What happens when HR professionals drop the script and just have some fun? In this season one finale, Terry Smith and Leslie Lulham take a break from traditional HR topics and dive into a candid, fast paced conversation that highlights the human side of work.

This episode features a mix of workplace insights, personal stories, and rapid fire questions that reveal how HR leaders really think about common workplace experiences. From return to office debates to meeting overload and workplace pet peeves, Terry and Leslie share honest takes shaped by years of experience in human resources.

The conversation also explores the everyday realities of work, including how people decompress after stressful days, what makes meetings productive or frustrating, and the small habits that can make a big difference in workplace culture. Along the way, they reflect on early career experiences and how those paths shaped their approach to leadership and HR.

The episode wraps with a rapid fire round covering everything from communication preferences to workplace values like trust, transparency, and boundaries. It is a light, engaging way to close out the season while still offering meaningful insights into how HR professionals think and operate.

If you want a more personal look at the people behind Primal HR, this episode delivers a mix of humor, perspective, and real world workplace commentary.

• The human side of HR and workplace culture
• Return to office perspectives and workplace flexibility
• Meetings vs emails and workplace communication styles
• Common workplace pet peeves and habits
• Stress management and reset routines at work
• Early career experiences and career paths
• HR perspectives on trust, transparency, and boundaries

Website: https://primalhrpodcast.com
Email: primalhrpodcast@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primalhrpodcast/

Is artificial intelligence shaping hiring decisions more than companies realize? In this Primal HR HOT TAKE, Terry Smith and Leslie Lulham break down a major legal case involving Workday and what it could mean for the future of hiring.

The conversation centers on a lawsuit alleging that AI driven applicant tracking systems may be screening out candidates, particularly older applicants, without meaningful human review. The case raises serious questions about whether AI tools are influencing hiring decisions in ways that could create bias or discrimination.

Terry walks through the details of the case, including claims that job applications were rejected within minutes, suggesting automated decision making. The discussion expands beyond one company to examine the broader use of AI in recruiting platforms, including applicant tracking systems used by thousands of organizations worldwide.

This Primal HR HOT TAKE also highlights why this issue matters for job seekers and employers alike. With millions of candidates applying through systems powered by AI, even small biases in algorithms could have widespread impact across industries and geographies.

Terry and Leslie also share practical steps job seekers can take to reduce potential bias in the hiring process. These include removing graduation dates, avoiding photos on resumes, and focusing on recent, relevant experience to limit signals that could trigger age related filtering.

If you are applying for jobs or managing hiring processes, this Primal HR HOT TAKE offers a timely and important look at how AI is changing recruitment and what risks to watch closely as the technology evolves.

• AI bias in hiring and applicant tracking systems
• Workday lawsuit and implications for HR technology
• Risks of automated resume screening
• Age discrimination and protected classes in hiring
• How AI is shaping modern recruitment processes
• Resume tips to reduce bias in AI screening systems
• Why HR leaders should monitor AI hiring tools closely

Website: https://primalhrpodcast.com
Email: primalhrpodcast@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primalhrpodcast/

Should your company hire an in-house HR leader or work with a fractional HR consultant? Terry Smith and Leslie Lulham break down the differences, costs, and real world use cases to help businesses make the right decision.

For many small businesses and startups, hiring a full-time HR leader may not be necessary or financially practical. Fractional HR offers an alternative, giving companies access to experienced HR professionals for a few hours a week at a fraction of the cost. Terry and Leslie explain how this model works and why it is often a strong fit for growing organizations.

This episode explores the key benefits of fractional HR, including cost savings, flexibility, and access to experienced professionals who have worked across multiple industries and company sizes. With that broader perspective, fractional HR leaders can often provide more objective and impartial guidance than someone embedded in the organization full time.

The conversation also outlines when in-house HR makes more sense. Larger organizations and companies scaling quickly may need dedicated internal teams to manage complex operations, compliance, and employee experience at scale. Terry and Leslie discuss how senior HR leaders typically operate and why they are not always the right fit for early stage companies building systems from scratch.

They also highlight a common mistake: hiring senior level HR talent too early. Many experienced executives are not focused on building foundational systems like handbooks, hiring processes, and HR infrastructure. Fractional HR can fill that gap, helping companies establish strong foundations before scaling.

If you are building a company, managing growth, or trying to decide how to structure your HR function, this episode offers a practical guide to choosing between fractional and in-house HR leadership.

• Fractional HR vs in-house HR explained
• Cost comparison of fractional HR and full-time HR hires
• Why startups and small businesses benefit from fractional HR
• When to hire in-house HR leadership
• The role of senior HR leaders in scaling organizations
• Building HR systems, processes, and company culture
• How fractional HR provides objective and outside perspective

Website:https://primalhrpodcast.com
Email: primalhrpodcast@gmail.com
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/primalhrpodcast/