Welcome to a new season of your favorite podcast!!!

It’s the new year, which means the internet is yelling about new goals, new strategies, and new tools, while HR is still over here duct-taping broken systems and being told (once again) to do more with less. 

So this season, I picked a very simple theme: NEW. 

New ideas. New rules. New levels of honesty about what’s actually working and what needs to be dragged out back and retired. 

We’re kicking things off with an Ins and Outs episode, which is basically the stuff HR has been whispering about in group chats. 

And because this topic deserved real honesty, I brought back my favorite fellow shit-talker, Jessica Winder!

Quantum Workplace helps leaders build thriving teams that fuel business success. We give leaders at every level a clear path forward—by unlocking critical talent insights across engagement, performance, and development. With clarity and confidence, people leaders can act decisively, scale leadership quality, and strengthen connection and performance. 

Trusted by thousands of people-focused companies, Quantum Workplace makes it easier to keep teams aligned, empowered, growing, and valued on the path to business success. Visit quantumworkplace.com to learn more.

0:05:44 - Something New Jessica Wants to Learn This Year

0:12:23 - Ins and Outs, Inspired by TikTok

0:21:23 - Clarity Around Learning Skills vs Vibes-based Expectations

0:28:48 - Stop Assuming Everybody Wants to be Managers

0:35:27 - AI as a Co-pilot vs a Human Replacement

0:40:25 - Hiring Fewer, Better Defined Roles vs Overhiring 

0:40:25 - Stop Pretending Pay is Not a Cultural Issue

0:56:45 - Why HR Needs a POV, Not Neutrality

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Jessica:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicadwinder/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Okay, we made it! WHEW.

Welcome to the final episode of I Hate It Here for 2025, which feels both celebratory and mildly unhinged. 

This episode is me doing what I do best: yappin with people I deeply admire and respect, asking them about their wishes for HR in 2026…while also openly admitting that I’m lowkey a little scared of what’s coming next. 

The market is weird AF, recruiters are exhausted, candidates are frustrated, and the tools are absolutely not keeping up! 

But instead of spiraling alone (okay, spiraling less), I wanted to end the year by bringing some of my fav people together, because the only reason I’m still standing in this job is community, collective honesty, and the belief that if we keep talking about what’s actually happening, HR might just survive, and maybe even win.

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.

0:00:36 - Cassandra Babilya’s Wish for 2026

0:13:05 - Stacey Nordwall’s Wish for 2026

0:20:26 - Morgan Williams’s Wish for 2026

0:25:38 - Cassidy Edward’s Wish for 2026

0:32:36 - Tara Turk-Haynes’s Wish for 2026

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Cassandra:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-babilya/

Follow Stacey:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Follow Morgan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganbwilliams/

Follow Cassidy:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassidy-edwards-yyom/

Follow Tara:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ttaraturkhaynes/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Raise your hand if you’ve worked in a toxic environment before!

That’s probably 99.9% of you, so today we’re talking about those negative environments that get inside your nervous system and refuse to leave quietly. 

The kind that turn you into a hyper-vigilant, over-prepared shell of yourself who flinches at a sporadic calendar invite titled “Quick Sync.”

I brought back one of my favorite humans, close friend, returning guest, and resident shit talker Chris Hagood, because he actually understands the emotional underlayer of work, and I don’t mean just the LinkedIn version. 

We get into how toxic cultures shape your identity, follow you long after you leave, and what it takes to unlearn survival mode when chaos becomes your baseline.

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.

0:02:43 -  How Lived Experiences Shape Your Reaction to Toxicity at Work

0:08:30 -  Minimizing Toxicity Because You’re Conditioned to “Just Deal With It”

0:14:44 - Why Old Patterns Get Reactivated in Toxic Workplaces

0:17:20 - Why People Doubt Themselves More After a Toxic Job and Not During

0:20:27 - The First Step to Undoing a Toxic Environment

0:40:37 - How Toxicity Distorts Your Sense of Value, Competence, or Belonging

0:45:24 - How Tolerating Toxic Behavior Creates Long-term Damage

0:48:07 - What Habits Stick With You After Surviving a Toxic Workplace?

0:51:58 - Advice to People Currently Working in a Toxic Environment

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Chris:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisrhagood/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Listen, I tried so hard not to cry recording this episode.

Today George Boone and I are talking about grief, the thing that HR loves to pretend can be solved with a three-day bereavement policy and a sad little “OOO.” 

But grief is messy and human and shows up everywhere: in how you work, lead, love, set boundaries, and literally get out of bed. 

George and I both carry losses that changed us forever, and instead of shoving that into the corporate void, we’re unpacking what it actually means to keep showing up while your heart is busy learning a whole new shape. 

It’s honest. It’s tender. And somehow…it’s also hopeful.

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.

00:04:27 - Yes, George Boone IS Related to Daniel Boone and Benson Boone

00:08:43 - The Grief That Shaped George the Most as a Person

00:16:45 - How Grief Shows up at Work 

00:27:38 - How Grief Shows up in Your Style of Leadership

00:34:03 - The Loneliness That Comes With Grief

00:39:32 - Functioning at Work While You’re Experiencing Grief

00:58:02 - How Grief Makes You Softer/Sharper

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow George:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgelboone/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Workplace culture rewires us in ways that could take a whole lifetime to understand.

It shapes our identity, confidence, authority issues, communication style, and even how we show up outside of work without realizing it! 

And Jessie Stettin and I go there: your real life shows up at work too, influencing how you lead, handle conflict, and how you interpret every “quick chat” from your boss. 

Who would have thought that things you did as a child still influence your work identity in such sneaky ways???

Culture is this invisible exchange constantly happening in both directions, shaping you while you’re shaping it…whether you signed up for it or not.

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out ⁠⁠⁠⁠here.

0:05:00 - How Jessie Became an End-of-Life Doula

0:10:09 - Childhood Rules We Assumed Still Applied at Work, But Don’t

0:18:50 - Lessons About Authority and Belonging at Work

0:26:41 - Cultures That Have Shaped How Jessie Thinks About Success

0:36:47 - Being Stuck in an Environment Where You Feel Like You Don’t Belong

0:42:43 - A Point in Your Career When You Can Influence Your Culture

0:56:02 - How Jessie Would Redesign How People Socialize at Work

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Jessie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessiestettin/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Belonging at work is one of those things everyone claims to care about… right up until someone shows up as their full self and suddenly it’s “not professional!” 

I hate the idea that someone has to assimilate to belong, so Erica Lydell and I pull the curtain all the way back on masking, identity, neurodiversity, and why belonging is less warm fuzzy feeling and more daily emotional CrossFit. 

If you’ve ever been the only one in the room (or felt like you had to earn your seat) this episode will hit you square in the gut…in a good way!

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out ⁠⁠⁠here.

0:02:23 - Erica’s Experience Riding a Camel

0:07:02 - Learning That Belonging at Work Isn’t Automatic

0:10:02 - Having to Mute Yourself in Professional Settings

0:18:13 - The Concept of Professionalism

0:26:59 - What Does Belonging at Work Feel Like?

0:42:01 - What Leaders Need to Understand About How Identities Impact How People Show up at Work

0:49:29 - Where to Find Erica

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Erica:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-lydell-b0933840/ 

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Okay, friends…this episode is pure fun (okay, a little usual chaos too) in the best way, because I sat down with my actual direct report, Madison Montgomery, who confessed ON AIR that she has never listened to my podcast. 

And honestly? Fair. 

We talk generational gaps (including the infamous “generational shits” typo I will never emotionally recover from) and the magical Venn diagram that forms when an HR Millennial and a Gen Z truther try to get work done together. 

It’s lowkey unhinged, but I hope some of you have this much fun with your own direct reports!

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out ⁠⁠here.

0:01:34 -  Hebba Prepares to be Questioned

0:10:09 - Things People Ops Leaders Get Wrong Early in Their Career

0:19:13 - Inheriting Madision as a Direct Report

0:25:39 - How Hebba’s Management Style Evolved Over the Years

0:37:07 - Things Hebba Has Learned From Madison

0:47:10 - Rapid Fire Questions

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Madison:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-montgomery14/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

This episode might be my most unhinged and enlightening one yet. 

The first half is a live coaching session where I fully spiral about my impatience and need for constant clarity (yes, I’m aware of the irony). 

In the second half, we go deep on how your leadership style isn’t just who you are, but it’s who work and past experiences have trained you to be. 

My guest, leadership coach Mary Pat Jacobs, helps me unpack the mess with empathy, humor, and more therapy-adjacent insights than I was emotionally prepared for. 

Buckle up and get ready to take some notes, friends!

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out ⁠here.

0:04:12 - The Coaching Agreement  

0:07:42 - Determining Success During Coaching

0:18:41 - The Story Hebba Tells Herself About Disappointment

0:27:23 - How Feeling Disappointment Impacts Hebba

0:42:31 - Patterns that Most OFten Shape How Leaders Show up at Work

0:46:21 - How Early Career Experiences Subtly Shape Default Leadership Styles 

0:51:22 - Helping Separate Who People Are From What Work Taught Them to Be

0:54:28 - A Belief Most Professionals Need to Unlearn to Grow

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Mary:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marypatjacobs/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Look, I know sometimes we like to pretend work exists in its own little bubble, but in reality, the world outside your office door affects…A LOT at work. 

This week, I’m joined by my friend and returning guest Dave Garcia to talk about how immigration, inflation, and global chaos are all shaping company culture in real time.

We’re unpacking what it means to lead when people are scared, burned out, or just tired of pretending things are “fine.” 

Because the truth is that employees crave predictability in unpredictable times, and it’s on leaders to step up, define the mission, and actually mean what they say!

So if your company culture feels a little shaky lately, this one’s for you.

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out here.

0:02:47 - The Ripple Effect Immigration Has Inside of Workplaces

0:10:08 - How the Displacement of People is Shaping How Employees Think About Belonging

0:22:21 - What Responsibilities do Employers Have to Create Safety for Immigrants?

0:30:58 - How Financial Pressures Like Inflation are Showing up at Work

0:47:47 - How World Events Like War, Protests, and Climate Disasters Show up at Work

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Dave:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nycddg/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

It’s that time of year again: spooky season!

Which means Jessica Winder is back, I’ve got my pumpkin cold brew, and we’re diving headfirst into the terrifying (and somehow hilarious) world of HR horror stories. 

From mysterious “sick leaves” to love spells gone wrong, these are the tales that make you question how any of us still have jobs. 

Fair warning: if you thought your HR nightmares were bad…buckle up! 👻

Teamtailor is the fun, intuitive ATS that candidates actually like and recruiters don’t dread opening on Monday mornings. Create branded career sites, automate the boring stuff, and give candidates the hiring experience they dream of  — without burning out your team. Check them out here.

0:00:57 - HR Horror Stories Intro

0:01:44 - Story One: Hit List Hotline

0:04:44 - Story Two: The Sick Leave That Wasn’t

0:07:26 - Story Three: The Extermination Incident

0:13:51 - Story Four: The Baby Onesie Stalker

0:22:09 - Story Five: The Lady in White

0:26:50 - Story Six: Love Spells and Employee Relations

0:26:50 - Story Seven: The Catastrophic Security Breach

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Jessica:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicadwinder/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef