HR Unplugged

Compensation is the reason people turn up for work. A great company culture helps, and the value of the work itself can make a difference, but realistically, money is what keeps people coming in each day. Indeed, compensation is one of the key factors in employee wellbeing, performance, and retention. However, as revealed in BambooHR's Compensation Trends for 2025 report, things are looking somewhat bleak in this area across the United States.

In this episode, we chew over the report, talk about some of the key findings, and explain what’s going right and what’s going wrong for the employees surveyed. We discuss the data at length, talk about the divide between generations and genders, and explain how current economic conditions play into all this.

While many are pessimistic about work and compensation, fear not: there are still positives to draw on and many actionable steps that businesses can take to improve employee satisfaction and engagement.

Key moments: 

• How the uptick in dissatisfaction with pay from employees is linked to current economic conditions
• The value of salary tools such as MIT’s Living Wage Calculator
• Why transparent negotiation may be the reason Gen Z is seeing higher salary increases than other generations
• The optimum time to send out employee surveys
• Why total pay transparency is not always optimal
• How to develop a compensation philosophy
• Why leaders are seen as out-of-touch by their employees – and how leaders can prevent this
• Using data to see whether pay has been mapped right and coaching leaders in trends

Key links:

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Compensation Trends for 2025 Report: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/data-at-work/data-stories/2025-compensation-trends#:~:text=Average%20Salary%20Increase%20YoY&text=6.2%25-,For%20the%20second%20year%20in%20a%20row%2C%202%20in%205,42%25%20decrease%20over%20two%20years.

Done right, 360 feedback is a great way of promoting growth in an organization, providing a more well-rounded view of individual and team performance, and strengthening collaboration. Done wrong, it can contribute to a culture of fear, lead to resentment, and be too focused on weakness rather than strength.

In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Burton, Co-Founder of Talgo.io, to explore the ins and outs of 360 feedback. We discuss the challenges, the risks, and how to put in place a review system that leaves all parties satisfied.

Jordan also offers some examples from his own professional life, suggests the times when a business is ready to implement a 360, and talks about why this process shouldn’t be remedial – that is to say, with the aim of ‘fixing’ somebody.

Key moments: 

• The ‘three levels’ of 360 feedback
• The importance of trust in the process
• Why 360 feedback risks being overly evaluative
• How to prepare employees
• The value of including a third-party
• Why the ‘no attribution’ aspect of 360 feedback is so essential
• How employees can provide feedback on the feedback they have received

Key links:

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanwburton/

Dopamine is one of the most important chemicals in the body, playing a role in controlling memory, mood, sleep, learning, concentration, and movement. However, the modern world is challenging for dopamine levels because of the way our environment and habits overstimulate the brain's 'reward center' while also reducing opportunities for deep, sustained satisfaction.

We sit down with Scott Byrd, Co-Founder of Pathways Global, for a discussion about how brain chemistry affects workplace performance, exploring the role of dopamine in motivation, the importance of understanding your brain's patterns to calm your nervous system, and how to improve workplace interactions, especially when giving feedback.

We also discuss ways to increase dopamine, and explore the impact of ADHD on performance.

Key moments: 

• The effect of blue light on dopamine levels
• Why being ‘up, light, and direct’ is key for workplace interactions
• The importance of orienting yourself around the ways your brain works
• Strategies for helping employees stay engaged in this dopamine-addicted environment and society
• ADHD and modern work challenges
• Why how-tos and checklists are less useful than a simple commitment to conversation and learning

Key links:

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-byrd-4a2081a/

From lack of budget to overbearing CEOs, there are a host of problems that HR professionals deal with every day. So, what are the red flags to look out for, and how can issues be resolved before they develop?

In this episode, we sit down with Julie Turney, Founder and Chief Impact Architect at HR@Heart Consulting, for a conversation about memorable HR experiences (both good and bad!), and how to create a great company culture.

We also cover how to set boundaries at work, how HR differs from place to place, and why companies and organizations should never be described as “a family.”

Key moments: 

• Whether an employee’s happiness depends on their personal life or professional life
• How to avoid “compassion fatigue”
• How a difficult CEO experience spurred Julie to start HR@Heart Consulting
• Why happiness at work is a journey, not a destination
• Why HR professionals need to be given access to the strategy of the organization
• The importance of picking battles and not “dying on every hill”

Key links:

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Connect with Julie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjulieturney/

No employee is the same. The evolving needs of employees demand a shift toward holistic support that spans all of life's challenges, from caregiving, to illness, to childcare. This is key to building a healthier, more resilient workforce.

In this episode, we sit down with Derek Lundsten, President and Chief Culture Officer at LifeGuides, for a conversation about the different ways organizations can support their workforce, and what’s missing in their efforts.

We cover the importance of work-life balance, and how important it is for employees to get genuine downtime. Derek also shares how LifeGuides helps people who are going through challenges in their lives, and explains how more and more organizations are proactively addressing the needs of their teams.

Finally, we discuss how to strike the balance between what is good for the business and what is good for the employee, and personal versus employer responsibility when it comes to ensuring wellbeing.

Key moments: 

• How LifeGuides matches people who are going through life challenges with someone who has faced a similar problem
• What methods employers can use to support their employees outside the workforce as well as inside
• Why jobs need to be matched with job descriptions
• Why employees need to be able to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’
• The importance of having a learning budget
• The issues with employers providing benefits that their consultants are selling rather than asking their employees what they want
• Strategies to improve peer-to-peer support, from better listening to enshrining values and mission

Key links:

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Connect with Derek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dereklundsten/

What’s your worst bad boss story? It seems like everyone’s got one. We expect leaders to provide guidance and make sound decisions, but that’s not always the case, and it can put employees and HR in a tricky position.

In this episode (our first live show!), we sit down with Amy Butler, VP of People Operations at Awardco, and Jared Olsen, VP of People Experience at JobNimbus for a candid discussion about the challenges of poor leadership.

We kick the conversation off by swapping our worst bad boss stories, including a shocking tale of fraud and an unexpected firing during maternity leave. But more importantly, Amy and Jared share the best lessons learned from bad past experiences and how they feed into their approach to people management today.

We cover the importance of good coaching, transparent communication, setting expectations, and much more in this episode. It’s a must-listen for anyone looking to improve leadership at their organization!

Key moments: 

• Our worst bad boss stories and lessons learned
• How a poor onboarding experience inspired Jared’s thorough approach to onboarding today
• Strategies to help employees dealing with poor management
• Why you should build a coaching culture
• Why Amy uses AMAs alongside engagement surveys
• How poor people leaders can repair relationships with employees
• Why transparency and difficult conversations are important
• How responsible is HR for dealing with poor management?

Key links:

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Connect with Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-poll-butler-b13b5291/
• Connect with Jared on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredolsen/

Do you feel safe to express ideas and opinions at work without the fear of judgment or even punishment?

In today's workplaces, we have a greater understanding of just how important mental wellbeing is to our teams, to us individually, and to our performance. And part of that is driven by our ability to feel safe and supported in the workplace.

In this episode, we explore the important topic of psychological safety with Dr. Vaneeta Sandhu, Head of Operations and Emotional Fitness at Coa. Vaneeta breaks down what psychological safety looks like on an individual, team, and company-wide level, and what organizations can do to improve it. We explore the business case for prioritizing psychological safety and how demonstrating the positive impact on retention, job satisfaction, innovation, and productivity can help you get leadership buy-in to make it a priority.

Key moments: 

• What is psychological safety?
• Tips for effective feedback delivery and the importance of the 5:1 positive to negative feedback ratio
• What organizations can do to boost psychological safety
• The business case for psychological safety and how to get buy-in from leadership
• What leaders get wrong about psychological safety

Key links: 

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw/
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Connect with Vaneeta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaneetasandhu/

Imagine stepping into a new job and feeling instantly connected to your company's culture, values, and mission. That's the power of a well-designed onboarding program!

In this episode of HR Unplugged, we dive back into BambooHR's journey to revolutionize our onboarding experience, with insights from Megan Galloway of Everleader, who’s back on the show for a catch-up. As Megan has been helping us revamp the onboarding process at BambooHR, we look at the results in this episode and answer common questions about the challenges of remote onboarding, how to integrate company values, and how to help new hires feel welcome.

We talk about building on company values and how empowered leaders can help new hires hit the ground running and foster stronger connections in the company from day one. There’s plenty of great advice in this episode for improving your own process, so don’t miss it!

Key moments: 

• A recap from our previous conversation in episode 51
• Why BambooHR decided to upgrade its onboarding experience
• How to integrate company values into onboarding
• A framework for a comprehensive onboarding process
• The results from our onboarding changes
• What to do after the formal onboarding process
• Advice for upgrading your own process to make new hires feel welcome and get up to speed quickly

Key links: 

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw/
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/
• Tune in to part one of our onboarding discussion with Megan in episode 51: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Read the blog, The Definitive Guide to Onboarding: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/guides/the-definitive-guide-to-onboarding
• Download the ebook, The Definitive Guide to Onboarding: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/ebooks/guide-to-onboarding

What does effective leadership look like when it feels like there’s never enough time to do all the things that HR leaders need to do?

In this episode of HR Unplugged, host Anita Grantham sits down with Johnny C. Taylor Jr., President and CEO of SHRM, to explore the critical elements of leadership. We investigate some of the overlooked traits that make good leaders great, like empathy and courage, and how the expectations of modern leaders have changed.

We tackle key topics like how leaders can balance celebrating the diversity of opinion in the workplace with managing conflict. Johnny brings some great insights to the table on the importance of civility in the face of disagreements and how leaders can take an active approach to make sure people are culturally aligned on what matters most. We hear some of Johnny’s methods for dealing with conflicting opinions, how he screens candidates during talent acquisition, and what he believes are the top three Cs of successful HR leadership.

Key moments: 

• Why empathy is an overlooked but core skill for leaders
• How to create a culture of civility
• How to ensure cultural alignment during the hiring process
• The importance of establishing boundaries and company culture
• Johnny’s framework for dealing with conflicting opinions

Key links: 

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw/
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/

With job interviews, we’re always on the lookout for that gold star candidate. But how do you spot them in a sea of applications? Nailing your interviewing process and asking the right questions are key, but there’s an art (and some science) to getting it right.

In this episode, we sit down with Brandon Welch, Head of Recruiting at BambooHR, to get his take on what makes a great interview and how to plan discussions with candidates that help you get to know who you’re potentially hiring.

Brandon, Anita, and Vanessa share their favorite questions to ask at an interview and how to get candidates to paint a picture of their experience, skills, and on-the-spot thinking. We look at how interviewing processes differ for different types of roles, how long interviews should take, and why giving candid feedback is a must (especially for internal hires!). Brandon also shares his thoughts on personality tests and how to use scorecard data to assess candidate suitability.

Key moments: 

• How to balance consistency in interviews with leaving space for hiring managers to add their own style
• The top things people get wrong in the interview process
• Why job titles alone don’t tell us enough about a person’s experience
• The best interview questions to pinpoint top talent
• How to use personality tests the right way
• How hiring managers can prep candidates for interviews
• Why giving feedback and being intentional about the candidate's experience is so important
• How to determine the right amount of time for an interview

Key links: 

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw/
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/