HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story!

John Thalheimer, MS Org Leadership and Chuck Simikian, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Welcome to the HR Stories Podcast — making work better one story at a time.  Every workplace has stories. Some are about organizations that got it wrong. Others are about leaders who got it right. And sometimes, the most important lessons come from the everyday decisions that shape how people experience work. Your storytellers, John Thalheimer MS and Chuck Simikian SPHR, SHRM-SCP, use real workplace stories as the teaching tool. LISTEN to what happened.LEARN from the decisions, successes, mistakes, and warning signs.ACT on practical ideas that can make your workplace better. Each episode starts with a story — a court case, a leadership challenge, an HR misstep, an employee experience, or an organization trying something different. John and Chuck then break down what happened, why it matters, and most importantly, what we can learn from it. Sometimes that means understanding an employment law or avoiding an expensive mistake. Sometimes it means becoming a better leader, building trust, improving communication, or creating a workplace where people can do their best work. That balance is what HR Stories is all about: practical HR, thoughtful leadership, and real-world lessons you can use. John and Chuck have spent their careers helping HR professionals, business owners, and leaders navigate the people side of business through consulting, training, coaching, and thousands of live learning experiences. Their goal with HR Stories is simple: Tell good stories. Find the lesson. Make work better. John is the Founding Director of True Star Leadership™, which focuses on helping managers and leaders learn performance management principles. Chuck is the Founding Partner of Alliance HR Partners, which provides HR consulting and training to businesses nationwide. Together, they have over 40 years of experience navigating the challenges of HR and recently published their book, The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklist Edition. Go to https://ultimateguidetohr.com/ for more information, download a free sample, and watch their webinar on the Secret Power Behind Successful Businesses.

  1. Sep 8

    Ep174: From the Vault - Off-The-Clock Behavior and the Impact on Workplaces

    Send us Fan Mail This week we revisit an episode from September 2025 where the team discusses out of work behavior and what implications that can have on workplaces.  ---- We've seen it in the news and around social media - someone did something controversial and they went viral for it. Next thing we hear, they've either tastefully resigned from their job or the company has issued a statement saying they do not stand by the actions and the person has been removed from the company.  If you have an employee that goes viral for all of the wrong reasons, what response is within your legal rights? And more importantly, can you set yourself up to be more protected as a company from ill-perceived behavior that employees may take part in outside of work hours? Yes, you can!  Join Chuck and John as they go through important steps to take to avoid being in a legal battle and how to make sure employees are aware of expectations.   Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

  2. Sep 1

    Ep173: From the Vault - Listener Q&A!

    Send us Fan Mail Revisit this episode, originally from summer of 2025! ----- Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: Can you terminate an employee just for a bad attitude?What should you do when an employee walks off the job mid-shift?Can quid pro quo harassment happen between coworkers? Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

  3. Aug 25

    Ep172: Perfectly Documented Terrible Decisions

    Send us Fan Mail Bad documentation can create a bigger mess than no documentation at all. Chuck Simikian and John Thalheimer break down why the real goal is not paperwork for paperwork's sake, but creating a record that protects decisions, clarifies expectations, and makes the workplace better. Chuck shares a real HR moment that could have gone sideways fast, until one email proved exactly what was communicated and when. From there, he and John unpack why documentation matters most in the moments managers usually want to rush past: benefits changes, attendance issues, performance concerns, and the ADA interactive process. What you'll learn: Why "document, document, document" is only useful if the record is actually clear and usefulHow one email can answer a compliance question before it becomes a problemWhat the ADA interactive process should show in writing, including requests, discussions, options, and undue hardship analysisWhy a vague or emotional note can become exhibit A for the other sideHow to write documentation so someone who was not in the room can understand what happened laterWe all know documentation gets treated like an annoying extra task unless leaders explain why it matters. There's a simple rule that turns documentation into a leadership tool, not just a legal shield - write it so a judge, jury, auditor, or future manager can understand it months later. The team also gets into the difference between being audit proof and audit secure, and why checklists, standard operating procedures, and consistent follow-through matter long before anyone asks questions. The episode closes on a bigger truth: documentation should capture good judgment, not manufacture a defense after the fact. Essential listening if you manage people, coach managers, or want practical HR advice that reduces risk while building a fairer, more accountable workplace. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

  4. Aug 18

    Ep171: Doing Discipline Right

    Send us Fan Mail When employees mess up in the workplace, accountability and consistency is crucial to maintaining employee trust. But what is the right move when things go wrong? In today's episode, Chuck and John go through the ins and outs of discipline in the workplace while recapping a story that shows what happens when you don't document behaviors properly.  THE DISCIPLINE CHECKLIST So if you are sitting in HR—or you are a manager working with HR—and you are trying to decide the appropriate level of discipline, here are the questions I want you asking:  How serious was the conduct?  What does our policy actually say?  What is the employee’s prior record?  Is this the first occurrence, or is there a pattern?  How have we handled similar situations before?  Did the employee accept responsibility?  Does the employee understand the impact of the behavior?  Do we believe the conduct can realistically be corrected?  What impact has the incident had on the other employee and the rest of the workplace?  Is there a safety concern? And then maybe the biggest question of all:  Can I confidently put this employee back into the workplace? Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

  5. Aug 11

    Ep170: Engagement and Management - how to get your team back

    Send us Fan Mail Managers are carrying too much, employees are feeling less connected, and AI is about to expose every weak workplace system that already exists. Chuck from HR Stories and leadership expert John Thalheimer break down Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace findings and reveal what they actually mean for 2026. The headline number is hard to ignore: global employee engagement fell to 20%, costing the world an estimated $10 trillion in lost productivity. But the real story is not just disengagement, but rather what is driving it, from overwhelmed managers and broken processes to unclear priorities, poor systems, and workplaces that ask people to care without giving them a reason to. Chuck and John unpack why engagement is a result, not a goal you can simply demand. They dig into the manager decline, the emotional burden of leadership, and why so many organizations keep promoting high performers into roles they were never trained to handle. You’ll hear why “pizza party” perks do not fix culture, why agency matters more than inspirational posters, and why meaningful choice, contribution, and progress are the real ingredients of better work. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

  6. Aug 4

    Ep169: What Makes Work Better - Part 2

    Send us Fan Mail Today's episode covers the critical role of government agencies like the EEOC and Department of Labor, which are tightening enforcement, reshaping compliance, and redefining what a fair and equitable workplace looks like. Why should you care? Because the current trajectory risks creating a workplace environment where loyalty diminishes, reputations are damaged, and talent quietly disengages all because organizational decisions are driven by short-term power, not people’s realities. But there's hope: by understanding these trends, HR professionals and leaders can clean up the chaos, foster genuine trust, and build systems that truly support their workforce’s changing needs. Perfect for HR leaders, managers, and anyone navigating the new realities of work, this episode arms you with critical insights into a chaotic market and how to turn it into an opportunity for transformation. Whether you’re questioning hiring strategies, benefit policies, or compliance tactics, this is essential listening for understanding what’s really happening beneath the surface. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

  7. Jul 28

    Ep168: What Makes Work Better - Part 1

    Send us Fan Mail Workplaces are changing. Benefits are shrinking, employees are being sent back to in-office work, and AI is fundamentally changing the hiring process for applicants and recruiters alike. In today's episode, Chuck and John dive into what information you actually need to take away from these latest Gallup State of the Global Workplace: 2026 Report and how you can apply these learnings to your workplaces.  Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits. Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it! Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event?  You can reach the Team at  Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries. The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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About

Welcome to the HR Stories Podcast — making work better one story at a time.  Every workplace has stories. Some are about organizations that got it wrong. Others are about leaders who got it right. And sometimes, the most important lessons come from the everyday decisions that shape how people experience work. Your storytellers, John Thalheimer MS and Chuck Simikian SPHR, SHRM-SCP, use real workplace stories as the teaching tool. LISTEN to what happened.LEARN from the decisions, successes, mistakes, and warning signs.ACT on practical ideas that can make your workplace better. Each episode starts with a story — a court case, a leadership challenge, an HR misstep, an employee experience, or an organization trying something different. John and Chuck then break down what happened, why it matters, and most importantly, what we can learn from it. Sometimes that means understanding an employment law or avoiding an expensive mistake. Sometimes it means becoming a better leader, building trust, improving communication, or creating a workplace where people can do their best work. That balance is what HR Stories is all about: practical HR, thoughtful leadership, and real-world lessons you can use. John and Chuck have spent their careers helping HR professionals, business owners, and leaders navigate the people side of business through consulting, training, coaching, and thousands of live learning experiences. Their goal with HR Stories is simple: Tell good stories. Find the lesson. Make work better. John is the Founding Director of True Star Leadership™, which focuses on helping managers and leaders learn performance management principles. Chuck is the Founding Partner of Alliance HR Partners, which provides HR consulting and training to businesses nationwide. Together, they have over 40 years of experience navigating the challenges of HR and recently published their book, The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklist Edition. Go to https://ultimateguidetohr.com/ for more information, download a free sample, and watch their webinar on the Secret Power Behind Successful Businesses.

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