Honest HR

HR leaders are expected to influence business decisions, but gaining executive buy-in requires more than great ideas. In this live recording of Honest HR, Bruce Waller, vice president of corporate relocation at the Armstrong Company and bestselling author, shares practical strategies for building trust, developing business acumen, and communicating the value of HR initiatives. Subscribe to Ho...

Successful SHRM certification candidates spend significant time preparing — but how you study matters just as much as how long you study. Charles Glover, director of certification & assessment products at SHRM, breaks down the structure of the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams, discusses proven preparation strategies, and shares advice for navigating test day with confidence. Subscribe to Honest HR to ge...

With growing employee interest and increasing healthcare costs, GLP-1 medications are creating new challenges for HR and benefits leaders. Ginny Crisp, CEO of Prescription Benefit Solutions, discusses the evolving role of GLP-1s in employer-sponsored health plans and what organizations should consider before adding coverage to their benefits programs.   This podcast is approved for .5 PDCs toward...

AI may be transforming hiring, but identifying the right talent still requires human judgment. David Cohen, executive consultant and author of Selecting the Best, joins Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, for a live recording of Honest HR to explore how behavioral interviewing, culture-driven hiring, and values-based selection can improve retention and long-term performance. Together, they discuss the promis...

Compliance doesn’t begin with a background check — it starts at the very first touchpoint with a candidate. In this live recording from Talent 2026, Debra Keller reveals the most common and costly compliance mistakes organizations make long before a background check is run. Learn how to properly navigate criminal record considerations, candidate consent, individualized assessments, and adverse act...

As AI tools and personal branding make it easier than ever to appear highly skilled, HR teams are facing a new challenge: skillfishing. Alex Alonso, SHRM’s Chief Knowledge Officer, and AJ Faraj, founder of SorsX, join Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to unpack why more candidates are appearing qualified without the skills to match. Together, they explore how AI, credential inflation, and performance in in...

HR has a bigger seat at the table than ever before, but with it comes the pressure to deliver measurable business results. Alex Alonso, SHRM’s Chief Knowledge Officer, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to discuss the Talent Optimizer dimension of the HR Excellence Framework. Together, they explore how organizations can align talent strategy with business outcomes, close skills gaps, and leverage...

Today’s workforce is more generationally diverse than ever, with Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z working side by side. But with diversity comes challenges — from communication breakdowns to tensions over AI adoption and return-to-office policies. Dr. Unnatti Jain, generational diversity researcher and CEO of Bridging Generations, joins Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, to address how HR teams c...

Demotivation can quietly erode engagement, productivity, and retention, but it doesn’t have to. Pete Ketchum, organizational psychologist and head of HR at Atonom, a technology company that builds cloud employees, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore the psychology of motivation and the hidden ways workplace systems can unintentionally demotivate employees. From spotting early warning si...

The talent gap is widening, and organizations are struggling to keep up. Emily Dickens, SHRM’s Chief Administrative Officer, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore the driving forces behind workforce shortages and the growing skills mismatch. They discuss how skills-first hiring, upskilling, and tapping into untapped talent pools can help HR professionals build a future-ready workforce.  S...

Self-management is one of the most critical — and often overlooked — leadership skills. Marisa Krafsig, CHRO of IntelliDyne, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore how unmanaged stress, high achievement, and leadership pressure can impact both personal well-being and organizational outcomes. Together, they discuss emotional intelligence in high-stakes moments, the hidden risks of executive...

Coffee is more than just a beverage — it’s a cornerstone of workplace culture. Sandy Roberts, Starbucks’ director of cultural leadership, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore how coffee fosters connection, collaboration, and belonging in the workplace. Together, they discuss the power of small moments, the role of rituals in building authentic relationships, and how HR professionals can...

Trust can feel fragile in times of uncertainty, transformation, and rising employee expectations. SHRM’s CHRO, Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to unpack insights from the 2026 SHRM CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report and explore how leadership credibility directly impacts organizational trust. Together, they discuss early warning signs of a trust breakdown, how HR can a...

As job growth slows and uncertainty lingers, more employees are choosing to stay put — even if they’re disengaged. Doreen Coles, senior director of career growth and development of ADP, joins Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, to unpack the trend of “job hugging” and how it’s reshaping career mobility and internal talent pipelines. They discuss how HR leaders can foster trust, development, and opportunity i...

Workplace romances are more common than many organizations realize, and even consensual relationships can carry serious legal and cultural risks. Jenn Betts, employment lawyer and office managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins law firm, joins host Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, to unpack how power dynamics, perception, policy, and digital communication shape legal exposure — and what HR leaders can do...

Learning and development remains a top priority for HR, yet many professionals still struggle to see a clear path forward. Elizabeth S. Egan, Director of Talent Management and Organizational Development at Cerence AI, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore how personalized learning and development strategies can better support career growth, engagement, and retention. Get guidance for HR l...

Work has never been busier — yet progress often feels elusive. Eric Martin, executive director of Blue Pinnacle Solutions, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to unpack why meetings, hidden work, and outdated productivity norms are draining organizational capacity. Together, they explore how reclaiming capacity supports agility, focus, and performance — and what HR leaders can do to move from meas...

As the cost of living rises, employee financial wellness has become a growing concern for workers and a complex challenge for employers. Tyler Horn, Head of Planning at Origin and a Certified Financial Planner, joins host Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, to discuss how HR can approach financial wellness as an employee experience strategy while balancing organizational sustainability.  Subscribe to Honest...

HR is often seen as the people function, but the reality is far more complex. Warren Wang, founder of Double Fin, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to unpack the hidden weight HR leaders carry as they balance trust, compliance, and business performance. Together, they dismantle outdated views of HR, showing how speaking the CHRO language — and aligning closely with finance — elevates credibility...

Employee perks are evolving beyond traditional benefits, with workers expecting more personalization, choice, and support than ever before. Jordan Peace, CEO and co-founder of employee experience platform Fringe, joins host Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, to explore how non-traditional perks, recognition programs, and employer-covered AI tools are reshaping the employee experience in 2026 and beyond. Lea...

Posting a job and waiting for candidates to apply is no longer enough in today’s competitive labor market. Tim Sackett, CEO of HRUTech.com, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore how HR leaders can use creative sourcing strategies, social media, and networking to find top talent where it’s actually active. They dig into the uncomfortable realities of recruiting, how to attract culture-fit...

AI coaching is reshaping how employees learn, grow, and navigate their careers — but the real story is what it means for the humans at the center of it all. Theresa Fesinstine, AI educator and founder of peoplepower.ai, sits down with host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore how HR can use AI coaching to personalize development, support diverse learning styles, and make growth more accessible acro...

As businesses face faster timelines and shifting skill needs, flexible talent has become a core part of the modern workforce — not a backup plan. Sunita Solao, CPO of Upwork, the freelance marketplace to hire top talent, joins host Monique Akanbi, SHRM-SCP, to unpack what that shift means for HR pros, how organizations can use flexible talent strategically, and why freelancers and contractors are...

Updating your employee handbook isn’t just about compliance — it’s about connection. With major workplace law changes coming in 2026, now’s the time to refresh your policies. Kiri Grant from SHRM’s HR Product Solutions team joins host Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, to explain how HR professionals can get ahead of upcoming changes, make their handbooks more engaging, and use SHRM’s Employee Handbook Buil...

As politics continue to dominate the headlines, HR professionals find themselves on the front lines of free speech at work. Can employees be fired for expressing political opinions — or does the First Amendment protect them? Attorney Tom Spiggle joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to unpack the legal limits, HR policy challenges, and real-world scenarios workplaces must navigate when politics and...