What the FTE? - Tackling the tough questions about the future of work.

Steven Puri walked away from Hollywood blockbusters and studio power to chase a different story: what really drives human focus. After decades leading film sets and startups, he’s now on a mission to help remote teams cut through distraction and find flow.

In this episode, Steven shares what Die Hard taught him about bad leadership, why most “remote work problems” are really hiring problems, and how trillion-dollar companies are fighting to steal your attention.

We dive into the science of flow states, the tools he’s built to protect focus, and what leaders can do to create the conditions for their people to do the best work of their lives.

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This week on What the FTE?, we’re joined by Aubrey Blanche, global inclusion strategist and founder of The Mathpath, to tackle one of HR’s most stubborn challenges: how to actually operationalise your values.

Aubrey breaks down a practical 3-part framework that turns your values from vague poster copy into real decision-making tools for hiring, reviews, and culture. She shares what most companies get wrong, what it means to “design for equity,” and how to balance fairness with performance in high-growth environments.

This episode is a must-listen for HR leaders ready to stop talking about culture and start building it.

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What if you’ve been asking the wrong questions about hiring all along?

In this episode of What the FTE?, Andy’s Andrew McLeod sits down with Dan Eberhard, CEO and founder of KOHO, one of Canada’s fastest-growing fintech, to unpack a radically different approach to talent strategy.

This is a raw and practical conversation for HR leaders who are tired of fluff and ready to build talent systems that actually work.

If you care about performance, retention, and building organisations where your best people want to stay, this one’s for you.

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When things get messy, culture’s usually the first thing to go. But Stacy Parkinson has led teams through chaos, and still walked away with top culture awards.

In this episode, Maya Bellay interviews Stacy about the complexities of maintaining organizational culture during times of significant change.

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At most companies, EVP (Employee Value Proposition) is just a slide deck. At Go Auto, it’s a lived experience.

Brent Lazanik, VP of Talent Acquisition, shares how they’ve built real loyalty - not with perks, but with purpose, growth, and follow-through.

If your EVP looks good on paper but falls flat in real life, this one’s for you.

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What happens when you get executive hiring wrong? In this episode, executive search leader Marianne Bulger joins Melissa Marsellison to unpack the unseen forces that shape high-stakes recruitment. 

From CEO blind spots to broken team dynamics, this is a candid look at what really derails the hiring process - and how to fix it. Expect sharp insights on trust, alignment, candidate experience and why transformational hires demand more than a slick CV.

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In this episode of What the FTE, Certn's CTO Saba El-Hilo discusses the importance of discipline in leadership, the evolving role of AI in the workplace, and the critical need for effective communication in tech teams.

She emphasizes that delivering higher value faster is essential, and that leaders must focus on critical thinking and team dynamics to drive success.

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This week’s guest, Anitta Krishan, shares how burnout in the tech trenches led her to breathwork, Bali, and a whole new philosophy of leadership that’s gaining serious traction: embodied leadership. Anitta is the Chief Culture Officer at Hoogly AI and former VP, Global Head of People & Strategy at TikTok.

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On the latest “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘛𝘌?” podcast, our Head of People & Culture Melissa Marcelissen sits down with Alice Burks (Director, People Success @ Deel) to crack the code on remote-first hypergrowth.

Deel proves you can achieve hypergrowth without a single office. This deep-dive breaks down actionable lessons that every remote-first HR team can put to work today.

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Still think cybersecurity isn’t an HR problem?

Think again.

Discover how insider threats start with hiring. Learn why HR is key to cybersecurity and how smarter screening can prevent credential leaks and internal fraud.

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