What AI and Economic Shocks Mean for Work in Europe

Hosts: Mervyn Dinnen

Guest: Julius Probst, Senior Economist at Appcast

Summary

In this episode of the HR Means Business podcast, Mervyn explores the latest European labor market trends with Julius Probst, Senior Economist at Appcast. Together, they cover economic shocks, AI impact, wage dynamics, and strategic HR responses.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Complex European Labour Market

02:14 Impact of Oil Prices on the Economy

05:16 Understanding the Current Economic Slowdown

10:09 The Role of AI in Shaping Job Markets

14:10 Job Seekers' Responses to Market Changes

18:20 Wage Trends and Their Implications

21:53 Negotiating Power in a Changing Market

27:05 Emerging Trends in Employee Benefits

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The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman.

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Mastering Influence in Small Business HR: 4 Proven Strategies

Hosts: Sabrina Baker and Marie Rolston

Summary

This episode of HR Connection isolates the core constraint in small business HR: lack of influence. Workload is misdiagnosed as the problem; it is the downstream effect. The discussion breaks down why HR is structurally positioned to be ignored in SMBs and outlines specific behavioral shifts that convert HR from reactive support into a driver of business decisions. Marie and Sabrina provide 4 shifts that HR practitioners can make to raise their influence inside their org. But a word of warning, this does take time. The defining difficulty in SMB HR is not execution load. It is operating without a voice that drives action. Influence is not positional; it is constructed through repeated, strategic interactions.

Key Topics

• Influence from the middle in HR
• Changing perception of HR roles
• Connecting HR work to business outcomes
• Building relationships before you need them
• Using storytelling and data to influence

Find out more about the upcoming cohort designed for HR Departments of One HERE

Thank you for your continued support of the show and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

The HR Happy Hour Network is proudly sponsored by Workhuman. The role of HR is changing fast—and the leaders who move beyond administration into true business leadership will have the edge. Workhuman Live is where that shift becomes real. Four transformative days in Orlando built around the challenges HR leaders are facing now. With 65-plus standout speakers, you’ll get practical, research-backed insights you can use immediately, honest conversations with leaders under the same pressure, and a human-first experience designed to energize – not exhaust. It’s why 93% of past attendees left inspired—and why you need to be there this April 27-30. Register now at WorkhumanLive.com and use code HRHAPPYHOUR before March 31st to save 20%. That’s HRHAPPYHOUR, all one word.

Why “Love” Is the Missing Metric in Employee Experience

Host: Steve Boese

Guest: Marcus Buckingham, Leading Researcher on Strengths, Engagement, and Human Performance

Summary

On the latest At Work in America podcast episode, Steve Boese and Marcus Buckingham discusses the transformative power of love in the workplace. They explore how designing experiences rooted in love can drive productivity, loyalty, and human flourishing. Discover practical strategies to operationalize love and create environments where people thrive. Listen in!

Chapters

01:54 The Importance of Designing Positive Experiences

05:40 Understanding Love as a Business Driver

10:37 The Curvilinear Relationship of Experiences and Outcomes

17:52 The Language of Love in HR

20:18 The Future of HR

23:58 Measuring Employee Sentiment

29:44 The Five Feelings that Lead to Love

34:50 Creating Flourishing Work Environments

Learn more about Design Love In HERE

Thank you for joining the show today! Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

The HR Happy Hour Network is sponsored by Workhuman.

The role of HR is changing fast—and the leaders who move beyond administration into true business leadership will have the edge. Workhuman Live is where that shift becomes real. Four transformative days in Orlando built around the challenges HR leaders are facing now. With 65-plus standout speakers, you'll get practical, research-backed insights you can use immediately, honest conversations with leaders under the same pressure, and a human-first experience designed to energize – not exhaust. It's why 93% of past attendees left inspired—and why you need to be there this April 27-30. Register now at WorkhumanLive.com and use code HRHAPPYHOUR before March 31st to save 20%. That's HRHAPPYHOUR, all one word.

Thanks for joining us.