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This week’s podcast features: Hebba Youssef creator and host of I Hate it Here and Chief People Officer at Workweek. Check out the episode HERE.

Episode Summary:

Did the COVID-19 pandemic unveil more than just a health crisis? Like it or not, the pandemic exposed a myriad of challenges within our work environments that were often overshadowed by the comfort of in-person interactions. Suddenly thrust into remote work, we discovered gaps in communication, decision-making processes, and even our ability to connect meaningfully.

"Today on 'Recruiting is No Joke,' we sit down with Heba Youssef, Chief People Officer at Workweek and host of the "I Hate It Here" podcast and newsletter to delve into the evolving landscape of recruitment and workplace dynamics.

During the sit-down, we discuss the impact of the pandemic on work environments, employee engagement, and the challenges of maintaining work-life balance. Heba emphasizes the importance of honesty in employer branding and critiques the trend of "coffee badging." We also explore the future of work, including remote and gig work, and the role of AI in HR. We wrap things up by delving into digital worker management and its ethical implications. Tune in to gain valuable insights and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of work!

In this episode:

• (01:12) - Introduction Hebba Youssef 

  • (03:28) - Impact of the pandemic on work

  • (06:00) - Work culture and employer branding

  • (10:39) - Coffee badging and remote work

  • (12:26) - Engagement and return to office

  • (15:03) - Strategies for getting employees back to the office

  • (16:55) - Promotion and remote work

  • (17:45) - The office and commercial real estate

  • (19:05) - Remote work and inclusivity

  • (20:11) - Remote work and job market trends

  • (22:54) - Automation and AI in layoffs

  • (24:13) - Gig economy and AI

  • (25:42) - Merger of Careerbuilder and Monster

  • (29:39) - AI and its limitations

  • (35:00) - Upcoming events and plans

  • (36:13) - The AI employee announcement

  • (37:06) - Reactions to the announcement

  • (38:13) - Comments on the announcement

  • (39:24) - Industry frustrations

  • (41:53) - Taylor Swift SEO issue

  • (43:43) - HR and recruiting frustrations

About Our Guest

Hebba Youssef is the Chief People Officer at Workweek and founder of “I Hate it Here,” a podcast and newsletter with over 130,000 readers. She has led global learning and development teams, talent management, and People Ops at fintech startups, Axios, and Lithic. Hebba excels in building and scaling People Ops teams across various industries. In her free time, she enjoys reading sci-fi and fantasy novels and playing board games with her family.

Here are a few clips from the show. Just click on the link to access the LinkedIn page for the podcast. We will figure out a better way to do this in other episodes:

JOEL’s take away from the episode:

Employee engagement is at an all time low and this isn’t being helped by the tough job market and return to office being forced on us. Remote work allowed for a more inclusive and convenient workplace but many are feeling that there is a lot of pressure to either quit or come back to the office.

I think this is leading many people to consider working fractionally or freelance. With technology making it easier than ever to start a business many are opting into starting their own business. I’m talking to hundreds of recruiters each week that are doing the same thing. Is this just a result of the climate we are in or is this a future and ongoing trend we will see continue?