I Hate It Here

I hate to say it, but your “amazing culture” might be a lie. Today, Latesha Byrd and I are ripping off the culture band-aid to expose what’s actually happening in your org! You know the drill: shiny values on the wall that nobody abides by, all-hands full of empty promises, and that lovely gaslighty feeling when leadership says “we’re family” but acts like a toxic ex. We’re explaining why “bring your whole self to work” is a scam if your culture is performative, how to spot and fix the disconnect between what leaders say and what employees live, and the corporate red flags that scream RUN, along with the green flags worth fighting for! Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more! Whether you’re scaling fast or filling a critical role, Oyster helps you tap into the global talent pool and navigate international hiring with confidence. Hire full time talent or work flexibly with contractors- hire remotely, manage payroll, and ensure compliance ethically, with real employment experts by your side. Visit ⁠⁠oysterhr.com⁠⁠ to learn more! 0:01:40 - One Truth About Work Latesha Wishes More Leaders Understood 0:03:51 - How to Define Real Culture and How to Tell When It’s Missing 0:10:39 - When a Company’s Culture Initiative Falls Completely Flat 0:19:03 - Why Performative Actions Ruin Trust at Work, and How to Fix It 0:22:47 - The Role Communication Plays in Shaping Culture Narratives at an Org 0:26:30 - Towing the Line Between Being Inspiring and Being Honest About Challenges 0:31:32 - How to Hold Leaders Accountable 0:37:31 - The “Red Flag or Green Flag?” Game 0:41:10 - If Latesha Could Redesign Culture From Scratch, What Would She Prioritize First? 0:46:16 - What the Next Generation of Employees Will Expect From Real Workplace Culture And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/   And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content! Follow Latesha: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lateshabyrd/ Follow Hebba:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Matt Poepsel, a leadership expert, author, and Marine veteran, dives into the broken state of modern leadership. He challenges the stereotype of the 'hero leader' and highlights the importance of vulnerability without oversharing. The discussion covers the need for self-awareness among leaders and how their egos often impede good leadership. Poepsel encourages redefining leadership as a shared responsibility and promotes human-centered approaches to navigate today's complexities, including burnout and the influence of AI.

Whether we like it or not, office politics are an unavoidable part of corporate life. But don’t worry—you’re in for a TREAT today because one of my absolute favorite humans, Jessica Winder, is back on the pod, and we’re diving into the BS of corporate life in detail!  You know, the kind where you’re expected to read minds, kiss ass, and perform miracles while leadership acts like promotions are some kind of Da Vinci Code situation.  We’re talking about why “being liked” often beats “being right,” how LinkedIn is just one giant performance of corporate cringe, and why trust is literally cheaper than surveillance (but somehow, companies still don’t get it).  There’s value in learning how to play the corporate game without compromising your integrity, so let’s get into it! Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more! Whether you’re scaling fast or filling a critical role, Oyster helps you tap into the global talent pool and navigate international hiring with confidence. Hire full time talent or work flexibly with contractors- hire remotely, manage payroll, and ensure compliance ethically, with real employment experts by your side. Visit oysterhr.com to learn more! 0:03:17 - One Truth Jessica Wishes More Leaders Understood 0:04:16 - What Does Kissing Ass Mean in the Workplace? 0:06:02 - When Good Work Isn’t Enough to Get Ahead 0:08:57 - Unwritten Rules of Career Advancement That Nobody Talks About 0:12:06 - Is Playing Office Politics Part of the Job, or is There Another Way to Succeed? 0:15:01 - How Race and Gender Tie Into Unspoken Rules of Advancement 0:24:23 - Hebba’s Round of Spicy Questions 0:35:11 - How Jessica Would Rewrite the Rules of Career Advancement 0:38:44 - Employees Who Feel Stuck Because They Refuse to Kiss Ass And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/   And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content! Follow Jessica: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicadwinder/ Follow Hebba:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

This should come as no surprise anymore, but your employees aren’t just asking for certainty these days, they’re BEGGING for it!  And yet, most workplaces still operate like a Magic 8 Ball: "Ask again later," "Outlook not so good," and my personal favorite, "Cannot predict now." Cool, cool.  So why do we keep acting shocked when people quit over unclear expectations, bad leadership, and the soul-crushing weight of "figure it out yourself" culture? Joining me today is Kat Kibben, recruiting expert and professional truth-teller, to drag the leadership myths we’re all tired of and drop some real talk on how to actually make work WORK for people!  We’re breaking down why humans would rather deal with a known disaster than unknown chaos, how bad managers create generational trauma in the workplace, and the one thing leaders always get wrong about certainty. Lots of gems in here, so buckle up! Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit ⁠⁠⁠lattice.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more! 0:03:51 - One Truth About Work Kat Wishes More Leaders Understood 0:05:05 - Why Do Humans Crave Certainty So Much? 0:08:25 - How Leaders Can Make Employees Feel Safe 0:19:43 - Why Not Every Good Employee Needs to Be a Manager 0:24:38 - What Does Creativing Clarity Actually Look Like? 0:31:58 - How Good or Bad Communication Shapes Teams Over Time 0:38:34 - Bouncing Back From a Toxic Boss/Environment 0:46:13 - One Thing Leaders Often Get Wrong About Providing Certainty 0:49:33 - One Message Leaders Should Repeat to Their Teams During Uncertain Times And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/   And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content! Follow Kat: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinakibben/ Follow Hebba:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: MONEY. 💸 And who better to talk about money with than compensation guru Matt McFarlane? In this episode, we’re ripping apart everything you think you know about fair pay.  Why do employees feel stiffed? Are pay gaps accidental or systemic? And why the hell is talking about salary still taboo? We’ll also be discussing why fair pay is still a myth at most companies, how to handle founders who treat compensation like a dark art, and what actual pay transparency looks like (hint: it’s not just publishing salaries). Choosing the wrong HR platform is rife with regrets: losing a top performer, promoting the wrong person, or failing to engage your team when the business needs it most. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit ⁠⁠lattice.com⁠⁠ to learn more. Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠ to learn more! 0:01:57 - One Truth About Work Matt Wishes More People Understood 0:03:20 - What Being Paid Right Actually Means, and Why Companies Get it Wrong 0:06:58 - What “I Don’t Feel Like I’m Being Paid Fairly” Really Means 0:08:50 -  Why is Talking About Pay Such a Taboo Topic at Work? 0:11:49 - Should Employees Know What Their Coworkers Make? 0:14:36 - Are Pay Gaps Intentional, or a Result of a Broken System? 0:19:56 - If Matt Could Change One Thing About Compensation, What Would It Be? 0:22:36 - Dealing With Founders Who Don’t Want to Define Anything Compensation-related 0:27:50 - What Role Should Managers Play in Pay Equity? 0:34:03 - What Does a Truly Fair, Inclusive, and Modern Compensation Philosophy Look Like? 0:39:47 - One Thing Matt Nerds Out About When It Comes to Compensation 0:41:25 - How Matt Would Rewrite the Unwritten Rules About Money at Work 0:47:45 - A Conversation About Money That Matt Wishes He Had Earlier in His Career 0:52:00 - What Workplace Money Utopia Could Look Like in the Future And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/   And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content! Follow Matt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmcfarlane/ Follow Hebba:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Cierra Gross, Founder and CEO of Worklution, champions workplace equity as she exposes corporate hypocrisy and the superficiality of DEI initiatives. The conversation dives into why 'accountability' often means little in practice, highlighting how Gen Z is demanding real change. Cierra discusses the invisible barriers preventing equity and shares insights on her app, Wrk Receipts, designed to empower employees. This candid discussion illuminates the urgent need for genuine accountability in today's workplaces.

Jessica DeVlieger, CEO of Encompass Labs, dives into the outdated nature of traditional performance reviews and why employees are craving timely feedback. She reveals that teams often know who's underperforming before managers do and discusses the barriers leaders face in providing tough feedback. Jessica emphasizes the need for a feedback-driven culture and advocates for rethinking performance management by integrating technology while keeping a human touch. Ultimately, she highlights that employees just want clarity on their performance!

Let’s talk about fairness—or, more accurately, let’s talk about how your company is probably failing at it!You know the drill: the ‘neutral’ policies that somehow always disadvantage the same people, the DEI initiatives that start and end with a Slack emoji, the performance reviews that feel more like a lottery than actual feedback. This week, Zach Nunn (founder of Living Corporate and certified corporate truth-teller) joins me to rip apart the illusion of fairness at work! We’re talking remote work double standards, the sneaky policies that keep marginalized employees stuck, and why ‘transparency’ is often just corporate code for ‘we’ll tell you the rules but not how to win.’ If most workplaces were actually fair, we wouldn’t need this episode! But since that’s not our reality yet… press play and let’s get figure it out together.Choosing the wrong HR platform is rife with regrets: losing a top performer, promoting the wrong person, or failing to engage your team when the business needs it most.Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit lattice.com to learn more.Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit SixFifty.com to learn more!0:03:43 - One Truth About Work Zach Wishes More Leaders Understood0:11:30 - What is Living Corporate and What Inspired Zach to Start It?0:17:02 - What Most Companies Get Wrong About Fairness at Work0:25:42 - Defining a Fair Workplace and How It Feels to Employees0:38:52 - Policies That Seem Neutral, But Actually End up Being Unfair0:52:54 - One Thing HR Should Stop Doing Immediately to Build Fairer Workplaces0:53:50 - What Gives Zach Hope?0:56:32 - Get in Touch With ZachAnd if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/ And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!Follow Zach:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharynunnphr/Follow Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videosLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssefTwitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

I’m back in your ears with another banger of an episode, and this one’s the season finale!I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap things up than by geeking out with my incredibly impressive friend Jeet Mukerji, co-founder and CEO of Kinfolk.Whether you’re an AI skeptic or a full-on tech enthusiast, there is a lot of food for thought to digest.Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!00:02:25 - A Topic Jeet Has Been Interested in Lately00:03:57 - What Inspired Jeet to Build Kinfolk?00:06:00 - The Biggest Challenges HR Teams Face With Employee Requests00:11:01 - Why AI Complements the Human Piece of HR, Not Replaces00:16:09 - The Biggest Misconceptions About AI in HR00:21:10 - Using Data to Show Why AI Will Improve Efficiency in HR00:28:58 - Can AI Handle the Nuances of Emotion in Text?00:36:03 - Can AI be Used to Make a More Equitable, Inclusive Workplace?00:42:00 - A Bold, Groundbreaking Thing Jeet Would Love to See in HR00:44:49 - The Biggest Hurdle in HR Teams Adopting AI ToolsAnd if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/ And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!Follow Jeet:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeetmukerji/Follow Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videosLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssefTwitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

I’ve been on a mission this season to learn something new in every episode, and today? Buckle up, because we’re diving into the world of investing and retirement planning—and I promise, it’s way more interesting than it sounds!It’s also an incredibly important topic that not enough people in our roles are talking about at length.Unfortunately, financial stress is the #1 stressor for most people, and HR leaders are no exception. But here’s the thing: investing doesn’t have to be a jargon-filled nightmare!So in this episode, Breene Murphy and I are breaking down what HR leaders need to know about investing—no fluff, no confusing terms, just practical insights to help you build a retirement plan that works for your company and your people!Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today!00:03:16 - A Topic Breene Has Been Interested in Lately00:05:46 - One Thing Every HR Leader Should Know About Investing00:09:52 - Why It’s so Important for HR Leaders to Understand Investing00:13:17 - The Best Ways to Evaluate Your 401k Providers00:25:46 - Why Newer Generations Contribute Less to Their Retirement Funds00:42:12 - The Biggest Mistakes HR Leaders Make When it Comes to Offering Benefits00:51:32 - What Breene Would Change About How Companies Approach Investing00:53:17 - Tools and Resources to Learn About InvestingAnd if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/ And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!Follow Breene:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breene-murphy-climate-friendly-401k/Follow Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videosLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssefTwitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef