SHRM Talent 2026 cover art

SHRM Talent 2026

SHRM Talent 2026

Written by: WRKdefined Podcast Network
Listen for free

Welcome to the official limited podcast series from SHRM Talent 2026, recorded live at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. In collaboration with SHRM, WRKdefined created this 33-episode series, which captures real conversations shaping the future of hiring, recruiting, talent acquisition, HR technology, leadership, workforce planning, candidate experience, AI at work, and the evolving world of work. Across the series, WRKdefined sat down with HR practitioners, talent leaders, consultants, analysts, creators, founders, and technology providers to explore what’s actually happening inside modern HR and recruiting teams. No corporate theater. No overproduced sound bites. Just smart people sharing practical ideas, lessons learned, industry trends, and honest perspectives from one of the largest HR and talent events in the world. SHRM Talent brings together thousands of HR and talent acquisition professionals focused on recruiting strategy, employee experience, workforce transformation, leadership development, hiring technology, and the future of work. This limited series extends those conversations beyond the conference walls and into the hands of HR professionals everywhere. Whether you work in HR, recruiting, talent acquisition, people operations, HR tech, staffing, leadership, learning and development, or workforce strategy, these conversations were built for you. 33 episodes. One conference. Real conversations that matter. Recorded and produced by WRKdefined in collaboration with SHRM.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Recruiting Fraud Is Exploding. Most Companies Aren’t Ready for It

    Recruiting Fraud Is Exploding. Most Companies Aren’t Ready for It
    Jun 14 2026
    Hiring has always involved a little deception. AI turned it into a completely different game. Philippe Beucher argues that recruiters now face a challenge they’ve never seen before: candidates using AI to optimize every part of the hiring process while companies race to figure out what’s real and what isn’t. The future of recruiting may depend on one question: can you still identify genuine talent in a world of perfect answers? Recruiting, AI hiring, candidate fraud, talent acquisition, leadership, recruiting technology. This conversation explores the growing tension between automation and authenticity. In this episode… Philippe shares why AI-driven candidate fraud is becoming a serious recruiting challenge, how recruiters are adapting to a new era of hiring, and why leadership still comes down to courage, listening, and learning from tough feedback. Sharp discussion on AI screening, recruiting technology, leadership, hiring integrity, and workforce transformation. Key Takeaways : • Philippe says one of recruiting’s biggest challenges is managing how candidates are using AI throughout the hiring process. • Recruiters are increasingly adapting their hiring practices to account for AI-assisted applications, interviews, and assessments. • Modern recruiting technology can detect signals such as multiple browser usage and AI-generated responses during candidate evaluations. • Philippe notes that fraud has always existed in hiring, but AI has made it easier to create answers that appear nearly perfect. • His rule of thumb: if a candidate response seems too perfect, it deserves closer scrutiny. • Philippe believes leadership is both learned and innate. Some traits can be developed, while others are rooted in behavior and character. • Courage is one of the defining characteristics of leadership, especially when speaking up about problems others avoid. • Great leaders listen carefully, care about people, and remain committed to doing the right thing even when it’s difficult. • Philippe’s formula for staying energized includes four fundamentals: sleep, physical activity, mental activity, and purpose. • He argues that people often focus too heavily on either mental or physical performance when long-term success requires both. • Balance remains one of the most underrated ingredients of sustained leadership performance. • Philippe believes recruiting is the foundation of effective HR. When recruiting works, everything else becomes easier. • The quality of hiring decisions has a ripple effect across culture, performance, retention, and employee experience. • Philippe says the fastest way to learn is through direct, honest feedback from people who care enough to tell the truth. • Constructive criticism from upset customers, employees, or stakeholders often provides more value than praise. • Leaders who actively seek uncomfortable feedback improve faster than those who only look for validation. Guest : Philippe Beucher Founder and CEO of RSight, building AI-powered recruiting technology that helps organizations source, enrich, screen, and engage talent while navigating the growing challenges of AI-driven hiring and candidate fraud. LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippebeucher/ Connect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ 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/
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • AI Is Making Hiring Easier. So Why Is Everyone More Frustrated?

    AI Is Making Hiring Easier. So Why Is Everyone More Frustrated?
    Jun 14 2026
    Applying for a job has never been easier. Finding the right candidate has never felt harder. Tina Robinson argues that recruiters and candidates are trapped in an AI arms race where both sides keep adding technology and nobody seems happier with the outcome. The real challenge isn't AI. It's figuring out how to stay human while using it. Talent management, recruiting, AI adoption, leadership development, authenticity, future of work. This conversation explores what happens when technology moves faster than people can adapt. In this episode… Tina shares why recruiting feels more broken despite better technology, how AI is reshaping talent management, and why human skills may become even more valuable in an AI-driven world. Sharp discussion on authenticity, leadership development, recruiting challenges, AI adoption, and workforce transformation. Key Takeaways : • Tina describes talent management today as a mix of chaos, frustration, optimism, and massive transformation. • She believes many organizations expected COVID to permanently transform work, but AI quickly became the next disruptive force. • Unlike previous technology shifts, AI does not appear to have a clear endpoint. • Traditional talent management models were built around linear processes, but today's workforce realities are far more complex and interconnected. • One-click applications have created massive candidate volume for recruiters to manage. • AI-generated resumes and cover letters are making it harder to identify genuine candidate fit. • Recruiters and candidates are both trying to keep pace with rapidly changing technology, creating frustration on both sides of the hiring process. • Tina says she knows highly qualified candidates who cannot find jobs and highly skilled recruiters who cannot find talent, highlighting a growing market disconnect. • She believes technology now sits at the center of many recruiting challenges. • Recruiting increasingly feels like AI versus AI, with candidates using AI tools and employers using AI to detect and evaluate them. • Tina worries about maintaining authenticity while demonstrating technological fluency. • Human skills such as creativity, strategic thinking, relationship-building, and networking remain critical despite AI's rise. • She feels many professionals are under pressure to add AI to everything simply to prove they are keeping up. • Tina predicts AI has truly arrived when people stop talking about AI and simply treat it as part of everyday work. • Leadership development should be woven throughout the talent lifecycle rather than treated as a standalone initiative. • One of Tina's biggest lessons is learning to recognize burnout before hitting the wall. • She believes professionals often ignore physical and mental signals until exhaustion forces them to stop. Guest : Tina Robinson Founder and CEO of WorkJoy Coaching, leadership development expert, SHRM speaker, author of Developing Your Business Leaders, and advocate for helping organizations build stronger leaders without losing the human side of work. LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinarobinsonspeaks/ Connect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ 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/
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
  • Corporate Training Is Still Teaching People the Wrong Way

    Corporate Training Is Still Teaching People the Wrong Way
    Jun 14 2026
    Most workplace learning is built around convenience, not science. Three-hour presentations. Endless slides. Mandatory training sessions nobody remembers. Marcy Baughman explains why education research has known for decades that these methods don't work and why companies keep using them anyway. The future of learning looks a lot more like practice than presentation. Learning science, workforce development, experiential learning, AI training, employee development, leadership. This conversation explores how companies can finally close the gap between learning and performance. In this episode… Marcy Baughman shares why experiential learning consistently outperforms lecture-based training, how AI and VR are transforming workforce development, and why organizations should hire for human skills and train for technical skills. Sharp discussion on learning science, employee growth, AI adoption, and the future of workplace learning. Key Takeaways : • Most corporate learning programs still rely on lecture-style training despite research showing it is one of the least effective ways to learn • Marcy says good learning techniques work across both education and workforce environments • Experiential learning remains one of the most effective learning methods available • Employees learn faster when they can practice skills in realistic, low-risk environments • Safe environments where learners can fail without consequences lead to stronger skill development • Corrective feedback is a critical part of how people actually learn and improve • Many organizations still fail to apply decades of learning science research to employee development • AI can now create realistic simulations and practice environments at scale • VR technology makes immersive learning experiences more accessible than ever before • Large language models allow learners to repeat scenarios until they build confidence and mastery • Companies increasingly hire for collaboration, communication, and adaptability while training technical skills later • The rise of AI is shifting work from doing tasks to managing systems, processes, and intelligent agents • Marcy recommends starting AI adoption with a simple exercise: review AI-generated output and decide whether you trust it • Building confidence with AI starts by recognizing its mistakes before relying on its strengths Guest : Marcy Baughman Vice President of Learning Science & Research at Macmillan Learning, helping organizations apply proven learning science, research, and emerging technologies to improve education and workforce development outcomes. LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcy-baughman-b1386810/ Connect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ 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/
    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet