Episodes - HR Happy Hour

Our shows

The HR Happy Hour Network is made up of the HR Happy Hour show, At Work in America, The Workplace Minute, H3 LIVE vlog, HR Means Business, The Play by Play, and System of Record.

All podcast episodes

You can listen to the latest shows here, or you can subscribe by searching for 'HR Happy Hour' on Apple Podcast, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcast, or your favorite podcast app.

Tokenmaxxing and the AI Spending Reckoning

What is tokenmaxxing? Steve breaks down why companies like Amazon and Uber are facing an AI spending reckoning, soaring token costs, and low ROI.

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Making AI Matter: Leadership, Culture, and the Future of Hiring

In this episode of the HR Means Business podcast, Mervyn hosts Matt Alder to discuss the current state and future of AI in HR.

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Progress Under Pressure: Pride at Work in 2026

In this episode of The Workplace Minute, Steve explores the evolution of LGBTQ+ inclusion on the job, balancing real progress with modern social tensions.

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Revolutionizing Women’s Health in the Workplace

On this episode of At Work in America, Steve Boese and Trish Steed are joined by Susan Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at Lucy Rx, to explore why women’s health is becoming a critical workforce and business conversation.

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The EEOC Wants to End Workforce Demographic Reporting. What Happens Next?

In this episode of Workplace Minute, Steve examines the history of EEO workforce reporting, the EEOC’s changing enforcement philosophy, the potential impact on employers and HR leaders, and why responsible organizations should continue measuring opportunity, fairness, and workforce outcomes regardless of government mandates.

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Pope Leo on Work, Purpose, and Human Dignity

In this episode of the Workplace Minute, Steve explores the themes of dignity, opportunity, purpose, and humanity through the lens of Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. While much of the public discussion has centered on artificial intelligence, this conversation focuses on something deeper: the role work plays in helping people build lives filled with meaning, stability, care, and community.

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AI Data Centers and the Communities Asked to Host the Future

In this episode of Workplace Minute, Steve examines the economic promise, environmental concerns, labor market implications, and political tensions surrounding AI data centers. From jobs and infrastructure investment to energy demand, water usage, and community opposition, this is one of the defining workplace and economic issues of the AI era.

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Global Hiring in 2026 : New Roles, New Technology, and New Challenges

On this episode of the HR Happy Hour, Steve Boese and Trish Steed are joined by Lauren Thomas to discuss into the evolving landscape of global labor markets.

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The Sacred Cow Problem: When Founders Protect the Wrong People

For people managing HR in a company of 1–500 employees, sacred cows aren’t just frustrating — they’re destabilizing. This episode is about what happens when leadership protects the wrong person and HR is expected to clean it up.

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The Modern Job Search Is Breaking People’s Spirit

A new report from Glassdoor found that more than half of job seekers have paused their search to protect their mental health. In this episode of Workplace Minute, Steve examines the growing crisis of job search burnout, the realities behind today’s labor market numbers, and the very real emotional and psychological toll that prolonged unemployment can create.

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