I Hate It Here

Let’s get one thing straight: People Leaders are tired of companies pretending they care about equity while quietly rolling back DEI initiatives and gaslighting employees into thinking they’re the problem. 

So I brought in someone I admire DEEPLY, Cierra Gross, Founder of Caged Bird HR and Wrk Receipts, to drag corporate America’s favorite lies—and yes, it got spicy!

We’re discussing why “accountability” is a corporate buzzword for “we’ll investigate ourselves and find no wrongdoing,” how Gen Z is forcing much-needed change at work, and the invisible barriers that sabotage equity. 

Cierra’s app, Wrk Receipts, is also about to be a problem, in the absolute best way possible!

Choosing the wrong HR platform is rife with regrets: losing a top performer, promoting the wrong person, or failing to engage your team when the business needs it most.

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit ⁠lattice.com⁠ to learn more.

Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠SixFifty.com⁠ to learn more!

0:02:22 - One Truth About Work Cierra Wishes More Leaders Understood

0:04:42 - Why Accountability and Equitable Outcomes are Top Priorities Right Now

0:12:31 - What Accountability and Equity ACTUALLY Means in the Workplace

0:15:24 - What Happens if Companies Don’t Care About Adapting?

0:23:10 - The Gap Between What Employees Expect and What Companies Deliver

0:25:12 - Why Don’t Companies Have an Incentive to Live Up to Their Ideas?

0:41:03 - Invisible Systems and Habits That Quietly Sabotage Equity and Fairness

0:49:55 - A Necessary Shift to Make Accountability and Equity Non-negotiable 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 Cierra:

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

Follow Hebba: 

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

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Employees aren’t just asking for feedback—they’re begging for it. 

So why are we still serving them stale, twice-a-year performance reviews like it’s 1999?

This week, I’m sitting down with Jessica DeVlieger to unpack why your team is secretly screaming, “Just tell me if I’m doing a good job!”—and how leaders keep missing the mark.

We’re digging into:

🔥 Why employees ALWAYS know who’s underperforming before managers do (and the awkward truth about what happens next)

🔥 The #1 reason managers avoid tough feedback 

🔥 How to fix performance convos so they actually help people grow

🔥 Why your fancy new HR tech might be making things worse, and how to use it right

At the end of the day, employees just want to know where they stand!

Choosing the wrong HR platform is rife with regrets: losing a top performer, promoting the wrong person, or failing to engage your team when the business needs it most.

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit lattice.com to learn more.

Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit SixFifty.com to learn more!

0:01:53 - One Truth About Work Jessica Wishes More People Understood

0:07:32 - How Jessica Became a Performance-focused CEO

0:10:18 - Why “Traditional” Performance Management Doesn’t Work Anymore

0:13:12 - When Employees Want to Know Where They Stand, What Does That Mean?

0:16:52 - One Thing Leaders Often Misunderstand About Performance Conversations 

0:21:02 - How to Create a Culture Where It’s Normal to Talk About Performance and 

0:27:35 - The Performance Gap Jessica Wants to Fill, and Why It Matters

0:33:13 - Jessica’s Take on a Ratings System Approach to Performance Management

0:34:14 - The Biggest Mistake Companies Make in Implementing Performance Management Software

0:38:34 - How Jessica Would Redesign Performance Management, From Scratch

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/jessica-devlieger-7623305/

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Let’s talk about fairness—or, more accurately, let’s talk about how your company is probably failing at it!

You know the drill: the ‘neutral’ policies that somehow always disadvantage the same people, the DEI initiatives that start and end with a Slack emoji, the performance reviews that feel more like a lottery than actual feedback. 

This week, Zach Nunn (founder of Living Corporate and certified corporate truth-teller) joins me to rip apart the illusion of fairness at work! 

We’re talking remote work double standards, the sneaky policies that keep marginalized employees stuck, and why ‘transparency’ is often just corporate code for ‘we’ll tell you the rules but not how to win.’ 

If most workplaces were actually fair, we wouldn’t need this episode! 

But since that’s not our reality yet… press play and let’s get figure it out together.

Choosing the wrong HR platform is rife with regrets: losing a top performer, promoting the wrong person, or failing to engage your team when the business needs it most.

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit lattice.com to learn more.

Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit SixFifty.com to learn more!

0:03:43 - One Truth About Work Zach Wishes More Leaders Understood

0:11:30 - What is Living Corporate and What Inspired Zach to Start It?

0:17:02 - What Most Companies Get Wrong About Fairness at Work

0:25:42 - Defining a Fair Workplace and How It Feels to Employees

0:38:52 - Policies That Seem Neutral, But Actually End up Being Unfair

0:52:54 - One Thing HR Should Stop Doing Immediately to Build Fairer Workplaces

0:53:50 - What Gives Zach Hope?

0:56:32 - Get in Touch With Zach

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 Zach:

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

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

I’m back in your ears with another banger of an episode, and this one’s the season finale!

I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap things up than by geeking out with my incredibly impressive friend Jeet Mukerji, co-founder and CEO of Kinfolk.

Whether you’re an AI skeptic or a full-on tech enthusiast, there is a lot of food for thought to digest.

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!

00:02:25 - A Topic Jeet Has Been Interested in Lately

00:03:57 - What Inspired Jeet to Build Kinfolk?

00:06:00 - The Biggest Challenges HR Teams Face With Employee Requests

00:11:01 - Why AI Complements the Human Piece of HR, Not Replaces

00:16:09 - The Biggest Misconceptions About AI in HR

00:21:10 - Using Data to Show Why AI Will Improve Efficiency in HR

00:28:58 - Can AI Handle the Nuances of Emotion in Text?

00:36:03 - Can AI be Used to Make a More Equitable, Inclusive Workplace?

00:42:00 - A Bold, Groundbreaking Thing Jeet Would Love to See in HR

00:44:49 - The Biggest Hurdle in HR Teams Adopting AI Tools

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 Jeet:

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

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

I’ve been on a mission this season to learn something new in every episode, and today? 

Buckle up, because we’re diving into the world of investing and retirement planning—and I promise, it’s way more interesting than it sounds!

It’s also an incredibly important topic that not enough people in our roles are talking about at length.

Unfortunately, financial stress is the #1 stressor for most people, and HR leaders are no exception. 

But here’s the thing: investing doesn’t have to be a jargon-filled nightmare!

So in this episode, Breene Murphy and I are breaking down what HR leaders need to know about investing—no fluff, no confusing terms, just practical insights to help you build a retirement plan that works for your company and your people!

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!

00:03:16 - A Topic Breene Has Been Interested in Lately

00:05:46 - One Thing Every HR Leader Should Know About Investing

00:09:52 - Why It’s so Important for HR Leaders to Understand Investing

00:13:17 - The Best Ways to Evaluate Your 401k Providers

00:25:46 - Why Newer Generations Contribute Less to Their Retirement Funds

00:42:12 - The Biggest Mistakes HR Leaders Make When it Comes to Offering Benefits

00:51:32 - What Breene Would Change About How Companies Approach Investing

00:53:17 - Tools and Resources to Learn About Investing

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 Breene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breene-murphy-climate-friendly-401k/

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Recruiting is rough right now.

Job seekers are frustrated, recruiters are overwhelmed, and everyone’s wondering, “Is it just me, or is this whole system broken?” 

In this episode, I sit down with Kiersten Greggs, founder of Trap Recruiter and a 24-year recruiting veteran, to unpack the chaos. 

Kiersten pulls back the curtain on what’s really happening in today’s job market, why recruiters are the unsung heroes of HR, and how both candidates and hiring teams can navigate this mess.

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!

00:02:19 - A Topic Keirsten Has Been Interested in Lately

00:05:03 - What is Happening in Today’s Market?

00:10:01 - How Will the Job Market Look in the Next Year?

00:14:06 - How to Stand Out During a Hiring Process

00:23:04 - Why Does Everybody Think You Need to Beat the ATS?

00:29:14 - Using AI for Resumes or Job Searching

00:36:39 - The Biggest Inefficiencies in the TA Process Right Now

00:44:16 - How Long Should the Overall Interview Process be?

00:51:46 - What is the Most Important Part of the Candidate Experience? 

00:57:03 - The One Tip Kiersten Would Give Recriuters

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 Keirsten:

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

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Work is changing FAST. 

Between global pandemics, remote work, and the Great Reshuffle, it’s no wonder we’re all feeling a little unhinged!

Nothing like building a deep work connection to help you adjust to it all, eh?

That’s why this week’s episode is a fun (slightly wild) ride with Chris Hagood, CEO of AstutEdge and all-around HR powerhouse. 

We’re covering everything from the role of work friendships to whether you’d take $10,000 to return to the office (spoiler: Chris has thoughts). 

Plus, we’re throwing in some HR raps courtesy of ChatGPT because why not?!

Whether you’re here for the laughs, the insights, or just to feel less alone in your corner of chaos, this episode has it all. 

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!

00:03:00 - A Topic Chris Has Been Interested in Lately

00:08:04 - What the F&*%$ is Going on in the World?

00:11:34 - Does Christ Have a Best Friend in Life That he Met at Work?

00:13:52 - Should HR Play an Active Role in Fostering Friendships at Work?

00:17:19 - Would You Take $10,000 to Return to the Office?

00:23:00 - Professional Myths or Facts

00:33:35 - Yes or No?

00:37:08 - HR Raps From ChatGPT

00:42:12 - 3 Things HR Definitely Shouldn’t Say

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

Hostile Government Takeover Song 

Gallup Best Friend at Work survey

There’s more to people than what you see when they show up for work. 

Stories matter because we are in the age of radical authenticity and transparency.

Exciting? Yes! Challenging? Also yes.

Torrin Ellis, a powerhouse in recruitment, talent development, and operationalizing diversity and inclusion is here to break it all down! 

We’ll unpack Torrin’s latest report, Reducing Bias in HR Using AI, and explore building trust, vulnerability, and doing things differently to push humanity further and deeper into your respective organization.

Plus, we’ll tackle the scary stuff—like how to do the right thing even when it’s hard and why re-skilling is non-negotiable in the age of AI.

Don’t worry, we’ll also squeeze in some hot takes on the Super Bowl performance because, well, priorities.

Tune in, take notes, and let’s make work better, one uncomfortable conversation at a time.

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!

00:05:01 - How Hebba and Torin Met

00:10:26 - Breakdown of the Superbowl Performance

00:18:42 - Understanding Bias and Prejudice 

00:30:22 - What Inspired Torin’s Report about Reducing Bias in HR using AI

00:38:56 - The Pros and Cons of Capitalism

00:44:35 - Doing the Right Thing, Even When It’s Scary

00:51:09 - Torin’s ONE Takeaway You Should Have From This Episode

00:53:37 - Get in Touch With Torin

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 Torin:

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

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

There's so much we can learn from the sports that we love.

So lace up your sneakers and pull up your socks, because this episode is a full-court press of insights, laughs, and way too many basketball metaphors!

Today, Chris Henrichs is giving a masterclass on how the lessons from the court can transform the way we think about HR, leadership, and building a workplace that doesn’t just survive, but thrives.

From Michael Jordan’s killer competitiveness to the art of drafting the right players (or employees), Chris breaks down all the interesting parallels between basketball and HR. 

We’re talking leadership styles, creating a winning culture, handling competition, and why HR is basically the coach, GM, and referee of the workplace.

Whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or someone who thinks a “pick-and-roll” is a bakery order, you’ll still hae actionable takeaways that’ll make you rethink how you lead, collaborate, and bounce back from setbacks.

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!

00:03:45 - One Topic Chris is Really Interested in Right Now

00:06:00 - The Connection Between Basketball and HR

00:08:07 - How Competition Helped Shape Chris’s Career 

00:13:22 - Who Inspires Chris in Sports, and How it Translates to HR Leadership

00:18:31 - How This Famous Michael Jordan Quote Plays Out in the Workplace

00:21:22 - Lessons Chris Learned About People Ops From Playing Basketball

00:27:26 - Different Leadership Styles and How They Compare to Leaders on the Court

00:31:24 - Balancing Top Perfomers With the Rest of the Team

00:34:45 - HR’s Equivalent of Drafting the Right Players

00:42:02 - Creating a Workplace Where People Challenge Each Other But Still Collaborate

00:43:57 - Bouncing Back From a Rough Patch

00:46:57 - Creating a Competitive But Healthy Work Environment

00:53:13 - Chris’s Dream Basketball Team Roster

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/chrishenrichs/

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

On today’s episode, you’re going to hear one word a million times…

And that is strategic.

Let’s be real, we’ve all heard the word “strategic” thrown around a million times, but what does it ACTUALLY mean? And why does it feel like everyone has a different definition? 

It’s probably because they do. 

Joining me today is the incredible Morgan Williams, CEO and founder of Peak HR. Morgan’s resume is basically the HR equivalent of a mic drop—she’s handled everything from massive layoffs to reopening retail stores for giants like Macy’s, Casper, and Topshop. 

She’s been in the trenches, and she’s here to help us unpack the myths, misconceptions, and realities of what it means to be strategic in HR.

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!

00:01:25 - Something Morgan is Interested in Right Now

00:04:52 - What Being Strategic Means to Morgan as an HR Leader

00:08:00 - Why the Word Strategic is Often Misunderstood in HR

00:14:58 - How to be Seen as More Strategic and Less Operational

00:22:11 - Why HR Teams Struggle to Align Their Work With Business Goals

00:30:37 - Making Sure Your Initiative Have Measurable Impact on Business Outcomes

00:34:50 - Skills That Will Make You More Strategic

00:33:30 - Barriers HR Leaders Face Trying to Implement Strategic Initiatives

00:43:00 - Key Differences Between Operational and Strategic Thinking in HR

00:46:24 - How HR Leaders Can Advocate for Resources to Execute on Plans

00:50:41 - Some of the Risks of Focusing TOO Much on Strategy

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 Morgan:

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

Follow Hebba: 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef