From X to Z

From X to Z

Welcome to From X to Z, the show that believes you never age out of learning about the world around you. Featuring social media maven Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen, the analyst who puts the X in ‘expert,’ they’re here to talk all things jobs, HR, and trends. So mind the generational gap, this is From X to Z.

Episodes

#23 - Rethinking Career Commitment Across Generations

September 10, 2025 • 37 mins
Gen Z is shaking up the workplace with a very different approach to careers—and employers are taking notice. A new survey shows nearly half of Gen Z plans to leave their job within a year, with many averaging less than two years in a role. What does this mean for organizations trying to build loyalty, and for young professionals navigating their early careers? Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen dig into the data, exploring why Gen ...
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#22 - What Today’s Workforce Wants From Employers

September 3, 2025 • 33 mins
Work isn’t just changing—it’s transforming before our eyes. From shifting career paths to the growing influence of technology, today’s workplace looks nothing like it did even a decade ago. But what does that mean for employees, leaders, and organizations trying to keep up? Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen bring two very different perspectives to the conversation—one rooted in the Gen Z experience of entering the workforce, the o...
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#21 - The 'Gen Z Stare': What Does It Mean? We Can't Ignore It.

August 27, 2025 • 33 mins
Hosts Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnon tackle the social media phenomenon known as the "Gen Z Stare". Danielle describes it as a flat, zombie-like, and disengaged expression that is often difficult to read, particularly in the workplace or when interacting with customers. Mervyn and Danielle demonstrate the stare before exploring its origins. Danielle cites a TikTok therapist who suggests the stare is a symptom of a larger cultur...
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#20 - Nearly 9% of Younger Workers Use Alcohol or Drugs at Work

August 20, 2025 • 31 mins
Hosts Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnon discuss a recent headline about younger workers and substance use in the workplace. Danielle begins by sharing her weekend, which included a course on public speaking and a trip to Long Island to visit family. Mervyn recounts his weekend activities, which involved an open-air concert in Kent and a walk along the River Thames. The hosts dive into the main topic, prompted by the statistic th...
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#19 - Saying vs. Supporting: A Workplace Disconnect

August 6, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode of From X to Z, Mervyn Dinnen and Danielle Farage dive into the messy middle of workplace transformation—where systems are shifting, but expectations haven’t caught up. They explore the gap between what organizations say they want (innovation, agility, inclusion) and what they actually support through policy, leadership, and structure. From the myth of “readiness” to the dangers of waiting for permission to act, M...
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#18 - How to Build Trust in an Era of Surveillance

July 30, 2025 • 37 mins
Mervyn Dinnen and Danielle Farage tackle the tension between policy and people in today’s evolving workplace. They discuss how rigid compliance structures can clash with human-centered values, explore the risks of over-regulating culture, and examine the growing disconnect between leadership intent and employee experience. The conversation covers hot topics like return-to-office mandates, performance surveillance, trust erosion, ...
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# 17 - Gen Z’s Take on Work, Ambition, and Burnout

July 23, 2025 • 30 mins
In this episode of From X to Z, Mervyn Dinnen and Danielle Farage explore the evolving expectations around work, performance, and success across generations. They unpack how younger workers are redefining ambition, why traditional career paths are being questioned, and what this all means for leaders trying to retain and engage top talent. This candid conversation touches on burnout, work-life integration, the value of transparen...
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#16 - How to Lead Change Without Losing Trust

July 16, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode of From X to Z, Mervyn Dinnen and Danielle Farage explore why organizational change is so hard to implement—and what leaders can do about it. They break down the emotional and structural barriers that cause resistance, discuss the importance of clarity and trust, and share real-world insights on how to lead change that actually sticks. Topics include why change initiatives often fail, how generational perspect...
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#15 - TA in Transition: Heidi Barnett on Merging Brands, AI, and the Future of Hiring

June 25, 2025 • 35 mins
Live from the UNLEASH America expo floor, Mervyn Dinnen sits down with Heidi Barnett, President of Talent Acquisition at isolved, to explore the evolution of TA through strategic integrations, AI innovation, and generational shifts in the workforce. Heidi shares the story behind the transition from ApplicantPro to isolved, the rise of smaller recruiting teams handling more complexity, and why efficiency—without losing the human to...
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#14 - From HR Leader to Tech Trailblazer: Jocelyn King on Automating Compliance

June 19, 2025 • 24 mins
Jocelyn King, CEO of Virgil HR, joins Mervyn Dinnen live from UNLEASH America to share how she's transforming the HR compliance landscape through automation and AI. Drawing on her experience as a global HR leader, Jocelyn explains the compliance headaches that inspired her to build Virgil’s prescriptive legal chatbot—and how it's helping HR teams stay compliant across multiple states without legal degrees or endless Google searches...
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#13 - Why Gen Z Managers Are Struggling—and It’s Not Their Fault

June 11, 2025 • 35 mins
Is Gen Z too confusing—or are we just not listening closely enough? In this episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen dig into the real challenges organizations face when trying to engage and support their youngest employees. From HR leaders unsure how to guide Gen Z managers to the widening skills gap in leadership development, this episode explores why companies are struggling to meet a generation that’s demanding...
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#12 - Names, Nations, and Navigating Identity in the Workplace

June 4, 2025 • 30 mins
Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen open with a cross-continental catch-up—from New York to London—blending personal stories and cultural commentary, including Danielle’s journey with the pronunciation and evolution of her last name. They dig into how names and backgrounds influence perception in the workplace and why identity still plays a subtle but powerful role in professional interactions. The conversation then turns to one of ...
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#11 - The Trust Gap: Why Gen Z Demands More from Employers

May 7, 2025 • 36 mins
In this eye-opening episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen examine the growing trust gap between Gen Z employees and their employers. They dive into why Gen Z is increasingly skeptical of leadership, what transparency and accountability mean in today’s workplace, and how organizations can rebuild credibility with younger talent. The conversation covers everything from corporate ethics to the role of social media ...
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#10 - Redefining Success: Gen Z’s Bold Approach to Work and Identity

April 30, 2025 • 32 mins
What if climbing the corporate ladder is no longer the dream—but a red flag? In this eye-opening episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen explore how Gen Z is flipping the script on success, trading in titles and traditional ambition for authenticity, alignment, and impact. Today’s youngest professionals are no longer separating who they are from what they do—and they’re demanding that work reflects their values, i...
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#9 - Challenging Workplace Norms: The Gen Z Effect

April 23, 2025 • 32 mins
Is success still about climbing the ladder—or is Gen Z building an entirely new one? As the youngest generation in the workforce challenges long-held ideas about ambition, identity, and fulfillment, a seismic shift is underway in how we define a meaningful career. This episode explores how Gen Z is blending personal values with professional goals, demanding more inclusive, flexible, and purpose-driven workplaces—and rejecting the n...
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#8 - Mental Health at Work: A Generational Shift

April 16, 2025 • 36 mins
What if your company offered psychedelic therapy or a concierge to help with elder care? Workplace mental health is undergoing a radical transformation—and Gen Z is helping lead the charge. In this episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen explore how attitudes toward mental wellbeing at work have shifted from silence and stigma to openness and innovation. They trace the evolution across generations—from the “leave...
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#7 - Micro-Retirements: Gen Z Breaks the Mold

April 9, 2025 • 32 mins
What if the key to a fulfilling career isn’t climbing the ladder nonstop—but stepping off it on purpose? In this episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen dive into the growing trend of “micro-retirements,” where Gen Z workers are breaking free from the traditional 9-to-5 grind and embracing intentional pauses throughout their careers. These aren’t gaps—they’re strategic breaks for travel, upskilling, creative explo...
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#6 - Are Gen Z Really Annoying Coworkers?

April 2, 2025 • 32 mins
Are Gen Z really the most annoying co-workers—or are they just rewriting the rules of work? In this punchy episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen unpack a viral article that paints Gen Z as workplace troublemakers and ask the bigger question: what’s actually behind the label? With Mervyn’s Gen X lens and Danielle’s insider perspective on younger generations, they explore the real friction points—like shifting ex...
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#5 - Gen Z Work Ethic: Lazy or Realistic?

March 26, 2025 • 29 mins
Is Gen Z really lazy—or just fed up with a system that no longer works? In this fiery episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen dig into a controversial Fortune article questioning Gen Z’s work ethic and take a closer look at the stereotypes fueling the debate. What older generations might see as entitlement, Gen Z frames as a demand for fairness, flexibility, and purpose. From skyrocketing living costs and stagnan...
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#4 - RTO or GTFO? Gen Z’s Take on the Office Comeback

March 20, 2025 • 30 mins
Is forcing people back to the office a return to normal—or a step backward? In this timely episode of From X to Z, Danielle Farage and Mervyn Dinnen tackle the heated debate around Return to Office (RTO) mandates and what they really mean for the future of work. As more companies push for in-person attendance, Gen Z finds itself caught between outdated assumptions and a desire for connection and flexibility. Danielle and Mervyn br...
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