You can get a great performance review and still wonder why someone else got the promotion.

In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, Kelley Rexroad explains why: most organizations have two performance systems operating at the same time.

There’s the formal system — ratings, documentation and annual reviews. Then there’s the informal system influencing who receives visibility, resources and opportunities to advance.

That second system considers your reputation with peers, how your team talks about working for you, how you respond when things go wrong and whether the people you develop go on to succeed.

As Kelley puts it: “The formal system tells you where you are. The informal system decides where you’re going.”

For leaders thinking about their next move, understanding both matters.

• Why formal performance reviews tell only part of the leadership story
• How reputation and peer perception can influence advancement
• Why your team’s experience working for you matters
• How leaders are evaluated when things go wrong
• Why developing successful people contributes to your own leadership reputation
• How the informal performance system can shape career opportunities

Key Takeaways

Labor relations are showing up in workplaces and industries where many leaders never expected to encounter them.

In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, Kelley Rexroad looks at the return of labor relations as a current leadership issue, from organizing drives and negotiations to decertification efforts and unfair labor practice charges.

The bigger takeaway for HR leaders? Pay attention to what employees are telling you.

Kelley explores why leaders should understand labor law before a situation becomes urgent, when HR and legal need to get involved, and how workplace culture, trust and employees feeling heard can influence what happens next.

Because when employees organize — or seek to decertify — there’s a message behind the action.

• Why labor relations have become relevant across a wider range of industries
• What union decertification means and why these situations can signal workplace instability
• Why leaders should understand labor law before facing an organizing drive or negotiation
• When HR, legal counsel and experienced labor professionals should become involved
• How trust, belonging, respect and feeling heard influence employee relations
• Why organizing activity can reveal deeper leadership and culture concerns

Key Takeaways

Organizations often look to HR when turnover rises, engagement drops, or workplace complaints increase. Kelley Rexroad argues they may be looking in the wrong place. In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, Kelley examines the critical role managers play in shaping employee experiences and organizational outcomes. Drawing on years of research and workplace trends, she explains why manager effectiveness remains the strongest predictor of retention, engagement, and performance. The good news? Unlike many workplace challenges, manager capability is a problem organizations can actively improve.

#Leadership #Management #HumanResources #HRLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceCulture #TalentManagement #ManagerDevelopment #WhatTheHeckIsHappeningInHR

For decades, organizations assumed top performers naturally wanted to become managers. Today, many are saying no. In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, Kelley Rexroad explores why high-performing employees are increasingly opting out of leadership roles. They're watching stressed managers, unclear decision-making authority, growing accountability, and limited support—and deciding the tradeoff isn't worth it. Kelley examines what organizations can do to make leadership more sustainable, why alternative career paths matter, and how succession planning must evolve to meet changing workforce expectations.

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SuccessionPlanning #HumanResources #Management #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork #TalentManagement #CareerDevelopment #HRLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #WhatTheHeckIsHappeningInHR

Is Gen Z really disengaged, or are they exposing workplace issues other generations learned to tolerate? In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, Kelley Rexroad challenges common assumptions about the newest generation in the workforce. She explores how Gen Z's expectations around feedback, flexibility, transparency, and meaningful work may be less about entitlement and more about clarity. Instead of viewing Gen Z as a workplace problem, Kelley argues leaders should see them as a signal—one that reveals what employees across generations have wanted for years.

#GenZ #Leadership #HumanResources #FutureOfWork #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #Management #HRLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeExperience #WorkplaceTrends #WhatTheHeckIsHappeningInHR

HR is often held accountable for employee engagement, retention, culture, and workplace trust. Yet many of the decisions that drive those outcomes happen elsewhere. In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, Kelley Rexroad explores the growing authority gap facing HR professionals. From damaged trust and unresolved manager issues to leadership decisions made without HR input, organizations frequently ask HR to solve problems after the damage is done. Learn why involving HR earlier creates stronger outcomes and why HR works best as a strategic multiplier, not a repair crew.

#HumanResources #HRLeadership #Leadership #Management #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfWork #OrganizationalDevelopment #PeopleStrategy #EmployeeRetention #WhatTheHeckIsHappeningInHR

For years, workplace conversations have centered on flexibility as the key to employee satisfaction. Kelley Rexroad challenges that assumption. In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, she argues that what employees truly crave is predictability: clear expectations, consistent communication, and the ability to plan their lives with confidence. Using unlimited PTO as a powerful example, Kelley explores how ambiguity often creates more stress than structure. Learn why clarity reduces anxiety, strengthens trust, and may be one of the most overlooked drivers of employee engagement and retention.

#Leadership #HumanResources #EmployeeExperience #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork #Management #EmployeeEngagement #HRLeadership #WorkplaceWellbeing #OrganizationalDevelopment #TrustAtWork #WhatTheHeckIsHappeningInHR

Most organizations talk about culture as if it can be built through mission statements, values posters, and team-building exercises. Kelley Rexroad argues that culture works differently. In this episode of What the Heck is Happening in HR, she explores how culture is shaped by the behaviors leaders reinforce, ignore, and excuse every day. From overlooked complaints to promotions that send the wrong message, small decisions can have a lasting impact on trust. Learn why culture is less about what organizations say and more about what they tolerate.

#WorkplaceCulture #Leadership #HRLeadership #HumanResources #OrganizationalCulture #TrustAtWork #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork #Management #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceTrust #WhatTheHeckIsHappeningInHR

In Part 2 of Kelley Rexroad’s conversation with Stephani Dutcher, Vice President of HR Strategic Business Partnerships at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the discussion shifts to the National Human Resources Association (NHRA)—one of the nation’s longest-standing professional organizations dedicated to advancing HR. Stephanie shares the organization’s fascinating history, its roots dating back to 1944, and why its focus on practical learning, meaningful connections, and leadership development continues to resonate with HR professionals today. Learn how NHRA is helping shape the future of the profession through community, collaboration, and people-first leadership.

#HumanResources #NHRA #HRLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment #PeopleFirst #HRCommunity #FutureOfWork #Networking #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #HumanResourcesAssociation

In this special interview episode, Kelley Rexroad sits down with Stephani Dutcher, Vice President of HR Strategic Business Partnerships at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, to discuss her journey into human resources, the evolving role of HR business partners, and what it takes to build a people-first culture at scale. Stephani shares insights on leadership, employee engagement, curiosity, and the skills future HR professionals need to succeed in an increasingly complex workplace. Whether you're considering a career in HR or leading teams today, this conversation offers practical lessons from an experienced HR executive.

#HumanResources #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerGrowth #HRBusinessPartner #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork #Leadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #HRCareers