Truth, Lies and Work 184. Primark CEO’s Shock Exit, Jack Dorsey’s 'Good Layoffs' & Why Job Candidates Ghost Employers. PLUS! Why Tech Can't Fix Burnout, with John Chan - This Week in Work, 1st April 2025
Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.
Each week we unpack workplace news, explore the psychology behind behaviour at work, and tackle your toughest workplace questions.
🎙 What's in this Episode?
Primark CEO Steps Down Amid Harassment Allegations
Paul Marchant, CEO of Primark, resigned following allegations of inappropriate behaviour toward a colleague. Was this swift accountability or brand protection in action? Read more.
Jack Dorsey's "Good" Layoffs: Can a CEO Do It Right?
Jack Dorsey recently laid off 931 employees at Block—but unlike most mass layoffs, his transparent approach earned praise. Read More.
Ghosting Employers: The Dark Psychology of Job Applicants
Ever wonder why job candidates vanish mid-process? A new study links ghosting behaviour with psychological traits including narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Read more.
🔥 Hot Take: Why Tech Won’t Fix Your Workplace, with John Chan
Our hot take comes from organisational psychologist John Chan, Managing Director of Infinite Potential and a lead researcher behind the 2025 State of Workplace Burnout report. John challenges the assumption that technology alone can boost productivity, arguing that systemic issues—like burnout, unsustainable workloads, and erosion of trust—must be addressed first.
Download the 2025 State of Workplace Burnout Report here:
https://infinite-potential.com.au/the-state-of-burnout-2025
Watch the full launch webinar:
https://youtu.be/ihie8n7pvVc?feature=shared
Connect with John Chan on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-chan-ph-d-7883611/
💡 Workplace Surgery: Solving Your Toughest Problems
This week’s dilemmas:
"I’ve Inherited a Toxic Department—Now What?"
A listener steps into a troubled department plagued by missed deadlines and deep divides. How do you turn things around without driving good people away?
"I’m the Operations Director, Not HR—Help!"
With no HR team, a listener suddenly has to handle a serious discrimination complaint. What's the best way to respond professionally and protect the organisation?
"Consultants Keep Stealing My Ideas!"
An employee’s internal expertise is overlooked in favour of expensive external consultants. How do you get management to value internal talent and stop making costly mistakes?
🔗 Additional Resources
- CIPD Guidance on Discipline Procedures: CIPD Discipline Factsheet
- ACAS (UK): acas.org.uk
🎧 Coming Up Next
Join us this Thursday as we welcome Cait Donovan, speaker, author, and host of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast. Cait’s innovative BURNBOLD™ framework is helping organisations turn burnout into resilience and culture change.
🎯 Enjoying the show?
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General Support with Mental Health and Well-being
If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.
Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)
Connect with Al and Leanne
Join the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/
Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/
Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne
Email: Hello@truthliesandwork.com
Book a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat
Thanks for tuning into Truth, Lies & Work—see you next week!