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Artwork for Honest HR

Honest HR

SHRM
Workplace Culture
Employee Engagement
Mental Health
Bad Bosses
Artificial Intelligence
SHRM
Political Activities
Leadership
Diversity and Inclusion
Empathy
Employee Relations
Workplace Romance
Civility In the Workplace
Workplace Management Strategies
Workplace Relationships
Workplace Civility
Workplace Equity
Ted Lasso
Loneliness Epidemic
Talent Acquisition

Honest HR is the go-to podcast for aspiring and informed HR professionals intent on transforming workplace challenges into golden opportunities. This podcast brings you insights, trends, and actionable advice through relatable stories from the REAL world of HR.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes165Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessCareersManagement

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Artwork for Honest HR

Latest Episodes

The talent gap is widening, and organizations are struggling to keep up. Emily Dickens, SHRM’s Chief Administrative Officer, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore the driving forces behind workforce shortages and the growing skills mismatch.... more

YouTube

Self-management is one of the most critical — and often overlooked — leadership skills. Marisa Krafsig, CHRO of IntelliDyne, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore how unmanaged stress, high achievement, and leadership pressure can impact bot... more

YouTube

Coffee is more than just a beverage — it’s a cornerstone of workplace culture. Sandy Roberts, Starbucks’ director of cultural leadership, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore how coffee fosters connection, collaboration, and belonging in th... more

YouTube

Trust can feel fragile in times of uncertainty, transformation, and rising employee expectations. SHRM’s CHRO, Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to unpack insights from the 2026 SHRM CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report and e... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Sandy Roberts
Director of Cultural Leadership at Starbucks
Starbucks
Episode: Starbucks’ Secrets for Building Culture Through Everyday Rituals
Doreen Coles
Senior Director of Talent and Learning
ADP
Episode: 'Job Hugging' and the Growing Talent Bottleneck Inside Organizations
Jenn Betts
Employment law expert from Ogletree Deakins Law Firm
Ogletree Deakins Law Firm
Episode: Love at Work: Navigating Risk, Power, and Policy
Elizabeth Egan
Director of Talent Management and Organizational Development at Cerence AI
Cerence AI
Episode: Why Personalized Learning and Development Matters for Retention
Eric Martin
Executive Director of Blue Pinnacle Solutions
Blue Pinnacle Solutions
Episode: Rethinking Productivity When Everyone Feels Overworked
Tyler Horn
Head of Planning at Origin, an all-in-one financial budgeting platform
Origin
Episode: Why Financial Wellness Is Now an Employee Experience Issue
Warren Wang
Founder of Double Fin, a collaborative people management and planning platform
Double Fin
Episode: Not Everyone Can Be HR — Resilience and Trust Set It Apart
Jordan Peace
CEO and co-founder at Fringe, an employee experience platform
Fringe
Episode: From Perks to Purpose: The Rise of Choice in Employee Benefits
Tim Sackett
CEO of hrutech.com and SHRM contributor
hrutech.com
Episode: The New Rules of Recruitment: From Posting Jobs to Building Pipelines

Hosts

Monique Akanbi
Host of Honest HR (shared across episodes); often leads discussions on talent management, engagement, and HR policy.
Nicole Belyna
Host of Honest HR; frequently co-leads conversations around employment law, HR strategy, and policy implementation.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 272 ratings
  • Great Show!

    This is a must listen to podcast for everyone and not just people who work in HR. I look forward to listening to the new episode every week!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mikeyk614
    United Statesa year ago
  • Generally, strong and informative episodes though there are some misses. Credit for continuing Ed.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    ba
    a year ago
  • What Makes A Good Boss

    Being a boss is not the same as being a Leader. Supervisors and Managers should aspire to be Leaders. A boss has the title, a Leader as the people.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Zilla06
    United Statesa year ago
  • High Five HR Podcast

    Well done, SHRM. These episodes are timely, relevant, and listening or reading them count toward recertification. Well done!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CHRO in Bay Area
    United States2 years ago
  • Honest HR hosted by Amber Clayton is a standout podcast for business enthusiasts. Amber's insightful interviews and deep understanding of the topic make each episode educational and engaging. She has a knack for making the topic easily digestible and turning it into actionable advice that listeners can apply to their situations. I highly recommend it - this is time well spent!

    Podchaser
    5
    Aly_Zenrabbit
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is a valuable resource for HR professionals pursuing SHRM recertification
Great show with timely HR insights for a broad audience
Listeners appreciate practical, credential-aligned content and guest expertise
Audio quality has been a common point of feedback; improving sound would help growth
Guests consistently bring actionable ideas and real-world examples

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

SHRM CHRO on Building Trust During Times of Change and Uncertainty
Q: What role does employee experience data play in evaluating whether trust rebuilding is working, and how should it be supplemented by other signals?
Engagement and sentiment data are valuable indicators, but they should be interpreted alongside real-time observations, manager behaviors, and contextual patterns. Combine quantitative data with qualitative insights and rely on trusted sources to identify actionable steps.
SHRM CHRO on Building Trust During Times of Change and Uncertainty
Q: How can HR translate the insight that leaders' words don't always align with work reality into concrete action?
Foster ongoing dialogue, share transparent business results (good or bad), and ensure leadership messaging matches daily operations. Lead with authenticity, communicate with clarity, and maintain a continuous feedback loop between leaders and employees.
SHRM CHRO on Building Trust During Times of Change and Uncertainty
Q: So in your experience, how should HR conduct a credibility check within their own organization, and what specific discrepancies between values and actions tend to surface during those assessments?
Use a combination of formal tools and everyday observations to assess alignment, including direct conversations, data from engagement surveys and sentiment analysis, and input from trusted sources. Be willing to admit gaps openly, involve the right people in the journey, and bring in strong communicators as mentors to model desired behavior.
'Job Hugging' and the Growing Talent Bottleneck Inside Organizations
Q: What difficult leadership decisions are organizations going to be forced to make as career paths remain blocked?
Organizations can avoid difficult decisions by rethinking career growth to include stretch opportunities instead of just promotions.
'Job Hugging' and the Growing Talent Bottleneck Inside Organizations
Q: How does job hugging create invisible bottlenecks for those high performing early career employees who are ready to move?
It can prevent their growth by limiting advancement opportunities, but with supportive leaders, employees can redefine their roles gradually.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Honest HR

What is Honest HR about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A forward-looking HR show that stitches practical talent, policy, and technology topics into actionable guidance for people leaders. Episodes frequently explore career growth bottlenecks, talent management, workplace policy, and the evolving employee experience, with deep dives into topics like personalized learning, financial wellness, AI in HR, internship pipelines, and hybrid-work dynamics. Guests range from legal experts and CIOs to HR strategists and industry advocates, offering data-backed insights and real-world examples that help organizations rethink people operations, compliance, and culture. The show stands out for its clear focus on turning HR challenges into strategic opportunities, frequently tying discussions to measurable bu... more

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How many episodes of Honest HR are there?

Honest HR launched 8 years ago and published 165 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Honest HR?

Recent guests on Honest HR include:

1. Sandy Roberts
2. Doreen Coles
3. Jenn Betts
4. Elizabeth Egan
5. Eric Martin
6. Tyler Horn
7. Warren Wang
8. Jordan Peace

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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