Heroes of HR

Epizodai

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  AI Is Changing HR. Lois Gordon Says Don’t Forget the Humans | SHRM ‘26 19.09.2026 12min

  The technology is moving fast, but the bigger HR challenge is preparing people for what comes next. HR has spent years talking about becoming more strategic. Now AI is accelerating that shift, but it also raises a harder question: what happens to the people whose work is changing? AI, workforce transformation, employee communication, compliance, and business partnership are becoming one conversation. In this episode… Lois Gordon explains why HR needs to bridge the gap between decision-makers and employees, prepare people for AI instead of simply rolling out new tools, and keep the human side of work at the center of technology-driven change. Key Takeaways : HR still has an information gap to solve. The people closest to the work often have critical information that decision-makers don't, making communication between employees and executives essential. AI conversations often skip the human piece. Organizations talk about streamlining and centralizing processes, but preparing employees for changing roles needs equal attention. Bristol County Savings Bank is creating space for employees to learn AI. Employees can discuss how they're using AI and the issues they're encountering without having the technology simply forced on them. AI agents raise organizational questions, not just technical ones. If agents become part of how work gets done, HR has to think about transparency, responsibilities, role changes, and who manages those tools. Fear is part of the AI conversation. Employees naturally wonder what happens to their roles when technology takes responsibilities away, making communication and education critical. AI doesn't eliminate the need for human judgment. Lois compares AI to a screwdriver: the tool can make work more efficient, but a human still has to operate it. In banking especially, she sees a continuing need for HR to be a strong business partner. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lois Gordon Vice President Human Resources at Bristol County Savings Bank, Lois brings 15 years of HR experience, from talent acquisition to business partnering, with a focus on connecting organizational decisions with the people affected by them. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/loisgordon/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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  AI Should Make HR More Human. Noah Mithrush Explains What Comes Next | SHRM ‘26 19.09.2026 22min

  AI is moving into HR fast, but the real question is whether it gives people more time to be human. AI is changing HR’s job description. Frontline workers make up about 80% of the global workforce, yet they’re often left out of strategy. At the same time, HR teams are buried in tactical work while AI, automation, agents, security, compliance, and employee expectations keep accelerating. In this episode… Noah Mithrush breaks down what HR on the front line actually looks like, why managers need more empathy, and how AI agents could take tactical work off HR’s plate without replacing the human side of the job. Key Takeaways : Frontline workers are about 80% of the global workforce, yet Noah says they’re often forgotten when companies build strategy. Good management isn’t about finding people who work exactly like you. Different perspectives, working styles, and life experiences can make a team stronger. Empathy is a management skill, not a soft extra. Managers need to understand their people, build trust, celebrate wins, and genuinely care about what’s happening in their lives. AI should remove tactical HR work, not remove HR. The goal is to free HR teams from repetitive questions and processes so they can focus on employees, development, and strategy. HR and payroll teams face an impossible compliance problem. Laws and regulations keep changing across locations, making it difficult for humans to track everything manually. The future isn’t simply AI replacing people. Noah’s bigger question is how technology can help organizations become more human, especially for frontline employees where the gap between the office and the workplace can be significant. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Noah Mithrush  Director, Growth Marketing at Guusto, Noah focuses on the frontline workforce and hosts HR on the Front Line, a podcast exploring the challenges that often get overlooked when HR strategy meets the realities of frontline work. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nmithrush/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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  Your Leadership Team Makes Million-Dollar Decisions. Lorne Epstein Explains What Matters | SHRM ‘26 19.09.2026 10min

  In a world moving faster by the minute, decision-making has become a leadership skill you can’t afford to leave to instinct. Leadership teams make decisions worth millions, yet most organizations have no real way to understand how those teams make decisions under pressure. Cognitive flexibility, risk appetite, ambiguity tolerance, and team chemistry matter more when the ground keeps moving. In this episode… Lorne Epstein explains why leadership teams need to understand their decision-making patterns, how AI is changing the velocity of work, and why the best teams aren’t necessarily collections of “A players.” They’re teams with the right chemistry, guardrails, and ability to adapt. Key Takeaways : Leadership decisions can be worth millions. Lorne argues that even a small investment in understanding how a leadership team makes decisions can have meaningful value. Groupthink can quietly derail decisions. Teams can assess their collective decision-making patterns and identify when they need someone to challenge the prevailing idea. The pace of decisions is changing. Leaders have less time to wait for perfect information, making cognitive flexibility and comfort with ambiguity increasingly important. You will never have all the data. Effective decision-makers need to get comfortable making calls with imperfect and incomplete information. Guardrails can create speed. Clear boundaries let teams, especially sales teams, move quickly and creatively without constantly wondering whether they're crossing a line. The best team isn't necessarily the team with the most “A players.” Lorne argues that chemistry matters. Different decision-making styles can create a more effective team than simply stacking individual high performers. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lorne Epstein Neuroscientist, Facilitator & Keynote Speaker at Electric Cow, Lorne studies decision-making and developed an assessment focused on how leadership teams make decisions, including cognitive flexibility, risk appetite, and ambiguity tolerance. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorneepstein/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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  HR Tech Has a Listening Problem. Sarah White Says Buyers Are Done With the Noise | SHRM ‘26 19.09.2026 16min

  HR buyers don’t need more features, they need vendors to actually listen, simplify, and build what people will use. There are 580+ vendors on the floor, yet buyers are still struggling to find software that makes sense. Sarah White argues the problem isn’t a lack of innovation. It’s a failure to listen. Product strategy, customer feedback, UX, design partners, and market clarity all break down when vendors build what they want instead of what customers actually need. In this episode… Sarah explains why roughly 30% of features go unused, why buyers have less tolerance for bad UX and buzzwords, and how real design partnerships can turn customer feedback into better product decisions. Key Takeaways : HR tech has a feature problem. SHRM research cited in the conversation says about 30% of features are never used, pointing to the cost of building without enough customer input. Buyers want usable software, not feature overload. Clean UX, simplicity, efficiency, and a consumer-grade experience are becoming basic expectations. The HR tech market is noisy. With roughly 580+ vendors on the floor, vendors can make it harder for buyers to understand what products actually do. Listening isn’t the same as asking questions. Sarah says vendors can ask customers for feedback while still leading them toward answers that validate what the vendor already believes. Design partners are different from customer advisory boards. The goal is deeper product feedback from actual users who can explain how work happens, where the friction is, and what the ideal experience could look like. Sometimes the smartest product decision is restraint. A strong design partnership can reveal that the direction you planned isn’t actually the right one, before you spend even more time building it. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠⁠ Guest : Sarah White  Founder at Lemon, Sarah works at the intersection of customer experience, product strategy, and HR technology, with a focus on getting the customer’s voice into the decisions vendors make. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahwhitestrategy/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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  Promoting Great Workers Into Management Is Failing. Lisa Perez Says Here’s Why | SHRM ‘26 10.09.2026 9min

  Your best individual contributor can become your worst manager when nobody teaches them how to lead people. The biggest management mistake may happen before someone even gets the job. Organizations promote high performers into leadership, then expect people skills to magically appear. The result is weak management, frustrated teams, and missed potential. Leadership training, people skills, internal mobility, and manager development have to be connected. In this episode… Lisa Perez breaks down why managers need training before they step into the role, how AI is changing the definition of a team, and why remote work has permanently changed the way managers need to communicate and lead. Key Takeaways : Being a great worker doesn’t automatically make you a great manager. High performance as an individual contributor and the ability to lead people require different skills. Train future managers before the promotion. Succession planning should include people-skills training before high performers make the jump into management. “Battlefield promotions” create avoidable problems. Promoting someone because they crushed their individual targets doesn’t mean they’re prepared to manage a team. Remote work changed what effective management looks like. Lisa argues that working from home proved organizations can still operate effectively outside the traditional office. Zoom itself became a management skill. Camera placement, engagement, platform features, and virtual communication now require their own kind of training. Teams are changing too. Lisa sees the modern team as potentially including coworkers, AI agents, and technology working together to scale what people can accomplish. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lisa Perez Founder, NMTW / HBL Resources, Lisa focuses on the gap between promoting people into management and actually equipping them to lead. Her “Complete Manager Makeover” curriculum is built around closing that gap. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaiperezsphr/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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  Going Global Is Easy. Staying Compliant Isn’t. Lisa Explains the Gap | SHRM ‘26 09.09.2026 9min

  Hiring internationally sounds simple until the laws, compliance, payroll, and local requirements start piling up. Safeguard Global helps companies expand internationally, stay compliant, hire globally, and manage HR without having to build everything from scratch in every new market. With operations across 187 countries and a network of more than 400 local in-market experts, the goal is to make global expansion less risky and more manageable. In this episode… Lisa Farrar talks about what companies actually face when entering new countries, why local expertise matters, and how organizations can scale from their first international hire to a much larger global workforce without losing efficiency or compliance. Key Takeaways : Global expansion comes with risk. Hiring in a new country means dealing with unfamiliar laws, compliance requirements, and local processes. Safeguard Global operates in 187 countries. The company says it also has a network of 400+ local in-market experts. Local expertise can remove major friction. Companies don't necessarily need to establish their own entity before hiring internationally. Outsource what isn't your core business. Lisa and the host discuss the value of leaving complex international HR and compliance work to specialists. Global HR support can scale with the company. The model can support organizations from an initial international hire through larger teams, including contractor management, licensing, and eventual entity management. The best conference conversations aren't always sales pitches. Lisa says meaningful customer conversations reveal problems in their own words, something you can't get from a condensed version of the customer story. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lisa Farrar CMO at Safeguard Global, discusses how companies can expand internationally while maintaining efficiency, compliance, and a high level of local support. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/lfarrar/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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  Neurodiversity Could Be Your Productivity Advantage. Lee Explains Why | SHRM '26 07.09.2026 9min

  Companies keep asking how to manage neurodivergent employees. The better question may be whether they know how to communicate with them. Lee Judson’s work is about neurodiversity, communication, onboarding, management, and workplace productivity. Her research points to a striking business case: companies with neurodiverse teams can see 30% more productivity and higher ROI. In this episode… Lee explains why different brains need different communication styles, why managers often misread neurodivergent employees, and how clearer goals and better onboarding can change the relationship between employees and managers. Key Takeaways : Neurodiversity is already part of the workplace. Lee says about 20% of the workplace is known to be neurodivergent, while older generations often went undiagnosed. Different brains need different communication. Slack, Teams, text, meetings and one-on-ones may work differently for different people. Headphones don’t always mean someone is ignoring you. Noise-cancelling headphones can help a neurodivergent employee block out extraneous noise and focus. Neurodiverse teams can deliver more. Lee cites research showing teams combining neurotypical and neurodivergent employees have 30% more productivity and higher ROI. The management problem may be communication, not motivation. Lee argues that some managers label newer workers as difficult when the real issue is that managers aren't communicating expectations clearly enough. Clear goals matter. If managers can't clearly explain what they want, employees can't know what they're expected to deliver. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lee Judson LifeMap Coach at Association for Autism and Neurodiversity, Lee helps employees, managers and colleagues better understand how to communicate and work together across neurodivergent and neurotypical teams. Her book, Bridging the Gap: A Field Guide for Neurodiversity for Managers, Employees, and Colleagues, focuses on making that gap easier to navigate. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisajudson/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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  Your Employees’ Money Problems Follow Them to Work. Kyle Has a Fix | SHRM '26 07.09.2026 11min

  Financial stress doesn’t clock out when employees walk into the office. It follows them in, drains their focus, and can keep them from bringing their whole self to work. Kashable is tackling that problem by combining low-cost credit, financial coaching, budgeting, and financial wellness into an employee benefit. The bigger idea is simple: give people both a safety net for emergencies and the education to build stronger financial habits over time. In this episode… Kyle Nisson explains why financial wellness has to go beyond giving employees access to money. We talk about shame-free financial coaching, emergency expenses, employee adoption, and why financial stability at home can have a direct impact on how people show up at work. Key Takeaways : Financial stress doesn’t stay at home. Employees dealing with financial or family pressure can arrive at work distracted and not fully present. Credit is only half the solution. Cashable pairs access to low-cost credit with one-on-one coaching around budgets, financial assessments, and 401(k)s. Financial coaching needs to be shame-free. Employees can talk openly with a coach without feeling like their financial situation is a personal failure. A six-figure salary doesn’t guarantee financial security. Someone can earn good money and still lack the means or knowledge to handle an unexpected expense. An emergency safety net changes the equation. Kyle describes employees being able to know they could access up to $5,000 for unexpected expenses such as a car repair, AC failure, or hurricane-related gap. Financial wellness is becoming part of whole-person support. Kyle sees opportunities to connect financial wellness with mental health so employees can show up feeling more like themselves. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠⁠ Guest : Kyle Nisson Senior Director of Business Development at Kashable, discusses how financial wellness benefits can combine immediate financial support with long-term coaching and education for employees. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-nisson/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  HR Is Running on Empty. John Says It’s Time to Refuel | SHRM '26 07.09.2026 18min

  You can’t keep pouring into everyone else when your own tank is empty. John Bernatovicz gets blunt about burnout, self-care, emotional safety, and what it really means to transform how people feel at work. For HR professionals, “How are you doing?” should mean more than “I’m good, bro.” This conversation gets into authenticity, productive safety, listening without trying to fix everything, and creating workplaces where people can actually be themselves. In this episode… John explains why burnout feels like running a car on empty, why bringing your whole self to work can create better collaboration, and why leaders need to create enough safety for employees to tell the truth about how they're doing. He also shares what changed when he started prioritizing his own health, relationships, and energy. Key Takeaways : HR professionals give too much. John describes seeing HR leaders constantly give at work, then go home and repeat the cycle until they reach the point of saying, “I cannot do this anymore.” “How are you doing?” can be a dangerous question. If you aren't genuinely prepared to hear the answer, the question becomes performative instead of meaningful. Authenticity takes safety. John argues that people need environments where they can be honest about having a bad day without feeling like they're becoming a burden. Bring your whole self to work, within reason. John believes people do better work and collaborate better when they don't have to constantly maintain a facade at work. Listening doesn't mean fixing. When someone shares something heavy, John's response is simple: “Thank you for telling me.” Sometimes being present is more valuable than offering a solution. Burnout is an empty tank. John compares burnout to driving a car so far on empty that even getting out of bed, showering, or going to work feels exhausting. His solution starts with taking care of yourself first. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : John Bernatovicz Founder at Willory, John is focused on transforming how people feel at work through the power of HR, with a particular emphasis on authenticity, wellbeing, and creating healthier workplace cultures.  LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbernatovicz/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  AI Isn’t Just a Tool Anymore. Joey Thinks It’s Becoming Your Coworker | SHRM ‘26 02.09.2026 16min

  HR has moved past asking, “What is AI?” Now the question is, “What problem can it actually solve?” Joey Price sees the conversation shifting from AI hype to real use cases, smarter questions, and technology that can produce meaningful work. AI coworkers, AI agents, digital employees, HR tech, workforce transformation. The bigger shift is how we think about the technology itself. When AI can hold a conversation, complete a task, make intelligent decisions, and respond to follow-up questions, does “tool” still describe what it is? In this episode… Joey Price talks about why companies need to make bold bets on AI, what HR professionals are actually asking about the technology, and why AI agents may soon be treated more like coworkers or digital employees. The conversation also covers AI interfaces, voice interaction, intelligent task execution, and why we may be much closer to this future than we think. Key Takeaways : HR is asking better AI questions. The conversation has moved beyond “What is AI?” HR professionals are now comparing products and asking what results AI can actually deliver. Bold bets matter. Joey points to Blockbuster, Kodak, and Toys R Us as examples of what can happen when companies fail to respond to disruption. His view is simple: eventually, you have to pick a direction and move. AI agents may earn the title of coworker. Joey isn't opposed to calling mature AI systems employees if they can perform meaningful work at a level comparable to humans. Your AI team could build itself around your needs. Joey describes a model where AI recognizes the types of questions you keep asking, identifies capability gaps, and suggests adding another specialized coworker to the team. The test is intelligent dialogue and execution. If you can ask AI to complete a task, get an intelligent result, and then discuss or refine that result, Joey sees that as getting closer to employee-level responsibility. Voice could change the interface completely. Joey already uses voice to brain-dump ideas into Claude and connect them with other tools. His point is that AI is moving beyond giving people more content to read and toward actually helping them get work done. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Joey Price President and CEO of Jumpstart HR,  brings a practical HR perspective to the AI conversation, focusing less on the hype and more on how AI can solve real problems, execute meaningful work, and potentially become part of the workforce itself. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyvprice/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  Your Employees Are Burning Out. Jocelyn says HR Needs to Start Listening | SHRM '26 31.08.2026 15min

  Companies keep asking employees to do more with less, then wonder why engagement drops. Jocelyn King says burnout isn't just about workload. It's what happens when people become overwhelmed, disengage, and eventually decide they're done. Burnout, employee engagement, listening strategies, remote work, employee experience, workplace culture. The challenge is understanding what employees are actually experiencing without crossing personal boundaries, then using that insight to build a better workplace. In this episode… Jocelyn King explains why listening strategies matter, how remote work can create isolation and burnout, and why HR needs to personalize the employee experience. She also talks about using technology to gather employee sentiment, supporting frontline workers, and making the business case for HR investment. Key Takeaways : Burnout looks like disengagement. When people become overwhelmed by workload and workplace pressures, they start pulling away. Doing more with less has a breaking point. Employees can end up doing the work of two, three, or four people without additional compensation or recognition. Remote work can create isolation. Screen fatigue and less face-to-face interaction can make engagement harder, especially for people who thrive around others. Asking “How are you?” isn't enough. Employees often automatically say they're fine. Real listening strategies need to go deeper. Technology can make listening scalable. Two-way communication can generate hundreds of thousands of data points, giving companies insight into employee sentiment across stores, regions, districts, and the wider organization. HR needs to understand the business. Building the case for employee experience investment means connecting people issues to productivity, turnover, resources, and overall business goals. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Jocelyn King CEO of VirgilHR, focused on culture, engagement, and helping organizations create a more personalized employee experience. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynanneking/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  HR Is an Impossible Job. Jennifer Says That's Exactly Why It Matters | SHRM ‘26 28.08.2026 36min

  HR doesn't have a finish line. Employees change, work changes, technology changes, and expectations keep moving. Jennifer McClure argues that HR isn't supposed to "solve" the workplace once and walk away. The job is to keep adapting, keep learning, and help people thrive. Agility, AI, people strategy, employee experience, leadership, workforce transformation. Jennifer sees HR as one of the most important functions in the organization because it can influence every employee, but also one of the hardest because everyone has a different definition of what success looks like. In this episode… Jennifer McClure talks about why HR needs to stop thinking in fixed plans, how AI is accelerating the pace of change, why 95% of HR leaders in one survey said the work is simply too much, and why 62% had considered leaving the profession. She also shares a simple challenge for the next generation of HR leaders: solve for thrive. Key Takeaways : HR has no finish line. People, technology, and work keep changing. Jennifer says HR needs agility rather than rigid long-term plans because something can change every day. The job is taking a toll. 95% of HR leaders surveyed said working in HR is too much, while 62% had considered leaving the profession altogether. HR doesn't control its own definition of success. CFOs, CEOs, operations leaders, and employees can all have different expectations of HR. That makes the function uniquely difficult to measure. Skills have expiration dates. Jennifer and William discuss how quickly skills are becoming outdated, making reskilling and upskilling a fundamental part of the future workforce strategy. HR should solve for thrive. Jennifer's advice to people entering HR is to figure out what helps each person thrive at work, knowing the answer can change again six months later. Don't let the noise become the job. Jennifer argues that HR practitioners should focus on creating better experiences and helping people live better lives, rather than getting trapped in policies, negativity, or the idea that the goal is to make everyone happy. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Jennifer McClure Founder & CEO of Unbridled Talent, with a career in HR stretching back to 1986, focused on helping leaders navigate transformation, the future of work, and the increasingly complex role of people strategy LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  HR Just Got a Lot More High-Tech. Jan Mack Tells Us What Comes Next | SHRM '26 27.08.2026 20min

  For 1,500 employees, payroll used to take Community Living Concepts three weeks. Today, it takes 48 hours. Jan Mack says the bigger win isn't just speed. It's giving HR teams their time back so they can focus on people instead of paperwork. AI, employee engagement, payroll, learning, compliance, workforce capital management. Jan's experience shows what happens when HR technology stops being back-office software and starts changing how employees communicate, learn, grow, and get supported. In this episode… Jan Mack shares how technology transformed HR operations across seven companies in four states, why employee self-service eliminated routine personnel-record requests, and how AI could help identify retention problems before employees walk out the door. She also discusses learning, compliance, employee engagement, and why the future of HR may be workforce capital management. Key Takeaways : Payroll went from three weeks to 48 hours. Before iSolved, processing payroll for 1,500 employees could take three weeks. Now the process is completed in 48 hours with fewer errors and greater accuracy. Employee self-service killed unnecessary HR work. Jan says they used to receive around 100 calls during open enrollment asking employees which health plan to choose. This year, they received zero. Personnel-record requests also dropped to zero after employees gained direct access. Recognition can change culture. Their Share and Perform rollout generated 34+ employee interactions in the first three days, helping connect employees who often work in groups of just two or three people per shift. The LMS can expose hidden talent. With access to 110,000 training courses, employees can pursue their own development. Leaders can then see who is taking initiative and identify people who may be ready for their next opportunity. AI could spot why people leave. Jan points to the first 90 to 120 days as a period where patterns can emerge. AI could identify issues such as employees repeatedly struggling with required certifications, helping HR intervene before those employees leave. Technology should make HR more human, not less. Jan's goal is to automate workflows so employees can spend more time doing the high-touch work that matters. She sees AI agents handling compliance, benefits, and retention signals while HR stays focused on people. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Jan Mack  HR Director at Community Living Concepts, bringing a practitioner's view of how HR technology can simplify operations, strengthen employee engagement, and give HR more time to focus on the people they serve. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-mack-1839a53/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  Your HR Data Is Worth More Than You Think. Gabe Explains Why | SHRM '26 26.08.2026 10min

  =Companies spend years collecting payroll and HR data, then throw it away when they switch systems. Gabe Bell says that's a mistake. The history sitting in those old systems can matter for compliance, acquisitions, reporting, and the AI tools companies want to use tomorrow. HR data, payroll history, compliance, AI, acquisitions, data migration. The problem isn't just storing old records. It's keeping that history accessible and useful when the business changes platforms, acquires another company, or suddenly needs to answer a compliance question. In this episode… Gabe Bell explains why companies need to think about historical HR data before migrating systems, how that data can become more valuable with AI, and why compliance requirements make keeping those records unavoidable. The conversation also covers acquisitions, I-9 verification, California's PAGA requirements, and what happens when former HR platforms control access to your old data. Key Takeaways : Your AI is only as good as your data. Gabe's core argument is simple: preserve historical HR and payroll data because it can inform future AI insights, forecasting, reporting, and decision-making. Companies can't simply erase their HR history. Recordkeeping requirements typically run 3 to 7 years, depending on the type of record and regulatory requirements. Acquisitions make historical data even more important. Companies often acquire another organization's old technology and records, then need to preserve that history while moving onto a new platform. That data can also provide insight into the acquired company's culture. I-9 compliance is more than checking a box. Verification and accuracy matter, particularly when companies are acquiring businesses. Private equity firms increasingly care about I-9 compliance because they don't want to acquire a workforce that turns out to have eligibility problems. California creates a serious data-access problem. Under PAGA, employees can bring claims involving issues such as inaccurate pay stubs or missed meal breaks, with employers potentially needing to respond within 30 to 45 days. Fast access to historical data can be critical. Don't wait until you're locked out of your own history. Gabe says companies sometimes come to ResNav with only weeks of access remaining to their old systems. Former providers may also charge for continued access, making proactive data migration and archiving a much smarter move. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved.  isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Gabe Bell VP of Sales at ResNav Solutions, specializing in archiving historical payroll and HR data so companies can preserve, access, and use their history through system transitions and acquisitions. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabebell/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  HR Is Getting Its Own AI Coworkers. Erin Tells Us What's Next | SHRM ‘26 26.08.2026 12min

  AI in HR is moving past chatbots and prompts. iSolved is putting AI directly into employee workflows, letting people check PTO, request time off, access payroll information, and eventually interact with benefits and other HR data without navigating another system. AI coworkers, HR technology, employee self-service, Claude, payroll, workforce management. The bigger shift is that AI is becoming part of the workforce itself, creating a new management problem: if companies have digital workers doing real work, someone needs to manage them. In this episode… Erin Fowler explains iSolved's new Claude integration, why employee self-service is moving into AI, and how the company plans to expand from employees to managers, supervisors, and administrators. He also introduces the idea of Workforce Capital Management, a new category built around managing AI alongside human employees. Key Takeaways : AI is coming directly into employee self-service. iSolved's Claude connector is already live for its 9 million employee users, allowing employees to check and request PTO, with payroll, benefits, and other capabilities coming next. The real value is less friction. Employees can ask questions and complete HR tasks wherever they already work instead of logging into another system. That could take a meaningful amount of repetitive work off HR teams. AI can do more than answer questions. In testing, the system could recognize that an employee requesting two weeks of sick leave only had 10 sick days and suggest using another PTO policy for the remaining time. The roadmap goes way beyond employees. iSolved plans to extend the technology across employees, managers, supervisors, and administrators, while connecting HR data with other business systems through Claude. AI coworkers still need management. Erin argues that AI doesn't eliminate the need for monitoring, training, updating APIs, and maintaining performance. AI systems need to be managed much like employees. Companies now need a place to manage their AI workforce. iSolved is introducing Workforce Capital Management, built around managing AI alongside human employees. The idea is simple: if AI is doing real work for the company, someone needs to know what those digital workers are doing and who is responsible for them. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Erin Fowler Group Product Manager at iSolved, overseeing infrastructure, UI platforms, identity, and agentic AI as iSolved pushes HR technology toward an AI-first employee experience. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-fowler-9a00939/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  From Zero Experience to Executive Search Mastery | SHRM '26 21.08.2026 13min

  How strategic human capital education transforms transactional recruiting into strategic talent advisory. Executive recruiting used to be purely transactional, focusing only on base salaries and signing bonuses. Today, top-tier candidates demand deep insight into company culture, work flexibility, and employer branding before making a move. Succeeding in modern executive search requires moving past basic headhunting to understand digital HR strategy and real-time business challenges. In this episode, Dorothy McGee shares how transitioning into Columbia's Human Capital Management program without prior HR experience built the foundation for her successful executive search career. Key Takeaways : The strategic shift: Modern executive search requires understanding high-level business strategy rather than treating recruitment as a quick transaction. Candidates drive due diligence: Executive talent researches company culture, hybrid flexibility, and leadership brand long before agreeing to an interview. Columbia’s unique HCM program: Master of Science degrees in Human Capital Management focus heavily on digital HR strategy and practitioner-led problem solving. No prior HR background needed: Professionals can successfully pivot into executive search from non-HR fields like higher education administration. Tech supports human connection: Advanced AI tools streamline recruitment workflows, but direct human conversations remain essential for placing top executives. Overcoming impostor syndrome: Higher-level human capital education provides non-traditional recruiters with the credibility and language needed to guide C-suite clients. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Dorothy McGee  A Columbia HCM alumna, Consultant at McGeorge Ah specializing in strategic executive search, candidate experience, and human-centered leadership placement. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorothymcgee/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  HR Compliance Is Too Reactive. Carla Tells Us How to Get Ahead | SHRM '26 20.08.2026 10min

  HR teams are constantly reacting to new regulations, executive orders, and state-level changes. Carla Pittman says that's the problem. Compliance can't be something HR remembers when a deadline is approaching. It needs to be built into everyday operations, with systems that help organizations spot risk before it becomes a problem. AI, HR compliance, regulatory uncertainty, risk management, workforce trends. The challenge isn't simply knowing what changed. It's anticipating what's coming, understanding how it affects the business, and operationalizing compliance before HR gets blindsided. In this episode… Carla Pittman explains how HR teams can stay ahead of regulatory change, why compliance should be part of day-to-day operations, and how AI could help monitor emerging regulations before they become requirements. She also discusses HR risk, discrimination in personnel decisions, immigration compliance, and why reactive HR creates unnecessary exposure. Key Takeaways : Compliance can't be reactive. Carla says the biggest mistake is waiting for deadlines or problems. Compliance needs to be baked into everyday HR operations instead of treated as an afterthought. Regulatory change moves fast. Federal executive orders and state-level changes can create uncertainty quickly. Outsolve has been operating in the regulatory space since 1998 and says its agile structure allows it to turn around solutions within roughly 30 days. AI can help HR see what's coming. Carla sees a strong use case for AI agents that continuously monitor different sources, track emerging discussions and developments, and alert HR when something may become a requirement. HR needs to regularly check for hidden risk. Hiring, promotions, and other personnel decisions happen constantly, but organizations don't always stop to analyze whether those decisions could create discriminatory practices or other exposure. Accuracy matters as much as completion. Carla points to immigration compliance as an area under increased scrutiny, emphasizing that required forms need to be completed correctly and accurately, not simply checked off a list. The real problem is HR bandwidth. HR teams are busy dealing with employees and day-to-day issues, leaving little time to proactively monitor compliance and risk. Carla's argument is simple: organizations need effective processes and dedicated attention before those risks become expensive problems. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Carla Pittman Chief Marketing Officer at Outsolve, bringing 20 years of experience in the HR space and serving as a voice for HR while helping organizations navigate compliance, regulatory change, reporting, compensation, and workforce risk. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlapittman/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  Your Frontline Is Texting, But Are You Listening? | SHRM '26 19.08.2026 12min

  Why app downloads and email announcements fail deskless workers. Deskless workers represent the majority of the global workforce, yet corporate HR continuously tries to force them onto portals, company emails, and mobile apps they refuse to download. When engagement relies on teaching new digital habits to drivers, factory workers, and site crews, participation collapses. True alignment requires reaching non-desk teams where their eyes already are while transforming one-way announcements into direct, daily conversations. In this episode, Brodie Meyer reveals how SMS-based communication drives real two-way frontline engagement, unlocks hidden sentiment data, and scales localized manager responses across massive operational teams. Key Takeaways :  The deskless app failure: Frontline employees routinely ignore company emails and app download requests, causing digital engagement to drop off quickly. Text messaging wins: Reaching non-desk workers through native SMS engages them directly on their phones without forcing new technology habits. The two-way magic moment: Real engagement happens when an employee texts back or initiates a conversation, not when HR broadcasts a massive blast message. Sentiment analysis over static surveys: Analyzing real text conversation patterns reveals genuine worker sentiment and catches turnover risks faster than traditional pulse surveys. Uncovering hidden safety risks: Open direct messaging lines allow workers to report operational hazards and safety concerns that usually go unmentioned. Localized messaging architecture: Enterprise operations manage high-volume text interactions by routing direct conversations to local plant managers while preserving corporate oversight. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Brodie Meyer  CEO at Yourco, A tech founder building SMS-driven communication platforms that connect non-desk, frontline workforces directly to management. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/brodiemeyer/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  Payday Loans Aren’t the Only Option. Bryan Explains What’s Changing. | SHRM '26 18.08.2026 9min

  Living paycheck to paycheck isn't just a low-income problem. Bryan Thomas explains why earned wage access is becoming a serious employee benefit, giving workers access to money they've already earned without having to wait for payday or turn to a payday loan. Earned wage access, financial wellness, employee benefits, recruiting, hourly workers, retention. What started mainly with hourly workers is now spreading across industries and income levels, forcing employers to rethink what competitive benefits really look like. In this episode… Bryan Thomas explains why earned wage access is becoming a recruiting differentiator, why employees earning $100,000 can use it as much as those earning $30,000, and why the benefit is moving beyond retail and hospitality into professional services, education, and other sectors. Key Takeaways : Earned wage access solves a very old problem with new technology. People have always needed money before payday. The difference now is that employees can digitally access wages they've already earned instead of relying on payday loans or asking HR for help. EWA is becoming a recruiting advantage. Bryan argues that offering earned wage access can differentiate employers because employees value the ability to manage cash flow without having to explain their financial situation to HR. The benefit isn't just for low-wage workers. Bryan cites research showing employees earning $100,000 use earned wage access at rates comparable to people earning $30,000, challenging the assumption that financial pressure only affects lower-income employees. EWA has moved beyond its early adopter industries. Retail, hospitality, and construction were early adopters, but the benefit is now expanding into education, colleges, and other parts of the workforce. The competitive pressure is real. Bryan compares EWA's growth to Walmart's early expansion. His argument is that employers who don't offer benefits employees increasingly expect risk losing talent to companies that do. The market hasn't reached its ceiling yet. Bryan jokes that we'll know earned wage access has truly arrived when investment bankers start using it. The bigger point is that EWA is moving steadily from an hourly-worker benefit toward a mainstream employee benefit. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Bryan Thomas VP of Sales, Enterprise Accounts at rapid!, he discusses the growth of earned wage access and why financial flexibility is becoming an increasingly important part of the employee value proposition LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-thomas-52294932/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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  HR Storytelling Is Changing. Audrey Tells Us What Comes Next | SHRM'26 14.08.2026 8min

  HR has no shortage of stories. The problem is making people care about them. Audrey Surette says the best HR storytelling starts by stripping away the jargon and finding the human story people can actually relate to. AI, storytelling, HR tech, communications, AI agents, workforce trends. As AI moves from experimentation toward real adoption, the next wave of HR stories may be less about what the technology can do and more about proving what it actually changed. In this episode… Audrey explains how HR companies can tell stories that actually land, why smaller businesses are often overlooked in the AI conversation, and what HR leaders may be talking about a year from now. The conversation also gets into AI co-workers, PR, content creation, and why sometimes the best way to finish a press release is simply to stop editing it. Key Takeaways : Good HR storytelling starts with relatability. Audrey looks for stories she can connect with and strips away the industry language so the message can actually land with people at different career stages. Smaller businesses are getting overlooked in AI. Audrey points out that companies with 50 to 100 employees can benefit from advanced AI technology but are often left out of conversations focused on enterprise organizations. Small businesses matter to the workforce. Audrey regularly follows the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report and says smaller businesses have consistently been where many jobs are being added. The AI conversation is moving from hype to proof. Today people are talking about managing AI agents. Audrey expects the conversation to shift toward evidence of what those agents actually accomplished and the lessons organizations learned. AI could become a real co-worker. Audrey's company is already experimenting with AI copilots across different PR functions. She expects the bigger conversation to become the practical experience of working alongside AI, including the challenges that come with it. Sometimes the biggest writing problem is overthinking. Audrey says she can write a press release in about 30 minutes, while the conversation contrasts that with a 15-minute approach. The takeaway is simple: set a timer, get the first version done, and don't let endless edits turn a short task into a two-day project. Guest : Audrey Surette  Senior Account Supervisor at PAN, focused on turning complex HR technology stories into messages people can actually understand and relate to. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/audreymsurette/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Connect with WRKdefined :  Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/