The HR Life Podcast

Tony and Steve break down parts of SHRM's annual State of the Workplace report, but only after venturing into stories of strange women playing footsies with Steve on a cruse.  Who is the most optimistic that employers are meeting the needs of their employees?  Employees, HR professionals, and HR Executives, are all in agreement that the second biggest need n the workplace is...?  Want to know what...

Tony and Steve talk about the state of HR, AI, eating catnip, and the fact that HR is both doing well and in trouble.  Tony's cynicism is both peaking and ebbing as he discusses HR with a wandering choo choo.  The guys discuss what is going on in the world of HR consulting and fractional HR.  Tony reads a post from Facebook and Steve gives a great HR in Life segment.  But don't drop out of the pod...

In this episode Tony and Steve tackle toxic work environments and Tony's fantastic ability to kill wasps from more than 10 feet away.  What is a toxic work environment? What role do front line managers play in creating or toxic environments?  Do front line managers or the C-suite have a bigger impact in your efforts to improve culture?  In this week's HR in Life Segment the guys talk about misunde...

In this episode Tony and Steve expose some insights into how to train your managers to interview.  What are they interviewing for? The guys debunk the myth that you can only ask the same set of questions in the exact same order to every candidate.  Steve sheds light on the number one things candidates complain about, the number one things interviewers complain about, and Tony loses his choo choo....

In this episode Steve and Tony discuss Steve’s Four Myths of HR and define the difference between administrative and strategic HR.  For HR professionals looking to contribute in a strategic manner at an executive level, this discussion forms a guide to what that entails.  Of course, the guys talk about Project Hail Mary and the upcoming He-Man Movie as well.  The four myths: HR is administrative H...

Listen as Tony and Steve are once again joined by Andrea Hollingsworth.  In this fantastic episode Andrea lays out the SAFE Framework that helps HR and leaders cope with RIF's, Layoffs, and survivors.  They discuss how to survive extremely difficult conversations with those leaving the business and those who are staying.  They also touch on gamifying the workplace and performance reviews. Quote of...

In this episode Tony and Steve welcome back Rachel Child in iambic pentameter and great hazas to talk about the intersection of HR education and real-world practice. Rachel shares how she found her way into the profession — and what she’s seeing from the next generation of HR professionals.  This episode touches on leadership accountability, HR education, culture vs. compliance, the realities of e...

In this episode of The HR Life Podcast , Tony and Steve sit down with Shaina Burgoyne to talk about something many HR professionals quietly wrestle with: stepping away from your career — and finding the courage to come back.  From navigating an acquisition at Omniture/Adobe to leaving the workforce to raise her children, to re-entering HR during COVID and rising into leadership at Domo, Shaina’s s...

In this episode of The HR Life Podcast , Tony and Steve go from red couches and movie plot twists to one of the most important HR conversations happening right now: AI in hiring, reverse discrimination, and why the EEOC is very active. If you think AI tools are just making recruiting easier, think again. From insider panic in the AI world to federal subpoenas and a groundbreaking lawsuit against E...

In this episode of The HR Life Podcast , "Fantastic" Tony Benjamin and Stephen “Big Deal” Smith tackle one of the biggest villains in today’s job market: the Applicant Tracking System.  The guys kick things off with a slightly terrifying (and mildly hilarious) detour into rogue AI bots that call you when you ignore them — because nothing says “future of work” like software that won’t let you ghost...

In this episode the guys talk to Stacee Pedersen about everything from PEO's to groundhog day.  They talk about why PEO's don't work for many companies, why its harder sometimes for consultants to affect the daily operation of a company, and of course, Stacee's entrepreneurial rise to power.  The guys introduce a new segment called HR In Life.  What happens when your star performer runs off every...

The guys talk to Ben Eden about HR practitioners view of themselves, how to begin to build trust when you have a seat at the table, his partnership with SHRM around the PMQ+, and other brilliant things you'll have to listen to the podcast to learn.  Steve introduces listeners to Vinagaroons and what happens when they sting you as well as recounts his recruiting days on Tatooine. We want to thank t...

Amy Adler has the proof that she's the best resume writer in the world.  The guys talk to her about professional resume writers, the first resume ever written, pink jeeps, the scams that job hunters face, the state of HR, and a lot more.  What is the worst word you can use on your LinkedIn profile? Find out in this fantastic episode.    Learn More about Amy Adler at: https://fivestrengths.com Sche...

In this episode the guys lay out SHRM's dirty laundry for everybody to see.  They discuss the $11.5M case specifics, the rumored toxic work environment at national SHRM, and how politics play into it all.  It needs to be said.  They mention the HR Besties podcast and critique their takes and the attempts of some to take down SHRM and its local affiliates.  Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice"...

The guys talk to Karisa Stahle about I9's, 1099 Employees, and how to do audits during an incredibly difficult time.  The guys check in with Karisa on the state HR, talk AI a little, and talk about how to go about an I9 audit.  Where to start and how to keep everybody calm when you let them know you need to redo some paperwork.  Learn more about Karisa Stahle at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karisa...

The guys talk to Tracie Kalmar about how tough it was to work with Steve (which she claims was great), building culture, cutesy stickers, interviewing for humility, and a lot more.  Listeners get an update on Steve's cat flooding his bathrooms and Tony gets exposed for saying the word fantastic too much.  The guys introduce a new charity you can work with and the word strategic gets said more ofte...

The guys talk to Mark Tolman, a company side employment attorney, and the most common EEOC complaints, executive orders, and some legal updates.  Learn about Muldrow v. City of St. Louis and other cases.  Did you know that you can get a restraining order against former employees and others who make threats?  Who files more of those than anybody else in Utah? Oh... and the episode isn't boring!  Le...

From our families to yours, Merry Christmas!  The guys give you an insight into their personal lives by having their wives on the podcast.  Does Steve sometimes leave off the true ending of the story?  Why does Tony respond slower now instead of just saying the first thing that pops into his head?  Listen to the podcast and find out.  Get an insight into the cardinal rule of the podcast and where...

This is the episode Steve's been teasing for more than a month!  Tony and Steve talk compassion with Andrea Hollingsworth.  Listen in as Andrea crowd surfs the "live studio audience" and dispels the idea that compassion is a lot of workplace hugs.  The guys talk to her about the difference between empathy and compassion, and discuss the fight or flight response generated when employees don't feel...

The guys talk to Weslie Porter, Director of People Analytics for the State of Utah, and he drops some amazing stats that have the ability to change how you view HR.  Wes gives some amazing insights into motivation, dissent, and the actual role of human resources.  From artillery specialists in the Army to private sector employees just onboarded, how do you gather data and build excellence?  Find o...

The guys talk to Desma and Elrona D'Souza, the "HR Sisters" and owners of S&K HR Consulting.  What is it like to live in a country where 80% of the population is imported?  What is similar between HR in Dubai and the US, what is different?  If you give somebody a bobblehead of Tony in Dubai is it a positive thing or not?  Desma D'Souza - After spending over 15 years building a successful corpo...

This episode includes the long awaited announcement of the theme of the 2026 Work Elevated Conference.  JoyLynn Jeppson joins the guys to announce the theme (which is NOT Steve Smith), tell her story and remind of how sexist the '90's were.  The episode was delayed when Tony damaged the original recording and it had to be rerecorded.  JoyLynn shares data that came out of the 2025 conference, expla...

In this week's episode, the guys talk with Tami Bajema about the revolutionary idea that weaknesses are just strengths turned up a little too high.  Tami talks about helping people find their Super Powers (the intersection of what they're good at, what they like to do, and their perseverance/marketability) starting in elementary school and during interviews.  She talks about what happened when she...

In this episode Tony and Steve attack how to take over a dysfunctional HR department or start a department of one.  They coin a new phrase, "Eat the Otterpops", discuss how to build recruiting on a solid foundation, and have a lot of fun along the way.  Steve gives some incredible new insights into what demotivates employees with some new research from iSolved, and explains why employees refer the...

Claire Lizear joins the podcast from 6 Mile to talk HR burnout, the trap that many HR professionals find themselves in, who HR should report to, how she screens applicants, and of course, horror stories.  All this with Claire's fiery sense of humor and incredible insight.  Tony shares a favorite harassment complaint.  Claire explains what 8 Mile, 6 Mile, and 5 Mile are near Detroit and we find out...