The Purple Acorn HR Morning Show

Welcome to Episode 93 of The HR Morning Show, part of the Purple Acorn Network! In this packed episode, hosts Joel Lalgee, Danielle Farage, and Serge Boudreau pull back the curtain on the real motivations behind five-day return-to-office (RTO) mandates, exposing how executive ego and "CEO groupthink" often overrule data-driven productivity metrics. The team also breaks down the heavy legal and com...

Hosts Serge Boudreau and Dan Riley tackle the massive legal and technological shifts disrupting the workforce in mid-2026. The episode kicks off with two major headline stories. First, the team breaks down the recent nationwide block of a $100K H-1B fee, which a federal court struck down as an unconstitutional tax—delivering immediate relief to tech, healthcare, and higher education employers. Nex...

In Episode 91 of The HR Morning Show, hosts Adam Posner, Brian Fink, and Robin Schooling break down major structural shifts shaking up the HR profession. The team dives into findings from HR Dive’s 2026 Identity of HR survey, revealing a massive pivot away from traditional credentials like SHRM and HRCI in favor of niche, skills-based certifications in areas like artificial intelligence, executive...

Hosts Mike Peditto and Ron Fish dive deep into the seismic shifts currently reshaping global talent networks. The episode kicks off with a critical look at a landmark Oxford working paper that turns popular AI narratives on their head, proving that remote and hybrid work structures—not automation—are driving the massive collapse in entry-level hiring. The hosts also break down the stark reality of...

Serge Boudreau and Ron Fish break down the shifting dynamics of corporate work mandates and a startling compensation reality check within the HR sector. The duo explores how Fortune 100 giants like TikTok and NBC Universal are leveraging strict five-day Return-To-Office (RTO) mandates to quietly trigger voluntary attrition. This corporate shift creates a unique opportunity for agile mid-market emp...

In this episode of The HR Morning Show, hosts Adam Posner and Ron Fish dive deep into the massive waves of transformation hitting the talent landscape. The team breaks down the latest industry headlines, starting with a leaked internal memo detailing Meta's aggressive restructuring and workforce reductions tied to automating redundant workflows with advanced AI. They also dissect a newly filed cla...

AI is no longer just changing the tools HR teams use, it is changing the shape of the workforce itself. Danielle Farage and Dan Riley break down two major headlines this week: Cloudflare cutting more than 1,100 jobs as part of an “agentic AI-first” operating model, and Match Group slowing hiring to fund broader AI tools and training. Both stories raise urgent questions for HR and TA leaders around...

This episode of The HR Morning Show tackles the high-stakes intersection of corporate strategy and legal compliance, starting with a deep dive into Microsoft’s recent workforce pivot. As the tech giant ramps up capital expenditure on AI, CFO Amy Hood is prioritizing "high-performing teams" and technical agility over traditional headcount growth, signaling a lean, AI-augmented future for talent acq...

Join hosts Rhona Barnett-Pierce and Mike Peditto as they dive into the rapidly shifting landscape of HR in 2026. This episode explores the Department of Labor’s new proposed "joint employer" standard and the rise of the "Seduction Era" in talent acquisition, where job security is officially outranking pay for new grads. Our featured guest is Jocelyn King, Founder and CEO of VirgilHR and host of th...

In this episode of The HR Morning Show, hosts Adam Posner and Trent Cotton tackle the growing disconnect between corporate technology initiatives and employee execution. The discussion centers on the "AI Readiness Gap," featuring data from Docebo that reveals a staggering 85% of employees are unable to apply their AI training to their daily responsibilities. The team also breaks down new findings...

In this high-impact episode of the HR Morning Show, hosts Adam Posner and Danielle Farage dive into the structural shifts defining the 2026 talent landscape, starting with the move from "filling the funnel" to "Precision Over Scale." The team breaks down recent reports from SHRM, Rival HR, and SAP, highlighting the end of the AI "experimentation phase" and the rise of systematic operational integr...

Hosts Joel Lalgee, Danielle Farage, and Brian Fink tackle the shifting tides of the 2026 labor market. The team dives deep into the "AI-driven displacement" trend, analyzing rumors of massive restructuring at Meta where human headcount is being traded for generative AI infrastructure costs. They also break down the latest JOLTS data, which reveals a stagnant talent market where employees are too f...

In this episode of The HR Morning Show, hosts Danielle Farage, Brian Fink, and Mike Peditto dive into the shifting landscape of entry-level hiring and the broader economic impact of AI integration. The team breaks down recent data revealing that 21% of U.S. companies have frozen entry-level hiring as they pivot budgets toward AI infrastructure, sparking a critical conversation about the future tal...

Hosts Joel Lalgee, Adam Posner, and Brian Fink dive into the intensifying intersection of federal regulation and workplace technology. The show kicks off with a look at major headlines, including tech workers’ pushback against Anthropic’s supply chain risk label and the massive Al-driven layoffs at Block. The team then welcomes Michael Smith, a veteran in federal investigations, to discuss how lea...

This episode of The HR Morning Show tackles the complex intersection of artificial intelligence, human judgment, and the shifting power dynamics of the 2026 labor market. Hosts Danielle Farage, John Baldino and Trent Cotton will dive into the emergence of "workslop"—productivity losses caused by low-quality AI outputs—and discuss how HR leaders must shift from simply using AI to managing its ethic...

In this episode of The HR Morning Show, hosts Brian Fink, Kyle Lagunas, and Trent Cotton dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of AI orchestration and recruitment branding. The team kicks things off with a special headlines-worthy announcement from Kyle & Co before welcoming Gina Alioto of Shaker Recruitment Marketing to discuss the firm's 75th anniversary and modern brand leadership. Trent and...

As we hit mid-February, the HR landscape is grappling with a shift in how we value work. This episode explores the controversial rise of "Peanut Butter" pay raises—where merit takes a backseat to across-the-board increases—and how top-tier organizations maintain culture and storytelling in a high-speed world. Key Segments & Highlights: Headline News: A deep dive into the "Spread of Peanut Butter P...

Live from TA Week, hosts Adam Posner and Brian Fink, along with Mike Peditto dive into a high-stakes week for the talent industry. We kick things off with a massive headline: AI giant Eightfold AI is facing a lawsuit alleging violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The suit claims their "black box" algorithms act as unlicensed consumer reporting agencies, scoring job seekers without their con...

In this episode of The HR Morning Show, Adam, Danielle, and Joel dive into the murky waters of corporate communication, discussing a new report revealing that 60% of companies may be using Artificial Intelligence as a "scapegoat" for organizational restructuring. We also break down the latest shifts at Meta, where 1,000 jobs are being cut in Reality Labs to pivot toward AI wearables, alongside a s...

Hosts Danielle and Serge tackle the unsettling reality of the current talent landscape with a headline segment titled ""We Broke Hiring. Now We're Automating the Damage."" As the industry grapples with whether new tools are solving the hiring crisis or merely accelerating dysfunction, the hosts welcome industry veteran David Manaster (ERE Media) to the show. David shares his critical analysis of t...

Welcome back to the number one spot for all things HR! We are kicking off 2026 with a packed show exploring the shifting landscapes of hiring, legal compliance, and talent strategy. In this episode, the team breaks down the "Redefining Hiring in 2026" headline, focusing on why skills agility and AI readiness are no longer optional. We’re joined by Vikram Shetty to tackle the complex legal hurdles...

Join host Jada Montemarano for a special edition of the Purple Acorn HR Morning Show as we bid farewell to 2025 and unveil bold 2026 predictions with a powerhouse lineup of twelve industry experts. In this fast-paced broadcast, our guests will tackle the eight "Purple Acorn–Approved" prediction categories, debating everything from the "Real vs. Hype" of AI and the "Stack Clean-Up" of HR technology...

Join hosts Danielle, Serge, and Brian Fink for a news-heavy edition of The HR Morning Show. We kick off with a breakdown of the new Executive Order establishing a national AI policy, effectively limiting state-level regulations. The team also unpacks alarming new data regarding CHRO turnover, which has hit a five-year high as leaders face "transformation fatigue". Later, we dive into organizationa...

This episode of The HR Morning Show brings together sharp insights, unexpected stories, and the kind of creative problem solving HR leaders love. We kick things off with a headline rundown before diving into a unique marketing stunt that caught the FDA's attention and reminded us how deeply HR influences corporate identity. Brian Farkas and Tylynne McCauley walk us through the strategy behind thei...

Today’s episode is packed with two powerhouse conversations. First, Adam sits down with Dani Herrera for a deep dive into inclusive hiring—from equitable interviewing and accessibility to what talent leaders must consider when buying AI tools. Dani brings sharp predictions for 2026 and a thoughtful look at how healthy cultures and strong candidate experiences actually get built. Then Rhona chats w...