Trust Is Down, AI Is Up, and Gen Z’s Changing Everything

Only 24% of employees trust leadership to "do the right thing." From ServiceNow’s $2.85B AI bet to Amazon’s new high-performer pay scale, this episode is stacked with trend shifts, red flags, and real-world takeaways. We unpack what’s actually going on in HR tech—from the keynote stage to the backchannel Slack DMs - and why it might be time to replace your vibe checks with real strategy. In this episode, we talk about industry events, tech changes, recruiting shifts, and the slow collapse of trust in leadership. We get into payroll fraud, Gen Z's micro-shift mentality, ServiceNow’s big AI play, and how likability now outweighs qualifications in hiring decisions. Oh—and we talk about hairy microphones. Don’t ask. Key Takeaways ✅ The Real Power of Small Events: Better Deals, Bigger Connections ✅ Payroll Fraud Is Everywhere—And Your HR Team’s Probably Missing It ✅ Workday Just Landed a Massive Gov Deal—Here’s What That Means for HR ✅ Gen Z Doesn’t Want 9-to-5—They Want 6-Hour Shifts and Sanity ✅ We Got Better at Communicating During COVID—Now We’re Getting Worse ✅ Only 1 in 4 Trust Their Leadership… And That Number’s Dropping ✅ Why ServiceNow Spent $3 Billion on a Talking AI Assistant ✅ The Secret Sauce in M&A? It's Not Tech—It’s Consultants ✅ Hiring Today Is About Vibe Over Résumé—Like It or Not ✅ This Wearable Tech Could Save Workers’ Lives—And It’s Flying Under the Radar ✅ Everyone Talks Internal Mobility—But Almost No One Does It Right ✅ Amazon’s Quiet Pay Shift Could Redefine Performance Culture Chapters 00:00 Navigating Changes in Technology and Tools 02:57 Reflections on Recent Travel and Events 06:05 Highlights from the Recruiting Innovation Summit 08:55 Insights from the Connect Event at UNC Charlotte 12:07 Keynote Highlights and Industry Trends 15:01 Understanding Payroll Fraud and Its Implications 17:58 Breaking News: U.S. Government Contracts with Workday 20:59 Shifting Workforce Trends: Micro Shifts and Gen Z 24:06 The Future of HR: Data Specialists vs. Traditional Roles 26:55 Amazon's New Pay Structure for High Performers 28:41 Consulting Insights and Acquisitions 30:28 AI Innovations in ServiceNow 34:01 Trust in Leadership and Communication 37:31 Hiring Trends: The Importance of Likability 41:42 Vibe vs. Skills in Hiring Decisions 45:30 Funding News and Innovations 52:05 Wearable Safety Tech in Railways Connect with us William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices