
I Hate It Here
If HR is one of the most soul-crushing industries to work in, how come we’re not talking about it more? I Hate it Here is the unflinching podcast where People professionals to talk honestly and openly about HR, sharing best-in-class resources to make the hardest job in the world that little bit easier. Hosted by Hebba Youssef, Chief People Officer at Workweek and creator of the I Hate it Here podcast and newsletter, this show is for HR People who want to get things done right - even if they do feel a bit empty inside from time to time. You’ll hear from industry insiders, not just the same old voices, sharing all the things you’re secretly thinking but never said out loud, digging into real-life examples, and delivering practical solutions and strategies for your people team.
Latest episodes

Jan 13, 2025 • 1h 11min
S7 E2: HR Meets Fiction: Lessons From Romance Novels with Georgia Clark
Beyond the typical day-to-day activities in HR…I’m just a mega-dorknerd with a fierce love for books, especially when they whisk me away to worlds filled with fantasy, sci-fi, and heart-stirring romance!And today, we're exploring how the twists and turns of romance novels can actually offer fascinating insights into HR. I'm thrilled to have Georgia Clark with us to guide us through these narrative mazes!She’s not just any novelist—she’s a storytelling wizard who’s penned titles like Most Wonderful and Island Time, and she lights up New York's iconic Joe's Pub with her storytelling night, Generation Women.During our chat, we discuss how romance and the hero's journey in novels can uniquely resonate within the corridors of HR, enhancing empathy and understanding, which are crucial for anyone in this role.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!00:02:12 - A Topic Georgia is Interested in Right Now00:05:50 - Georgia’s Favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode00:09:47 - How Georgia Became a Writer00:16:24 - How Georgia Develops Her Characters00:21:29 - The Approach Behind Character Transformation00:30:30 - How Georgia Thinks About Conflict While Creating Characters00:39:15 - Uncovering Character Motivations in a Natural Way00:45:58 - How to Make a Story Truly Captivating for People00:48:28 - What is Generation Women?00:53:35 - Why the Hero Journey in Romance Novels Resonates With People01:00:07 - Making Stories Reflect Diverse Perspectives and ExperiencesAnd 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 Georgia:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-clark-b451412/Follow Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videosLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssefTwitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

5 snips
Jan 6, 2025 • 1h 24min
S7 E1: Compensation 101: It's More Than Money with Sarika Lamont
Sarika Lamont, a people executive at Vidyard, delves into the complexities of compensation and the importance of pay transparency. She explains why many employees misinterpret their paycheck and how effective communication can bridge that gap. The conversation touches on creating equitable pay packages and the need for tailored compensation strategies that resonate with today's diverse workforce. Sarika emphasizes that education is vital in fostering understanding and trust around compensation practices.

Dec 23, 2024 • 30min
S6 E10: HR in 2025: Bolder Aspirations & Bigger Moves
As we wrap up 2024, it's time to start thinking ahead to 2025—and let’s be honest, it’s about time we take our place as the experts in the room. From fixing the broken candidate experience to building stronger bridges with other teams, it’s time for HR to show up and show out!This episode features a series of friends/leaders sharing their bold wishes for the future, and why 2025 is our year to make real change happen. We’re not holding back!Now, Working Not Working is helping to keep that talent with NTRNL— the new platform that unlocks employee passions and ignites productivity. So you can see your people as they see themselves: as humans, not headcount. Visit seeyourpeople.com to learn more or book a demo.00:00:55 - Tara Turk-Haynes’s Wish for HR in 202500:10:01 - Sarika Lamont’s Wish for HR in 202500:16:02 - Cassidy Edwards’s Wish for HR in 202500:19:35 - Noah Warder’s Wish for HR in 202500:26:52 - Cassandra Babilya’s Wish for HR in 2025And 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 Tara:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ttaraturkhaynes/Follow Sarika:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarikal/Follow Cassidy:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassidy-edwards-yyom/Follow Noah:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahwarder/Follow Cassandra:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-babilya/Follow Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videosLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssefTwitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Dec 16, 2024 • 58min
S6 E9: HR’s Secret Weapon: Bridging the Gap Between People and Business with Halai Shukran
Halai Shukran, COO at Pluribus Digital, brings her expertise in managing people and operations to the discussion. She emphasizes the importance of aligning business and people strategies for optimal results. Halai shares her journey to understanding her 'zone of genius' and how to effectively communicate across departments. The conversation dives into HR's evolution post-COVID, the role of data in diagnosing organizational challenges, and the need for empathy in leadership decisions. This insightful dialogue provides actionable strategies for breaking out of the HR bubble.

7 snips
Dec 9, 2024 • 53min
S6 E8: Unlocking HR's Creative Superpowers with Nikki Rappaport
Nikki Rappaport, Chief People Officer at Call Your Mother, brings a decade of expertise in creative marketing and HR. She shares how creativity and curiosity can transform traditional HR practices. Nikki emphasizes the importance of storytelling in building trust and aligning teams with company values. She connects employee happiness to customer experience, highlighting the impact of a vibrant workplace culture. Plus, they dive into integrating HR and marketing to elevate employee engagement, all while casually discussing delicious bagels!

Dec 2, 2024 • 48min
S6 E7: Recruiting, Relationships, and Resume Real Talk
Shannon Ogborn, a former recruiter turned community leader at Ashby, Rhona Barnett Pierce, a video marketing whiz for recruiters, and Brandon Jeffs, Director of People and Talent at TLDR, delve into the chaotic world of recruiting and job hunting. They share invaluable advice for recruiters and job seekers alike, emphasizing the importance of personal branding and relationship-building. The discussion reveals strategies for overcoming applicant tracking systems and highlights the significance of networking to enhance job prospects in today’s market.

Nov 25, 2024 • 47min
S6 E6: Your Leadership Era Starts Now with Jessica Winder
Jessica Winder, author and SVP of people, dives into the messy world of leadership. She emphasizes that leadership is a learned skill, not an inherent trait. Vulnerability is essential for effective leadership, and balancing empathy with decision-making is crucial. Jessica shares her journey from traditional authority to empowering leadership, debunks myths, and highlights key qualities that differentiate good leaders from great ones. She also draws parallels between parenting challenges and leadership lessons, making her insights relatable and engaging.

Nov 18, 2024 • 49min
S6 E5: Breaking Bad… Stereotypes About Unions with Morgan Williams
Just how different is a work environment that’s unionized versus one that isn’t?Today, we’re diving headfirst into the world of unionized workplaces with the brilliant Morgan Williams! Spoiler alert: unions aren’t just about strikes and tension—they can actually make your organization stronger if you know how to play the game. Morgan’s expertise? Managing unionized environments, reducing conflict, and building collaboration that lasts. She’s here to drop some knowledge on how you can navigate union demands without breaking a sweat (or losing your mind).Plus, why you should care about union negotiations—because, trust me, what they’re asking for today might just be what your employees are eyeing tomorrow.Now, Working Not Working is helping to keep that talent with NTRNL— the new platform that unlocks employee passions and ignites productivity. So you can see your people as they see themselves: as humans, not headcount. Visit seeyourpeople.com to learn more or book a demo.00:02:15 - Something That HR Folks Should Rethink00:04:20 - What Sparked Morgan’s Interest in Working With Unions00:07:30 - How the Election Could Impact Unionized Work00:10:47 - Working in a Unionized Environment VS a Non-unionized Environment00:13:04 - Common Misconceptions About Unionized Workplaces00:20:00 - Why Some People Don’t Support Unions00:22:17 - Fostering Positive Labor Relations and Reducing Conflict00:28:58 - How Employee and Union Relationships Have Changed Over the Years00:38:10 - Where Can People Educate Themselves on Unions?00:45:22 - Where to Get in Touch With MorganAnd 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 Morgan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganbwilliams/Follow Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videosLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssefTwitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Nov 11, 2024 • 25min
S6 E4: Legislation Legends: Laws That Changed Everything in HR
Last week, the US elected its 47th president.As I was sifting through the reactions of family, friends, and coworkers online, feelings of excitement and feelings of sadness were all over the place, and it was a lot to think about.But the thing I kept coming back to was the mission of I Hate It Here and the ways that elections affect us all!So today, we’re taking a stroll down HR memory lane, digging into the laws that flipped the script on how we work. From the Fair Labor Standards Act to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, we’re exploring the major pieces of legislation that shaped HR as we know it.Now, Working Not Working is helping to keep that talent with NTRNL— the new platform that unlocks employee passions and ignites productivity. So you can see your people as they see themselves: as humans, not headcount. Visit seeyourpeople.com to learn more or book a demo.00:01:00 - The Misson of I Hate It Here00:01:50 - The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)00:03:55 - The Civil Rights Act of 196400:06:00 - The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)00:08:05 - The Employee of Income Retirement Security Act (ERISA)00:10:04 - The Americans With Disability Act00:11:04 - The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)00:13:17 - The Affordable Care Act00:15:05 - The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act00:17:40 - The Pregnant Workers Fairness ActAnd 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 Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videosLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssefTwitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Nov 4, 2024 • 54min
S6 E3: The No-BS Approach to Trust-Building in the Workplace with Joel Lalgee
Joel Lalgee, an internationally recognized recruiting leader and coach, dives into the vital role of authenticity in the workplace. He emphasizes that businesses must genuinely embody their values to earn employee trust. Sharing insights from his extensive experience, Joel discusses the impact of personal branding and the necessity of creative inspiration. He reveals his daily video creation habits and the importance of building genuine connections in a digital world, all while staying true to oneself in professional settings.
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