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Ep. 13 Bathtubs, Brawls, and Burnout: HR Nightmares from Every Corner of the Map
In this episode we talk about the weird, the wild, and the totally preventable disasters companies face when expectations are unclear and accountability goes missing. Ryan Leary is flying solo at HR Tech as he sits down with guests from isolved, 360insights, and Haynes to unpack misconduct stories from across the country — and from a tiny island in Alaska.
Key Takeaways
➡ A traveling employee flooded three hotel floors — including the HR office — by falling asleep with the tub running
➡ A 20-year-old HR employee threw a presidential suite party that ended with security intervention
➡ One island-based company scrapped its attendance policy after some workers racked up 40 to 50 absences
➡ An attendance incentive offering 60,000 airline miles still didn’t move the needle on absenteeism
➡ That same incentive led to a relapse and eventual termination for on-the-job alcoholism
➡ A sales team brawl at a kickoff event forced hotel security to separate warring groups — think West Side Story
➡ HR leaders have had to bail out employees from jail after “misunderstandings” at company events
➡ One sales event ended with two leaders “doing what they had to do” on the beach in front of the entire team
➡ Sometimes the problem is not policy — it's unclear expectations and zero guardrails
➡ Sitka, Alaska has just 14 miles of road and a 2-day drive through Canada to access by ferry
➡ When cruise ships unload 5,000 people in Sitka, phone service dies. Businesses just have to deal with it
➡ A recent storm broke undersea cables, cutting off internet and cell service for 17 days
Chapters
00:00 Live from the Fama booth at HR Tech
01:00 Flooded hotel rooms and international jet lag
02:50 The presidential suite birthday party gone wrong
04:00 Island life and 50-absence employees
05:30 Sales team gang fight at kickoff event
06:45 Poolside misconduct in full view of the company
08:00 Why clear expectations matter
09:30 Cultural context and mental health on isolated islands
11:00 Cruise ships, broken cables, and 17 days without internet
12:30 What each guest hopes to get out of HR Tech
This limited series is brought to you by FAMA, Modern Candidate Screening. Talent teams use FAMA to improve candidate quality, create safe and inclusive workplaces and place the right leadership for their organizations.
You can subscribe and listen to the #9to5Nightmares podcast here https://fama.io/podcasts or here
Guest Info
Amberly Dressler, isolved
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberlydressler/
Website: https://www.isolvedhcm.com
Geoff Webb, 360insights
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-webb/
Website: https://www.360insights.com
Jaylene, Haynes
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: https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com
View all episodes
By WRKdefined Podcast NetworkIn this episode we talk about the weird, the wild, and the totally preventable disasters companies face when expectations are unclear and accountability goes missing. Ryan Leary is flying solo at HR Tech as he sits down with guests from isolved, 360insights, and Haynes to unpack misconduct stories from across the country — and from a tiny island in Alaska.
Key Takeaways
➡ A traveling employee flooded three hotel floors — including the HR office — by falling asleep with the tub running
➡ A 20-year-old HR employee threw a presidential suite party that ended with security intervention
➡ One island-based company scrapped its attendance policy after some workers racked up 40 to 50 absences
➡ An attendance incentive offering 60,000 airline miles still didn’t move the needle on absenteeism
➡ That same incentive led to a relapse and eventual termination for on-the-job alcoholism
➡ A sales team brawl at a kickoff event forced hotel security to separate warring groups — think West Side Story
➡ HR leaders have had to bail out employees from jail after “misunderstandings” at company events
➡ One sales event ended with two leaders “doing what they had to do” on the beach in front of the entire team
➡ Sometimes the problem is not policy — it's unclear expectations and zero guardrails
➡ Sitka, Alaska has just 14 miles of road and a 2-day drive through Canada to access by ferry
➡ When cruise ships unload 5,000 people in Sitka, phone service dies. Businesses just have to deal with it
➡ A recent storm broke undersea cables, cutting off internet and cell service for 17 days
Chapters
00:00 Live from the Fama booth at HR Tech
01:00 Flooded hotel rooms and international jet lag
02:50 The presidential suite birthday party gone wrong
04:00 Island life and 50-absence employees
05:30 Sales team gang fight at kickoff event
06:45 Poolside misconduct in full view of the company
08:00 Why clear expectations matter
09:30 Cultural context and mental health on isolated islands
11:00 Cruise ships, broken cables, and 17 days without internet
12:30 What each guest hopes to get out of HR Tech
This limited series is brought to you by FAMA, Modern Candidate Screening. Talent teams use FAMA to improve candidate quality, create safe and inclusive workplaces and place the right leadership for their organizations.
You can subscribe and listen to the #9to5Nightmares podcast here https://fama.io/podcasts or here
Guest Info
Amberly Dressler, isolved
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberlydressler/
Website: https://www.isolvedhcm.com
Geoff Webb, 360insights
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-webb/
Website: https://www.360insights.com
Jaylene, Haynes
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: https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com