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Toot or Boot: HR Edition
Welcome to Toot or Boot, where a rotating crew of forward-thinking HR professionals dive into the latest news and trends shaping the workplace. We’re passionate about finding modern solutions and advocate for transforming the world of work into a space that’s fairer, more inclusive, and supportive for all. Join us as we challenge the status quo, spark meaningful conversations, and explore innovative ways to create a better future for employees and organizations alike.
Episodes
36 episodes
April Fools - can we tell the real headlines from the fake?
In this special April Fool’s Day episode, host Stacey Nordwall hands over the reins to co-producer Lexi Croswell for a fun twist on the usual format. Instead of tooting or booting HR headlines, Stacey and HR consultant Nadia Eran have to d...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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28:18
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Live in Las Vegas at Transform
Last week our team was at the Transform Conference in Las Vegas, connecting with HR practitioners and thought leaders. We decided to have some fun and do quick on the conference floor interviews with fellow attendees and friends of the pod. So ...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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13:20
Get on board or get out buyout tactics, sex discrimination and revenge quitting
We discuss a recent sex discrimination case where a male employee in a female-dominated workplace filed a claim after being excluded from awards with the announcement "it's not going to be any of the men." We explore the complex dynamics of bei...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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41:34
Ageism, career catfishing, and a 10-year low for US employee engagement
In this episode, we start with the concerning prevalence of workplace ageism, where research shows nearly all employees over 40 experience age discrimination and feel pressured to downplay their experience.We then explore the puzzling "c...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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36:57
JPMorgan CEO hates on remote work, Britain takes on flexible working, and work-life balance
Matt is back to talk about the growing divide in workplace flexibility across different sectors of the workforce. We dive into new research showing how Britain's frontline workers are being left behind in the flexible work revolution, creating ...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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28:30
Meta lays off "low performers," AI's guardrails in Oz, and DOGE spyware
In this episode, we dive into layoffs due to performance, AI and workplace monitoring. First, we chat Meta's controversial "low performer" layoffs, where terminated employees are challenging the company's performance-based justification. And we...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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24:26
What is burnout? And why is it so prevalent in HR?
Join host Stacey Nordwall and special guests Julie Turney and Stephanie Lemek for a deep dive into HR burnout - an issue that has become critical for the field.Drawing insights from Emily and Amelia Nagoski's book "Burnout," the convers...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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1:12:01
What 2025 holds for RTOs and why Americans may be accepting lower salaries
Coming up on today's episode: We're diving into the latest RTO trends for 2025! We'll explore how major companies are taking wildly different approaches - from WPP's new four-day office mandate to firms like Spotify doubling down on flexibility...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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34:21
Anticipated employment law changes, soft quitting, and the new deputy labor secretary
This week we kick it off with some anticipated employment law changes that could impact your workplaces. We'll unpack 5 laws expected to impact businesses in 2025, from pay transparency mandates to revamped contractor rules. We'll also analyze ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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34:02
HR preps for new administration, Apple pushes back on anti-DEI, and reverse discrimination lawsuits
Get ready for your HR news fix! This week we're diving into three timely stories: guidance on how to approach the administration change, Apple's response defending their DEI initiatives against shareholder pushback, and a potential emerging tre...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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22:48
2025 HR Predictions: Toot-worthy or Boot-worthy?
In this week's special episode, your host Stacey Nordwall joins the Toot or Boot hot seat with Erica Spitale and Rebecca Taylor, and producer Lexi comes out from behind the scenes for a rapid-fire edition of Toot or Boot, all about 2025 HR pred...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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48:25
All things DEI with Vijay and Tara
What do we mean when we say DEI? Are the companies rolling back their DEI programs making substantive changes? And what is DEI going to look like under the new administration?In this episode of Toot or Boot, we welcome back guests Vijay...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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52:11
Candidates love-bombed and ghosted, the return of bro culture, and volunteering as a wellbeing program
In this episode, we explore the turbulent landscape of modern workplaces, starting with Greenhouse's survey revealing that over half of job seekers experience ghosting or "love-bombing" during the hiring process—creating frustration and mistrus...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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30:09
The Golden Toots and Coal-filled Boots of 2024
2024 was a challenging year. We saw the implementation of six-day workweeks, so many layoffs, return-to-office (RTO) mandates, and DEI rollbacks. SHRM removed the E from DEI and Silicon Valley CEOs and VCs seemed to want a return to days of HR ...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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40:09
Elon to X remote work, RTOs as retaliation, and what employees really value
In this episode, we dive into Elon Musk's and Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial task force, cheekily named the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Their mission? To slash federal workforce numbers by targeting remote and hybrid work—impac...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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28:50
Managers' toxic positivity, the legacy of Steve Jobs' leadership style, and a 2025 quitting spree?
This week I'm joined by Vijay Pendakur, an author and HR advisor and consultant, to dive into toxic positivity, toxic leadership and more. First, we chat about managers glossing over bad news, creating an atmosphere of toxic positivity, and los...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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30:25
Employee wellbeing and trust in leadership declines, and Meta fires staff over meal vouchers
Lindsey Caplan joins us again to discuss the stats showing that fewer than one in three employees trust their senior leaders. Next we talk about the employees fired by Meta for misusing their meal credits and what it means about org culture, tr...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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25:50
The Trouble with SHRM
On this week's episode, we're doing something a little different. I invited Morgan Williams, Tracie Sponenberg, and Sarika Lamont to go in-depth on one topic - SHRM. SHRM has been the talk of HR news a lot over the past year - they drop...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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50:48
Polyworking, AI surveillance of workers, and why HR is getting tougher
In this episode, we talk about a new HR buzz word “polyworking” – juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet. But is it just hustle and grind culture 2.0? Then, we explore recent moves by the CFPB to extend consumer protection into employment dat...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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23:48
Workday wellness check, supercommutes, and Dell's last minute RTO
Is the supercommute making a comeback? In this week’s episode, Cassidy Edwards joins as we dive into the story of a man who *loves* his 7-hour daily trek. We also unpack the chaos caused by Dell's sudden return-to-office (RTO) mandate, and expl...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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33:42
Parental leave and the case of stolen valor
This week Kim Rohrer and Cassandra Babilya are back to discuss parental leave and policies and practices that support parents. We start off by discussing a lawsuit where a former employee of a law firm alleges that the company’s leave policy vi...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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37:49
The HR Leadership exodus, flat hierarchies and the 25-year high of EEOC disability discrimination charges
Are we on the verge of losing key HR leaders due to burnout and lack of strategic support? Tara Turk-Haynes, founder of Equity Activations, joins us to discuss the possible HR leadership exodus along with the EEOC’s 25-year high in disability d...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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22:55
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Amazon's RTO, more tech layoffs, and the myth of in-office culture
This week on Toot or Boot, Tara Turk-Haynes, founder of Equity Activations, joins us to break down Amazon's RTO mandate and the myth of in-office culture-building. Then we dive into the latest tech layoffs—is it the economy, real estate, or the...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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30:41
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Gen Z's sick days, the meeting industrial complex, and centering employees
We dive into the "meeting industrial complex" and whether our work culture has really adapted to remote and hybrid models. Join Noah Warder, VP of People and Culture at Accent Inns, and me as we discuss how to reclaim focus time, explore Gen Z’...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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20:17
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Founder mode, right-to-disconnect, and social activism in orgs
Noah Warder, VP of People and Culture at Accent Inns, joins to talk about founder mode and what it gets wrong. We also dive into the debate around right-to-disconnect laws. Are they necessary protections, or do they create unnecessary urgency? ...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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24:01