HR Happy Hour Network

4.1 (85)
Business
Updated 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

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.
5d ago

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
Sep 25

The Q4 Scramble: Setting Boundaries Before Budgeting & Open Enrollment Begin

The Q4 Scramble: Setting Boundaries Before Budgeting & Open Enrollment BeginHost: Sabrina Baker Summary September is the Sunday evening of the business calendar—summer vacations end, executive energy surges, and suddenly every department wants everything finished before December 31st. For small business HR leaders (1–500 employees) operating without a bench of specialists, handling Open Enrollment, 2027 budgeting, and performance reviews all at once can lead straight to severe Q4 burnout. In this episode of HR Connection, Sabrina breaks down how to move away from telling leadership "we're too busy"—a phrase executives often misread as a lack of time management—and start defining "busy" with concrete calendar data. Learn how to build Quarterly and Annual Roadmaps, translate HR initiatives into "time in weeks," navigate budget requests whether you have a formal HR budget or not, and execute Q4 scrappily without dropping the ball. Topics include: Use a quarterly roadmap to visualize workload and tradeoffsBuild an annual roadmap to anticipate heavy periods and resource needsCreate more structure and stronger boundaries around open enrollmentConnect HR investments directly to time and capacity gainedStreamline and automate performance review processesAvoid changing major HR processes right before launchTreat capacity management as a leadership responsibility 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.
Sep 22

Is the Culture You Have the Culture You Think You Have? How to Read the Culture Signals

Is the Culture You Have the Culture You Think You Have? How to Read the Culture SignalsHosts: Steve Boese and Trish Steed Guest: Meisha-ann Martin, Ph.D., VP of People Research at Workhuman Summary In this episode of the HR Happy Hour Show, Steve and Trish are joined by Meisha-ann Martin, VP of People Research at Workhuman, for a conversation about moving beyond stated values and getting a clearer picture of how culture actually shows up across an organization. The conversation explores one of the biggest sources of cultural disconnect: what organizations say they value versus what they actually reward and reinforce. A company may say it values efficient execution while celebrating heroic firefighting. It may promote innovation while only recognizing successful outcomes, unintentionally discouraging thoughtful risk-taking. Or it may tolerate harmful behaviors because an employee delivers strong business results. Meisha-ann shares how recognition data can give leaders a much richer view into these patterns. She also explains how advances in people analytics and natural language processing are making it possible to uncover insights that traditional engagement surveys alone could not provide—from identifying differences in how employees are recognized to detecting language that may serve as an early warning signal for burnout. Ultimately, Meisha-ann encourages HR and business leaders to approach culture with greater intentionality: define the outcome you want, understand the behaviors that lead to it, measure what is actually happening, and continually refine the system based on what the data reveals. Topics include: Why culture is more than the values written on the wallThe gap between organizational intentions and employee experiencesHow organizations can unintentionally reinforce the wrong behaviorsThe relationship among vulnerability, recognition, and psychological safetyHow language data can uncover burnout risk, bias, and cultural misalignmentWhy recognizing behaviors—not just outcomes—can improve performanceConnecting leadership behaviors to organizational outcomesWhy measurement should come before analytics 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.
Sep 18

Ghosting the Ghost Jobs: Navigating Today’s Hiring Nightmare

Ghosting the Ghost Jobs: Navigating Today’s Hiring NightmareHosts: Jack McFarlane and Nicholas Schlemmer Summary In this episode of The Play by Play, Jack and Nick dig into the increasingly complicated world of modern job hunting, beginning with the rise of ghost jobs - job postings that remain online even when an organization may not actually be hiring for the position. Jack shares his own experiences navigating job postings and discusses why organizations may keep positions listed, while Nick offers a different perspective from the golf industry, where professional credentials and industry-specific hiring networks can make the recruiting process much more targeted. Then the conversation turns to AI. With job seekers able to automate applications at massive scale and employers relying on applicant tracking systems and AI tools to sort through growing applicant pools, Jack and Nick explore what happens when hiring becomes a bot-to-bot cycle. The result can be frustrating for everyone: candidates struggle to stand out while recruiters face enormous volumes of applications from people who may not actually be qualified. So what can job seekers do differently? They talk about the continued value of human connection in the hiring process, from referrals and networking to directly contacting an organization or hiring manager. They also discuss why demonstrating an actual body of work, accomplishments, and professional presence may become increasingly important as AI makes traditional resumes easier to create and harder to evaluate. And, of course, it wouldn’t be The Play by Play without a little competition. Jack puts Nick to the test with a round of Real or Fake Job Posting, featuring some job descriptions so outrageous that figuring out which ones are legitimate turns out to be much harder than expected. Takeaways What ghost jobs are and why they create frustration for job seekersHow AI is changing both sides of the recruiting processWhy AI-powered screening can make hiring feel like AI competing against AIHow networking and direct outreach can help candidates stand outWhy a visible body of work may matter more in an AI-driven hiring environmentWhy staying human may be one of the most important advantages in the modern job search 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.

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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.