Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work — the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, every Tuesday we unpack the biggest workplace news stories, decode the psychology, and tackle real listener dilemmas.

🔥 This Week’s Stories

🍞 Breadcrumbing at Work
A new HR buzzword has arrived. Originally a dating term, “breadcrumbing” describes when managers hint at promotions, raises, or development opportunities but never follow through. In a shaky economy where pay rises and mobility are stalling, leaders may be tempted to keep talent with vague promises — but the psychology shows this kills trust and motivation.

Source: Cangrade, “2025 HR Buzzwords”
https://www.cangrade.com/blog/talent-management/24-hr-buzzwords-to-know-in-2025/

☕ Starbucks’ “Fabricated Empathy” Problem
New CEO Brian Nichol’s “Back to Starbucks” plan mandates scripted customer interactions — eye contact, cup messages, four-minute service times — alongside tighter dress codes and reduced remote work. The goal: revive sales. The risk: forcing fake connection and alienating both staff and customers.

Source: Minda Zetlin, Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/starbucks-just-announced-a-new-policy-its-a-failure-of-leadership/91243638
https://x.com/mindazetlin

📞 The Dubai Sales Machine
Would you make 100 calls a day for £24,000 a year? A London firm is hiring trainee wealth managers in Dubai with brutal daily quotas and little base pay. They call it “resilience.” We break down why high pressure without autonomy or purpose can wreck motivation.

Source: Louis Goss, The Telegraph
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/l/lk-lo/louis-goss/

🧠 Truth or Lie

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is on every business school slide, but is it actually true? We dig into the real history — including the missing “sixth level” Maslow added — and what modern psychology says about human motivation.

💬 Workplace Surgery

What do you do when your top performer is destroying team morale?

How can you keep remote teams genuinely connected?

And how do founders protect their wellbeing when the business never switches off?

🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being

– Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne

– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork