This week, we dive into the real-world impacts of DEI rollbacks, workplace discrimination, and employee disengagement. We examine how Target faced boycotts and significant business impacts after eliminating DEI initiatives recently met with Rev. Al Sharpton to address the impacts of boycotts. We'll also explore troubling new research showing increased workplace discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees amid a record year of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Finally, we discuss the emerging concept of "quiet cracking" and what it reveals about the current state of workplace wellbeing and employee engagement.

Connect:

with Steven Huang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thestevenhuang/

or sign up for his newsletter: https://setthesetting.substack.com/

with Stacey Nordwall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

• Rev Al Sharpton meets with Target CEO over halting of DEI initiative
• LGBTQ+ workers report more discrimination, less happiness at work
• What is ‘quiet cracking’? Worker disengagement has a new name

This week, we welcome Nathan Chung, Jessica Donahue, and Greer Procich for a critical conversation about workplace accessibility and inclusion. With collective experience in HR, cybersecurity, and disability advocacy, our panel examines how current workplace policies often overlook the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent employees.

The conversation explores three major topics affecting the workplace:

1. The surge in return-to-office mandates and their disproportionate impact on people with disabilities which is reversing progress that had been made in employment for people with disabilities.
2. The potentially devastating implications of Texas v. Becerra, a lawsuit challenging Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the ripple effects of which could undermine fundamental disability rights in workplaces.
3. Recent changes at the EEOC, including the halting of sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination claims and the abandonment of existing lawsuits - as the EEOC continues to operate without a quorum.

Our guests offer advice and insight for HR professionals navigating these challenges and advocating for truly inclusive workplaces.

Learn more about Rethink Ability: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/greerprocich_rethinking-disability-from-red-tape-to-real-activity-7310716858263908354-uJxk

Connect:

Nathan Chung:

• on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nc808/
• on the Disability Disrupted podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DisabilityDisrupted

Jessica Donahue:

• on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-e-donahue/
• on her website: https://www.adjunctleadership.com/

Greer Procich:

• on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerprocich/

Stacey Nordwall:

• on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

• 5 years into the remote work boom, the return-to-office push is stronger than ever—here's why
• ‘Dangerous’ lawsuit could imperil disability rights, advocates say
• Andrea Lucas renominated to EEOC, pledges ‘evenhanded’ civil rights enforcement
• Five years of remote work changed workplace accessibility. Employees with disabilities will feel its loss.

In this episode, we analyze new Glassdoor research suggesting employees are increasingly deprioritizing workplace relationships, questioning whether this shift stems from broader social disconnection or reflects changing priorities in a hybrid world. We also discuss a revealing Perceptyx survey showing that while 95% of HR teams are collecting employee feedback, only 27% feel confident they can act on it—highlighting the growing burnout crisis among HR professionals who are stretched too thin. Finally, we explore the controversy surrounding Meta's "do not rehire" list, examining the tension between standard HR offboarding practices and transparency in employment relationships.

Connect:

Kim Minnick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-minnick/

Stacey Nordwall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

Employees care less and less about workplace relationships, new research finds

Stressed HR teams say they can’t take action on employee feedback

Meta keeps secret ‘do not rehire’ list of ex-employees — despite exceptional performance reviews: report

Kim Minnick joins this week as we dive into three fascinating workplace trends from around the globe. We examine Tokyo's move toward a four-day workweek aimed at addressing Japan's population crisis and work-life balance challenges, while questioning why it takes demographic emergencies to implement family-friendly policies. We also explore the "resignation by proxy" phenomenon emerging in Japan's hierarchical corporate culture. Finally, we unpack a thought-provoking UK tribunal case where an estate agent successfully sued after being assigned a lower-status desk, revealing how seemingly minor workplace arrangements can significantly impact employee roles and retention. Join us as we examine these developments and their implications for the evolving modern workplace.

Connect:

Kim Minnick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-minnick/

Stacey Nordwall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

Tokyo is turning to a 4-day workweek in a desperate attempt to help Japan shed its unwanted title of ‘world’s oldest population’

Resignation By Proxy: A New Workplace Trend Leaders Should Watch

Senior staff can sue if given ‘low status’ desk, UK tribunal rules

In this special April Fool’s Day episode, host Stacey Nordwall hands over the reins to co-producer Lexi Croswell for a fun twist on the usual format. Instead of tooting or booting HR headlines, Stacey and HR consultant Nadia Eran have to decide if the headlines are real or fake – and why!

Connect:

Nadia Eran ->

• on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaeran/
• Or her website Future in Work: https://futureinwork.com/

Lexi Croswell ->

• on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiscroswell/
• Or her website: https://www.alexiscroswell.com/services

Stacey Nordwall ->

• On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Last week our team was at the Transform Conference in Las Vegas, connecting with HR practitioners and thought leaders. We decided to have some fun and do quick on the conference floor interviews with fellow attendees and friends of the pod. So this week we're spreading the fun and bringing you a special compilation episode of all of our interviews, which involve folks tooting your booting things about Vegas pop culture. And of course, as always, HR headlines. The audio was a bit tricky at times, so apologies in advance for that and for saying you heard it here at the end of pretty much every interview. I hope you enjoy.

Our guests:

Theresa Fesinstine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresafesinstine/

Nadia Eran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaeran/

Kim Minnick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-minnick/

Rebecca Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccataylor2/

Daniel Huerta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-huerta-mpl/

Stephen Huerta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenhuerta/

Lia Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liaseth/

Stefanie Fackrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefaniefackrell-hr-rebel/

The headlines:

Accusations of Corporate Espionage Shake a Software Rivalry

Cameo puts its money where its office is with new RTO policy

Resignation By Proxy: A New Workplace Trend Leaders Should Watch

Typing loudly, wearing AirPods: ‘taskmasking’ is how gen Z pretends to work at the office

We discuss a recent sex discrimination case where a male employee in a female-dominated workplace filed a claim after being excluded from awards with the announcement "it's not going to be any of the men." We explore the complex dynamics of being in the minority at work.

Next, we analyze the growing trend of companies like Google and the Trump administration offering buyouts with an underlying message of "get on board or get out." What does this signal about workplace culture when organizations are explicitly prioritizing mission alignment over accommodating diverse perspectives?

Finally, we question the emerging concept of "revenge quitting" - is this just a rebranding of employees setting reasonable boundaries by leaving toxic environments? We examine how companies are scrambling to prevent turnover, but seemingly don't want to acknowledge how this is the work of DEI and HR.

Connect with DeMario:

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demario-bell-7a510994/

Connect with Stacey:

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles

Man loses sex discrimination claim after boss says ‘sorry boys’ at awards do

Why Trump and Google are paying employees to quit and what it means for your business

5 ways employers can prevent employees from revenge quitting in 2025

In this episode, we start with the concerning prevalence of workplace ageism, where research shows nearly all employees over 40 experience age discrimination and feel pressured to downplay their experience.

We then explore the puzzling "career catfishing" phenomenon, where 34% of Gen Z workers reportedly accept positions only to deliberately skip their first day without notice - raising questions about evolving power dynamics between employers and employees.

Finally, we analyze Gallup's recent findings showing U.S. employee engagement has hit a 10-year low, with just 31% of workers feeling engaged and particular disengagement among younger workers and those in finance and technology sectors.

Connect with DeMario:

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demario-bell-7a510994/

Connect with Stacey:

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceynordwall/

Articles:

The silent career killer? Nearly every employee over 40 sees rampant ageism in the workplace

Gen Z is ‘career catfishing’ in power move to irk corporate employers

US employee engagement falls to 10-year low