But First, Coffee

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino break down what benefits truly mean to employees in 2025 and where the system is headed. They explain why health benefits remain the number one concern for workers, how mental health coverage is now being embedded by dental and vision providers, and why COBRA costs are devastating for displaced workers. The episode tackles age-banding pricing as legalized ageism, th...

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino tackle the real emotions behind career transitions and economic hardship during this gratitude-themed episode. They discuss how to practice genuine thankfulness when you are out of work, dealing with personal loss, or facing an uncertain future. The conversation covers Zoom's acquisition of BrightHire, the enduring relevance of platforms like Hack-a-Job, fresh job m...

In this live episode recorded ahead of TalentNet 25 in Dallas, Jackye Clayton and John Baldino unpack why over one million jobs were cut in 2025 -- the worst rate since 2003 -- and what that means for HR professionals, consultants, and job seekers. They explore the difference between thought leadership and thought agitation, how overhiring from 2020-2022 created today's correction, and why technol...

In this Halloween episode, Jackye Clayton and John Baldino confront workplace toxicity head-on, connecting the massive wave of layoffs across Amazon, UPS, Intel, and Paramount to the fear-driven cultures they leave behind. They explore how companies simultaneously laying off thousands while posting new jobs creates confusion and distrust, why HR professionals are staying silent out of self-preserv...

Broadcasting live from RecFest Nashville, John Baldino and Jackye Clayton bring you inside the outdoor recruiting festival that is unlike any other HR conference. Walking the grounds with laptop in hand, John shares firsthand observations from the festival-style event where real talent acquisition practitioners, not polished keynote speakers, share what is actually working at their organizations....

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino dig into how hiring bias manifests not just in human decision-making but deep inside the technology, processes, and systems organizations rely on every day. They reveal how applicant tracking systems create barriers for blue-collar workers, why AI tools learn and replicate manager bias over time, and how poorly written job descriptions quietly filter out top talent....

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino tackle the uncomfortable truth about manager training and its direct impact on employee experience. They expose why promoting top performers into management often backfires, how punitive training creates resistance instead of growth, and why organizations spend more time teaching software than building leadership skills. Drawing from their own experience as corporat...

What happens to a person's sense of self when they lose their job — and how do organizations, employees, and HR leaders navigate that experience with empathy? This episode of But First, Coffee examines the emotional, psychological, and practical realities of layoffs. Jackye Clayton and John Baldino explore why how a company handles a reduction in force reveals its true values, and what displaced w...

Broadcasting live from the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas, John Baldino gives an unfiltered look at the biggest trends, missed opportunities, and real conversations happening on the expo floor. He challenges the sea of identical agentic AI messaging from vendors, highlights why the startup area is the hidden gem of the conference, and explains why behavioral AI diagnostics represent the nex...

In this episode, John Baldino is joined by talent acquisition leader Josh Rock to break down the recruiting trends that will define 2026 and beyond. They challenge the obsession with AI marketing in HR tech, argue for vendor partnerships over product pitches, and make the case that putting heart back into hiring is not optional. From skills-based hiring and realistic job previews to the decline of...

John Baldino flies solo to tackle the uncomfortable truth that AI will not fix bad managers but will absolutely expose and replace them. With Oracle cutting 10 to 12 percent of its workforce, August job growth slowing to just 54,000 new positions, and companies across industries tightening budgets, the tolerance for mediocre management has evaporated. John breaks down how AI is already handling ti...

John Baldino is joined by guest co-host Robin Schooling, author of Real HR, to explore why mentorship remains one of the most powerful yet misunderstood development tools in HR. They compare formal corporate mentorship programs with informal, organic mentoring relationships and make a compelling case that the best mentoring often happens outside structured programs. The conversation covers how to...

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino tackle the difficult reality of layoffs in today's economy, sharing firsthand experiences from both sides of the table. They discuss how HR leaders and managers can conduct reductions in force with genuine empathy and grace, why traditional outplacement services often fall short for frontline workers, and what practical support actually helps displaced employees lan...

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino explore why employee voice has become dangerously undervalued in organizations obsessed with efficiency and AI-driven cost cutting. They examine the real-world fallout from mass layoffs at companies like Oracle, where the very people who built the cloud infrastructure were replaced by the technology they created. The conversation digs into how annual engagement surv...

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino tackle the upskilling and reskilling challenge head-on, revealing why most workforce development programs fail before they even start. The problem is not the training itself but the broken foundations underneath it: vague job descriptions that read like wish lists, performance evaluations driven by feelings rather than objectives, and managers who only invest in emp...

Jackye Clayton and John Baldino dive deep into corporate social responsibility (CSR) and whether organizations are truly making a difference or just going through the motions. They challenge the conventional approach of writing checks to charities and instead advocate for hands-on, community-driven involvement that creates measurable impact. The conversation explores how companies of all sizes, es...

Why do employees really leave? It is rarely just about a bad boss. This episode unpacks the real drivers behind employee retention and reveals why leadership transparency, open-door policies, and honest conversations matter more than perks or pay raises. Jackye Clayton and John Baldino share firsthand stories about keeping communication lines open with departing employees, creating psychological s...