Episodes

  • How to Make AI Work for Employees

    How to Make AI Work for Employees
    Feb 23 2026
    Guest: Robin Barbacane, Chief Talent Development Officer, Rackspace In this episode, you will learn how to successfully introduce AI into your workplace without creating fear, resistance, or chaos. The conversation breaks down how to build AI literacy and confidence across your workforce, how to use AI agents to solve real business problems, and how to shift HR from a support function to a strategic driver of transformation. You will hear practical examples of AI adoption inside HR, including virtual assistants handling employee questions, AI tools supporting recruiting and employment law across multiple countries, and a structured approach to testing and scaling new AI use cases. If you are wondering how to start with AI, how to handle resistance, how to clean up your data, or how to measure success without demanding instant ROI, this episode offers a clear roadmap. Key Takeaways: AI adoption must focus on both skills and confidence, not just training. Start with hands-on workshops and real business problems instead of abstract theory. Treat AI like a coworker that needs onboarding, training, and performance reviews. Use a hackathon-style approach to generate AI solutions tied to business outcomes. Begin inside one function, prove value, and then scale across the organization. Clean and centralize your data before expecting strong AI results. Create guardrails and governance, but avoid banning AI outright. Identify early adopters and change agents instead of fighting detractors. Expect mistakes and iteration rather than demanding perfect ROI on day one. Shift human effort toward higher-value, revenue-producing work while AI handles routine tasks. Timestamps: 00:00 Why AI confidence matters as much as skills 03:00 Moving from AI education to real action 06:00 Using a hackathon model to solve HR problems 08:00 Building an AI HR assistant to handle employee questions 11:00 Learning from AI mistakes and improving accuracy 16:00 Build versus buy AI tools across global operations 17:30 Creating an AI ambassador certification program 20:00 Why banning AI is a strategic mistake 22:00 Cleaning data before scaling AI 25:00 The human skills that matter most in an AI-driven workplace Top Keywords: AI in HR AI adoption strategy AI workplace transformation HR automation AI employee experience AI coworker model AI governance and guardrails Low-code AI agents HR digital transformation AI change management Connect with Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbarbacane/
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    29 mins
  • Building Human Connection at Work

    Building Human Connection at Work
    Feb 16 2026
    In this episode, you’ll learn how intentional people practices help fast-growing organizations maintain culture, trust, and connection as they scale. The conversation explores how HR leaders can design meaningful employee experiences, hire for the right mindset, strengthen culture beyond perks, and build human connection in distributed and hybrid environments—all while supporting business growth. Join us as Emma Belconis shares practical, real-world lessons from helping a healthcare fintech company grow rapidly without losing its human core. This episode is supported by Insperity. Key takeaways: Employee experience starts with empathy and asking what would feel meaningful from a human perspective. Rapid growth requires agility, curiosity, and a willingness to figure things out in real time. Hiring for mindset and adaptability matters as much as skills, especially in fast-paced organizations. Clear expectations during recruiting help ensure people thrive in the environment they’re joining. Culture is built through consistent behaviors, not posters, perks, or one-time activities. Executive visibility and authentic leadership set the tone for connection and trust. In-person moments still matter for building relationships, trust, and shared energy. HR leaders must intentionally create spaces for connection; it rarely happens on its own. Trust is foundational to proactive HR, allowing issues to surface earlier and more honestly. Strong culture drives retention, referrals, innovation, and long-term performance. Connect with Emma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-belconis/ Timestamps: 0:00 Why empathy is central to employee experience 2:00 Navigating rapid growth and organizational change 4:00 Hiring for agility and curiosity 6:30 Setting expectations in recruiting and onboarding 8:10 Maintaining connection as teams scale 10:30 The role of leadership visibility in culture 12:20 Why in-person gatherings still matter 14:30 Building culture beyond perks and benefits 17:00 Trust as the foundation of effective HR 20:00 Advice for new HR leaders in fast-growing companies Keywords: employee experience HR leadership organizational culture human connection at work scaling companies people strategy trust in the workplace hybrid work culture HR best practices leadership and empathy
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    34 mins
  • Stop Rubber Stamping: How AI Changes HR Work

    Stop Rubber Stamping: How AI Changes HR Work
    Feb 9 2026
    AI is not ending HR but accelerating its evolution into a more strategic function. AI tools can significantly reduce time spent on repetitive HR tasks like policy drafting, reporting, and reviews. The real value of AI comes from connecting data across the entire employee lifecycle, not isolated HR silos. HR professionals need stronger skills in data literacy, technology, and business strategy to succeed. AI can help HR teams surface insights and patterns that humans often miss due to bias or time constraints. Automating compliance and administrative work frees HR to focus on coaching, development, and leadership support. AI will impact jobs and tasks, making workforce planning and reskilling a critical HR responsibility. HR must advocate for people by helping leaders balance automation with long term talent development. Using AI without clean, trustworthy data limits its value and increases risk. The future of HR work is humans plus AI, not humans replaced by AI. Timestamps: 00:00 Why HR has always evolved and why AI is different 05:00 Is AI really the end of HR 07:00 Practical AI use cases for HR professionals 09:30 Using AI beyond HR silos across the talent lifecycle 12:30 Saving time with AI for research, writing, and analysis 15:00 Why HR teams must become more strategic partners 18:00 The growing importance of data and technology skills in HR 22:00 AI, workforce change, and the risk of job displacement 27:00 Advocating for people in AI driven decisions 31:00 What HR hopes AI will eliminate from daily work Keywords: AI in HR HR technology people operations workforce transformation data driven HR AI and jobs HR strategy employee experience talent lifecycle future of work Show Links/Resources: Watch the AI for HR Livestream Replay: https://lhra.io/ai25 Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandraloughlin Connect with Lane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanem1/
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    36 mins
  • Hiring, Cheating, and the AI Dilemma

    Hiring, Cheating, and the AI Dilemma
    Jan 12 2026
    Join host Ben Eubanks for a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Cari Miller about one of the most pressing questions in today's workplace: When does using AI cross the line from productivity tool to cheating? From academic integrity to job applications and workplace performance, they explore the blurred boundaries of AI usage and what it means for workers, employers, and the future of work. This episode tackles the double standards, ethical dilemmas, and practical realities of AI adoption in hiring and beyond. Timestamps Episode Topics & Timestamps 0:00 - Introduction & Guest Background0:50 - Dr. Cari Miller's Research on AI & Worker Impacts3:00 - Academic Integrity vs. AI Literacy Debate5:00 - Defining AI "Cheating" in Education5:40 - Domain Knowledge & Copyright Considerations6:50 - Spell Check Analogy: Tools vs. Cheating11:00 - The Hiring Double Standard12:30 - Should We Test Candidates on AI Skills?13:50 - 61% of Jobs Don't Match Interview Descriptions15:20 - The Broken Application Process17:30 - Emotional Toll of Job Searching18:00 - Networking & Volunteer Work Strategy19:40 - Ben's Story: Volunteering to Break Into HR21:20 - Genuine vs. GPT: When Does AI Feel Like Cheating?23:30 - Disclosure & Context Matter25:00 - Survey Results: What Employers Consider Cheating27:00 - The AI Arms Race in Job Applications30:00 - The Entry-Level Crisis30:50 - Learning in the File Room: Foundation Skills32:00 - Junior vs. Senior Workers Using AI33:00 - The DOS to Windows Analogy35:30 - CEOs vs. Managers: Who Decides on AI?36:30 - AI Procurement & Process Design38:30 - Finding the Middle Ground39:00 - Connect with Dr. Cari Miller on LinkedIn40:15 - Closing Thoughts Connect with Cari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cari-miller/ See the show archives and sign up for episode updates
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    38 mins
  • Curiosity Over Control: Redefining Recruiting in the Age of AI

    Curiosity Over Control: Redefining Recruiting in the Age of AI
    Dec 1 2025
    🎧 Episode 219 Guest: Amandeep Shergill In this episode, we explore the realities of modern recruiting, the pressure of “doing more with less,” and the challenge of navigating uncertainty in today’s global talent market. Ben and Amandeep discuss how economic shifts, evolving business priorities, and organizational ambiguity shape the day-to-day experience of recruiters. Amandeep shares practical examples from his career—ranging from prioritizing high-impact roles to building stronger partnerships with business leaders. This conversation dives deep into what it truly means to be a strategic advisor instead of a reactive firefighter in talent acquisition. You’ll hear insights on: • Market uncertainty and its effect on TA planning • Productivity vs. unrealistic “do more” expectations • The role of tech and efficiency in the future of TA • How recruiters can better understand business impact & prioritization • Real-world examples of shifting from reactive to proactive hiring • Why understanding revenue, OKRs, and leadership goals changes recruiting outcomes Whether you're a recruiter, hiring leader, or people leader, this episode provides immediately applicable frameworks for better decision-making in TA. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:03 – Welcome to Episode 219 00:16 – Introducing guest Amandeep Shergill 00:55 – Amandeep’s background and global role at Automattic 01:59 – Life outside of work: parenting, sports, and model building 03:16 – Creativity, hobbies & high performance 04:49 – The biggest recruiting challenges today 05:11 – How economic uncertainty shapes hiring plans 05:54 – Productivity, efficiency & “doing more with less” 06:28 – The disconnect between expectations and TA bandwidth 07:22 – Why “doing more” isn’t a real strategy 08:06 – What investment vs. volume actually means for TA 09:46 – Moving from reactive to proactive recruiting 10:26 – Practical strategies for strategic partnership 10:30 – Amandeep’s story from Intuit: prioritizing 38 open roles 11:48 – Understanding business impact behind hiring requests 12:49 – Revenue today vs. revenue tomorrow: prioritizing for impact 13:58 – Why recruiters must understand OKRs, revenue, and strategy 14:46 – Pausing hiring until business impact is clear 15:13 – How proactive planning creates better long-term outcomes 🔗 Connect with Amandeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandeepsshergill/?originalSubdomain=uk 🎓 Learn more about HR Summer School https://hrsummerschool.org See the show archives and sign up for episode updates
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    30 mins
  • Driving Impact: Why Every HR Leader Needs Coaching Skills

    Driving Impact: Why Every HR Leader Needs Coaching Skills
    Nov 17 2025
    In this episode of We’re Only Human, Ben Eubanks talks with Travis Hunsicker about the power of curiosity, trust, and belonging in shaping great leadership. From the warehouse floor to executive coaching, Travis shares lessons on how to see people for who they can become—not just who they are today. Together, they explore why leaders must first build trust before driving performance, how genuine curiosity opens doors to growth, and what it means to create space where people truly belong. Listeners will hear practical advice on developing talent, coaching with empathy, and recognizing potential before it’s visible. Whether you’re a manager, a mentor, or simply someone who wants to lead more authentically, this conversation is a reminder that human connection is at the heart of every lasting impact. Connect with Travis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunsicker/ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Episode Setup 03:15 Travis’s Journey: From Forklifts to Leadership Coaching 08:40 The Moment That Changed His Perspective on People 12:25 Why Trust Must Come Before Performance 17:42 How Curiosity Builds Stronger Leaders 22:10 Seeing Potential Before Others Do 26:35 Creating a Culture of Belonging and Growth 31:18 Coaching Conversations That Unlock Confidence 35:27 Real-World Examples of Human-Centered Leadership 39:42 Final Reflections and Key Takeaways See the show archives and sign up for episode updates
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    33 mins
  • Joy Is Now: Finding Purpose and Positivity at Work

    Joy Is Now: Finding Purpose and Positivity at Work
    Nov 10 2025
    🎧 Episode Description In this episode of We’re Only Human, host Ben Eubanks sits down with Jason Thrasher, one of the most inspiring voices from HR Summer School, to explore how choosing joy can transform your work, leadership, and life. Jason shares his belief that “joy is now”—not something you wait for, but something you choose every day. From his journey in HR to lessons learned from country music and Chick-fil-A, he reveals how gratitude, authenticity, and purpose can create a culture that people truly want to be part of. The conversation dives deep into the mindset of joyful leadership, practical ways to bring joy into daily work, and how self-awareness and connection empower teams. You’ll hear personal stories, actionable insights, and a reminder that owning your joy is the first step to owning your impact. Check out HR Summer School: https://hrsummerschool.org 🕒 Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Episode Setup 01:20 Meet Jason Thrasher — From Music Dreams to HR Leadership 02:45 “Joy Is Now” — Why Joy Can’t Wait for Tomorrow 04:38 Practical Habits for Choosing Joy Every Morning 05:56 The Culture You Create Determines the Audience You Keep 07:40 Balancing Joy and Mental Health in the Workplace 09:50 Real-Life Story: “Thank You for Coming to Work Today” 11:55 How Joy Drives Engagement, Belonging, and Productivity 13:24 The Sound of Joy — How Music Changes the Atmosphere 14:35 Breaking Out of the “Check-the-Box” Mindset 15:20 Knowing Your Why and Leading with Purpose 16:40 Just Own Yourself — The Simplicity of Authentic Joy 17:35 Final Reflections and Takeaways See the show archives and sign up for episode updates
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    19 mins
  • How AI Can Make HR More Human, Not Less

    How AI Can Make HR More Human, Not Less
    Nov 3 2025
    Episode Description In this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of HR — not by replacing humans, but by amplifying what makes us uniquely effective: empathy, creativity, and connection. The conversation digs into how HR leaders can use AI responsibly to simplify workflows, enhance decision-making, and create more human-centered experiences for employees. You’ll hear how organizations can strike the right balance between automation and authenticity, and why embracing AI doesn’t mean losing the human touch. We also discuss the mindset shift HR professionals need to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world, and how curiosity and adaptability have become the most valuable leadership skills of all. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Episode Setup 04:32 The AI Conversation: Fear vs. Opportunity 09:15 How HR Can Use AI Without Losing Humanity 14:48 Practical Examples of AI in Recruiting and Talent Development 19:56 The Mindset Shift: Curiosity, Creativity, and Adaptability 24:20 Redefining the Role of HR in an AI-Driven Workplace 28:37 Advice for Leaders Navigating Change 32:10 Final Thoughts and Takeaways Connect with Lane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanem1/ See the show archives and sign up for episode updates
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    34 mins