Across The Bar Podcast

Are you being "pushed" back into the office without a formal mandate? 🏢 In this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein pull back the curtain on the subtle (and sometimes strange) ways corporate America is changing. We explore the rise of "Hybrid Creep"—the trend of linking promotions and pay to office attendance—and why companies are suddenly scrubbing DEI langua...

In this special episode of The Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein break down the essential roadmap for anyone looking to turn their expertise into a thriving business. Whether you're leaving a corporate role or scaling a side hustle, we cover the administrative, legal, and financial hurdles you need to clear to succeed. In this episode, we discuss: 🎯 Defining Your Nic...

On this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar & Laura Brounstein break down the intersection of power, politics, and the future of work—from viral White House portraits to the high-stakes AI arms race in hiring. 📸 The Vanity Fair White House Shoot: We discuss the viral, unretouched White House portraits by Christopher Anderson. Is this a new era of political transparency,...

On this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar & Laura Brounstein dive into today's hottest workplace issues, including the Michigan football scandal, worker fatigue, explaining COBRA, the structural reasons women are falling behind in the workplace, and office holiday gifts.   0:00 Introduction  3:00 Michigan Football Scandal 8:45 Combatting Worker Fatigue and Burnout in th...

On this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Peter Rahbar & Laura Brounstein tackle the biggest buzz in the working world—from looking your best to navigating the hottest AI careers and the ever-tricky art of self-promotion. 🔥 Looking Hot for Work: We discuss the latest trends and why looking good might just boost your career (and your mood). 🧑‍💻 Gen Z Loves the Office (Seriously):...

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar tackle three essential workplace topics that every leader and employee needs to navigate this season. 📰 This Week's Topics: 🤖 Workplace AI Ambassadors Rise - Companies like ServiceNow are identifying 1,000 high performers to serve as internal AI influencers who train colleagues on AI adoption. How organ...

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar unpack four explosive workplace scandals that are dominating headlines and sparking critical conversations about accountability and culture. This week's topics include: 📋 Epstein E-mails Released - The new Epstein e-mail release and their workplace implications. What corporate leaders need to know about...

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar explore the critical workplace trends that reveal where work culture and the economy are headed. 📰 This Week's Topics: 🗳️ Mamdani and your Workplace - What the election of NYC's new mayor Zohran Mamdani means for your workplace, and whether companies will really leave NYC.  👥 Male Affinity Groups Emerge...

In this Halloween episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar discuss the latest issues impacting the workplace, including: 😔 What If You're Asked to Lay Off Your Team? - Navigating the emotional burden of conducting layoffs as a manager, how to have difficult termination conversations, and other basics you should know as a manager 🤖 Should Managers Use AI for Perfor...

Join hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar on Across the Bar Podcast as we dive into this week's biggest workplace news: ⏰ Is 7am Too Early for Meetings? - The heated debate over early morning work meetings, employee burnout from scheduling conflicts, and setting healthy workplace boundaries 💼 100-Hour Workweeks Exposed - Are extreme work hours for real? Breaking down 996, 100-hour work weeks...

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar dive into the pivotal workplace trends shaping the future of work and corporate America. 📰 This Week's Topics include: 🏢 NYC Office Comeback - Manhattan office leasing hits highest volume since 2019 with 23.2 million square feet leased. What this surge really says about RTO policies, AI replacing jobs,...

🏛️ The Real Costs of the Government Shutdown For Workers - The real economic impact of federal shutdowns on workers, contractors, small businesses, and the broader employment market 🤖 Beat AI Resume Bots - Is it a smart idea to play games with AI resume bots to get past automated hiring tools ✊ White Collar Union Movement - Why professional workers are unionizing, and what collective bargaining...

Join hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar on the Across the Bar Podcast as we dive into this week's biggest workplace news: 🏛️ Government Shutdown Impact - How the federal government shutdown is affecting workers, contractors, and the broader employment market 🤖 AI Lies - Why companies are falsely claiming that AI is responsible for layoffs and a slowdown in hiring 💼 Would You Work for Elon M...

Join hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar on the Across the Bar Podcast as we dive into this week's biggest workplace news: 📺 Jimmy Kimmel Suspension Drama - Breaking down the late-night host suspension controversy - why it happened and what it means for free speech 🏢 Return to Office Mandate Failures - Why RTO policies are crashing and burning, plus why hybrid policies may be the best policy...

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar tackle the critical workplace issues dominating headlines and boardrooms across America. 📰 This Week's Topics include: 🗣️ Workplace Free Speech Crisis - Employees getting fired over Charlie Kirk-related comments and the ongoing debate about political expression at work (note: recording occurred just befo...

Join hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar on The Across the Bar Podcast as we dive into this week's biggest workplace news: 💰 Elon Musk's Epic Payday - Breaking down his record-breaking $1 trillion pay package and what it says about executive compensation 🚔 Hyundai ICE Raid - The shocking ICE raid at Hyundai facilities  📱 DIML Videos Take Over - Why Day in My Life (DIML) work videos are goin...

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, hosts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar break down four major workplace stories shaking up the professional world, including:  👑 New Vogue Editor - Chloe Malle's appointment as the new Vogue editor and what it means for fashion industry leadership 📱 Burner Phones for US Travel - Foreign companies and governments are telling staff to use burne...

In this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, workplace experts Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar break down the hottest workplace trends and career tips! 🎯 What We Cover: 🌟 New Job Success - Proven strategies for making an outstanding first impression at your new job! 🏦 JPMorgan Union Drama - Inside scoop on the new union organizing efforts at Wall Street's biggest bank 💰 Intel's Government...

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Peter and Laura discuss the latest issues in the workplace, including how AI can get you fired, whether Quiet Cracking is actually a trend worth talking about, CEOs gone wild at AT&T and elsewhere, and whether the VP of PTO takes too much vacation! Please watch, subscribe and share with your colleagues!

What was old is new again. In this episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar discuss why in-person interviews are back, why working mothers are being pushed out of the workplace - again, the continuing Sydney Sweeney controversy, and expenses gone wild at Food52! Please listen and subscribe!

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Peter and Laura discuss a summer filled with chaos in the workplace, including how executives should respond to NYC office shooting, CEOs failing in their communications about job cuts while their employees demand fairness, whether executives can trust their GCs and how to negotiate your severance offer.

In this week's episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Peter and Laura discuss the hot workplace issues of the summer, including how to leave a good impression at the end of your summer internship (hint: don't bite your colleagues!), what you should do if your boss asks you to lie, the administration's latest moves to eliminate worker protections and "WokeAI", and whether you should get a Neurolink...

Should CEOs (or Human Resources) have romantic relationships with anyone in their company? Of course not! In this week’s episode of the Across the Bar Podcast, Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar "embrace" the Coldplay CEO situation, talk about sabbaticals, the four-day workweek, the death of the one page resume and whether companies actually want to have employees stay for the long term. Of course...

This week on Across the Bar, we break down the chaos behind corporate exits, AI spirals, and billionaire power moves. Laura and Peter dig into Linda Yaccarino’s departure from X, Grok’s racist outbursts, and the recruiting wars colliding with layoffs at banks and private equity firms. Plus: how interns should handle layoff news, Bezos-buying rumors, and Bill Ackman's latest ego play!

How the news and pop culture are changing the workplace every day, with top employment lawyer Peter Rahbar and top comms strategist and workplace expert Laura Brounstein. Is “unlimited PTO” a workplace scam? And what does Caitlin Clark’s $75K salary really mean for women’s sports? This week on Across the Bar , Laura and Peter cover: Condé Nast workers fighting back during NYC’s heat wave The truth...