What masks do we wear at work — and what happens when we finally take them off?

In this episode, Glenn Martin and Matthias Schmeisser sit down with Marie Chaproniere, Founder of Behind the Mask, to explore how authenticity, vulnerability, and belonging are reshaping the modern workplace.

Marie shares her journey creating a movement that gives People & Culture leaders, HR professionals, and wellbeing advocates the space to talk openly about what’s really going on behind polished job titles — from mental health and neurodiversity to grief, loss, and identity.

Together, we unpack why “bringing your whole self to work” can feel impossible, how societal expectations force us to perform versions of ourselves, and what it takes to unlearn that conditioning.

💬 Expect a raw, human conversation on:

→ The hidden cost of workplace masks

→ Why authenticity is a lifelong practice

→ The courage it takes to be seen

→ Building empathy-led leadership cultures If you’ve ever felt you had to edit yourself to fit in — this one’s for you.

🎙 Escape the Echo Chamber: honest conversations that challenge the status quo and connect us as humans.

In this episode Glenn and Matthias welcome Dr Charles Handler to the mic.

Charles brings a measured, evidence-first view on how AI is reshaping recruitment - not as a magic wand, but as a set of powerful tools that need rules, scrutiny and a clear human owner.

We unpack where AI helps (speed, consistency, candidate matching), where it hurts (opaque models, knowledge-hiding, and a creeping loss of psychological safety) and — crucially — how organisations can pilot, measure and govern these tools without turning hiring into a lottery.

We also argue for moving from “AI hacks” to AI literacy so teams can make confident, ethical choices rather than copy-pasting hype.

Key takeaways:

→ AI is becoming a standard in recruitment processes.

→ Defining measurement criteria is crucial for effective hiring.

→ AI tools must be critically evaluated for effectiveness.

→ Pilot programs can help organisations test AI solutions.

→ Ethics and governance are essential in AI utilisation.

→ Matching candidates with jobs requires clear job descriptions.

→ AI can enhance human decision-making but should not replace it.

→ Regulatory frameworks for AI are evolving but challenging to enforce.

→ Continuous education on AI is necessary for HR professionals.

→ The future of work will involve collaboration between AI and humans.

The Guest is Shiran Danoch, PhD and she joins Glenn Martin and Matthias Schmeisser, to delve into the complexities of talent acquisition, discussing the challenges of hiring, the importance of assessments, and the role of bias in the hiring process. They explore how structured interviews and AI can enhance hiring practices while emphasising the need for a focus on skills, motivations, and emotional intelligence. The discussion highlights the evolving landscape of recruitment and the necessity for organisations to adapt their hiring strategies to remain competitive.

Key takeaways include:

→ Hiring is perceived as an art, but it should be a science.

→ Bias in hiring is a significant issue that needs addressing.

→ Structured interviews can significantly improve hiring outcomes.

→ AI can help reduce bias but must be used thoughtfully.

→ Effective communication is crucial in the interview process.

→ Skills-based hiring should focus on application, not just validation.

→ Emotional intelligence is a key predictor of job performance.

→ Organisations must adapt their hiring processes to remain competitive.

→ Candidate experience is vital for attracting top talent.

→ Social skills are increasingly important in the workplace.

In this conversation, Glenn Martin and Matthias Schmeisser discuss the transformative impact of AI on the recruitment industry with Kevin Wheeler, Founder of The Future of Talent Institute. 

They explore how AI is set to eliminate traditional recruiting roles, the myths surrounding productivity and AI, and the limitations of human judgment and networking in hiring. The discussion emphasises the need for recruiters to adapt to new roles, develop AI literacy, and consider ethical implications as the landscape of talent acquisition evolves.

Key takeaways include: 

• AI will fundamentally change recruitment jobs.
• Traditional recruiting skills are becoming obsolete.
• AI can increase efficiency but may complicate processes.
• Human judgment in recruitment is often biased.
• Networking is limited and AI can broaden talent searches.
• Relationships in recruitment are often superficial.
• AI can provide better candidate experiences than humans.
• Recruiters need to adapt to new roles and skills.
• AI literacy is crucial for future success in recruitment.
• The future of recruitment will involve more ethical considerations.

In this podcast, Glenn Martin and Matthias Schmeisser welcome back Julius Probst, PhD, European Labor Economist from Appcast, to discuss the current state of the UK labor market.

Focusing on economic growth, unemployment rates, and the impact of fiscal policies, they compare the UK and German markets, highlighting the challenges posed by high housing prices and marginal tax rates.

The discussion also touches on the implications for talent acquisition and the future of work in a changing economic landscape. Key takeaways include:

→ The UK economy has shown a growth of 0.7% in Q1 2025, the highest in the G7.

→ Unemployment has risen slightly to 4.5%, raising concerns about labor market stability.

→ House prices are approximately nine times the average income, making home ownership increasingly unattainable.

→ Marginal tax rates in the UK can reach as high as 62%, discouraging additional work and overtime.

→ High housing costs are exacerbating inequality, limiting access to home ownership for younger generations.

→ Flexibility in talent acquisition strategies is essential for businesses to adapt to the current labor market.

→ The UK labor market is becoming more service-oriented compared to Germany's industry-heavy economy.

→ Investment in public infrastructure is crucial for long-term economic growth in the UK.

→ The conversation emphasises the need for awareness of economic trends among talent leaders.

In this episode of the Escape the Echo Chamber podcast, hosts Glenn Martin and Matthias Schmeisser engage with guest Marie Krebs to explore the intricacies of People Experience in startups. 

They discuss the importance of defining performance, identifying the right problems to solve, and leveraging data to drive business success, and Marie shares her journey in the startup world, emphasising the need for a shared language and understanding of roles to enhance performance management.

The conversation highlights the balance between employee success and business goals, advocating for a strategic approach to People Experience, and they explore how performance can be driven through effective conversations and the significance of context in strategic planning. The discussion highlights the need for appropriate KPIs and the balance between risk and reward in innovative practices.

Key takeaways include:

• People Experience is crucial for shaping the employee-employer landscape.

• Identifying the right problems is essential for effective performance management.

• Data analysis is key to understanding performance and driving business success.

• Shared language within teams enhances communication and effectiveness.

• Performance metrics should align with business goals for sustainable growth.

• Revenue per employee is a critical metric for evaluating people-performance. 

• Revenue per employee can indicate business efficiency.

• KPIs should reflect the quality of output, not just speed.

• Trust issues can arise from past organisational failures.

• Automation can significantly improve HR processes.

• Engaging employees creatively can enhance data accuracy.

• Strategy involves making tough choices about priorities.

• Understanding the context is crucial for effective change management.

• Risk-taking is essential for innovation and growth.

• Feedback loops are vital for continuous improvement

In this episode of Escape the Echo Chamber, we speak with European Labor Economist, Julius Probst, and we explore the current state of the economy, particularly focusing on Germany's labor market.

We discuss the complexities of economic assessments, the impact of global events, and the comparative analysis between Germany and the UK. The conversation delves into recovery lessons from Southern Europe, the disconnect between GDP predictions and real-world experiences, and the challenges facing the German labor market.

Julius emphasises the need for digital transformation and domestic investment to ensure Germany's economic growth and stability, whilst highlighting some of the challenges and opportunities within the German market, focusing on digital transformation, the business environment, funding for startups, consumer attitudes towards credit, and systemic issues affecting economic growth.

Whilst focusing the conversation on the geopolitical landscape and its implications for Germany's economy, we arrive at a shared understanding of the importance of creating a supportive environment for businesses. 

In this episode, we’re joined by Luke O'Mahoney, founder of SapienX, to dive into a transformative approach to HR and people practices: the rise of the Post-HR Generation. Luke challenges the status quo, advocating for a shift from transactional, compliance-driven HR to a People First, Product Led model that prioritises value creation for both businesses and employees.

Drawing from his experiences as a former Head of People and his vision for SapienX, Luke emphasises the need to reframe work as a product — one that balances the expectations of a multi-generational workforce with the strategic objectives of the business. He shares the inspiration behind SapienX's groundbreaking initiatives, including its community of progressive people leaders and the success of the PXExpresso Live event.

The discussion highlights key concepts, such as:

• The Post-HR Mindset : Moving beyond the traditional Ulrich model to a growth-oriented approach that integrates human-centered design and continuous iteration.

• Value Exchange : Recognising work as a two-sided product where both employees and employers benefit equitably.

• Co-Creation : Designing people experiences in collaboration with employees and managers, balancing efficiency with engagement.

• Courage to Push Back : Encouraging HR leaders to challenge C-suite timelines and focus on long-term, impactful solutions rather than quick fixes.

Luke’s optimism shines as he outlines how organisations can enable HR to transition from a reactive, supportive function to a proactive, strategic force. He also explores practical steps for leadership teams to adopt this mindset, ensuring their people teams contribute to sustainable growth.

Whether you’re an HR leader, a startup founder, or someone interested in the future of work, this episode offers inspiring insights and actionable advice to escape the echo chamber and embrace the Post-HR Generation.

Listen now and discover how the People First, Product Led approach can redefine the future of work.

In the third instalment of Escaping the Echo Chamber, we dive into the high-stakes world of volume hiring and its intersection with AI. Joining the discussion is Dominic Joyce, a seasoned talent leader with over a decade of experience in recruitment.

Dominic shares his insights on the evolving role of AI in talent acquisition, its impact on high-volume hiring, and why the human element remains irreplaceable. From practical applications to philosophical musings, this episode explores the balance between automation and authenticity in recruitment.

Dominic’s candid reflections and actionable advice will leave listeners inspired to rethink their approach to hiring in an AI-driven world.

Key Takeaways:

1. AI as a Co-Pilot, Not a Replacement

Dominic stresses that AI should complement recruiters rather than replace them. It acts as a support system, performing repetitive or data-intensive tasks like CV screening, interview scheduling, and initial assessments, allowing recruiters to focus on their core strengths—relationship building, strategic decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. By reducing administrative burdens, AI empowers recruiters to deliver higher-quality outcomes for both candidates and employers.

2. Automation meets Humanisation

While automation can handle high-volume tasks, Dominic insists the human touch remains crucial in recruitment. AI can enhance candidate communication, provide instant feedback, and even personalise interactions, but the role of recruiters is to create authentic, meaningful connections. He advocates for using AI to handle the repetitive so recruiters can focus on crafting exceptional candidate experiences.

3. Volume Hiring: Challenges and Opportunities

Volume hiring presents unique hurdles, such as managing large applicant pools while maintaining empathy and fairness. Dominic shares strategies for leveraging AI in this context.  Dominic emphasises the importance of transparency when using AI in volume hiring—candidates need to understand how AI is applied and why, to build trust in the process.

4. ROI of AI in Recruitment

Dominic challenges traditional metrics like time-to-hire and cost-per-hire, arguing that AI’s real value lies in outcomes such as improving candidate feedback, enhancing quality of hire by predicting behaviours and cultural fit. 

5. The Future of Talent Acquisition

Dominic predicts a transformation in the recruiter’s role, from task executor to strategic conductor. With AI handling routine activities, recruiters can act as brand ambassadors, focus on internal talent management and succession planning, and use data-driven insights to guide hiring strategies. He foresees AI shifting team dynamics, with recruitment leaders needing to become champions of AI adoption while fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Summary

Whether you’re a talent acquisition professional, a business leader, or simply curious about the future of hiring, this episode offers a nuanced perspective on the integration of AI in recruitment. Dominic’s practical advice, combined with our thought-provoking questions, ensures an engaging and informative discussion.

In this first episode of Escape the Echo Chamber, Glenn and Matthias host our Guest, Simon Sparks, Founder of Thrival. 

By creating a space for critical conversation, questioning accepted narratives, and confronting our own biases—especially around the impact of AI in talent acquisition - we kick off by exploring the influence of echo chambers in both social media and work environments, where popular beliefs are often accepted without scrutiny. Our mission, as always, is to encourage candid, sometimes uncomfortable discussions, pushing listeners to think beyond the status quo.

Our main aim is to tackle one of today’s hottest topics: AI’s role in transforming Talent Acquisition (TA).

Join us as we question the prevailing view that AI will revolutionise recruitment, pointing out that while AI can optimise certain processes, it struggles with the nuance and complexity of human-driven hiring. We discuss how AI’s real value lies in supporting, not replacing, human insight, especially in executive and specialised hiring.

We explore the importance of AI literacy, urging TA professionals to critically engage with AI rather than assume it can solve deep-rooted issues in hiring.

In the final segment, they dive deeper into the challenges facing hiring managers and leaders, including the need for self-aware, adaptable leadership to make informed hiring decisions. They highlight that, while AI can assist with tasks like organising feedback or performance reviews, it cannot replace the human discernment required in building successful, engaged teams. Their message is clear: while AI is here to stay and can bring value, it’s not the cure-all that some hype it up to be.

We hope to encourage listeners to look beyond the AI buzz and engage in real conversations, testing and learning with AI while setting realistic expectations. As we aptly conclude, “AI isn’t a fad, but it’s also not a mini disc”—it’s a tool, not a magic solution, and it’s up to us to use it wisely.