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Your weekly dose of workplace & HR trends, wellness insights, and practical tips to help your team thrive. For more workplace insights, visit: https://www.wellable.co/

  1. 3d ago

    Act Like an Owner: Greg Hawks on Culture, Workplace Vandals, and Leading Through Uncertainty

    In this week's episode, Geoff sits down with Greg Hawks, keynote speaker, corporate culture expert, and bestselling author of Act Like an Owner. Drawing on 25 years of leadership experience and a framework born from running a nonprofit and managing rental properties simultaneously, Greg shares why most engagement strategies target the wrong employees, what it actually takes to build culture that sticks, and how leaders can maintain trust through layoffs and AI uncertainty.  Key Takeaways Greg's owner-renter-vandal framework identifies three archetypes in every organization: (i) owners who take genuine initiative, (ii) renters who do their job transactionally, and (iii) vandals whose active disengagement undermines everyone around themMost engagement strategies focus on converting disengaged employees to engaged, but the real leverage is in addressing the actively disengaged—when vandals are dealt with, the disengaged re-engage on their ownVandals persist for four predictable reasons: they (i) generate significant revenue, (ii) have long tenure, (ii) benefit from nepotism, or (iv) they're in a position of power (e.g., the founder of the company)Culture is built through consistent leadership habits, not values recitations—Greg's most effective tool is leaders sharing weekly personal challenges they faced in living out company values, which creates the thick trust that makes honest communication possibleTransparent, proactive communication is the only mechanism that preserves trust through layoffsAI should be treated as a partner to experiment with openly rather than a threat to stay quiet about

    34 min

  2. Jul 1

    Remote Work Isn't Going Away & Gen Z is "Quiet Coping"

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff dig into two studies that challenge the dominant narratives around remote work and Gen Z in the workplace. New research shows remote work has plateaued at 26% of paid full-time days, while a survey of 18,000 US adults reveals that one in four Gen Z workers are depressed and quietly self-managing rather than seeking formal treatment. Key Takeaways Remote work has plateaued at roughly 26% of paid full-time days, down only marginally from 27% two years ago and far above the pre-COVID baseline of 7%, suggesting most employers have settled into hybrid arrangements and are staying thereStanford economist Nicholas Bloom predicts hybrid work will increase as younger, more flexible CEOs replace older executives, while JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon argues one recession would be enough to push on-site requirements significantly higherApproximately 25% of Gen Z workers are experiencing depression, and many have quietly abandoned formal treatment after financially draining and unsuccessful experiences with antidepressantsHalf of depressed Gen Z workers are using marijuana as a coping mechanism and 70% of Gen Z CBD users are using it specifically for mental wellness, though similar patterns exist among millennialsManager training focused on mental health awareness is the most actionable employer response, and in-person work gives managers meaningfully better visibility into employees who may be quietly struggling

    21 min

  3. Jun 24

    The (Not So) Hidden Bias in AI Hiring Tools

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff dig into a ⁠landmark Stanford study⁠, which revealed that the AI tools many employers use to screen job applicants are introducing racial bias and locking the same candidates out of opportunities across multiple companies. They also discuss ⁠Uber's announcement that it's cutting 23% of its HR workforce⁠. While the company claims AI has nothing to do with it, it may be hard to take at face value. Key Takeaways 90% of US employers use AI screening tools to rank applicants, and most rely on the same few third-party models, creating what researchers call "algorithmic monoculture," where a single rejection can cascade into rejection everywhereA Stanford HAI study covering 3.4 million applicants and 4 million job applications found AI hiring tools are producing significant racial bias and correlated rejections across employers using the same modelAI hiring tools differ from human recruiters in four critical ways: pervasive adoption across employers, persistent memory across applications, high-stakes consequences, and opacity—properties that create systemic risks candidates cannot see or contestApplication volumes have tripled as AI makes it easier than ever to apply for jobs, creating a capacity crisis that pushes HR teams toward AI screening even as the risks emergeUber is cutting 23% of its HR team while denying it is AI-driven, but the timeline—aggressive AI spending, a blown Q1 AI budget, and an admission of unclear ROI—makes that explanation difficult to accept

    19 min

  4. Jun 17

    HR As The Culture Keeper with Jamie Jackson of HR Besties

    In this week's episode, Geoff sits down with Jamie Jackson, co-host of the #1 HR podcast, HR Besties, and founder of Humorous Misery Media. Drawing on over 20 years in HR leadership roles and a community of hundreds of thousands of HR professionals, Jamie shares why HR is so often misunderstood, what the current wave of benefit cuts signals about employer priorities, and how to navigate a politically charged era in the workplace.   Key Takeaways HR's reputation takes a hit when organizations use it as the messenger for decisions that were made by the C-suite, and the gap between what HR recommends and what leadership decides often goes unseen by employeesThe best companies Jamie has worked for are ones where HR has a genuine seat at the table and leadership actually listens—those organizations build measurably stronger cultures as a resultBenefit erosion—including 401k match suspensions, shrinking health coverage, and elimination of EAPs — is accelerating in the current labor market, and companies cutting now may be making a long-term brand mistake they'll feel when the talent market shiftsNavigating politics in the workplace requires proactive, clearly communicated policies rather than reactive ones, especially as social media increasingly blurs the line between personal and professional identityThe four-day work week is more achievable than most people believe, with international pilots consistently showing equal or higher productivity—and AI-driven efficiency gains may finally make it a realistic conversation in the US

    30 min

  5. Jun 10

    NY Fed Study Explains Gen Z Hiring Struggles (Hint: Remote Work)

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff dig into a single story with big implications for HR and workforce strategy. New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York challenges the narrative that AI is behind the Gen Z hiring crisis, pointing instead to remote work as the primary culprit.   Key Takeaways 64% of the rise in youth unemployment traces back to remote-eligible fields, directly challenging the AI displacement narrative that has dominated headlinesUnemployment for college graduates under 29 rose from 3.1% to 3.7% over the last nine years, while unemployment for those over 29 stayed flat or declined, a split that points to remote work rather than AI as the driverPublished National Bureau of Economic Research findings describe the impact of remote work on early-career employees as having "scarring effects," with feedback on coding work increasing 18.3% when engineers were in the officeCompanies with distributed workforces are increasingly choosing experienced hires over younger candidates who require more feedback and development than a remote environment can reliably deliverStanford remote work researcher Nick Bloom, when asked what he would advise his own daughter, said find a company that is in the office five days a week—a telling signal from someone who has spent his career studying both sides of the debate

    20 min

  6. Jun 3

    Layoffs (World Cup Edition) and the $33K Salary Gap

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff tackle the question every HR leader dreads: when a layoff is coming, what is the right way to communicate it? A World Cup roster cut gone sideways offers an unexpected lesson in delivering bad news. They also discuss two new surveys that reveal just how wide the gap has grown between what employees expect to earn and what they are actually getting.   Key Takeaways There is no good answer to layoff communication, only tradeoffs, and the WARN Act sets the legal floorAdvance notice creates transparency but also triggers productivity loss, politicking, and security risksUS Soccer coach Pochettino cut 29 World Cup hopefuls via email, a reminder that efficiency in delivering bad news often comes at the expense of the human elementMore than half of overemployed workers say they would need a 21% to 50% raise to give up their second job, and the average US worker expects roughly $33,000 more than they are currently earningReturn to office has an underappreciated side effect: requiring in-person attendance a few days a week makes holding two full-time jobs significantly harder to sustain

    21 min

  7. May 27

    The Price of AI: Booed Speeches & Cut Benefits

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff start by breaking down two stories about how AI is affecting the modern workforce. They dig into why Gen Z graduates are booing commencement speakers who tout AI's promise and discuss a company that suspended its 401k match mid-year to fund AI investment. They also unpack the Bolt CEO's headline-making decision to fire his entire HR team. Key Takeaways Gen Z graduates are booing commencement speakers who frame AI as an exciting opportunity, reflecting their real anxiety about entering the current labor market in light of all the AI-driven layoffsTTEC suspended its 401k employer match mid-year and redirected those funds toward AI tools and infrastructure, signaling a troubling new willingness to treat previously untouchable compensation benefits as variable costsOnce a few prominent companies adjust benefits previously considered off-limits, it lowers the bar for others to follow, a pattern already playing out across parental leave and other benefitsFew CEOs have publicly committed to distributing AI gains to employees, and profit-sharing or bonus contingency plans tied to AI-driven growth would meaningfully change how workforce cuts are receivedClickUp offers a rare counterexample, cutting 22% of its workforce while introducing $1 million salary bands for remaining staff, connecting the restructuring to a tangible upside for those who stayBolt CEO Ryan Breslow fired his entire HR team, but the core functions didn't disappear—they were redistributed to a People Ops team, making the move less radical than advertised

    23 min

  8. May 20

    Google's WHOOP Killer, Tokenmaxxing, and the AI Metric Trap

    In this week's episode, Nick and Geoff break down two headlines. First, they dig into the Fitbit Air, Google and Fitbit's new screenless wearable that's being called the Whoop killer. Then they tackle tokenmaxxing, the emerging workplace behavior of inflating AI usage to impress managers, and what Goodhart's Law tells us about tying performance metrics to AI usage.  Key Takeaways The Fitbit Air mirrors Whoop's screenless form factor but doesn't require a paid subscription, offering a one-time purchase with an optional $10/month Google Gemini-powered health coaching upgrade and making it a potentially more accessible entry point for consumers and employersThe Fitbit Air's consistent design, lower price point, and no required subscription make it a stronger candidate for employer bulk purchasing than past devices like the Apple WatchConsumer health products that gain mainstream buzz—like wearables did a decade ago—tend to eventually work their way into employee wellness program conversations, whether HR teams plan for it or notAI-powered personal health coaching at the individual level raises a longer-term question: could hyper-personalized consumer devices eventually fragment the traditional employer wellness program model?Tokenmaxxing—employees deliberately overusing AI tools to signal productivity rather than accomplish meaningful work—has emerged at Amazon and reflects a predictable response to ambiguous performance expectations around AIGoodhart's Law applies directly to AI adoption: when token usage becomes the target metric, employees optimize for usage rather than outcomes, driving up costs without improving resultsHR leaders designing AI performance frameworks now have an opportunity to anchor expectations to outcomes and treat AI usage as context, not the measure itself https://youtu.be/v4xrW2FVEq4?si=7WOiBjObH85YBXr5

    18 min
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Your weekly dose of workplace & HR trends, wellness insights, and practical tips to help your team thrive. For more workplace insights, visit: https://www.wellable.co/

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  • Episodes
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