Workplace Stories by RedThread Research
At RedThread, we love data—but we know stories are what stick. That’s why we bring together thinkers, writers, leaders, and practitioners to share real-world insights about what works in the workplace, what they’ve learned, and where the future of work is headed. We keep it insightful, thought-provoking, and maybe even a little irreverent. But we don’t stop at conversations. Our research, events, and community turn insights into action, helping organizations and individuals navigate the changing world of work. Want to be part of the conversation? Join our community for free and connect with others shaping the future of work. Learn more about RedThread Research here: https://redthreadresearch.com/home
Episodes
July 2, 2025 • 53 mins
Many organizations see learning and development (L&D) as a cost center rather than a strategic driver of value, but what if that mindset is costing them far more than they realize?
In this episode, Dr. Keith Keating explains why we’re moving from a “knowledge economy” to a “value economy,” where it’s not what we know but what we do with it that matters.
He shares practical ways for L&D teams to make their impact visible, brid...
In this episode, Dr. Keith Keating explains why we’re moving from a “knowledge economy” to a “value economy,” where it’s not what we know but what we do with it that matters.
He shares practical ways for L&D teams to make their impact visible, brid...
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June 11, 2025 • 36 mins
Most organizations claim to care about employee development, but upon closer examination, their approach to skills is often vague, subjective, or downright confusing. They might assume people will simply "figure it out" on the job or resort to one-size-fits-all training. If you've ever wondered why your learning investments don’t seem to translate into impact, it might be because you’re still guessing when it comes to skills.
Today,...
Today,...
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June 4, 2025 • 44 mins
In this episode of Workplace Stories, Dani Johnson talks with Cher Murphy, Partner, Head of People+Talent Practice at ON Partner, founder of The Murphy Advisory, and faculty member at Pepperdine and the University of Michigan. Drawing from her deep experience in executive coaching and leadership development, Cher shares how leadership is evolving in response to rapid technological, political, and organizational change. She emphasiz...
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May 20, 2025 • 48 mins
Most leadership development still clings to certainty, quarterly goals, strategic plans, official futures etched in stone. But what if that mindset isn’t just outdated, it’s dangerous? In this episode, Dani Johnson and Stacia Garr sit down with futurists and experience designers Lisa Kay Solomon and Jeff Rogers, two minds helping rewire how leaders think about the future, not as a distant unknown, but as a daily design challenge. W...
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May 14, 2025 • 52 mins
Many teams don’t realize how much time their people are losing to repetitive tasks and clunky systems. From filling out HR forms to bouncing between platforms, what’s called “employee experience” often adds up to unnecessary friction. The real problem? No one’s questioning whether those steps need to exist at all. There’s an unspoken assumption that better design means more interface, more features, more engagement. But what if the...
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April 30, 2025 • 50 mins
Most conversations about AI in the workplace get stuck on the surface - job loss fears, tech hype, and hand-wringing about what’s next. But in this episode, we flip the script. What if AI itself isn’t the problem? What if the real story is how organizations introduce, structure, and integrate it into the human fabric of work?
Jeremy Broome, Global Head of Talent at Visa, shares how his team navigates AI with a surprisingly optimisti...
Jeremy Broome, Global Head of Talent at Visa, shares how his team navigates AI with a surprisingly optimisti...
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April 17, 2025 • 42 mins
HR teams have more data than ever, but many still rely on guesswork when it comes to people decisions. In this episode, we unpack the rapid growth of the people analytics tech market, which ballooned from $1.7B in 2019 to $8.1B by last summer.
Hosts Dani Johnson, Stacia Garr, and Priyanka Mehrotra walk through how this market has evolved, what’s driving investment, and why the demand for better-connected, more useful insights keeps ...
Hosts Dani Johnson, Stacia Garr, and Priyanka Mehrotra walk through how this market has evolved, what’s driving investment, and why the demand for better-connected, more useful insights keeps ...
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April 2, 2025 • 44 mins
Many L&D teams still see themselves as a support function—creating learning programs, responding to training requests, and advocating for development. But in a rapidly changing business landscape, is that enough?
In this episode, Al Dea, founder of Edge of Work, challenges the traditional identity of L&D and makes the case for a more strategic role—one that positions learning as a core driver of business transformation, not...
In this episode, Al Dea, founder of Edge of Work, challenges the traditional identity of L&D and makes the case for a more strategic role—one that positions learning as a core driver of business transformation, not...
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March 19, 2025 • 44 mins
AI is transforming work at an unprecedented pace, but many organizations still struggle to move beyond experimentation and into real implementation. In this episode, we sit down with Steven Moran, Chief Learning Officer and Chief Partnerships Officer at Bertelsmann, to explore how one of the world’s largest media, education, and services companies is tackling this challenge head-on.
With 400 businesses and 80,000 employees worldwid...
With 400 businesses and 80,000 employees worldwid...
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March 5, 2025 • 40 mins
Boston Scientific is looking at workforce planning in an entirely new way. We got the rare chance to hear all about it from Brenda Kowske, their Senior Director of Talent Analytics and Workforce Planning.
With 50,000 employees worldwide and a rapidly growing footprint, they’re navigating big challenges with fresh approaches.We talked with Brenda about how her team is breaking down traditional HR silos, integrating workforce planning...
With 50,000 employees worldwide and a rapidly growing footprint, they’re navigating big challenges with fresh approaches.We talked with Brenda about how her team is breaking down traditional HR silos, integrating workforce planning...
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February 19, 2025 • 40 mins
In this episode of Workplace Stories, we sit down with Heather Bussing, a California employment lawyer, to break down the recent executive orders on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I).
Heather brings her sharp legal perspective, offering clarity on what these orders actually mean for businesses—especially those in the private sector—and how employers can navigate this complex landscape without overreacting.
Heather is direct...
Heather brings her sharp legal perspective, offering clarity on what these orders actually mean for businesses—especially those in the private sector—and how employers can navigate this complex landscape without overreacting.
Heather is direct...
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February 5, 2025 • 47 mins
We sat down with Tapaswee Chandele, Senior Vice President of Global Talent Development and System Partnerships at Coca-Cola, to talk about what it really takes to help managers succeed.
She’s direct, transparent, and refreshingly honest about the challenges leaders face today—and what companies need to do to make things simpler. From setting clear expectations to measuring what matters, Tapaswee breaks down the way Coca-Cola suppor...
She’s direct, transparent, and refreshingly honest about the challenges leaders face today—and what companies need to do to make things simpler. From setting clear expectations to measuring what matters, Tapaswee breaks down the way Coca-Cola suppor...
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January 22, 2025 • 44 mins
In 2025, the HR landscape is already transforming–quickly. With AI moving from hype to reality, workforce cultures evolving, and organizations pausing to get their data and systems in order, leaders face both big opportunities and bigger decisions.
To truly make sense of it all, we sat down with Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer at Sapient Insights Group, whose decades of experience as both a practitioner and industry analyst g...
To truly make sense of it all, we sat down with Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer at Sapient Insights Group, whose decades of experience as both a practitioner and industry analyst g...
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January 8, 2025 • 46 mins
Most organizations waste money on L&D technology because they don’t think like investors. We sat down with Kimberly Williams, CEO of Absorb Software, to talk about her unique perspective on learning and development technology. As someone with a private equity background, Kimberly offers a fresh take on how investment thinking can shape smarter decisions in the L&D space.Our conversation covered everything from AI’s role in ...
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December 27, 2024 • 42 mins
Cari Bohley, Vice President of Talent Management at Peraton, talks about solving real workplace problems by focusing on skills. From finding highly specialized talent in competitive markets to helping employees see clear career paths, Cari explains how tools like AI are changing the game. She shares what it takes to turn skills into a practical solution for hiring, retention, and engagement—especially in an industry where the stake...
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December 23, 2024 • 41 mins
What happens to an organization when learning and development disappears? It’s a question more leaders are facing as L&D teams shrink or are deprioritized, even as the demand for a skilled workforce grows.
Michelle Kay, Head of Learning and Development at Albertsons, has a clear answer: the unique expertise of L&D is irreplaceable. Managing learning for over 355,000 associates across one of the nation’s largest grocery chai...
Michelle Kay, Head of Learning and Development at Albertsons, has a clear answer: the unique expertise of L&D is irreplaceable. Managing learning for over 355,000 associates across one of the nation’s largest grocery chai...
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December 18, 2024 • 55 mins
We had an incredible conversation with Nick Hudgell, Global Head of People Insights at Sanofi, about the transformative power of data governance and AI in HR. Nick shared how his team has built an infrastructure that connects disparate systems, improves data quality, and uses machine learning to unlock insights that genuinely improve employee experiences.
From rethinking engagement surveys to launching AI-powered tools like the San...
From rethinking engagement surveys to launching AI-powered tools like the San...
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December 4, 2024 • 51 mins
We had an incredible conversation with Don Taylor and Eglė Vinauskaitė about their report, AI and L&D: Intention and Reality. Their research goes deep into how AI is reshaping learning and development, from streamlining tasks like content creation to enabling strategic integration across organizations.
Don and Eglė talked about the fact that AI’s potential goes far beyond efficiency—it’s about solving meaningful business challe...
Don and Eglė talked about the fact that AI’s potential goes far beyond efficiency—it’s about solving meaningful business challe...
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November 20, 2024 • 48 mins
What happens when AI moves faster than the people who implement it?
Christopher Lind, executive advisor and industry expert, shares stories of organizations that got it wrong—sometimes with devastating consequences.
From replacing entire teams with AI to accelerating broken processes, the conversation reveals how quickly things can unravel when technology outpaces understanding. At the same time, there’s tremendous opportunity if AI...
Christopher Lind, executive advisor and industry expert, shares stories of organizations that got it wrong—sometimes with devastating consequences.
From replacing entire teams with AI to accelerating broken processes, the conversation reveals how quickly things can unravel when technology outpaces understanding. At the same time, there’s tremendous opportunity if AI...
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November 6, 2024 • 49 mins
Cole Napper, FedEx’s Global Head of People Analytics, joined us to explore the real versus ideal roles of AI in HR and people analytics, focusing on practical application and real-world impact. Cole highlighted AI’s current limitations, especially the problem of “anti-productive work,” where technology demands extra effort rather than reducing it. His perspective emphasizes the need for critical thinking in analytics to ensure AI t...
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