HR Keeps Inheriting Everyone Else’s Problems

Host: Sabrina Baker

Summary

If no one owns it, HR gets it. That's not a bandwidth problem, it's an ownership boundary problem. And they require completely different solutions.

In this episode, Sabrina Baker breaks down why unowned work keeps landing on HR's plate and how HR's own greatest strength — operating in ambiguity — works against them. The more capable and willing you are to step in, the more the organization learns to route things your direction. Involvement and ownership are not the same thing. One of the most strategic things HR can do is understand the difference.

She shares three moves for stopping the pattern that you can start doing today. The sentence to hold onto: every problem HR solves without clarifying ownership becomes HR's problem to solve again later.

Key Topics

• Ownership boundaries in HR
• Delegation and offloading tasks
• Distinction between involvement and ownership
• Strategies to clarify responsibilities
• Impact of ambiguity on HR workload
• Building organizational accountability

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The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman.

Every year, companies spin their wheels searching externally for senior leaders. Meanwhile, their next VP is already on their payroll. Recognized by peers, but overlooked on the org chart. Future Leaders™ by Workhuman fixes that. Using AI and real-time recognition data, Future Leaders identifies your highest-potential talent four years ahead of schedule — before they burn out, check out, or get picked up by someone who saw what you missed. Build smarter. Promote confidently. Keep your best people. Future Leaders. Only from Workhuman. Learn more at workhuman.com. Thanks for joining us.

Why AI Transformation Requires a New People Strategy

Host: Steve Boese

Guest: Ravin Jesuthasan, Global Transformation Leader & Partner at Mercer

Summary

On this episode of At Work in America, Steve Boese is joined by Ravin Jesuthasan to discuss why successful AI transformation requires more than simply deploying new technology. Drawing from Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2026 research, Ravin explains how leading organizations are redesigning work, evolving HR’s role, and focusing on skills to unlock the full value of AI. The conversation also explores employee wellbeing, workforce readiness, and the choices leaders must make to balance productivity, growth, and human impact in an increasingly intelligent workplace.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Transformation in Work

03:00 The Role of Technology in Work Redesign

05:54 Evolving HR's Role in Organizations

08:49 The Impact of AI on Workforce Dynamics

12:05 Understanding Employee Thriving in the Workplace

14:50 Navigating Skills and Workplace Development

18:01 The Choices Organizations Face with AI

21:06 Future Outlook on Work and AI Integration

Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman.

Every year, companies spin their wheels searching externally for senior leaders. Meanwhile, their next VP is already on their payroll. Recognized by peers, but overlooked on the org chart. Future Leaders™ by Workhuman fixes that. Using AI and real-time recognition data, Future Leaders identifies your highest-potential talent four years ahead of schedule — before they burn out, check out, or get picked up by someone who saw what you missed. Build smarter. Promote confidently. Keep your best people. Future Leaders. Only from Workhuman. Learn more at workhuman.com. Thanks for joining us.

The Executive Athlete Mindset: Why Recovery Drives Better Performance

Host: Steve Boese and Trish Steed

Guest: Nicole Elizabeth Ward, AON Executive Leader & Performance Strategist

Summary

On this episode of At Work in America, Steve Boese and Trish Steed are joined by author, executive leader, and performance strategist Nicole Elizabeth Ward to explore why sustainable performance requires more than hard work and long hours.

Drawing from her book Biohacking for the Sales Athlete, Nicole shares the personal wake-up call that transformed her approach to health, leadership, and success. The conversation challenges the workplace culture that rewards exhaustion and constant availability, offering a new perspective on performance through the lens of recovery, sleep, movement, nutrition, and physiological well-being.

Together, they discuss why leaders should think of themselves as athletes, how stress impacts communication and decision-making, and practical ways individuals can improve performance without sacrificing their health. This episode offers actionable insights for leaders, HR professionals, and anyone looking to perform at their best while building a more sustainable relationship with work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Executive Athlete Mindset

03:30 A Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

07:51 Why Corporate Culture Rewards Burnout

11:39 Sleep, Recovery, and Sustainable Performance

20:28 Taking Control of Your Wellbeing at Work

24:12 Rethinking Workplace Performance and Rewards

28:36 The Leadership Impact of Physiological Health

31:30 Practical Biohacking Strategies for Everyday Success

Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman.

Every year, companies spin their wheels searching externally for senior leaders. Meanwhile, their next VP is already on their payroll. Recognized by peers, but overlooked on the org chart. Future Leaders™ by Workhuman fixes that. Using AI and real-time recognition data, Future Leaders identifies your highest-potential talent four years ahead of schedule — before they burn out, check out, or get picked up by someone who saw what you missed. Build smarter. Promote confidently. Keep your best people. Future Leaders. Only from Workhuman. Learn more at workhuman.com. Thanks for joining us.