Leah Stiegler is principal and management-side labor and employment attorney working with business leaders and HR professionals nationwide from her office at the Virginia-based law firm Woods Rogers. She advises employers through the entire employment life cycle, from recruitment to termination and severance, to ensure compliance and keep them out of court. You can catch Leah on her YouTube series, What’s the Tea in L&E, where she tackles the topics that keep HR professionals up at night. In this episode, Leah is going to discuss “Fake employees created by AI”.
Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D.
Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Ep. 120 - Fake employees created by AI - Leah Stiegler

Join Dave on The Hennessy Report as he interviews Liz Vieira, VP of Human Resources at Reebok, about navigating major organizational transformation and rebuilding HR infrastructure from the ground up.

In this episode, Liz shares practical insights on:
- HR Transformation: How she rebuilt Reebok's entire HR infrastructure in seven months following a major ownership transition
- Change Management: Strategies for supporting employees through multiple organizational changes and ownership transitions
- Leadership Development: Building career development and learning programs that drive employee engagement
- Collaboration-Driven HR: Creating a culture where HR partners closely with business leaders and employees at all levels
- Career Growth: Lessons from her time at MFS Investment Management and what shaped her as an HR leader

Liz also discusses her "boomerang" experience returning to Reebok, the importance of being present in your current role, and how her father's influence shaped her commitment to being a voice for those who feel unheard.

The episode concludes with our new segment, Keystone's Coach's Corner featuring Mary Cavanaugh, SVP of Career Management, offering networking advice for HR professionals.



Episode 107 — Liz Vieira — Reebok

On this episode of Nine to Thrive HR, host Cindi Koetzle chats with Kerry Hecht, Founder and CEO of 10K Humans, to explore the powerful intersection of market research and HR. Drawing on decades in an empathy-driven research field and her experience as a small-business owner, Kerry explains how customer insights translate into people strategies: attracting the right candidates, strengthening engagement, and retaining talent. The conversation unpacks why validated feedback loops matter, how employee engagement correlates with customer satisfaction, and what to do about common pitfalls—stakeholder bias, “respondent fatigue,” and the gap between stated values and lived experience. Kerry highlights the rise of personalization at scale through data and technology, and offers practical ways HR can borrow from research playbooks—continuous listening, iterative refinement, and persona development (including AI-assisted personas) to bring workforce data to life. Whether you’re designing programs, influencing senior stakeholders, or steering change one “toothpick turn” at a time, this episode delivers actionable ideas to make organizations more human-centric and competitive.

Engagement In, Satisfaction Out: The HR-Customer Connection

It’s an exciting day as we announce that our podcast - previously known as HR on the Offensive has had a refresh and will now be The People Agenda!   

New name, same faces and same great content. We believe this new identity better reflects how work, people, and leadership have evolved. In this episode hosts Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell dive into the deeper question of how HR has transformed from a back-office function to a strategic driver of business success. 

Welcome to The People Agenda Podcast

In a rapidly changing business world, HR is no longer simply the team that implements transformation, it’s becoming the driving force behind it. That’s the focus of the latest People Agenda podcast episode, which explores how HR’s influence in shaping business transformation has evolved from supportive to strategic. Host Chris Howard and co-authors Julian Holmes and Katie Jacobs, discuss insights from our latest whitepaper From implementer to influencer: Redefining HR’s role in business transformation. 

From implementer to influencer: How can HR drive business change?

Employee benefits shouldn’t feel like a burden - for HR teams to design or for employees to use. Yet, unread open enrollment emails and overlooked preventive care show a disconnect in how we communicate. In this episode, McGohan Brabender’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dave Homan, explores how applying behavioral science and Robert Cialdini’s 7 Principles of Persuasion can help HR and benefits professionals ethically capture attention, build trust and inspire action.

Discover how reimagining communication through the lens of human behavior can turn benefits engagement from obligation to connection - motivating, empowering, and energizing your workforce.

Side Affects Episode 153 | The Science of Employee Persuasion | Part I

If you haven’t caught Part I, start there — MB Chief Marketing Officer, Dave and Producer, Kenzie unpacked the first rule of persuasion: reciprocity. In this episode, they continue exploring how behavioral science can transform employee engagement, diving into three new principles of persuasion: scarcity, authority and commitment.

From creating urgency without fear, to leveraging expertise authentically, to building lasting commitment through small actions, this episode reveals practical ways HR and benefits professionals can apply psychology to drive connection, motivation, and trust.

Side Affects Episode 154 | The Science of Employee Persuasion | Part II

In this insightful episode of Big Blend Radio’s SUPERVISION MATTERS Podcast, organizational coach and author Rita Sever (Supervision Matters & Leading for Justice) explores one of the most important questions supervisors can ask themselves and their staff: “Is this impacting the work—and how?”

This powerful question encourages reflection, clarity, and accountability, helping supervisors navigate performance challenges, communication breakdowns, and personal or technological factors that may influence productivity. Rita discusses when and how to ask these questions, why “no” answers can sometimes be harder to handle than “yes,” and how documenting and communicating effectively strengthens workplace relationships and results.

🎙️ Key Takeaways:
• Supervisors should regularly reflect on how their actions and team dynamics impact the work.
• Asking about the impact of personal or external issues clarifies priorities.
• Technology can both support and disrupt productivity.
• Communication and documentation are key to effective supervision.
• Supervisors must balance empathy with accountability.
• Cultural awareness helps prevent misinterpretation of behavior.
• “Is this impacting the work?” keeps conversations grounded and constructive.
• Understanding and addressing issues early prevents escalation.
• Supporting staff means listening, observing, and following up consistently.

📌 Resources & Links:
🔹 Visit Rita Sever: https://supervisionmatters.com/

🔹 Listen to all SUPERVISION MATTERS episodes: https://supervisionmatters.podbean.com/

🔹 Explore more business & career podcasts on Big Blend Radio Network: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork

Essential Questions for Effective Supervision

In this new episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard and performance management expert Debbie Mitchell sit down with Amira Kohler, AI Change Consultant and Transformation Expert at People Stuff Limited, to explore how AI is transforming performance management.  

From turning data into real-time insights that help managers prepare, coach, and evaluate more effectively, to analysing feedback and development goals in seconds. AI is changing the way we manage and develop people. Real success depends on balance because even the smartest algorithms can’t replace human judgement. 

How is AI redefining performance management?

As part of Black History Month in this episode of The People Agenda podcast we are raising awareness of how organisations can be more inclusive. Host Chris Howard and Christina Adeniyi from our DE&I team speak to Lildonia Lawrence, a Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, as they discuss allyship, anti-racism, and bystander intervention as key skills for every HR leader.

Black History Month: How to turn awareness into lasting change at work

Looking for fresh content to solve your human capital issues but don't have a full hour? Subscribe to the HCI podcast series to gain access to leading HR practitioners from Fortune 1000 companies, as well thought-leaders, authors, and academics. These experts cover everything from talent acquisition and analytics to engagement, retention, and development.

Side Affects Producer Kenzie McEvily, joined by her guest hosts, spotlights invited industry experts to discuss their best practices that disrupt the norm of health care, leadership, and business. Side Affects: A podcast that prompts you, as an employer, to think differently about the needs of your people and your company. We encourage you to take action by taking a deep look into benefit strategies that will transform your workforce engagement, i.e., diversity, compliance, mental health, and modern reporting. Kenzie and her guests bring these subjects and more to light to better health and productivity. Tune in and learn more!

Select Big Blend Radio interviews that are featured in the digital, interactive Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine. Hosted by Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, mother-daughter travel team and publishers.

Are you an HR leader grappling with the complexities of HR tech, transformation, or change management? Then, listen to the People Agenda podcast (previously the HR on the Offensive podcast) for cutting-edge insights, actionable strategies, and real-world success stories to tackle your biggest HR challenges.

In each episode, we dive into the latest trends, expert advice, and practical solutions to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving workplace.

Whether you're looking to drive adoption of new technology, lead organisational change, or simply optimise your HR strategy, you'll leave every episode with fresh perspectives and tools to take your initiatives to the next level.

Subscribe now and join us on the journey to reshape the future of HR

Are you interested in getting an insider’s look at HR? Dear Human Resources takes current HR topics and trends, looks at the research, talks to experts (both practitioners and researchers), and gives listeners a behind-the-scenes’ perspective on HR topics. Our podcasts also explore how other fields such as architecture, social justice, or science influence HR. We conclude our podcasts with one breakthrough idea, which could radically change the field of human resources. 
Listen to Dear Human Resources on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
 
Legal Disclaimer: This HR podcast series provides content to listeners and an opportunity for dialogue. It does not offer legal advice, and makes no representation as to the accuracy and suitability of the content for a particular purpose.

The host, Dr. Marie-Line Germain, is a professor of Human Resources and Leadership at Western Carolina University (a campus of the University of North Carolina).  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-line-germain/

New tracks tagged #Human resources