Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share AI, Child Labor, and the Collapse of Workplace Wellness: What HR Isn’t Ready to Admit
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
AI, Child Labor, and the Collapse of Workplace Wellness: What HR Isn’t Ready to Admit
In this episode, we talk about AI replacing intellectual labor, the collapse of employee wellness efforts, and why fast food chains are under fire for child labor violations. Tincup and Leary break down the contradictions in workplace AI messaging and call out the fatigue creeping in during summer months. The conversation hits everything from HR tech funding spikes to gender bias, dragging the hiring process, and the quiet evolution of transportation as a serious workplace benefit.
Key Takeaways
➡ AI is replacing repetitive intellectual labor—this isn’t just a blue-collar story anymore.
➡ Workplace wellness fails when companies ignore what employees actually need.
➡ Over 100,000 fast food violations related to child labor sparked national scrutiny.
➡ Mixed AI messaging creates distrust—“assistive” tools feel more like surveillance.
➡ Summer productivity drops hard—most companies are ignoring the data.
➡ Culture is now inseparable from compensation. If you’re underpaying, don’t say “culture.”
➡ Hiring timelines are longer due to internal distrust, not technology problems.
➡ Passion is still perceived differently based on gender—especially in leadership roles.
➡ Glean raised $150 million, keeping HR tech’s funding wave alive.
➡ Transportation is becoming a legit workplace benefit, improving access and retention.
Chapters
00:00 — What's happening this week?
03:20 — AI and Job Displacement
06:48 — Walmart's AI Innovations
09:07 — Workplace Wellness Challenges
11:39 — Child Labor Law Violations
13:26 — AI's Mixed Messages to Workers
15:33 — Summer Work Trends
16:26 — The Future of Work: Remote vs. Office
21:00 — AI in the Workplace: Opportunities and Challenges
23:23 — Acquisitions and Market Consolidation in HR Tech
23:53 — The Impact of AI on Creativity and Brainstorming
28:57 — Employee Wellbeing and AI: A Complex Relationship
30:57 — Hiring Challenges: Trust and Process Over Technology
33:44 — Gender Dynamics in Workplace Passion and Perception
36:22 — Funding Trends in Tech Startups
38:05 — AI in Job Recruitment
41:57 — Transportation as a Workplace Benefit
44:45 — AI Automation in Business Operations
47:28 — Innovations in HR Technology
51:04 — Military Collaboration and Operational Planning
Connect with us
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network
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/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By WRKdefinedIn this episode, we talk about AI replacing intellectual labor, the collapse of employee wellness efforts, and why fast food chains are under fire for child labor violations. Tincup and Leary break down the contradictions in workplace AI messaging and call out the fatigue creeping in during summer months. The conversation hits everything from HR tech funding spikes to gender bias, dragging the hiring process, and the quiet evolution of transportation as a serious workplace benefit.
Key Takeaways
➡ AI is replacing repetitive intellectual labor—this isn’t just a blue-collar story anymore.
➡ Workplace wellness fails when companies ignore what employees actually need.
➡ Over 100,000 fast food violations related to child labor sparked national scrutiny.
➡ Mixed AI messaging creates distrust—“assistive” tools feel more like surveillance.
➡ Summer productivity drops hard—most companies are ignoring the data.
➡ Culture is now inseparable from compensation. If you’re underpaying, don’t say “culture.”
➡ Hiring timelines are longer due to internal distrust, not technology problems.
➡ Passion is still perceived differently based on gender—especially in leadership roles.
➡ Glean raised $150 million, keeping HR tech’s funding wave alive.
➡ Transportation is becoming a legit workplace benefit, improving access and retention.
Chapters
00:00 — What's happening this week?
03:20 — AI and Job Displacement
06:48 — Walmart's AI Innovations
09:07 — Workplace Wellness Challenges
11:39 — Child Labor Law Violations
13:26 — AI's Mixed Messages to Workers
15:33 — Summer Work Trends
16:26 — The Future of Work: Remote vs. Office
21:00 — AI in the Workplace: Opportunities and Challenges
23:23 — Acquisitions and Market Consolidation in HR Tech
23:53 — The Impact of AI on Creativity and Brainstorming
28:57 — Employee Wellbeing and AI: A Complex Relationship
30:57 — Hiring Challenges: Trust and Process Over Technology
33:44 — Gender Dynamics in Workplace Passion and Perception
36:22 — Funding Trends in Tech Startups
38:05 — AI in Job Recruitment
41:57 — Transportation as a Workplace Benefit
44:45 — AI Automation in Business Operations
47:28 — Innovations in HR Technology
51:04 — Military Collaboration and Operational Planning
Connect with us
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network
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/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices