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Unmuted

Unmuted

De : WRKdefined Podcast Network
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Hosted by Jeff Waldman, Unmuted features candid conversations with the leaders, innovators, and builders shaping the future of work. From AI and leadership to culture and change, each episode delivers practical insights without the jargon or hype.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Economie Management Management et direction
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  • The Decisions Leaders Dont' Make: The Hidden Cost of People Debt

    The Decisions Leaders Dont' Make: The Hidden Cost of People Debt
    Sep 17 2026
    Unmuted Podcast | Episode #86 Topic: The Decisions Leaders Don't Make: The Hidden Cost of People Debt Guest: Hyla Pollak - Founder & Fractional HR Leader at Halo HR Consulting Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hylapollak/ Guest Website: https://culture-consulting-hyla-nf3851m.gamma.site/ ⁠⁠⁠Host: Jeff Waldman – Founder & HR Tech Evangelist at ScaleHR & SocialHRCamp Podcast host Jeff Waldman opens the episode by framing a common leadership problem: when leaders avoid hard people decisions, the cost compounds. Guest Hyla Pollak explains what “people debt” is, why even strong leaders fall into it, and how delayed action quietly erodes culture, trust, and performance. Guest spotlight: Hyla, an HR leader who works in HR on demand and fractional HR, brings practical perspective from helping founders and growing organizations handle people issues before they become expensive. Key Topics: In this episode: people debt as the human version of technical debt. Hyla defines people debt as the accumulated cost of unresolved people issues caused by indecision or delay. Why doing nothing is still a decision. The central idea is that postponing action does not avoid cost. It simply shifts the bill forward, often at a higher price. What leaders are often afraid of. Hyla points to fear of losing talent, lack of replacement options, conflict avoidance, and uncertainty about what happens after a tough decision. The hidden workload created by avoidance. When one person underperforms or is misaligned, someone else usually absorbs the slack, often the CEO or a manager already carrying a full load. How people debt affects culture. Employees notice when poor performance is tolerated, or difficult behaviour is ignored, and that signals what the organization really values. Values only matter when tested. Hyla argues that values on walls and websites mean little if leaders do not use them to make hard decisions when it counts. A practical leadership example. Jeff shares a story about a senior VP whose directness was initially hard to take, but whose decisions were ultimately right for the business and aligned with its values. The role of clarity. Hyla says many performance problems are actually expectation problems, and leaders should check whether goals and standards are truly clear. A better question than “Should I fire them"? The episode focuses on addressing issues earlier, through coaching, clarification, and asking what the cost of waiting really is. The long view. A key takeaway is to ask what the situation will look like in six months if nothing changes, and whether the current inaction is sustainable. Timestamps: 00:00 - Opening and the meaning of “people debt” 01:45 - Technical debt versus people debt 03:41 - Welcoming Hyla Pollak and her HR background 05:14 - HR on demand and fractional HR explained 06:28 - What people debt actually is 09:02 - Why leaders let people debt build up 10:27 - Short-term pain versus long-term cost 11:52 - Culture, trust, and the invoice employees pay 13:29 - CEO example: a finance leader who could not keep up 15:23 - What employees learn when leaders tolerate poor performance 18:15 - A story about a senior VP whose tough decisions helped the business 20:49 - Values matter most when things get hard 21:53 - Gustavo Rossetti’s Forward Talk and the idea of conversation debt 24:12 - How leaders can recognize and address people debt earlier 26:13 - Questions leaders should ask before delaying action 28:47 - The one thing to remember: doing nothing is a decision 29:31 - Closing remarks and where to find the podcast Notable Quotes: 1) “Not making a decision is actually a decision because you’ve decided not to decide". 2) “What leaders do not address can become just as powerful a signal about culture as what they actively promote". 3) “If you change nothing, nothing changes". About Hyla Pollak: Hyla Pollak is a senior People & Culture leader with 20+ years of experience helping organizations build strong teams, navigate change and tackle the people issues that can get messy. She founded Halo HR Consulting to provide fractional People executive leadership, strategic HR advisory, and HR On Demand for founders and leaders who need quick, practical help solving HR and people problems. About ScaleHR: The Unmuted Podcast is powered by ScaleHR (https://goscalehr.com/), helping emerging HR, Recruitment, and Work Tech companies accelerate brand awareness and lead generation through Catalyst, our community-driven content and omnichannel marketing solution. Learn more: ⁠https://www.goscalehr.com/⁠ #Podcast #Leadership #HR #HumanResources #Management
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    25 min
  • Employee Benefits Are Changing: What HR Needs to Know Now

    Employee Benefits Are Changing: What HR Needs to Know Now
    Sep 10 2026
    Unmuted Podcast | Episode #85 Topic: Employee Benefits Are Changing: What HR Needs to Know Now Guest: Chris Gory - President & Benefits Consultant at Orchard Benefits Guest LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgory/ Guest Website: https://orchardbenefits.ca/ ⁠Host: Jeff Waldman – Founder & HR Tech Evangelist at ScaleHR & SocialHRCamp The Unmuted Podcast, hosted by Jeff Waldman, explores the topics shaping HR, talent, HR tech, leadership, and the future of work. In this episode, Jeff speaks with employee benefits expert Chris Gory about the major changes Canadian employers need to understand in benefits. The conversation focuses on Alberta’s Bill 11, which requires employers to keep employees aged 65 and older on health benefits coverage. Chris explains why the legislation affects companies across Canada with even one employee in Alberta, what HR leaders need to do, and why other provinces may eventually introduce similar changes. Jeff and Chris also discuss the growing importance of mental health coverage, the rise of ADHD-related claims, changing workforce demographics, generic drugs, dental costs, and the importance of using employee claims data to design a benefits plan that meets the needs of the actual workforce. Takeaways What Alberta’s Bill 11 means for employers across Canada Why employees aged 65 and older may need to be added back to benefits plans How mental health benefits have become table stakes The growing importance of covering a wider range of mental health practitioners Why ADHD claims are increasing, particularly among women aged 25 to 45 How workforce demographics influence benefits usage Why generic drugs are helping moderate benefits costs The importance of using claims data to guide benefits strategy Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Unmuted Podcast 01:52 Employee Benefits Are Changing 04:16 Welcoming Chris Gory 06:20 Chris’s Background in Employee Benefits 08:04 Understanding Alberta’s Bill 11 10:08 Could Other Provinces Follow Alberta? 13:21 Why Mental Health Benefits Are Now Table Stakes 16:56 The Rise of ADHD Claims 19:13 Designing Benefits for a Diverse Workforce 20:03 How Workforce Demographics Affect Claims 21:33 Using Data to Build Better Benefits Plans 22:02 Why Benefits Costs Are Not Rising as Expected 23:04 Generic Drugs and Dental Cost Trends 24:27 Key Takeaways for HR Leaders 25:45 Closing the Episode About Chris Gory Chris Gory is an employee benefits expert with more than 35 years of experience in insurance and benefits. Since 2004, he has specialized in working with startups and growing companies, including technology organizations across Canada. Chris works with Orchard Benefits and advises companies on building effective, competitive, and data-informed employee benefits programs. Connect with Orchard Benefits: https://orchardbenefits.ca/ About ScaleHR The Unmuted Podcast is powered by ScaleHR (https://goscalehr.com/), helping emerging HR, Recruitment, and Work Tech companies accelerate brand awareness and lead generation through Catalyst, our community-driven content and omnichannel marketing solution. Learn more: https://www.goscalehr.com/ #Podcast #EmployeeBenefits #HR #HumanResources #Benefits
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    22 min
  • Does HR Need More Outsiders?

    Does HR Need More Outsiders?
    Aug 6 2026
    Unmuted Podcast | Episode #84Topic: Does HR Need More Outsiders?Guest: Kara Wilson Oliver - VP, People Operations at DealMakerGuest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karawilsonoliver/Host: Jeff Waldman – Founder & HR Tech Evangelist at ScaleHR & SocialHRCamp The Unmuted Podcast, hosted by Jeff Waldman, explores the topic of whether HR needs more outsiders. Kara Wilson Oliver, the guest, shares her background and transition to HR, emphasizing the application of a product mindset to the people function. The conversation also delves into the benefits of bringing outsiders into HR, the potential for HR leaders to transition to broader roles, and the transformative power of AI in HR. Takeaways Application of a product mindset to HR Benefits of bringing outsiders into HR Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Unmuted Podcast 01:13 Episode 84: Does HR Need More Outsiders? 03:23 Kara's Background and Transition to HR 14:28 Applying Product Mindset to People Function 23:11 Bringing Outsiders into HR 27:27 HR Leaders Transitioning to Broader Roles 32:40 The Power of AI in HR About Kara Wilson Oliver Kara is a People executive with 25 years in Toronto’s startup ecosystem and an unusual career path: 15 years building products before realizing that organizations are really just the most complicated product of all. She brings a product mindset to culture, leadership, organizational design and AI adoption - building practical People systems that help ambitious companies scale. Connec with Kara on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/karawilsonoliver/ About ScaleHRThe Unmuted Podcast is powered by ScaleHR (https://goscalehr.com/), helping emerging HR, Recruitment, and Work Tech companies accelerate brand awareness and lead generation through Catalyst, our community-driven content and omnichannel marketing solution.📩 Learn more: https://www.goscalehr.com/#Podcast #Recruiting #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #HR #FutureOfWork #Leadership #HRTech #Business #Careers #AI
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    30 min
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