WTF is Business Casual
Buckle up for real HR stories that'll make you laugh, cringe, and thank your lucky stars you're not that guy.
WTF is Business Casual is the HR podcast where two seasoned consultants—Sarah Bursten and Jenny Lavey, co-founders of RiseHR—dish on wild workplace fails, toxic bosses, employee drama, and leadership gone wrong. With 35+ years of combined experience in HR, leadership development, and people management, they offer surprisingly useful advice wrapped in real talk and hilarious storytelling.
If you’re an HR professional, small business owner, people manager, or just someone who’s survived office politics, this show is for you.
Subscribe to WTF is Business Casual—because work is weird, leadership is messy, and people always be peopling.
Hosted by Sarah Bursten & Jenny Lavey | RiseHR
www.risehumanresources.com
WTF is Business Casual
What is HR? Myths, Mayhem & the Real Cost of Being in HR
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In this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah pull back the curtain on what HR really does, and rip apart every myth that makes them want to flip a table. Spoiler: it's not party planning, it's not firing people for fun, and it is absolutely not easy.
From a termination that had Sarah fearing for her physical safety in a basement, to a manager who sent Jenny in to handle a potentially violent situation and then got mad at her for not doing it fast enough — this one gets real about the mental, emotional, and sometimes physical toll of being an HR professional that nobody talks about.
Whether you work in HR, manage a team, or have ever said the words "HR told me to do it," you'll leave with:
- ✅ What HR is actually there to do and why good HR is proactive, not reactive
- 💡 Why "HR keeps things fair by treating everyone the same" is a myth that drives them insane
- 😂 The apple story that perfectly explains why equal treatment and equitable treatment are not the same thing
- ✅ Why the second you say "HR made me do it," you've torched your own credibility as a leader
Highlights:
[00:00] Cold open: HR protects everyone
[06:26] Topic: HR myths vs. reality
[08:26] The real mental toll of terminations
[12:09] The violent termination situation (and the Stanley cup backup plan)
[15:25] Myth: HR just protects the company
[23:56] Myth: HR treats everyone the same
[28:30] Myth: HR handles performance issues
[33:05] Myth: HR is reactive
PS: HR knows more about you than you think, says less than you'd ever imagine, and is fighting for you behind the scenes in ways you'll probably never know.
Visit our website: RISE Human Resources
Book a call: 30 Min HR Consultation
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