders more time for strategic workWhy compliance may be one of the most practical places for organizations to begin using AI Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Workhuman is a proud supporter of the HR Happy Hour Network. Nearly every HR leader knows the feeling: Teams are stretched thin, priorities keep shifting, and it's getting harder to see what's really going on beneath the surface. That's the subject of Workhuman's new documentary, Spotlight: The Leadership Reset, an investigation into why managers are losing visibility into their teams, and what it takes to see clearly again. Featuring Harvard’s Professor Amy Edmondson, crisis leadership expert Dr. Syra Madad, and bakery-owner-turned-business-leader Joanne Chang. The Leadership Reset premieres September 29th. Register for free today at workhuman.com/spotlight. This episode of At Work in America is sponsored by Paychex, an industry-leading human capital management company that combines scale, trusted expertise, and innovation to help businesses succeed. SixFifty, by Paychex helps your business stay ahead of constantly changing laws and regulations with HR compliance software. Curated by experienced attorneys and powered by AI, SixFifty helps turn the impossible job of staying compliant with employment laws across every state into something simple, automatic, and stress-free. SixFifty is available both as a standalone solution and as an integrated offering within Paychex’s HCM platforms. To learn more about how you can make faster, more confident compliance decisions, head to sixfifty.com

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4.1

out of 5

85 Ratings

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

11/17/2023

Andieo1997

I recently stumbled upon HR Happy Hour and it has quickly become a staple in my weekly routine. Each host’s deep understanding of HR topics, combined with the diverse range of expert guests, makes every episode both informative and engaging. Whether discussing the latest trends in talent management, navigating complex workplace dynamics, or offering practical advice on employee engagement, this show consistently delivers high-quality content. It's an invaluable resource for anyone in the HR world looking to feel inspired. Highly recommended!
Very real approach

08/29/2023

Rachelabauer

I love the way the hosts interview on this show. They take very business forward topics and interview them with a very real, candid, human approach. Every episode has actionable ways to tie back what you’ve learned in your day job. It’s awesome!
Deep discussions

03/08/2022

Wigot fan

I appreciate this podcast goes deep on various topics vetting differing points of view. Well done!
Great HR Insights!

11/10/2021

Alex425xyz

I listened to the most recent episode with Marcus Buckingham and hehad some great insight into how the workplace and HR has changed given COVID-19. I enjoyed hearing about the human resources impact on a company’s talent brand and have been recently listening to more HR-specific podcasts with the return of in-person work. Both of you asked just the right questions to Marcus for him to respond with detail on his experience in the industry - a true testament to your hosting.