HR Happy Hour Network

At Work in America, the longest running and top downloaded HR podcast, focuses on human resources, management, leadership, and workforce technology. The show is hosted by Steve Boese, the Co-Chair of the HR Technology Conference and Trish Steed, CEO of H3 HR Advisors.

HR Happy Hour Network is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts HR Happy Hour Network, a business show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #27

  How Work Gets Done Now, and the Signals for How to Measure It

  Sep 1, 202638 minS18

  How Work Gets Done Now, and the Signals for How to Measure It Hosts:  Steve Boese  and  Trish Steed Guest:  KeyAnna Schmeidl , Chief Human Experience Officer at  Workhuman   Summary Work has outgrown the org chart. Today, work moves across teams, projects, functions, technologies, and informal networks that traditional workforce metrics were never designed to capture. Headcount, turnover, productivity, and performance data still matter - but they rarely tell the full story of how work gets done or who is making it possible. In this episode of the  HR Happy Hour , Steve and Trish welcome KeyAnna Schmeidl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman, for a conversation about what leaders can learn when they look beyond traditional reporting and start paying attention to the human signals inside everyday work. She explains why reporting relationships and job descriptions often reveal far less than the connections, contributions, expertise, and informal influence that move work forward. The conversation explores how organizations can move from backward-looking dashboards toward more dynamic workforce intelligence that helps leaders understand what is happening now, and make better decisions about what should happen next. One of the richest sources of that insight may already exist inside the organization:  recognition data . Because recognition captures what people notice and value in one another's work, it can reveal contributors who remove roadblocks, share expertise, mentor teammates, strengthen collaboration, and influence outcomes in ways that may never appear in a traditional performance metric.   Topics include: Where traditional HR and productivity metrics fall short The shift from reporting what happened to understanding what is happening Why simply replacing a departing employee with the same role may no longer make sense How recognition data can uncover hidden contributors, connectors, mentors, and emerging leaders The role recognition can play in succession planning, internal mobility, and identifying future leadership potential What "dark spots" in recognition can reveal about culture and employee visibility How leaders can build workforce dashboards that combine historical, real-time, and forward-looking information    Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman. Nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they don't have a strong leadership bench. Workhuman's Future Leaders gives organizations a smarter way to build one. Future Leaders is the first talent intelligence solution to identify high-potential VP+ talent already within your workforce—up to four years before promotion. Using proprietary AI and real-time recognition data, it uncovers the leadership signals hidden in everyday work long before traditional succession planning can. It's a smarter, data-driven approach to building tomorrow's leaders. Learn more at  Workhuman.com . Thanks for joining us.

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  Episode #26

  Workplace Movie Hall of Fame - America's Sweethearts 2026

  Aug 25, 202645 minS18

  Workplace Movie Hall of Fame - America's Sweethearts 2026 Hosts:  Steve Boese  and  Trish Steed   Summary In this episode of  At Work in America , Steve and Trish return to Netflix’s  America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders  to unpack the workplace lessons found throughout Season 3. Following significant changes to DCC compensation, the conversation moves beyond whether these highly visible performers are being paid fairly and into deeper questions about the employee experience. Steve and Trish explore the tension between longtime leaders and a largely Gen Z workforce, the importance of meaningful feedback and recognition, and what happens when leaders listen to employee input without truly changing how they lead. They also examine the DCC selection process, the emotional weight of hiring and termination decisions, the role experienced employees play in supporting newer team members, and the “invisible work” that often holds teams together but goes unnoticed by leadership. Along the way, Steve and Trish don’t always agree - particularly when it comes to how much credit DCC leadership deserves for adapting. But their debate raises an important question for every organization:  Is changing a process enough if the underlying leadership behaviors and culture haven’t changed with it?   Topics include: Why listening to employees is only meaningful when leaders are willing to act on what they hear The growing expectations Gen Z employees have around feedback, recognition, connection, and leadership Can longtime leaders successfully adapt as workplace expectations change The danger of asking employees for input when the final decision consistently ignores their perspective What the DCC audition and selection process can teach employers about recruiting, evaluation, rejection, and candidate experience How peer leaders and experienced team members often perform critical coaching, encouragement, and culture-building work Why some of the most valuable contributions employees make may be invisible to traditional performance measures   Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!   The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman. Nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they don't have a strong leadership bench. Workhuman's Future Leaders gives organizations a smarter way to build one. Future Leaders is the first talent intelligence solution to identify high-potential VP+ talent already within your workforce—up to four years before promotion. Using proprietary AI and real-time recognition data, it uncovers the leadership signals hidden in everyday work long before traditional succession planning can. It's a smarter, data-driven approach to building tomorrow's leaders. Learn more at  Workhuman.com . Thanks for joining us.

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  Episode #8

  Seeing the Future: Prediction Markets on the Rise With Gen Z

  Aug 21, 202635 minS4

  Seeing the Future: Prediction Markets on the Rise With Gen Z Hosts:  Jack McFarlane  and  Nicholas Schlemmer   Summary In this episode of  The Play by Play,  Jack and Nick break down the growing world of prediction markets and explore why platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket have captured the attention of Gen Z. They discuss how these markets work, the appeal of their stock-market-like experience, and the combination of instant gratification, financial anxiety, and easy access that may be fueling their popularity. But with the excitement comes real financial risk. Jack and Nick dig into the potential downsides of speculative trading and gambling, including the danger of dipping into savings, chasing losses, and betting money that someone can't afford to lose. Their takeaway: if you're going to participate, understand the risk and keep it to money you can genuinely afford to lose. Then the guys lighten things up with the debut of the  Play by Play Prediction Market  — using imaginary coins instead of real money to make their picks for the upcoming college football season. From Ohio State and Michigan to Utah, BYU, LSU, Miami, Clemson, Indiana, and Georgia, Jack and Nick put their predictions on the record for conference champions, playoff contenders, and the national championship. It's part financial trends, part Gen Z perspective, part college football preview — and 100% Play by Play.   Takeaways What prediction markets are and how they work The connection between Gen Z, financial anxiety, investing, and instant gratification The financial and behavioral risks associated with gambling and speculative trading Jack and Nick's approach to responsible betting The first-ever Play by Play Prediction Market College football conference and national championship predictions A football-themed final Quote of the Show   Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman. Nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they don't have a strong leadership bench. Workhuman's Future Leaders gives organizations a smarter way to build one. Future Leaders is the first talent intelligence solution to identify high-potential VP+ talent already within your workforce—up to four years before promotion. Using proprietary AI and real-time recognition data, it uncovers the leadership signals hidden in everyday work long before traditional succession planning can. It's a smarter, data-driven approach to building tomorrow's leaders. Learn more at  Workhuman.com . Thanks for joining us.

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  Episode #25

  Are You Feeding AI the Wrong Data? The Leadership Signals You're Missing

  Aug 18, 202636 minS18

  Are You Feeding AI the Wrong Data? The Leadership Signals You're Missing Hosts:  Steve Boese  and  Trish Steed Guest:  Tom Libretto , President at  Workhuman   Summary AI is only as powerful as the data behind it. As organizations race to deploy new AI tools, they may be overlooking one of the richest sources of workforce intelligence already available to them: the everyday moments that reveal how work actually gets done. In this  HR Happy Hour  episode, Steve and Trish welcome Tom Libretto, President of Workhuman, to explore why traditional HR data often tells only part of the story, and how recognition data can provide a more human, contextual view of skills, collaboration, influence, leadership potential, and organizational impact. Tom explains the value of zero-party data: information employees voluntarily share in their own words about the contributions they see happening around them. When recognition is specific and meaningful, those messages can become a powerful source of intelligence about the workforce—capturing signals that transactional HR systems were never designed to see. The conversation also explores how AI can turn those signals into actionable workforce insights. Tom shares how Workhuman is using recognition data to identify potential future leaders years before promotion, surface “talent magnets” who consistently develop others, and help organizations better understand whether employees' work is actually aligned with strategic business priorities.   Topics include: Why organizations need to think as carefully about what they feed AI as they do about the AI technology itself The limitations of transactional and declarative HR data What zero-party data is and why recognition can provide an unusually rich source of human intelligence How recognition reveals skills in action, collaboration patterns, influence, values, and contribution Why the quality and specificity of recognition messages matter when using the data with AI How AI and recognition data can help identify future leaders years earlier than traditional succession planning What HR leaders should consider as they build a richer, more trustworthy data foundation for AI-powered workforce decisions   Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman. Nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they don't have a strong leadership bench. Workhuman's Future Leaders gives organizations a smarter way to build one. Future Leaders is the first talent intelligence solution to identify high-potential VP+ talent already within your workforce—up to four years before promotion. Using proprietary AI and real-time recognition data, it uncovers the leadership signals hidden in everyday work long before traditional succession planning can. It's a smarter, data-driven approach to building tomorrow's leaders. Learn more at  Workhuman.com . Thanks for joining us.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #24

  Workplace Connection: What Drives Motivation, Retention, and Performance

  Aug 11, 202641 minS18

  Workplace Connection: What Drives Motivation, Retention, and Performance Host:  Steve Boese Guest:  Jason Lauritsen , Workplace strategist, Executive advisor, Keynote speaker, and co-author of the Human Connection Study   Summary In this episode of  At Work in America , Steve Boese speaks with workplace strategist, advisor, and keynote speaker Jason Lauritsen about the  Human Connection Study , a large-scale research project examining how connection shapes the employee experience. The study includes responses from more than 286,000 employees across nearly 1,700 organizations, providing a deeper look at what connection is, how employees experience it, and why it matters to organizational success. Jason explains why workplace connection extends beyond relationships with managers and colleagues. Employees also need to feel that their work matters and that they understand and believe in the purpose and direction of their organization. The conversation explores the study’s most surprising findings, including why connection to organizational purpose may be even more influential than having strong workplace relationships—and what HR and business leaders can do to create the conditions where connection can flourish.   Topics include: Why connection should be viewed as a driver of performance rather than simply a cultural benefit The difference between  relational connection  and  resonance connection The four primary dimensions of workplace connection Why organizational purpose and direction have such a powerful influence on employees How connection affects motivation, retention, inclusion, and advocacy How managers can create moments where employees feel seen, heard, and understood   Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!    The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman. Nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they don't have a strong leadership bench. Workhuman's Future Leaders gives organizations a smarter way to build one. Future Leaders is the first talent intelligence solution to identify high-potential VP+ talent already within your workforce—up to four years before promotion. Using proprietary AI and real-time recognition data, it uncovers the leadership signals hidden in everyday work long before traditional succession planning can. It's a smarter, data-driven approach to building tomorrow's leaders. Learn more at  Workhuman.com . Thanks for joining us.

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