Episodes
In this episode of "HR Nightmares," Lisa, Beth and Amy dive deep into the heart of boomtown, Wilmington, North Carolina, unraveling the cutting-edge strategies that are redefining talent attraction and retention with special guest, Megan Mullins. Amidst the scenic backdrop of this burgeoning business hub, the discussion takes a turn into the future of workforce development, shining a spotlight on the innovative approaches to strategic recruitment and the crucial role of educational...
Published 02/22/24
Published 02/22/24
Total rewards expert, Steven Osiel from 3rd Quartile joins Lisa Leath and Amy Conway to discuss various topics related to human resources and compensation. They highlighted the complexities of compensation and reward systems, the importance of effective communication when implementing bonus payments, the complicated relationship between employee compensation and job satisfaction, the issue of gender pay disparity, and the complexities of pay transparency in different jurisdictions. They also...
Published 01/30/24
In this "HR Nightmares" episode focused on customer experience with guest, Justin Robbins from 8x8, Lisa Leath, Beth Looney and Amy Conway champion an alliance between HR and customer service. The four articulate the necessity of equipping service teams with tools and insights that foster individualized customer interactions. Justin’s critique of Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a satisfaction metric prompts HR to innovate more reflective measures, aligning employee motivation with customer...
Published 11/29/23
In this episode of "HR Nightmares," Lisa, Amy, Beth, and guest, Kate Valette, BSN, RN from Marsh McLennan Agency, entertain us with tales from the trenches of HR and healthcare, learning from an expert who evolved from bedside nurse to corporate wellness warrior. The quartet, armed with anecdotes and analysis, swap tales, fascinated over the quirky side of employee health incidents. The four discuss the comeback story of a vacation-gone-wrong that turned into a health revolution. Amidst data...
Published 11/15/23
Welcome back to HR Nightmares, coming to you from the heart of Wilmywood! Join us as we shine the spotlight on Andrea Walker, an owner of Lighthouse Films, as she joins your favorite hosts, Lisa Leath and Beth Looney. In this episode, we dive into the world of the film industry, exploring the HR nightmares that filmmakers often encounter. From shooting in remote locations with just one functional toilet to dealing with international productions running overtime, facing massive financial...
Published 09/27/23
Remember when Human Resources was seen as the dreaded 'policy police'? Those days are long gone. In this episode, Lisa Leath, Amy Conway, and Beth Looney, with their combined 60 years of experience, reflect on how they've transformed HR practices over the last two decades, reshaping the way business leaders perceive 'good HR.'   The discussion starts by reminiscing about the old days when HR was primarily responsible for hiring and firing, often cast as corporate enforcers. They each entered...
Published 08/31/23
Lisa, Amy, and Beth sit down with Buffy Andrews, a seasoned Holistic Health Practitioner, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Certified Yoga Instructor. Join the conversation as they dive into the complexities of supporting employees in times of stress and trauma. Ever encountered a perpetually stressed employee or struggled to aid a colleague through a tough situation? Buffy's insights provide a roadmap of resources and practical tips for assisting distressed and vulnerable team...
Published 08/16/23
Welcome back to HR Nightmares, where we take on real-life work challenges with expert advice and genuine conversations with the Senior Certified HR professionals at Leath HR Group. The OGs are back for an episode packed with thrilling audience write-ins and thought-provoking, timely topics!   Lisa, Beth, and Amy kick off the episode with captivating audience write-ins, spanning from pay transparency and compensation benchmarking to navigating difficult conversations with leadership teams and...
Published 08/03/23
Ever wondered what Gen Z wants in the workplace? What about their motivations? Or how you can attract them to your business? Well, you’re in luck! We’ve got two Gen Z-ers behind the mics this week to share their firsthand experiences and opinions. Our guest host, Gabbi Plumez is joined by co-hosts Amy Conway, and Beth Looney and our special guest, Michael Cooper, Senior Associate Advisor with Marsh McLennan Agency, LLC for a discussion about the five generations in the workplace. Yes, there...
Published 07/12/23
Step into the fascinating world of professional gaming, virtual reality (VR), and gamification in the modern workforce. Gabbi Plumez, People and Culture Consultant, is filling in for Lisa Leath as host, along with co-host, Beth Looney. Joining us is Hailey Sarradet, a seasoned recruiting professional with first-hand experience in hiring professional gamers. She shares her unique insights, challenges, and success stories while giving you an insider's perspective on this rapidly evolving field....
Published 06/28/23
Join our host, Lisa Leath, along with co-hosts Beth Looney and Amy Conway, as they delve into the world of career ownership. In this episode, they are joined by Tammy Benson, Chief Operations Officer of Advanced Marketing International. Brace yourself as they kick things off by exploring the highs, lows, and potential pitfalls of running a family business. Tammy, Beth, and Lisa share helpful tips to navigate all that comes with the family business. But that's just the beginning! The ladies go...
Published 06/14/23
You asked, and we listened! Our episode Employees From Hell was just that good, you wanted to hear about *bad* managers, too.   This week, HR Nightmares host Lisa Leath and co-hosts Beth Looney and Amy Conway give the people what they asked for. Crazy stories and advice for dealing with managers from hell. We’ve all heard the phrase “Bad managers make people quit”. And odds are, you probably can think of a manager you have or had that could fit right in with this! In this episode, Lisa, Beth,...
Published 06/01/23
The OGs, Lisa Leath, Beth Looney, and Amy Conway are back this week with an episode full of audience write-ins.   Here are a few of the questions we dove into: What can you do when an employee continues to work over nonapproved 40+ hours/week? Should we add a pet bereavement policy to our handbook?An employee accidentally sent a personal link to the company Slack. Do we fire the employee? Do we need a lawyer?Did not get a promotion but still took on the roles of other employees due to company...
Published 05/17/23
The OG ladies are back! Host, Lisa Leath and Co-hosts Beth Looney and Amy Conway reflect on 55 years of combined experience in people management and human resources. Join the ladies as they dive headfirst into some of the craziest stories they've encountered while managing thousands of employees over the years. Think you can handle hearing about aggressive behavior, defection in company trucks, stalking, and even employees stealing company goods? Well, get ready because they've got some...
Published 05/03/23
When a business does not have an “HR” person it often falls to the CFO. Why does that happen? Why is it a possible nightmare? Chris Capone, Fractional CFO guru, and CEO of Capone and Associates are here to share! He is joined by our host, Lisa Leath, and co-host Beth Looney. From early exposure to executive financial management at 23 to now owning his own fractional CFO firm, Chris shares the stories from his experiences through his journey over the years. Lisa, Beth, and Chris talk about the...
Published 04/19/23
This week, Sara Auld, CEO of Upper and Health Possible joins host, Lisa Leath and co-host, Andy Almeter to talk about how she is shaking up the healthcare space. Sara created Upper, an easy-to-use and accessible marketplace for holistic and natural practitioners as an alternative to traditional healthcare treatment and medicine. We want our employees to be happy and healthy, so they show up to work, right? We also know rising healthcare costs for our organization can be a big HR Nightmare....
Published 04/05/23
Ever wondered what it would be like to work with artists? Or have a dream of working in music and having multiple media production businesses? Well, no need to guess what it would be like; Beau Gunn joins us for this week’s episode of HR Nightmares to share his story. From a radio internship in college to the VP of Local Daily Media, which operates 98.3 The Penguin, and owner of Beau Gunn Presents, a local concert production company that exclusively books talent for Greenfield Lake...
Published 03/22/23
As a business owner, you might be ready to open your talent pool to fill specific roles in your company. The H-1B visa is a popular and beneficial option for bringing skilled foreign workers to the US. However, the visa process can be complex, and navigating the various requirements and regulations can be overwhelming. Have no fear! This week, Rebecka Reibe, Business Immigration Attorney with Ogletree Deakins joins Lisa Leath, Amy Conway, and Beth Looney to discuss how the process can be made...
Published 03/08/23
This week, we’re diving straight into an advice-dense episode filled with Colonel Rob Campbell of Rob Campbell Leadership. HR Nightmares host, Lisa Leath, and guest co-host Graham Elmore are joined behind the mics with the big guy himself, Rob. Rob is an army vet of 27 years, turned author, keynote speaker, executive leadership coach, and most recent addition to the growing list, a small business owner. From what we can tell – there isn’t anything Rob can’t do. Within the first 10 minutes of...
Published 02/22/23
This week, HR Nightmares host, Lisa Leath is joined by guest co-host Graham Elmore, Director of People and Culture with Vantaca. They are joined by our special guest Caroline King, Founder of Bright Star Diversity. After 17 years working in business strategy for the corporate world, Caroline decided she wanted to help businesses fill the gap that she felt was lacking in the working world: DEI. Lisa continues the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion by asking Caroline how...
Published 02/08/23
This week, Alexis Hunter, the Community Liaison of Wilmington Heath, joins Lisa Leath, Chief of People of Vantaca, and Andy Almeter, President of Leath HR Group. Alexis shared how her Public Relations degree paired with her experience as a Practice Manager (who wore the hat of HR, Marketing, PR, and Operations), has helped her in her current role - connecting internal people and resources with external resources. The group dives into how putting a marketing hat on when searching for new...
Published 01/25/23
We’re back in action with Season 2 of HR Nightmares! If you are new to our podcast, HR Nightmares is a podcast by human-centric HR professionals with 20+ experience. Instead of writing ‘that book’ of all the crazy stories HR people say we are going to write, we decided it would be more fun to talk around microphones with other leaders across industries! Our goal is to bring a different vibe to a podcast for businesspeople looking to gain some free HR advice to better their teams, people...
Published 01/11/23
We wrap up season 1 of HR Nightmares with the OG ladies: Lisa Leath, Beth Looney, and Amy Conway. This week’s episode is all about our listeners and their questions. The ladies dive into questions ranging from company assets VS personal assets, mental illness, inappropriate décor on personal items in the workplace, personal information leaks to the entire company, and new grads interested in getting into HR. Thank you to all of our listeners this season. We're looking forward to kicking off...
Published 12/28/22
It’s time to bring out the holiday sweaters and spread some cheer! Jonathan Weathington, CEO of Shuckin’ Shack, joins Amy Conway, Beth Looney, and Lisa Leath on this special episode of HR Nightmares. Shuckin’ Shack is a Wilmington, NC, restaurant and bar that has expanded to 17 locations across different states with over 600 employees. We’re here to get the real talk inside of the service industry. Jonathan shares the secrets behind the success of their employee retention, benefits, and...
Published 12/14/22