Toot or Boot

This episode dives into why some CEOs are paying the price for walking back DEI, how the employer-employee relationship has fundamentally shifted, and the horrifying conditions faced by Meta’s outsourced content moderators. From strategic miscalculations to moral failures, we examine what these stories tell us about leadership, labor, and the values that shape today’s workplaces.

Connect:

With Anessa:

With Stacey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

In this episode, we explore Cake’s Body’s bold $36K childcare stipend, why the job market is suddenly so brutal for college grads, and what the WEF’s new report reveals about the steep decline in employee well-being. We break down what these headlines signal about where workplaces are headed—and what HR needs to be thinking about next.

Connect:

With Anessa:

With Stacey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

This week, we're diving into three concerning workplace trends: First, employee engagement is declining sharply, with managers under 35 and female managers leading this downward slide—potentially because they're caught in middle management roles with high responsibility but little decision-making power. Meanwhile, BNY Mellon is increasing its office mandate from three to four days weekly by September 2025, again bringing up the question of if RTOs are actually solving the challenges businesses are having. Finally, tech CEOs are raising alarms about candidates using AI to fake their way through remote job interviews—with Gartner projecting that by 2028, one in four global job applicants will be using AI-generated profiles, posing serious security risks beyond simple resume fraud.

Connect:

With Lee Rubin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubinl/

With Stacey Nordwall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

This week, we discuss why HR professionals are naturally positioned for C-suite operations roles, examining the journey of Hinge's Angel Franklin from CPO to COO and why this transition shouldn't be considered unusual. We also dive into MongoDB's approach to hybrid work models, and fascinating research on how job ad language may inadvertently attract candidates with narcissistic tendencies and what this means for recruitment strategies.

Connect:

with Steven Huang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thestevenhuang/

or sign up for his newsletter: https://setthesetting.substack.com/

with Stacey Nordwall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

This week, we dive into the real-world impacts of DEI rollbacks, workplace discrimination, and employee disengagement. We examine how Target faced boycotts and significant business impacts after eliminating DEI initiatives recently met with Rev. Al Sharpton to address the impacts of boycotts. We'll also explore troubling new research showing increased workplace discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees amid a record year of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Finally, we discuss the emerging concept of "quiet cracking" and what it reveals about the current state of workplace wellbeing and employee engagement.

Connect:

with Steven Huang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thestevenhuang/

or sign up for his newsletter: https://setthesetting.substack.com/

with Stacey Nordwall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

This week, we welcome Nathan Chung, Jessica Donahue, and Greer Procich for a critical conversation about workplace accessibility and inclusion. With collective experience in HR, cybersecurity, and disability advocacy, our panel examines how current workplace policies often overlook the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent employees.

The conversation explores three major topics affecting the workplace:

Our guests offer advice and insight for HR professionals navigating these challenges and advocating for truly inclusive workplaces. 

Learn more about Rethink Ability: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/greerprocich_rethinking-disability-from-red-tape-to-real-activity-7310716858263908354-uJxk

Connect:

Nathan Chung:

Jessica Donahue:

Greer Procich:

• on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerprocich/

Stacey Nordwall:

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

Articles:

In this episode, we analyze new Glassdoor research suggesting employees are increasingly deprioritizing workplace relationships, questioning whether this shift stems from broader social disconnection or reflects changing priorities in a hybrid world. We also discuss a revealing Perceptyx survey showing that while 95% of HR teams are collecting employee feedback, only 27% feel confident they can act on it—highlighting the growing burnout crisis among HR professionals who are stretched too thin. Finally, we explore the controversy surrounding Meta's "do not rehire" list, examining the tension between standard HR offboarding practices and transparency in employment relationships. 

Connect:

Kim Minnick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-minnick/

Stacey Nordwall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

Employees care less and less about workplace relationships, new research finds

Stressed HR teams say they can’t take action on employee feedback 

Meta keeps secret ‘do not rehire’ list of ex-employees — despite exceptional performance reviews: report 

Kim Minnick joins this week as we dive into three fascinating workplace trends from around the globe. We examine Tokyo's move toward a four-day workweek aimed at addressing Japan's population crisis and work-life balance challenges, while questioning why it takes demographic emergencies to implement family-friendly policies. We also explore the "resignation by proxy" phenomenon emerging in Japan's hierarchical corporate culture. Finally, we unpack a thought-provoking UK tribunal case where an estate agent successfully sued after being assigned a lower-status desk, revealing how seemingly minor workplace arrangements can significantly impact employee roles and retention. Join us as we examine these developments and their implications for the evolving modern workplace.

Connect:

Kim Minnick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-minnick/

Stacey Nordwall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

Tokyo is turning to a 4-day workweek in a desperate attempt to help Japan shed its unwanted title of ‘world’s oldest population’ 

Resignation By Proxy: A New Workplace Trend Leaders Should Watch

Senior staff can sue if given ‘low status’ desk, UK tribunal rules

In this special April Fool’s Day episode, host Stacey Nordwall hands over the reins to co-producer Lexi Croswell for a fun twist on the usual format. Instead of tooting or booting HR headlines, Stacey and HR consultant Nadia Eran have to decide if the headlines are real or fake – and why! 

Connect:

Nadia Eran ->

Lexi Croswell ->

Stacey Nordwall ->

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

Last week our team was at the Transform Conference in Las Vegas, connecting with HR practitioners and thought leaders. We decided to have some fun and do quick on the conference floor interviews with fellow attendees and friends of the pod. So this week we're spreading the fun and bringing you a special compilation episode of all of our interviews, which involve folks tooting your booting things about Vegas pop culture. And of course, as always, HR headlines. The audio was a bit tricky at times, so apologies in advance for that and for saying you heard it here at the end of pretty much every interview. I hope you enjoy.

Our guests:

Theresa Fesinstine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresafesinstine/

Nadia Eran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaeran/

Kim Minnick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-minnick/

Rebecca Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccataylor2/

Daniel Huerta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-huerta-mpl/

Stephen Huerta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenhuerta/

Lia Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liaseth/

Stefanie Fackrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefaniefackrell-hr-rebel/

The headlines: 

Accusations of Corporate Espionage Shake a Software Rivalry

Cameo puts its money where its office is with new RTO policy

Resignation By Proxy: A New Workplace Trend Leaders Should Watch

Typing loudly, wearing AirPods: ‘taskmasking’ is how gen Z pretends to work at the office