Best Matrix Partners Podcasts (2025)

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Seeing the HR Matrix: A Conversation with Nicole Eisdorfer on Curiosity, Data, and the Future of HR 32:39

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4h ago32:39

32:39

In this episode, Ben sits down with Nicole Eisdorfer to uncover how curiosity, courage, and creativity can reshape the world of HR. From breaking out of the “HR Matrix” to asking better questions, Nicole shares her journey from traditional reporting into human-centered, impactful work. Together, they explore how technology and data can empower—not …

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🎙 Why Employee Experience Is Every Company’s Priority 33:03

20d ago33:03

33:03

In this episode, the host explores why employee experience (EX) has become a board-level priority and how organizations can move from ideas to impact. Drawing on insights from the research report A Critical Moment: Why Employee Experience Should Be Every Company’s Priority, the conversation covers practical ways to elevate EX without massive budget…

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Unraveling the Matrix: Human Simulation, Annunaki Secrets, and Reincarnation 1:13:22

3M ago1:13:22

1:13:22

Got a topic you want us to tackle? Know someone we need to interview or a place we need to investigate? Got feedback or questions on an episode? Shoot us a text here! In this episode of Cocktails and Conspiracies, Sher, Kip, and Laz hold a riveting conversation with Jason Kendrick, a transformational speaker, life coach, and Star Seed. We dive into…

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Unpacking Talent Acquisition Strategy with Kelly Burlage of Lineage 28:11

4M ago28:11

28:11

In this episode of We're Only Human, host Ben Eubanks talks with Kelly Burlage, Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition at Lineage. They discuss strategies for improving the recruitment process, creating better impacts for candidates, and the challenges faced by TA leaders today. Kelly shares insights on the role of artificial intelligence in r…

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Key Strategies for Mastering the HR Business Partner Role with Alicia Jones 29:24

5M ago29:24

29:24

In this episode of 'We're Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks engages in a detailed conversation with Alicia Jones, a senior HR business partner for a global medical company. They delve into the complex role of an HR business partner, discussing essential skills like understanding the business context, influencing, and synthesizing data insights. Alicia …

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Space Snakes! Yes...Snakes...In Space... 1:18:38

5M ago1:18:38

1:18:38

Got a topic you want us to tackle? Know someone we need to interview or a place we need to investigate? Got feedback or questions on an episode? Shoot us a text here! In our latest episode, Sher and Laz embark on a journey to space with our friend, award-winning producer, musician, author, and "spiritual journeyman" Corbin Billings, to uncover the …

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AI in Talent Acquisition: How Mastercard and Leonardo Screen for Success 41:56

5M ago41:56

41:56

In this episode of We're Only Human, host Ben Eubanks chats with Matt Leitzman, VP of Talent Acquisition at MasterCard, and Craig Drysdale, VP of Talent and Engagement at Leonardo. The discussion delves into the role of AI in hiring, effective candidate screening techniques, and the evolving landscape of talent acquisition. Both guests highlight th…

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Bigfoot Researcher Mike Familant- "In the Shadow of Big Red Eye" 1:13:00

6M ago1:13:00

1:13:00

Got a topic you want us to tackle? Know someone we need to interview or a place we need to investigate? Got feedback or questions on an episode? Shoot us a text here! Would you give up your whole world to pursue evidence for something you aren't even sure exists? That's exactly what our guest Mike Familant did after a random camping adventure chang…

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Workplace Transformation Thrives with Performance, Recognition, and Trust 34:09

6M ago34:09

34:09

In this episode of We're Only Human, host Ben Eubanks connects in an insightful discussion with Debra Squyres from Bonusly and Hope Weatherford from Fountain. They delve into strategies to improve workplace performance and the evolving nature of performance management. The conversation covers the significance of real-time feedback, building trust b…

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Navigating HR Classification Compliance with Michael Cleavely of CoComply 25:55

6M ago25:55

25:55

In this episode of We're Only Human, host Ben Eubanks sits down with Michael Cleavely, founder of CoComply, to discuss the complexities of compliance in contingent workforce management. Michael shares the journey of CoComply, a platform that assists organizations in classifying, managing, and discovering their contingent and non-permanent workforce…

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HR isn't the Center of Attention, The Workforce Is: Insights from Cenikor Foundation 33:21

7M ago33:21

33:21

In this episode, Kellee Webb shares the remarkable journey of Cenikor Foundation since 2009, growing from 82 employees across three locations to nearly 600 employees today, with 75 people in their corporate office (or "operations support," as they call them at Cenikor). The discussion highlights significant milestones such as the adoption of techno…

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Season 2 Opener: A Drone, A Freemason, and Tupac Walk Into A Podcast 1:11:12

7M ago1:11:12

1:11:12

Got a topic you want us to tackle? Know someone we need to interview or a place we need to investigate? Got feedback or questions on an episode? Shoot us a text here! After a long sabbatical, the "Cocktailed Crazies" have returned with a bit of a surprise. In this episode, you will: Meet the newest member of the C&C team Discuss the drones sighted …

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Building a Sweet Culture of People-First Leadership at Milo's Tea Company 39:05

7M ago39:05

39:05

In this episode of 'We're Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks engages in a dynamic conversation with Ryan Faught, HR leader at Milo's Tea Company. Ryan shares insights into Milo's unique culture, emphasizing values like safety, responsibility, and integrity, along with their 'HAT' values: Hungry, Agile, and Together. The discussion delves into how Milo's…

1
Navigating HR and Business Challenges: Insights from Insperity’s HR Experts 32:51

7M ago32:51

32:51

In this episode of ‘We’re Only Human,’ host Ben Eubanks sits down with Jen McCann and Maria Jugin from Insperity to discuss the evolving landscape of human resources. The conversation covers a range of topics including the increasing interest and uncertainty surrounding AI, strategies for recruiting and retaining top talent, and the differences in …

1
Fostering Growth Mindsets and Embracing AI in Learning with the CEO of TalentLMS 21:19

8M ago21:19

21:19

In this episode of 'We're Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks welcomes Nikhil Arora, CEO of Epignosis, the parent company of TalentLMS. They explore various facets of learning and development, focusing on mindsets, supporting employee growth, and the impact of AI. Nikhil shares insights from TalentLMS's data, revealing that over 50% of employees prioriti…

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Building Trust and Community in HR with Jason Lawson 34:39

8M ago34:39

34:39

In this episode of We're Only Human, host Ben Eubanks engages in an enlightening conversation with Jason Lawson, an HR veteran with over 30 years of experience. They delve into the importance of building strong relationships with leaders, the critical role of trust in the workplace, and the evolving views on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). …

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Navigating HR Challenges and Building Connections with Jeff Palkowski 29:41

8M ago29:41

29:41

In this episode of 'We're Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks sits down with Jeff Palkowski, an HR leader with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an active volunteer with SHRM. They discuss the unique challenges of public sector HR, the importance of mental health and employee well-being, and how to support managers in addressing these issues. Jeff …

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Building Better Leaders: Lessons from The Mayo Clinic 25:50

9M ago25:50

25:50

With so many employers thinking about the coming year and how to create a positive workplace, we have to consider leadership and manager selection since that is a crucial part of the big picture. In this illuminating rebroadcast episode of 'We're Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks delves into effective leadership selection with Ji Yun Kang, Senior Advis…

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Unlocking Customer Eminence: The Power of Personal Stories 18:25

10M ago18:25

18:25

In this episode of 'We're Only Human', host Ben Eubanks welcomes Patrika Hardnett, the Customer Eminence Leader at Kyndryl, to discuss the innovative concept of customer eminence. Patrika shares how companies can use this approach to create deeper connections and build powerful, lasting relationships with their customers. She emphasizes the importa…

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Leveraging Labor Market Analytics for EVP Analysis, Strategic Workforce Planning, and More 19:39

10M ago19:39

19:39

In this episode of 'We're Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks engages in an illuminating discussion with David Wilkins, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Talent Neuron. They explore the use of data to drive insights into strategic workforce planning and talent acquisition. David delves into Talent Neuron's innovative practices, including their propr…

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Throw Out the PowerPoint Deck and Do This Instead Says Former Pfizer Head of HR 30:26

10M ago30:26

30:26

In this engaging episode of 'We Are Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks converses with Larry Kelly, an experienced HR leader and storyteller. Larry shares his journey from leading HR at Intel and Pfizer to founding his own consulting business, Attract Wonder, which focuses on integrating awe and curiosity into organizations through storytelling. The disc…

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Proximity and Approachability Enable a People-Centric Workplace Culture 22:07

11M ago22:07

22:07

In this episode of We’re Only Human, host Ben Eubanks converses with Louise Willoughby, Chief People Officer at Beekeeper, to explore the groundbreaking strategies Beekeeper has employed to enhance employee retention. The discussion underscores the importance of aligning company and employee values, and introduces impactful initiatives such as 'fro…

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Empowering Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia's Managers in Compensation Transparency 21:09

11M ago21:09

21:09

Building Trust in HR: Kathy White on Compensation and Communication In this episode of 'We're Only Human', host Ben Eubanks talks with Kathy White, VP of HR for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, about the critical aspects of compensation and communication in the workforce. Kathy shares her experiences from the World at Work conference and her role…

1
Accelerating Business Agility with Poornima Farrar of Rival 28:00

11M ago28:00

28:00

In this episode of We Are Only Human, host Ben Eubanks is joined by Poornima, Chief Product Officer at Rival. Together, they discuss the latest research in Talent Acquisition, focusing on the importance of flexibility and agility within organizations. They delve into the challenges employers face in forecasting hiring needs, the necessity of person…

1
Centralizing the Recruiting Function and Building Global Credibility 17:29

12M ago17:29

17:29

In this episode of We're Only Human, Ben Eubanks interviews Marcus Thorpe, Global Head of Talent Acquisition (TA) at ThoughtWorks, during the Starcircle Supernova Conference in Cork, Ireland. Marcus shares his experiences and strategies for scaling TA functions across 20 countries, centralizing recruiting processes, and leveraging data to make info…

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From Burnout to Breakthrough: Redesigning Work for Human Flourishing 18:50

12M ago18:50

18:50

In this episode of We're Only Human, Ben Eubanks discusses with Jessica Teitjen about her journey from law to executive leadership in HR and IT. Jessica shares her personal experience of burnout and her subsequent deep dive into the neuroscience of human performance. They explore the disconnect between current workplace practices and positive human…

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Creating a Workplace People Love: Insights from isolved's Amy Mosher 21:01

1y ago21:01

21:01

In this episode of 'We Are Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks is joined by Amy Mosher, Chief People Officer at isolved. They discuss the crucial elements of building a company culture where employees are eager to join and reluctant to leave. Amy shares insights from her experience transforming isolved's culture, emphasizing high trust, transparency, and…

1
How to Use "Contracting" as a Recruiting Power Skill 33:15

1y ago33:15

33:15

In this engaging episode of 'We Are Only Human', host Ben welcomes Paul Norman, a seasoned TA leader and consultant. Paul shares his extensive experiences in talent acquisition across diverse industries like financial services, technology, and healthcare. The discussion covers TA strategy, aligning recruitment with business goals, user experience i…

1
Proactive vs Reactive Talent Acquisition: Insights on Hiring Friction, Quality of Hire, and More 24:48

1y ago24:48

24:48

In this episode of 'We're Only Human,' host Ben Eubanks converses with James Galvin, founder of Starcircle. They discuss key aspects of talent acquisition, including being data-driven, understanding market dynamics, and achieving internal alignment within organizations. James introduces Starcircle’s 12-component Hiring Friction Model, which address…

1
How to Forecast and Strategically Plan for Seasonal Hiring Needs 35:04

1y ago35:04

35:04

Rebroadcast note: For the first time in We're Only Human's 8-year history, we're rebroadcasting some of our most popular episodes to share them with new listeners. That means sometimes the speakers will have moved to a new company in the interim, but the lessons they shared are still relevant, topical, and valuable. Enjoy! In this episode of We're …

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Hint: Nobody Likes Feedback. But Here's Why Two HR Leaders Say We Need It 27:29

1y ago27:29

27:29

This episode of We're Only Human features a keynote panel discussion with Ben Eubanks, Broc Edwards, and Dana Ullom-Vucelich. The panel focuses on the importance of creating cultures centered around giving, seeking, and receiving feedback regularly. The discussion highlights how performance reviews should be routine and uneventful if feedback has b…

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How to Drive an Off-the-Charts Employee NPS (eNPS) Score 23:37

1y ago23:37

23:37

In this episode of We're Only Human, Ben talks with Alli Ford, VP of HR at Assembly Software, about how they have created an off-the-charts employee NPS (eNPS) score. The discussion emphasizes the necessity for HR leaders to understand and articulate the strategy of their company. Alli underscores that knowing why the company exists, its history, a…

1
AI is Eating Our Jobs and Creating a Career Cliff 39:48

1y ago39:48

39:48

In this episode of "We're Only Human," host Ben Eubanks welcomes Christopher Lind to discuss the impact of AI on jobs, skills development, and the future of work. They delve into topics such as the replacement of employees by AI at Klarna, the need to rethink skills development in the age of AI, and the importance of blending human expertise with A…

1
Designing a Collaborative People Strategy that Drives Business Impact 27:59

1y ago27:59

27:59

In this episode of We're Only Human, host Ben Eubanks talks with Marjorie Williamson, the leader of Global Total Rewards and HR Operations at RTI International. They discuss the importance of connecting people strategy with business strategy, focusing on RTI's ambitious North Star goal to positively impact over 1 billion people by 2030. The convers…

1
Developing a Frontline Workforce? Here are Critical Elements to Consider 30:00

1y ago30:00

30:00

In this episode of We're Only Human, Ben Eubanks hosts David Wentworth, talent platform evangelist at Schoox, to discuss the importance of developing frontline workers. They discuss the challenges frontline workers face, such as time constraints and lack of practice opportunities, and emphasize the value of mobile solutions for training and communi…

1
How to Reduce Interview Cycle Time with Sarah Faupel of Enterprise Mobility 28:33

1y ago28:33

28:33

In this episode of We're Only Human, Ben Eubanks interviews Sarah from Enterprise Mobility's talent acquisition team to discuss strategies for emerging talent and improving candidate experiences. Sarah shares insights about Enterprise Mobility's internship program, onboarding processes, and an expedited hiring model to streamline the recruitment of…

1
Using Neuroscience to Drive Better Learning Outcomes at Work 28:50

1+ y ago28:50

28:50

In different organizations, sometimes learning is a punishment. If people don't do the right thing or there's a safety issue or a compliance issue, we send people to training. The other end of that spectrum is it's a reward for people. So, your top performers, key talent. So how do we find somewhere in the middle? We're Only Human -- Episode 179 In…

1
3 Keys to Better Employee Retirement Savings and Returns 28:19

1+ y ago28:19

28:19

What's it going to take for them to be able to retire? They're going to need to number one: save. Number two, have earnings on what they've saved. And number three, they're going to have to minimize the deductions coming out of their accounts. We call that the three key drivers. Chris Thixton, Principal, Pension Consultants, Inc. We're Only Human -…

1
3 Talent Leaders Speak on Skills, Fairness, and Branding 30:20

1+ y ago30:20

30:20

Recruiting is preparation for retention. I think it's really top of mind that we should focus on that because a lot of people think that recruiting is just the top of funnel--just getting people in the door. But the experience that people have during the recruitment process... Data has supported that it flows into the retention of that individual t…

1
Aligning Employee Effort with Company Goals: Lessons from Rothy's 22:18

1+ y ago22:18

22:18

"So how do we ensure that our team is focused on the right things so that they're making an impact and seeing that reflected in the business success? As companies increasingly are focused on the bottom line, we just cannot afford to have employees working on things that are not moving the ball forward as it relates to our priorities." Michelle Puli…

1
Using a "Me Manual" to Increase Employee Belonging 23:54

1+ y ago23:54

23:54

"We can make the case. Research is out there that prioritizing connection over productivity is the fastest way to get the productivity. When people have the sense of belongings and feel valued and be part of something, the productivity goes up." Junko Fukuma, AVP of Talent, Healthesystems We're Only Human -- Episode 175 In this episode of "We're On…

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Why HR Should Consider the CEBS Employee Benefits Certification 20:22

1+ y ago20:22

20:22

"I also enjoy the face to face with employees. And I think I really have chosen this field of benefits, this discipline, because I want to help employees maximize the benefits that are offered to them." Summer Martin, Human Resources Generalist, STRATA-G Solutions We're Only Human -- Episode 174 The episode features a conversation between Ben Euban…

1
Unleashing the Power of Good Managers: Insights from CHRO Cheryl Gochis 27:18

1+ y ago27:18

27:18

"And someone says, 'I don't think management's for me.' Celebrate that! When somebody says that to you, you need to celebrate and say, 'Great decision!' As an individual contributor, you have joy in your job by being excellent, by being a subject matter expert."Cheryl Gochis, Chief Human Resources Officer, Baylor University We're Only Human - Episo…

1
Learning in the Age of AI with JD Dillon 34:48

1+ y ago34:48

34:48

"My refrigerator broke one day and I didn't call a repair person. I didn't go to refrigerator repair school. I went to YouTube, found a person who had a similar problem, followed along, fixed the problem, moved on. And then we go to work and suddenly you can't do that anymore." JD Dillon, Chief Learning Officer, Axonify We're Only Human - Episode 1…

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Benefits Broker Turned HR Leader: How to Take Control of Employee Benefits 25:36

1+ y ago25:36

25:36

"I would be remiss to tell our employees 'you have the power to question your doctors' if I didn't tell HR people 'you have the power to question your consultants and brokers' the exact same way." Melissa Cassidy, Human Resources Leader, Valpak We're Only Human -- Episode 171 In this podcast episode, host Ben Eubanks engages in a conversation with …

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Can You Really Prove the Value of Learning and Training Activities? 25:40

1+ y ago25:40

25:40

"So when it comes to training and learning as a viable solution for helping people be the best that they can be in the roles that they serve, I believe that that's always been important. We've just not always been able to illustrate impact in the past the way in which we're able to now. That is because of the different types of tools and resources …

1
A Case Study in Hiring with Intentionality, Not by Accident 21:18

1+ y ago21:18

21:18

"So it's really designed to be a two-way street and to create that conversation from the very, very beginning points. So we're setting the expectations for what employment is going to be like, especially as a leader at our company." Nicole Hirsch, Sr Recruiting Manager, Lattice We're Only Human -- Episode 169 Teaching hiring managers how to intervi…

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Building a Career in HRIS and HRIT - Insights from the Trenches 21:35

1+ y ago21:35

21:35

"Like a lot of people, it's something I fell into. I don't think there's anybody out there that woke up and said, "When I grow up, I want to be an HR tech/HRIS person. So I had a background in social work, counseling, and nonprofit, then got into it and then ended up working in an HRIS role implementing a learning management system. That was my fir…

1
Spiritual Alchemy 1:13:40

1+ y ago1:13:40

1:13:40

Got a topic you want us to tackle? Know someone we need to interview or a place we need to investigate? Got feedback or questions on an episode? Shoot us a text here! Things get lively in EVERY dimension when Sher and Kip chat with Spiritual Alchemist Ahsaki Kai. In this episode, you'll discover: How Ahsaki combines her science background with her …

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The #1 Pay Transparency Priority for Employers 29:07

2y ago29:07

29:07

"Pay transparency is here (or coming) depending on where you're located and where you're hiring people. It's kind of like a snowball rolling down the hill getting bigger and bigger. It's something to really stop and think about and prepare for now, because it's not easy. I think the biggest thing around transparency is thinking about what your educ…