How People Work

Fringe
How People Work

Welcome to the How People Work podcast, where we explore the intersection of how humans think and act and how they apply themselves to their work. Every week, startup co-founders Jordan Peace and Jason Murray discuss topics ranging from human psychology and anthropology to leadership, business trends, people strategy & more. This podcast is for anyone who strives to be a compassionate and compelling leader and organization builder. If you are a people leader who wants to better understand and serve your people, this podcast is for you. Jordan Peace (CEO) and Jason Murray (Head of Innovation) are co-founders of Fringe, a lifestyle benefits start-up based out of Richmond, VA. Lifestyle benefits are services that enhance employees’ lives in personal and meaningful ways. These services reduce stress, give time back, spark joy, and impact families. Learn how Fringe can help supercharge your talent, culture, wellbeing, and DEI efforts at fringe.us. Season 1: Bragworthy Culture The stories behind America’s best places to work. Welcome to the BragWorthy Culture Podcast, where people leaders share how they’ve created a company so incredible their employees tell their friends about it.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    S2E1P2: Generations at Work

    In this episode of How People Work, hosts Jordan Peace and Jason Murray explore the evolving landscape of work across generations. From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, each generation brings unique values, expectations, and approaches to the workplace. Jordan and Jason dive into how cultural shifts and societal changes have shaped the way people view work—and how these perspectives continue to influence the modern workplace. They discuss the distinct work ethics, career priorities, and communication styles that define each generation, while examining how businesses can adapt to create inclusive and dynamic environments that bridge generational divides. Whether you're a manager navigating multi-generational teams or an employee looking to better understand your colleagues, this episode offers valuable insights into the diverse ways people engage with work.

    27 min
  2. Special: Our Take on Holiday Employee Gifting

    DEC 11 · BONUS

    Special: Our Take on Holiday Employee Gifting

    In this episode, Jordan and Jason explore the power of holiday employee gifting and how it can improve workplace culture, boost morale, and drive employee engagement. With the holiday season approaching, they share key insights on why thoughtful gifts matter, what employees really want, and how personalized or customizable options can make a lasting impact.They highlight innovative approaches, like Fringe’s gift selection platform, which allows employees to choose their own presents, from customized company swag to unique experiences. Jason and Jordan also discuss how personalized gifts show appreciation and strengthen team loyalty, helping to create a positive and productive work environment. Key Takeaways: Why personalized and choice-based gifts boost employee satisfaction How thoughtful gifting can improve engagement and loyalty Real-world examples of successful holiday gifting strategies Tune in for practical tips on optimizing your holiday gifting strategy and making this season one to remember for your team!

    25 min
  3. Where we've been and where we're going

    DEC 4

    Where we've been and where we're going

    Welcome Back to How People Work. Is “work” just a means to an end, or is it a calling? In this episode, Jordan and Jason explore the cultural shifts redefining the workplace. From "quiet quitting" to the generational divide between native digital and native analog workers, they dive deep into what motivates each group. Why do older generations view work transactionally—"be thankful you have a job"—while younger ones prioritize purpose over pay? How can businesses balance self-expression and the bottom line? Jason and Jordan also tackle the nuanced pressures of producing results in a modern workforce, fostering empathy, and navigating productive friction. They debate what it means to create value and build a better future of work—while giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. Are you an HR/People Leader interesting in learning more about Fringe? Follow Fringe on LinkedIn Connect with Jason on LinkedIn Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn What is Fringe?

    25 min

  4. 07/26/2023

    HR People: You Must Speak the Executive Team’s Language

    In this week’s episode, Jason and Jordan discuss all things data and how people teams must use data insights to speak the executive team’s language. They explore the pitfalls of many companies’ data systems and offer up a solution to help HR people sell their executives on people programs. Word of the day: Assuage Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (1:53) HR people need to be able to sell people programs (3:21) The gap between people who represent the needs of an org and executives having to make business decisions (8:24) Companies claim to be data-driven, but are they? (11:54) HR people treat humans less like resources than non-HR people (15:09) Data is useless if you don’t do anything with it (16:57) In many organizations, asking for budget is a zero sum game (19:45) The C-Suite at your company is not all-knowing (22:37) Why companies are drowning in so-called ‘data lakes’ (26:15) The mistake so many companies make  (29:40) People are more similar than they are different (30:55) Understanding people and communicating how they work is essential to presenting to executives Connect: Are you an HR/People Leader wanting to learn more? https://www.fringe.us/talk-to-our-team People Data & Insights Report: https://fringe.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#1U000000tSl7/a/4X000000ouMw/9lixakNDHeXoFyinZ5hmod6GeWRUmxBtAhVd3oCgDmg Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonatfringe/ Jordan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peace-fringe/ How Fringe works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NiAGyFut6E&t=2s

    34 min

  5. 07/19/2023

    How People Teams Can Do More With Less

    In this episode, Jordan and Jason discuss another challenge people teams are facing today: being charged to do more with less resources. They explore areas where HR teams can improve efficiency and consolidate their people stack. Jordan ends with a charge for executives to have a clear vision for their employee experience.  Word of the day: Sashay Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (3:49) HR teams are being charged to do more with less (5:11) In order to do more with the same, we must maximize efficiency (7:31) The rise of SaaS companies has led to innovation, but has also led to siloed solutions (8:52) Startups typically do one thing very well, but that leads to an overloaded tech stack (10:03) Consolidation is top of mind for people teams (12:06) Bridging the gap between solutions not only is good for the business, but provides a better employee experience (16:16) The proliferation and consolidation of streaming services (19:05) How do you justify a benefit that only 2% of the company is using? (22:31) There are too many tools, but still a need for more sufficient ones (25:26) The source of the decline of sentiment metrics (32:58) An encouragement to executives, from executives Connect: Are you an HR/People Leader wanting to learn more? https://www.fringe.us/talk-to-our-team People Data & Insights Report: https://fringe.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#1U000000tSl7/a/4X000000ouMw/9lixakNDHeXoFyinZ5hmod6GeWRUmxBtAhVd3oCgDmg Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonatfringe/ Jordan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peace-fringe/ How Fringe works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NiAGyFut6E&t=2s

    37 min

  6. 07/12/2023

    What It Means to Have a Good Employee Experience

    In this episode of How People Work, Jordan and Jason define a holistic view of the employee experience. They discuss what the ideal employee experience looks like and how it has evolved over time with market changes and new generations entering the workforce. Jason and Jordan also examine what means to intrinsically belong somewhere, especially in the context of work which is traditionally a merit-based belonging. Key ideas and highlights: Employee experience is holistic and revolves around this idea of belonging. People seek belonging at work more than they ever have before. Employers need to have both entitlement-oriented and merit-based belonging in order to promote belonging and self-actualization. The employee experience has evolved over time, and it’s up to both employers and employees to have the ideal employee experience. Word of the Day: Obstinate Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (2:04) Here are the greatest challenges HR professionals face today (3:24) What do we mean when we talk about the employee experience?  (5:39) Does employee experience only matter in an employees’ market? (8:42) Why our product flopped with some of our customers (10:18) What human beings need universally in order to have a positive employee experience (12:08) What it means to belong somewhere (13:48) Entitlement-oriented vs. merit-based belonging - which is better in the workplace? (19:20) Can we really do anything we put our minds to? (20:06) People seek belonging at work more than they ever have before (25:11) It’s not just on the employer to create a satisfying employee experience (25:40) Our advice to HR leaders Connect: Are you an HR/People Leader wanting to learn more? https://www.fringe.us/talk-to-our-team People Data & Insights Report: https://fringe.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#1U000000tSl7/a/4X000000ouMw/9lixakNDHeXoFyinZ5hmod6GeWRUmxBtAhVd3oCgDmg Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonatfringe/ Jordan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peace-fringe/ How Fringe works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NiAGyFut6E&t=2s

    29 min

  7. 07/05/2023

    What We Have Found to Be Most Difficult Part of Being an HR Leader

    In this episode of How People Work, Jordan and Jason dive into more of the research they conducted last year with HR professionals. This week, they discuss what HR leaders have expressed as being the most difficult part of their job — gaining executive support. Jason and Jordan give an executives’ perspective on how HR can communicate the ROI of people programs effectively and obtain executive sponsorship, driving success for both the HR function and the organization as a whole. Key ideas and highlights: The most difficult part of the HR function is gaining executive support. Executive support is key to the success of the HR function at any organization. HR leaders must understand how people programs fit into key business objectives and how to communicate the ROI effectively. Word of the day: Yips Timestamps (0:00) Intro (1:56) How the perception of HR’s greatest challenges differs from reality (4:43) The disconnect between HR leaders and executives when communicating the value of people programs (5:34) There’s just not enough authority being given to HR.  (6:24) How HR leaders can effectively command authority (7:40) Sometimes the executive team doesn’t know what good looks like in terms of people programs (10:51) HR must align with business objectives in order to gain executive support (13:16) How to speak to executives about the ROI of people programs (17:51) The value of people programs is more recognized by Millennials than any other generation (22:08) Supportive executive teams are essential to HR’s success (24:05) Why some of the best HR leaders come from the operating side of the business (25:52) The benefits and culture at your company point directly to your values Connect: Are you an HR/People Leader wanting to learn more? https://www.fringe.us/talk-to-our-team People Data & Insights Report: https://fringe.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#1U000000tSl7/a/4X000000ouMw/9lixakNDHeXoFyinZ5hmod6GeWRUmxBtAhVd3oCgDmg Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonatfringe/ Jordan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peace-fringe/ How Fringe works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NiAGyFut6E&t=2s

    30 min

  8. 06/28/2023

    What the Role of HR Should Really Be, According to HR Professionals

    In this episode of How People Work, Jordan and Jason dive into the changing role of HR and its massive impact on a company's success. HR leaders have the opportunity to create an environment where employees can thrive. HR is so much more than handling administrative and compliance-related tasks, but rather game-changers that shapes the employee experience. Listen in as Jordan and Jason note the challenge that HR leaders face in managing expectations from company executives and communicating the importance of their role in driving the organization's mission, vision, and values. Word of the Day: Satiates Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (2:53) Our own research on what the role of HR should be (5:38) What has been the traditional role of HR teams? (7:12) HR’s role goes far beyond the job description (12:19) Companies either get it or they don’t (17:01) The average length of time a company remains in the Fortune 500 (18:56) The importance of understanding what and who people are (22:42) As companies grow, the bad things get worse (24:04) Our networks are growing at a rate larger than our capacity for relationship (27:23) Empathy is not an unlimited resource (30:35) Culture(s) at a large company Connect: Are you an HR/People Leader wanting to learn more? https://www.fringe.us/talk-to-our-team People Data & Insights Report: https://fringe.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#1U000000tSl7/a/4X000000ouMw/9lixakNDHeXoFyinZ5hmod6GeWRUmxBtAhVd3oCgDmg Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonatfringe/ Jordan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peace-fringe/ How Fringe works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NiAGyFut6E&t=2s

    34 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Welcome to the How People Work podcast, where we explore the intersection of how humans think and act and how they apply themselves to their work. Every week, startup co-founders Jordan Peace and Jason Murray discuss topics ranging from human psychology and anthropology to leadership, business trends, people strategy & more. This podcast is for anyone who strives to be a compassionate and compelling leader and organization builder. If you are a people leader who wants to better understand and serve your people, this podcast is for you. Jordan Peace (CEO) and Jason Murray (Head of Innovation) are co-founders of Fringe, a lifestyle benefits start-up based out of Richmond, VA. Lifestyle benefits are services that enhance employees’ lives in personal and meaningful ways. These services reduce stress, give time back, spark joy, and impact families. Learn how Fringe can help supercharge your talent, culture, wellbeing, and DEI efforts at fringe.us. Season 1: Bragworthy Culture The stories behind America’s best places to work. Welcome to the BragWorthy Culture Podcast, where people leaders share how they’ve created a company so incredible their employees tell their friends about it.

Information

  • Creator
    Fringe
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Fringe 2023
  • Show Website
    How People Work

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