
Honest HR
Honest HR is the go-to podcast for aspiring and informed HR professionals intent on transforming workplace challenges into golden opportunities. Hosted by Nicole Belyna, Monique Akanbi, and Wendy Fong, this podcast brings you insights, trends, and actionable advice through relatable stories from the REAL world of HR.
Latest episodes

Oct 12, 2023 • 50min
Karl Ahlrichs on HR's Using AI Ethically and Responsibly
Generative AI programs (like ChatGPT) have tremendous potential to deliver new efficiencies and capabilities to the workplace, but what do these new tools mean for HR, both in using them, and the myriad of concerns they raise? In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong speaks with Karl Ahlrichs, Senior Consultant at Gregory & Appel, on how HR professionals can use AI ethically and responsibly, and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to do so.Earn 0.75 SHRM PDC for listening to this podcast; all details provided in-episode.Episode transcript

Jul 27, 2023 • 37min
Kelly Hermann on Creating Accessible, Inclusive Workplaces for Employees with Disabilities
Known for their focus on providing quality educational experiences to adult learners, the University of Phoenix wanted to learn more and provide resources to another core group of enrolled students: Individuals with disabilities. In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong speaks with Kelly Hermann, Vice President of Accessibility, Equity & Inclusion at the University of Phoenix, to discuss: Findings from the university’s report on Workplace Accessibility - HR Professionals Accommodations for Employees’ Disability’s Research Report (2023)Action steps for HR professionals and people managers focused on creating more accessible and inclusive workplaces for employeesThe future of disability and accessibility inclusionComplete the SHRM Employing Abilities At Work CertificateEarn 0.5 SHRM PDC for listening to this podcast; all details provided in-episode.Episode transcript

11 snips
May 31, 2023 • 37min
Rich Safeer on Employee Mental Health and Wellness as a Team Sport
Previously brought to the spotlight by the pandemic, organizations’ prioritizing employee mental health and wellness reflects its ongoing importance to employers and employees alike. But what does the work of creating workplace cultures of mental health and wellness actually entail? In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton speaks with Rich Safeer, M.D., Chief Medical Director of Employee Health and Wellbeing for Johns Hopkins Medicine and author of A Cure for the Common Company: A Wellbeing Prescription for a Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient Organization about:Why the workplace is the perfect venue for achieving real improvements in people’s healthHow mental health and wellness is a team sportSteps to begin transforming your organizationEarn 0.5 SHRM PDC for listening to this episode; all details in episode.This episode of Honest HR is sponsored Calm Business.Episode transcript

Apr 27, 2023 • 37min
A Candid Glimpse Into HR Mentorship
A good mentor/mentee relationship creates a safe, nonjudgmental space to provide guidance and advice, and that’s just as true for mentorships dedicated to the HR profession. In this episode of Honest HR, host Monique Akanbi is joined by Sheila Thomas and Firdosh Bhathena, a real-life HR mentor/mentee pair, to share their HR mentorship story, discuss why mentorship is important in an HR career, and shatter the popular myths of mentorship.This episode of Honest HR is sponsored by ADP.Episode transcript

Apr 7, 2023 • 46min
Jim Link on Achieving Pay Equity at Your Organization
Occurrences of unequal pay between employees with the same qualifications, experience and job responsibilities continue to have a problematic presence in the workplace, and likewise reflect longstanding wage gaps between men, women and people of color. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton speaks with SHRM CHRO Jim Link about the importance of pay equity and ensuring fair and equal pay practices for all employees regardless of gender, race, age, or other protected characteristics, but also the business case on why pay equity is in an organization’s best interest, and above all, the steps you can take toward achieving pay equity at your organization.SHRM's Managing Pay Equity ToolkitThis episode of Honest HR is sponsored by UKG.Episode transcript

Mar 2, 2023 • 41min
Managing Time & Attendance: Calling Out Employees Who Call Out
Managing employee attendance is challenging: Employers and people managers need to know not only if employees are showing up to work, but also what to do if they don’t. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton speaks with SHRM Knowledge Advisors Barbara Holland and Julie Schweber about handling scenarios such as fishy doctors’ notes, no call/no shows, and above all, the importance of getting all the information before moving toward adverse action.Learn about SHRM's People Manager Qualification (PMQ)Earn 0.5 SHRM PDC for listening; all details provided in-episode.This episode of Honest HR is sponsored by ADP.Episode transcript

Feb 9, 2023 • 37min
Leveraging Apprenticeships to Get Great Employees (and There’s One for HR Too)
Hiring and talent acquisition is so often premised on a “hurry up and wait” passivity: You announce a position, cross your fingers, and hope qualified applicants come to you. But what if they just don't? If so, apprenticeships are another route that allow you develop your own talent, rather than waiting for it to arrive. In this episode of Honest HR, host Monique Akanbi speaks with Mary Wright, Manager of the SHRM Foundation’s Apprenticeship Program on how apprenticeships can help to sidestep the war for talent, and how the SHRM Foundation’s HR Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) has created a path for HR departments to develop their own superstar HR professionals.Learn about SHRM's People Manager Qualification (PMQ)Earn 0.75 SHRM PDC for listening; all details provided in-episode.Episode transcript

Jan 17, 2023 • 42min
“But What About Your Benefits?”, Says Everyone, Everywhere
The hosts of Honest HR begin 2023 by welcoming Monique Akanbi as a new voice to the podcast, and give a fond farewell to one of their own, Gloria Sinclair Miller.Amid talent scarcity, the benefits that employers offer their employees have emerged as a key differentiator in attracting and retaining talent. In this episode of Honest HR, Amber, Monique and Wendy discuss the importance of expanding the benefits organizations typically offer and consider more imaginative employee benefits you may not have previously considered.Earn 0.75 SHRM PDC for listening; relevant details provided in-episode.Episode transcript

Oct 7, 2022 • 34min
Everything to Learn from the Past, Present and Future of a Multigenerational Workplace (Pt. 2 of 2)
In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong continues her discussion with HR consulting/talent management specialists Karen DeLise, Adrianna Gabriel and Allison Levine from CCI Consulting to discuss everything to learn from the past, present and future of a multigenerational workplace experience.Earn 1.00 SHRM PDC for listening to both parts 1 and 2 of this two (2) part miniseries; relevant details provided in-episode.This episode of Honest HR is sponsored by Mystery.Episode transcript

Oct 1, 2022 • 31min
Everything to Learn from the Past, Present and Future of a Multigenerational Workplace (Pt. 1 of 2)
In this episode of Honest HR, host Wendy Fong is joined by HR consulting/talent management specialists Karen DeLise, Adrianna Gabriel and Allison Levine from CCI Consulting to discuss everything to learn from the past, present and future of a multigenerational workplace experience.Earn 1.00 SHRM PDC for listening to both parts 1 and 2 of this two (2) part miniseries; relevant details provided in-episode.This episode of Honest HR is sponsored by Mystery.Episode transcript