The Purple Acorn HR Morning Show

#90 - Why Remote Work (Not AI) is Killing Entry-Level Hiring - Presented by CalendarPA.com

Hosts Mike Peditto and Ron Fish dive deep into the seismic shifts currently reshaping global talent networks. The episode kicks off with a critical look at a landmark Oxford working paper that turns popular AI narratives on their head, proving that remote and hybrid work structures—not automation—are driving the massive collapse in entry-level hiring. The hosts also break down the stark reality of the tech sector's "May Mayhem," exploring how over 28,000 workforce reductions in May 2026 alone point to a deliberate capital shift from traditional headcount to AI-driven infrastructure. The guest lineup brings heavy-hitting tactical strategy to the table. U.S. Marine turned multi-unit operator Justin Henshaw joins the show to discuss his frontline workforce management platform, GAGE, highlighting why traditional corporate ecosystems fail hourly workers. Later, management defense attorney Leah Stiegler joins Ron to untangle a web of high-stakes HR legal landmines. Stiegler delivers expert frameworks on building compliance around multi-jurisdictional "Fair Chance" hiring laws, shifting to active impairment saliva screenings over traditional cannabis testing, and rooting out toxic leadership before it triggers EEOC claims. The show wraps up with a unique look at the talent pipeline, featuring a weather report from Serge on why this summer's teen job market is shaping up to be the toughest in decades. Sponsored by Talent Tech PR and CalendarPA.com, this episode is an absolute must-watch for talent acquisition leaders and HR executives trying to navigate modern recruitment fraud, workplace political friction, and evolving employment laws. Make sure to visit our sponsors, CalendarPA.com and Talent Tech PR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#89 - The 5-Day Office Mandate & The $42,000HR Compensation Disconnect - Presented by CalendarPA.com

Serge Boudreau [https://www.linkedin.com/in/serge-boudreau-861b267/] and Ron Fish [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronfish/] break down the shifting dynamics of corporate work mandates and a startling compensation reality check within the HR sector. The duo explores how Fortune 100 giants like TikTok and NBC Universal are leveraging strict five-day Return-To-Office (RTO) mandates to quietly trigger voluntary attrition. This corporate shift creates a unique opportunity for agile mid-market employers to weaponize flexibility and poach top-tier talent. Additionally, the hosts address a fascinating "meta" disconnect in the labor market: HR and talent acquisition leaders—the very professionals who design internal salary bands—face a massive $42,000 personal wage gap between their own expectations and current market realities. The episode also features two high-impact guest segments focused on specialized compliance and strategic global growth. Industry expert Kara D Kelley, SPHR, SHRM-SCP [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karadkelley/] joins the show to debunk the myth of the pandemic-driven healthcare hiring crisis, offering a blueprint for navigating multi-state compliance and structuring realistic 90-day onboarding periods for small practices. Later, remote work strategist Tiffany English [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyenglish-offshoring-australia/] discusses how modern global recruitment agencies are leveraging AI-powered tools to enhance, rather than replace, human talent. English shares her "people-first" philosophy on integrating offshore staff into cohesive, high-performing corporate cultures. Rounding out the broadcast, Serge delivers a timely "Weather Report" analyzing how the potential rescheduling of cannabis could impact workplace compliance and drug testing policies. The episode is proudly presented by the Purple Acorn Network and brought to you by marquee sponsors CalendarPA [https://www.linkedin.com/company/calendarpa/] and Talent Tech PR. Listeners can tune into Episode 89 on YouTube, LinkedIn, or any major podcast platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#88 - Meta's Leaked Layoff Memo & TA Anti-Trust Lawsuits - Presented by CalendarPA.com

In this episode of The HR Morning Show, hosts Adam Posner and Ron Fish dive deep into the massive waves of transformation hitting the talent landscape. The team breaks down the latest industry headlines, starting with a leaked internal memo detailing Meta's aggressive restructuring and workforce reductions tied to automating redundant workflows with advanced AI. They also dissect a newly filed class-action antitrust lawsuit alleging that prominent talent platforms Monster, CareerBuilder, and Resume Genius are operating collectively as a single entity, stifling marketplace competition and inflating employer subscription pricing. Later in the show, Adam sits down with Ophir Samson, second-time exited founder of Ezra AI Labs, following his landmark agreement to be acquired by Greenhouse. Ophir discusses how structured voice screening can filter out ChatGPT-generated resumes, detect deepfake candidates, and why voice-only interactions provide a much cleaner talent signal than visual interviews. Plus, Trent hosts George Rogers for a "Talk Nerdy with iCIMS" tech breakdown , and Ron welcomes global keynote speaker and fractional employer brand consultant Carrie Corcoran. Carrie shares her inspiring story of career reinvention, radical self-acceptance, and turning corporate pain into gold after surviving a brain aneurysm. Tune in for these insights and more on the Purple Acorn Network. This episode is brought to you by marquee sponsor CalendarPA.com and Talent Tech PR. Be sure to follow the show on LinkedIn and catch the stream every Tuesday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#87 - When AI Rewrites the Org Chart - Presented by CalendarPA.com

AI is no longer just changing the tools HR teams use, it is changing the shape of the workforce itself. Danielle Farage and Dan Riley break down two major headlines this week: Cloudflare cutting more than 1,100 jobs as part of an “agentic AI-first” operating model, and Match Group slowing hiring to fund broader AI tools and training. Both stories raise urgent questions for HR and TA leaders around workforce planning, employee trust, redeployment, reskilling, and whether AI budgets are beginning to compete directly with headcount. Then, Theresa Hummel-Krallinger joins the show to talk about what “good HR” actually looks like, how leaders can create places where people want to work, and why healthy culture cannot be built through policy alone. With a background that spans organizational development, executive coaching, comedy, career management, and her book Make Waves, Theresa brings a sharp, human-centered perspective on engagement, communication, and leadership. Erica McMannes also joins to discuss military spouse employment, skills-based hiring, remote work, and how companies can turn overlooked talent pools into a true workforce advantage. Give some love to our sponsors, CalendarPA.com and Talent Tech PR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#86 - Is Your Hiring Process Rewarding the Wrong People? - Presented by CalendarPA.com

This episode of The HR Morning Show tackles the high-stakes intersection of corporate strategy and legal compliance, starting with a deep dive into Microsoft’s recent workforce pivot. As the tech giant ramps up capital expenditure on AI, CFO Amy Hood is prioritizing "high-performing teams" and technical agility over traditional headcount growth, signaling a lean, AI-augmented future for talent acquisition. We also break down the aggressive investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton into H-1B visa fraud, specifically targeting "ghost offices" used to bypass local hiring regulations. Later in the program, we are joined by Lucero Tagle from PitchNinjas to discuss the human side of high-performance cultures. Drawing on her 16-year career at Google, Tagle explores the "communication gap"—the disconnect where highly qualified candidates are overlooked because they lack the coaching to articulate their value under pressure. The episode concludes with a "Weather Report" from Serge on the necessity of resolving gig work issues to achieve true workforce agility, providing HR leaders with a roadmap for evolving their selection processes. Be sure to visit our show's sponsors, CalendarPA.com and Talent Tech PR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]