Heroes of HR

WRKdefined
WRKdefined
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Heroes of HR is a podcast for HR, payroll, and talent leaders navigating the real challenges of today’s workforce. Each episode features candid conversations with leaders from growing, people-intensive organizations who are managing hiring, retention, compliance, payroll and change in real time. We talk about what’s top of mind, what’s working, what’s not and how they’re leading through workforce complexity without losing sight of the people behind it. If you’re building teams, supporting managers and solving operational challenges every day, you’ll hear something familiar and useful in every episode. Brought to you by isolved. Learn more about isolved Visit the isolved website to learn more Learn more about isolved People Heroes Community here

  1. 1h ago

    AI Is Changing HR. Lois Gordon Says Don’t Forget the Humans | SHRM ‘26

    The technology is moving fast, but the bigger HR challenge is preparing people for what comes next. HR has spent years talking about becoming more strategic. Now AI is accelerating that shift, but it also raises a harder question: what happens to the people whose work is changing? AI, workforce transformation, employee communication, compliance, and business partnership are becoming one conversation. In this episode… Lois Gordon explains why HR needs to bridge the gap between decision-makers and employees, prepare people for AI instead of simply rolling out new tools, and keep the human side of work at the center of technology-driven change. Key Takeaways : HR still has an information gap to solve. The people closest to the work often have critical information that decision-makers don't, making communication between employees and executives essential. AI conversations often skip the human piece. Organizations talk about streamlining and centralizing processes, but preparing employees for changing roles needs equal attention. Bristol County Savings Bank is creating space for employees to learn AI. Employees can discuss how they're using AI and the issues they're encountering without having the technology simply forced on them. AI agents raise organizational questions, not just technical ones. If agents become part of how work gets done, HR has to think about transparency, responsibilities, role changes, and who manages those tools. Fear is part of the AI conversation. Employees naturally wonder what happens to their roles when technology takes responsibilities away, making communication and education critical. AI doesn't eliminate the need for human judgment. Lois compares AI to a screwdriver: the tool can make work more efficient, but a human still has to operate it. In banking especially, she sees a continuing need for HR to be a strong business partner. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lois Gordon Vice President Human Resources at Bristol County Savings Bank, Lois brings 15 years of HR experience, from talent acquisition to business partnering, with a focus on connecting organizational decisions with the people affected by them. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/loisgordon/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

  2. 1h ago

    AI Should Make HR More Human. Noah Mithrush Explains What Comes Next | SHRM ‘26

    AI is moving into HR fast, but the real question is whether it gives people more time to be human. AI is changing HR’s job description. Frontline workers make up about 80% of the global workforce, yet they’re often left out of strategy. At the same time, HR teams are buried in tactical work while AI, automation, agents, security, compliance, and employee expectations keep accelerating. In this episode… Noah Mithrush breaks down what HR on the front line actually looks like, why managers need more empathy, and how AI agents could take tactical work off HR’s plate without replacing the human side of the job. Key Takeaways : Frontline workers are about 80% of the global workforce, yet Noah says they’re often forgotten when companies build strategy. Good management isn’t about finding people who work exactly like you. Different perspectives, working styles, and life experiences can make a team stronger. Empathy is a management skill, not a soft extra. Managers need to understand their people, build trust, celebrate wins, and genuinely care about what’s happening in their lives. AI should remove tactical HR work, not remove HR. The goal is to free HR teams from repetitive questions and processes so they can focus on employees, development, and strategy. HR and payroll teams face an impossible compliance problem. Laws and regulations keep changing across locations, making it difficult for humans to track everything manually. The future isn’t simply AI replacing people. Noah’s bigger question is how technology can help organizations become more human, especially for frontline employees where the gap between the office and the workplace can be significant. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Noah Mithrush  Director, Growth Marketing at Guusto, Noah focuses on the frontline workforce and hosts HR on the Front Line, a podcast exploring the challenges that often get overlooked when HR strategy meets the realities of frontline work. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nmithrush/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

  3. 1h ago

    HR Tech Has a Listening Problem. Sarah White Says Buyers Are Done With the Noise | SHRM ‘26

    HR buyers don’t need more features, they need vendors to actually listen, simplify, and build what people will use. There are 580+ vendors on the floor, yet buyers are still struggling to find software that makes sense. Sarah White argues the problem isn’t a lack of innovation. It’s a failure to listen. Product strategy, customer feedback, UX, design partners, and market clarity all break down when vendors build what they want instead of what customers actually need. In this episode… Sarah explains why roughly 30% of features go unused, why buyers have less tolerance for bad UX and buzzwords, and how real design partnerships can turn customer feedback into better product decisions. Key Takeaways : HR tech has a feature problem. SHRM research cited in the conversation says about 30% of features are never used, pointing to the cost of building without enough customer input. Buyers want usable software, not feature overload. Clean UX, simplicity, efficiency, and a consumer-grade experience are becoming basic expectations. The HR tech market is noisy. With roughly 580+ vendors on the floor, vendors can make it harder for buyers to understand what products actually do. Listening isn’t the same as asking questions. Sarah says vendors can ask customers for feedback while still leading them toward answers that validate what the vendor already believes. Design partners are different from customer advisory boards. The goal is deeper product feedback from actual users who can explain how work happens, where the friction is, and what the ideal experience could look like. Sometimes the smartest product decision is restraint. A strong design partnership can reveal that the direction you planned isn’t actually the right one, before you spend even more time building it. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠⁠ Guest : Sarah White  Founder at Lemon, Sarah works at the intersection of customer experience, product strategy, and HR technology, with a focus on getting the customer’s voice into the decisions vendors make. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahwhitestrategy/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

  4. 1h ago

    Your Leadership Team Makes Million-Dollar Decisions. Lorne Epstein Explains What Matters | SHRM ‘26

    In a world moving faster by the minute, decision-making has become a leadership skill you can’t afford to leave to instinct. Leadership teams make decisions worth millions, yet most organizations have no real way to understand how those teams make decisions under pressure. Cognitive flexibility, risk appetite, ambiguity tolerance, and team chemistry matter more when the ground keeps moving. In this episode… Lorne Epstein explains why leadership teams need to understand their decision-making patterns, how AI is changing the velocity of work, and why the best teams aren’t necessarily collections of “A players.” They’re teams with the right chemistry, guardrails, and ability to adapt. Key Takeaways : Leadership decisions can be worth millions. Lorne argues that even a small investment in understanding how a leadership team makes decisions can have meaningful value. Groupthink can quietly derail decisions. Teams can assess their collective decision-making patterns and identify when they need someone to challenge the prevailing idea. The pace of decisions is changing. Leaders have less time to wait for perfect information, making cognitive flexibility and comfort with ambiguity increasingly important. You will never have all the data. Effective decision-makers need to get comfortable making calls with imperfect and incomplete information. Guardrails can create speed. Clear boundaries let teams, especially sales teams, move quickly and creatively without constantly wondering whether they're crossing a line. The best team isn't necessarily the team with the most “A players.” Lorne argues that chemistry matters. Different decision-making styles can create a more effective team than simply stacking individual high performers. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lorne Epstein Neuroscientist, Facilitator & Keynote Speaker at Electric Cow, Lorne studies decision-making and developed an assessment focused on how leadership teams make decisions, including cognitive flexibility, risk appetite, and ambiguity tolerance. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorneepstein/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

  5. Sep 10

    Promoting Great Workers Into Management Is Failing. Lisa Perez Says Here’s Why | SHRM ‘26

    Your best individual contributor can become your worst manager when nobody teaches them how to lead people. The biggest management mistake may happen before someone even gets the job. Organizations promote high performers into leadership, then expect people skills to magically appear. The result is weak management, frustrated teams, and missed potential. Leadership training, people skills, internal mobility, and manager development have to be connected. In this episode… Lisa Perez breaks down why managers need training before they step into the role, how AI is changing the definition of a team, and why remote work has permanently changed the way managers need to communicate and lead. Key Takeaways : Being a great worker doesn’t automatically make you a great manager. High performance as an individual contributor and the ability to lead people require different skills. Train future managers before the promotion. Succession planning should include people-skills training before high performers make the jump into management. “Battlefield promotions” create avoidable problems. Promoting someone because they crushed their individual targets doesn’t mean they’re prepared to manage a team. Remote work changed what effective management looks like. Lisa argues that working from home proved organizations can still operate effectively outside the traditional office. Zoom itself became a management skill. Camera placement, engagement, platform features, and virtual communication now require their own kind of training. Teams are changing too. Lisa sees the modern team as potentially including coworkers, AI agents, and technology working together to scale what people can accomplish. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lisa Perez Founder, NMTW / HBL Resources, Lisa focuses on the gap between promoting people into management and actually equipping them to lead. Her “Complete Manager Makeover” curriculum is built around closing that gap. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaiperezsphr/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

  6. Sep 9

    Going Global Is Easy. Staying Compliant Isn’t. Lisa Explains the Gap | SHRM ‘26

    Hiring internationally sounds simple until the laws, compliance, payroll, and local requirements start piling up. Safeguard Global helps companies expand internationally, stay compliant, hire globally, and manage HR without having to build everything from scratch in every new market. With operations across 187 countries and a network of more than 400 local in-market experts, the goal is to make global expansion less risky and more manageable. In this episode… Lisa Farrar talks about what companies actually face when entering new countries, why local expertise matters, and how organizations can scale from their first international hire to a much larger global workforce without losing efficiency or compliance. Key Takeaways : Global expansion comes with risk. Hiring in a new country means dealing with unfamiliar laws, compliance requirements, and local processes. Safeguard Global operates in 187 countries. The company says it also has a network of 400+ local in-market experts. Local expertise can remove major friction. Companies don't necessarily need to establish their own entity before hiring internationally. Outsource what isn't your core business. Lisa and the host discuss the value of leaving complex international HR and compliance work to specialists. Global HR support can scale with the company. The model can support organizations from an initial international hire through larger teams, including contractor management, licensing, and eventual entity management. The best conference conversations aren't always sales pitches. Lisa says meaningful customer conversations reveal problems in their own words, something you can't get from a condensed version of the customer story. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lisa Farrar CMO at Safeguard Global, discusses how companies can expand internationally while maintaining efficiency, compliance, and a high level of local support. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/lfarrar/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

  7. Sep 7

    Neurodiversity Could Be Your Productivity Advantage. Lee Explains Why | SHRM '26

    Companies keep asking how to manage neurodivergent employees. The better question may be whether they know how to communicate with them. Lee Judson’s work is about neurodiversity, communication, onboarding, management, and workplace productivity. Her research points to a striking business case: companies with neurodiverse teams can see 30% more productivity and higher ROI. In this episode… Lee explains why different brains need different communication styles, why managers often misread neurodivergent employees, and how clearer goals and better onboarding can change the relationship between employees and managers. Key Takeaways : Neurodiversity is already part of the workplace. Lee says about 20% of the workplace is known to be neurodivergent, while older generations often went undiagnosed. Different brains need different communication. Slack, Teams, text, meetings and one-on-ones may work differently for different people. Headphones don’t always mean someone is ignoring you. Noise-cancelling headphones can help a neurodivergent employee block out extraneous noise and focus. Neurodiverse teams can deliver more. Lee cites research showing teams combining neurotypical and neurodivergent employees have 30% more productivity and higher ROI. The management problem may be communication, not motivation. Lee argues that some managers label newer workers as difficult when the real issue is that managers aren't communicating expectations clearly enough. Clear goals matter. If managers can't clearly explain what they want, employees can't know what they're expected to deliver. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lee Judson LifeMap Coach at Association for Autism and Neurodiversity, Lee helps employees, managers and colleagues better understand how to communicate and work together across neurodivergent and neurotypical teams. Her book, Bridging the Gap: A Field Guide for Neurodiversity for Managers, Employees, and Colleagues, focuses on making that gap easier to navigate. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisajudson/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

  8. Sep 7

    HR Is Running on Empty. John Says It’s Time to Refuel | SHRM '26

    You can’t keep pouring into everyone else when your own tank is empty. John Bernatovicz gets blunt about burnout, self-care, emotional safety, and what it really means to transform how people feel at work. For HR professionals, “How are you doing?” should mean more than “I’m good, bro.” This conversation gets into authenticity, productive safety, listening without trying to fix everything, and creating workplaces where people can actually be themselves. In this episode… John explains why burnout feels like running a car on empty, why bringing your whole self to work can create better collaboration, and why leaders need to create enough safety for employees to tell the truth about how they're doing. He also shares what changed when he started prioritizing his own health, relationships, and energy. Key Takeaways : HR professionals give too much. John describes seeing HR leaders constantly give at work, then go home and repeat the cycle until they reach the point of saying, “I cannot do this anymore.” “How are you doing?” can be a dangerous question. If you aren't genuinely prepared to hear the answer, the question becomes performative instead of meaningful. Authenticity takes safety. John argues that people need environments where they can be honest about having a bad day without feeling like they're becoming a burden. Bring your whole self to work, within reason. John believes people do better work and collaborate better when they don't have to constantly maintain a facade at work. Listening doesn't mean fixing. When someone shares something heavy, John's response is simple: “Thank you for telling me.” Sometimes being present is more valuable than offering a solution. Burnout is an empty tank. John compares burnout to driving a car so far on empty that even getting out of bed, showering, or going to work feels exhausting. His solution starts with taking care of yourself first. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : John Bernatovicz Founder at Willory, John is focused on transforming how people feel at work through the power of HR, with a particular emphasis on authenticity, wellbeing, and creating healthier workplace cultures.  LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbernatovicz/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

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3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Heroes of HR is a podcast for HR, payroll, and talent leaders navigating the real challenges of today’s workforce. Each episode features candid conversations with leaders from growing, people-intensive organizations who are managing hiring, retention, compliance, payroll and change in real time. We talk about what’s top of mind, what’s working, what’s not and how they’re leading through workforce complexity without losing sight of the people behind it. If you’re building teams, supporting managers and solving operational challenges every day, you’ll hear something familiar and useful in every episode. Brought to you by isolved. Learn more about isolved Visit the isolved website to learn more Learn more about isolved People Heroes Community here

Information

  • Channel
    WRKdefined
  • Creator
    WRKdefined Podcast Network
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved by WRKdefined
  • Show Website
    Heroes of HR

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