HR Data Labs

By WRKdefined Podcast NetworkBusiness Careers Management

HR Data Labs episodes

July 10, 2025Natalie Tincher - Fostering Inclusion Through a Workplace Dress Code
In this episode, we welcome Natalie Tincher, Founder of BU Style & Principal Style Strategist. We unpack the often-overlooked intersection of personal style, workplace culture, and inclusion. Natalie shares insights on how employee authenticity and appearance impact confidence and connection, how the shift to hybrid work is redefining professional norms, and how HR leaders can balance dress code policies with generational expectations and DEI commitments.

[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Natalie!

Today’s Topic: The impact of dress guidelines on workplace authenticity and inclusion.
[5:55] The Impact of Personal Style on Employee Confidence and Connection
How others perceive style, even if it’s not a personal priority.

Distinguishing between expression and perceived “work” norms.
[14:32] How Hybrid Work is Redefining Professional Dress Guidelines
How dress expectations have evolved since the pandemic.

The challenge for those accustomed to more rigid dress codes.
[22:35] HR’s Role in Balancing Dress Policy, DEI, and Generational Expectations
The importance of open conversations about dress codes.

Supporting employee self-expression while respecting workplace values.

Finding ways for employees to bring more of their full selves to work.
[31:29] Closing
Thanks for listening!

To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
34 min
July 07, 2025 Season Recap and Predictions
As Season 9 of the HR Data Labs podcast comes to a close, join David and
Dwight for a reflective look back at the season’s episodes, guess, and key
topics. They revisit their predictions from the Season 8 finale, evaluate hits
and misses on trends like AI adoption and expected DEI shifts. Finally, they
peer into the future, offering bold new predictions for what HR professionals
can expect regarding financial strategies, AI integration, and the evolving
landscape of HR data and analytics.
[0:00] Introduction
•   Welcome, David and Dwight!
•   Today’s Topic: Season Recap and Future Predictions for HR Data

[4:43] Reflecting on Season 9 & announcing our new live podcast
•   Expect a renewed focus on AI in HR in Season 10
•   Our new live podcast series: Brown Bag Lunch!

[15:25] Grading our Season 9 predictions
•   Reviewing AI adoption trends in customer service
•   Assessing DEI changes from the new administration’s policies

[20:55] Predictions for Season 10
•   Dwight’s prediction: Anticipating a slight loosening of organizations’ cautious financial strategies
•   David’s prediction: Forecasting a widening gap between organizations embracing AI in HR and those delaying adoption

[28:14] Closing
Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Season 10!
Quick Quote
“I’m predicting that people will start to adopt [AI], slowly at first, but then in a storm—and I’m talking in the next six months. People will see they can’t get away from [AI].”

To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media

32 min
June 26, 2025Season Recap and Predictions
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As Season 9 of HR Data Labs comes to a close, join David and Dwight for a reflective look back at the season’s episodes, guess, and key topics. They revisit their predictions from the Season 8 finale, evaluate hits and misses on trends like AI adoption and expected DEI shifts. Finally, they peer into the future, offering bold new predictions for what HR professionals can expect regarding financial strategies, AI integration, and the evolving landscape of HR data and analytics.

[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, David and Dwight!
Today’s Topic: Season Recap and Future Predictions for HR Data
[4:43] Reflecting on Season 9 & announcing our new live podcast
Expect a renewed focus on AI in HR in Season 10
Our new live podcast series: Brown Bag Lunch!
[15:25] Grading our Season 9 predictions
Reviewing AI adoption trends in customer service
Assessing DEI changes from the new administration’s policies
[20:55] Predictions for Season 10
Dwight’s prediction: Anticipating a slight loosening of organizations’ cautious financial strategies
David’s prediction: Forecasting a widening gap between organizations embracing AI in HR and those delaying adoption
[28:14] Closing
Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Season 10!
Quick Quote
“I’m predicting that people will start to adopt [AI], slowly at first, but then in a storm—and I’m talking in the next six months. People will see they can’t get away from [AI].”
To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
31 min
June 19, 2025Amri B. Johnson - Rethinking DEI to Create Anti-fragile Organizational Cultures
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Amri B. Johnson, inclusion strategist and founder of Inclusion Wins, joins us this episode to discuss the tumultuous climate of DEI practices in today’s organizations and how companies can navigate toward more effective inclusion strategies.

[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Amri!
Today’s Topic: Creating Anti-fragile Organizational Cultures
[7:27] How to begin tackling DEI challenges
Shifting current DEI practices built on outdated paradigms
Understanding viewpoints of those with opposing opinions
[16:39] Navigating DEI amidst anti-DEI rhetoric
Recognizing that people are multi-dimensional, not two-dimensional
Building trust within an organization to improve inclusion
[30:55] Helping employees overcome fear of organizational change
Recognizing the root cause of employee concern
Focus on building relationships and engaging with colleagues
[35:27] Closing
Thanks for listening!
Quick Quote:
“A lot of DEI practices in the US are based on paradigms of old. We need to think about what’s possible now . . .”
To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
38 min
June 12, 2025Charlie Sull – How AI Can Actually Measure Company Culture
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Charlie Sull, Co-Founder of CultureX and Culture Researcher at MIT, joins us this episode to explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we understand and measure corporate culture. He explains why traditional employee surveys fall short and how AI tools are providing new insights into what employees really think about their workplace culture.
[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Charlie!
Today’s Topic: Using AI to Understand and Improve Corporate Culture
[5:30] Why should anyone care about cultural measurement?
We know culture is important, but many still see it as an ethereal concept that’s difficult to manage
Why so many people think corporate culture is marketing nonsense
[13:22] How is culture actually measured?
Why 1-to-5-point scale surveys fail to capture true sentiment
Using LLMs to analyze and distill human sentiment from employee reviews
[24:13] Why is AI a better way of measuring company culture?
Why deciphering complex employee sentiments is nearly impossible with traditional surveys
The newfound flexibility of gathering data for culture analysis using AI tools
[35:08] Closing
Thanks for listening!

Quick Quote
“[With traditional 1-to-5-point scale surveys] you’re not getting any information. If you’re trying to measure company culture with this robotic, repetitive low quality data, you just can’t understand . . . what your employees are saying.”
To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
38 min
June 05, 2025Charlene Li - Proven Strategies for Integrating AI in the Workplace
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Charlene Li, author and analyst, joins us this episode to discuss proven strategies for safely and successfully rolling out AI solutions to employees within an organization. She also compares the roles of generative AI and AI agents in the workplace.

[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Charlene!
Today’s Topic: Proven Strategies for Integrating AI in the Workplace
[5:43] What are the biggest challenges HR faces with moving Generative AI into the workplace?
Developing a strategic, rolling 18 month plan for AI implementation
How HR can avoid stumbling through an AI rollout with a proper governance plan
[15:15] How can HR teams avoid stumbling with AI initiatives?
Building a minimum viable team to champion the AI integration strategy
The importance of training everyone in the organization
[31:25] How does generative AI compare to AI agents?
Managing a team of people and AI agents
Understanding how AI agents are designed and how to best prompt them
[42:47] Closing
Thanks for listening!

Quick Quote
“Yes, humans need to be in the loop, but the real power of AI is when you take the human out of the loop because you trust it.”
To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
45 min
May 29, 2025Susan LaMotte - Unlocking the Power of Custom Insights
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Susan LaMotte, the founder and CEO of exaqueo, joins us this episode to discuss the intricacies of acquiring custom data for your organization, how to pull the most impactful insights from that data, and how to secure support (financial and otherwise) for data collection.

[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Susan!
Today’s Topic: The Importance of Custom Data for HR and the Future of Benchmarking
[5:55] What are HR teams missing when working with large amounts of data?
Data vs. insight
Critical data analysis that many HR teams overlook
[17:01] How to gain useful insights from HR data?
Quantitative vs. qualitative insights
How organizations can address and accommodate their employees’ personal needs
[30:51] How can you get the data you need?
Seeking data and insights from outside the digital norms like social media
HR teams’ ability to secure necessary funding for data collection
[41:46] Closing
Thanks for listening!
To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
44 min
May 27, 2025Michael Gomez - The Secret Sauce to Better Employee Engagement
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Michael Gomez, CHRO at Tasty Restaurant Group, joins us this episode to discuss what drives employee engagement and the steps organizations can take to boost their own employees’ engagement.
[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Michael!
Today’s Topic: The Secret to Better Employee Engagement
[3:21] What’s the “secret sauce” for better employee engagement?
Understanding the interdependency of various systems within an organization
How to build trust within an organization
[8:30] How to create more engagement within an organization
Why employee feedback is a powerful tool for driving engagement
Offering employees meaningful benefits that won’t compromise their take-home pay
[27:32] How can organizations begin boosting employee engagement?
Letting your employees know that you want to understand their challenges
How to garner leadership support
[30:40] Closing
Thanks for listening!
Quick Quote
“[Employee engagement] is about aligning from leadership through all levels of the organization on what’s important.”
Connect with Mike:
· LinkedIn
Connect with David:
· LinkedIn
· [email protected]
Connect with Dwight:
· LinkedIn
· [email protected]
Podcast Team
· [email protected]
To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
33 min
May 22, 2025Sarah Katherine Schmidt – Revolutionizing Performance Management for Today's Workforce
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Sarah Katherine Schmidt, Vice President at Peoplelogic, joins us this episode to discuss why performance management fails so many employees today and how improving performance management increases employee engagement and retention.
[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Sarah!
Today’s Topic: Revolutionizing Performance Management for Today's Workforce
[4:27] Why Sarah advocates for agile performance reviews
How regular feedback reduces recency bias and improves accuracy
Why psychological safety should be built into an organization’s promise to its employees
[13:24] How does agile performance management help improve engagement and retention?
Addressing the needs of the varied generations in the modern workforce
How to bring managers and employees onto the same page
[24:42] How do organizations roll out agile performance management?
Key mindset shifts leaders must make for successful implementation
Letting the business set the norms for performance
[32:37] Closing
Thanks for listening!

To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
35 min
May 08, 2025Desiree Goldey - Why Organizational Confusion Fails Employees
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Desiree Goldey, Director of Marketing at ZRG Partners and Founder of Do Better Consulting, joins us this episode to discuss how the disconnect between talent and HR teams impacts an organization’s employees, both current and future.

[0:00] Introduction
Welcome, Desiree!
Today’s Topic: Fixing the Disconnect Between Talent and HR Teams
[4:32] How do we know there’s a disconnect between talent and HR?
Root causes of talent-HR miscommunications
Challenges in transforming company cultures
[10:53] How does the disconnect impact the recruiting process?
How candidates experience a company’s confusion and mixed messaging
Resume insights and advice, including why AI tools are essential in applicant-heavy job markets
[24:30] How does the disconnect affect employee engagement?
The toll on company culture and morale
Challenges facing remaining employees after a significant layoff
[36:10] Closing
Thanks for listening!

Quick Quote
“When there’s a state of confusion [within a company], who suffers? It’s the employee.”
To schedule a meeting with us: https://salary.com/hrdlconsulting

For more HR Data Labs®, enjoy the HR Data Labs Brown Bag Lunch Hours every Friday at 2:00PM-2:30PM EST. Check it out here: https://hrdatalabs.com/brown-bag-lunch/

Produced by Affogato Media
39 min

About HR Data Labs

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Unlock the future of HR, today with the HR Data Labs podcast! Dive into transformative insights, expert interviews, and cutting-edge practices that empower organizations to harness their workforce’s…