WTF is Business Casual
WTF is Business Casual is an HR podcast hosted by Sarah Bursten and Jenny Lavey, co-founders of RiseHR. The show mixes real workplace stories with advice on toxic bosses, employee drama, leadership failures, and office politics. Drawing on more than 35 years of combined HR and people-management experience, the hosts use humor and storytelling to make practical lessons entertaining. It is aimed at HR professionals, small business owners, managers, and anyone who has navigated messy work situations.
Episodes
Part 2: More Viral Workplace Advice, More Opinions
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah are back for part two of their workplace advice reaction series. They're reviewing trending career takes and giving their real perspectives as corporate insiders.From a woman who says everything in corporate is made up (she's not wrong) to Dan Martell's fire-or-hire takes that had them equal parts nodding a
We React to Viral (& worst) Workplace Videos - Part 1
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah are doing something a little different. Reacting in real time to the viral workplace advice flooding your social media feeds. From the Dan Martells and Gary Vs of the world to random HR "professionals" who've been fired multiple times and somehow think that's a flex, Jenny and Sarah are calling it all
What is HR? Myths, Mayhem & the Real Cost of Being in HR
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah pull back the curtain on what HR really does, and rip apart every myth that makes them want to flip a table. Spoiler: it's not party planning, it's not firing people for fun, and it is absolutely not easy.From a termination that had Sarah fearing for her physical safety in a basement, to a manager who sent Jenny
"Soft Skills" is a Terrible Name for the Most Important Skills You Have
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah get real about why "soft skills" is a garbage term for the most critical thing missing from your workforce right now. Armed with a Harvard Business Review study of 70 million job transitions, they make the case that collaboration, communication, and problem-solving aren't the floor. They're the ceiling
WTF are Peanut Butter Raises?! Why Pay-for-Performance Keeps Getting Smeared
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah talk about the "peanut butter raise" debate that's been making the rounds in HR circles. A recent industry article predicts companies are about to ditch across-the-board raises in favor of rewarding top performers only, and Jenny and Sarah have some thoughts. Spoiler: they don't think it's actuall
Affordable HR Support for Colorado Small Businesses: The HR Collective
Send us Fan MailMost small business owners know they need HR support.The problem is figuring out what level of support they actually need.In this episode, Jenny and Sarah pull back the curtain on RiseHR's HR Collective and explain why they created it, who it's designed for, and how it helps Colorado small business owners get expert HR guidance without paying for a full-time HR profession
When Employees Start Making the Rules: How Leaders Should Respond
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when employees stop asking and start telling?In this episode, Jenny and Sarah unpack a growing workplace trend they have been seeing with small business owners: employees announcing schedule changes, cutting their hours, demanding remote work, and assuming the answer will be yes.The bigger issue is not employee boldness. It is leadership hesitation.They dig into why so
The Most Expensive "Free" Lunch in HR History.
Send us Fan MailA team gets invited to a "free" lunch with a consultant, and it ends up costing the company six months of peace.Jenny and Sarah unpack a "WTF" moment where a simple midday meeting turned into a spiral of written statements, HR investigations, and a team that stopped speaking to each other. It’s a look at how a lack of curiosity and a surplus of ego can turn a mi
Gen Z at Work: Lazy, Loud, or the Wake-Up Call Corporate Needed? (Rebroadcast)
Send us Fan MailRebroadcast: It’s graduation season, and we’re dusting off one of our all-time fan favorites! Whether you’re tossing your cap, building a team, or guiding the next generation, this episode is essential listening for navigating the transition from campus to career.______Gen Z has officially entered the chat and corporate America isn’t ready.Jenny and Sarah rip into the chaos (and lo
What "Lack of Initiative" Means (And Why Employees Get It Wrong)
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jenny and Sarah break down one of the most misunderstood workplace complaints:“You lack initiative.”But what does that actually mean?Because to employees, it often sounds like:Work more. Stay later. Do extra. Don’t get paid for it.And to leaders, it usually means something completely different.This episode unpacks the gap between those two interpretations—and why it’s cr
Productivity at All Costs? The Workplace Obsession With “More With Less”
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jenny and Sarah follow a strange rabbit hole that started with a podcast about the history of meth.Yes, really.The episode explored how stimulants were once used to push soldiers, pilots, and workers to stay awake longer and produce more. And it sparked a bigger question: why has the workplace always been obsessed with squeezing more productivity out of humans?More with
WTF Workplace Moments: AI Fails, Paycheck Glitches & Career-Limiting Questions
Send us Fan Mail This week, Jenny and Sarah lean into the weird.They kick it off with an AI interview note-taker that accidentally sent a candidate the hiring team’s unfiltered commentary about other applicants. Yes, really. Including the not-so-flattering parts. It’s a cautionary tale about AI tools, privacy, and why you should absolutely lock down your settings.They also get into:Employees being
Small Business HR Mistakes That Will Cost You: Employee Classification, PTO Policies & Intern Rules
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jenny and Sarah tackle the HR landmines small businesses step on all the time.They break down three compliance issues that quietly turn into very loud, very expensive problems: employee misclassification, messy PTO policies, and unpaid interns who legally aren’t interns.First: employee misclassification. Paying someone a salary does not make them exempt. Titles don’t mat
Cussing at Work: Where “Authentic” Meets “HR Nightmare”
Send us Fan Mail This week, Jenny and Sarah tackle a topic that somehow manages to be both extremely relatable and extremely lawsuit-y: swearing at work.It starts with a law update that made both of them do a double take. Turns out, “letting an F-word fly” at work is no longer just a culture question. In some cases, it is a legal one. And in 2024 and 2025, the courts made that line a lot thinner t
The Workplace Is Tired: The Darker Side Of Modern Work
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jenny and Sarah start the year by doing what they do best: collecting a pile of workplace nonsense from the internet and asking the uncomfortable question.Why are we still building work like people are machines?They bounce through everything from four-day workweek studies to open offices, from job hunting on dating apps to LinkedIn slowly becoming Facebook with certifica
Interviewing? Maybe Leave Your Mom at Home. (Rebroadcast)
Send us Fan MailRebroadcast: We’re bringing back one of our favorite episodes as hiring ramps up in the new year—and it’s just as relevant now as ever!In this laugh-and-learn episode, Jenny and Sarah take you inside the beautiful mess of modern recruiting. From jaw-dropping candidate missteps to the surprising rise of parental involvement in job applications (yes, it’s happening), they break down
Performance Reviews Are Broken (Part 2): Why Development Planning Keeps Missing the Point
Send us Fan MailDevelopment planning is the most ignored, and most misunderstood, part of performance management.In this episode of WTF is Business Casual, HR consultants Jenny Levy and Sarah Burston break down why development planning deserves its own lane and why bundling it into performance reviews quietly wrecks employee growth, engagement, and retention.This is Part Two of their performance m
Performance Reviews Are Broken (Part 1): The Messy Reality of Workplace Evaluation
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jenny and Sarah drag the workplace ritual everyone hates: performance reviews. They open with a simple truth HR has known forever. Nobody likes them, nobody trusts them, and nobody thinks they actually work. Managers dread writing them. Employees dread reading them. Yet here we are, still clinging to a system that feels older than a fax machine.And yes, they get into the
Sick at Work: Why You Showing Up Is Everyone’s Worst Nightmare
Send us Fan MailCold and flu season has arrived, and Jenny and Sarah have officially reached their breaking point. This week, they break down the circus of people dragging themselves into the office sick, logging onto Zoom while sweating through a fever, or insisting it’s “just allergies” in the middle of December.From vomiting kids to adults powering through meetings mid-retch, this episode gets
Please Stop Hugging Me (and Other Workplace Crimes)
Send us Fan MailWelcome back to WTF is Business Casual, where HR consultants Jenny Levy and Sarah Bursten roast, rant, and reality-check the weird stuff that somehow passes for “normal” in the workplace.This week we’re calling out all the things people still think are fine at work, but absolutely aren’t.From awkward hugs to speakerphone oversharers, cubicles that look like dorm rooms, and the offi
Gen Z at Work: Lazy, Loud, or the Wake-Up Call Corporate Needed?
Send us Fan MailGen Z has officially entered the chat and corporate America isn’t ready.Jenny and Sarah rip into the chaos (and low-key brilliance) of the newest generation in the workplace. Are they entitled job hoppers with no soft skills… or the only ones brave enough to call BS on burnout culture? Spoiler: it’s complicated — and very, very human.They unpack everything from Gen Z’s allergy to f
The Detachment Paradox: Why HR Bias Punishes Employees Who Unplug
Send us Fan MailEmployers love to say they support work-life balance and encourage you to take your PTO. But here’s the workplace reality: when employees actually unplug, they’re often seen as less committed, and less promotable. Welcome to the detachment paradox.In this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah unpack the HR bias that rewards “always on” employees and punishes those wh
WTF Meetings: Why Your Workplace Productivity Is Dying in Conference Rooms
Send us Fan MailJenny and Sarah rip into the black hole of modern work life: meetings. Endless updates, back-to-back Zooms, and “quick syncs” that somehow eat your entire day. It’s no wonder productivity is tanking.They break down:Why update meetings are the real productivity killersThe hidden cost of meetings when you factor in salaries (spoiler: it’s a lot)How stripping recurring meetings off th
Leadership Boundaries: Non-Negotiables That Keep Teams Sane
Send us Fan MailJenny and Sarah lay down the leadership boundaries that keep their teams sane, their workdays functional, and their patience intact.From bosses who brag about “open door” policies but vanish when the tough stuff hits, to leaders who think skipping lunch is a sign of commitment (spoiler: it’s not), they’re calling out the habits that quietly wreck morale, and the ones that actually
Brains That Work Differently: Why Your Team Needs Both
Send us Fan MailJenny and Sarah get real (and a little vulnerable) about what it actually looks like to build something together when your brains couldn’t be wired more differently.From inner monologues that never shut up to brains that see zero pictures when they read (yes, it’s a thing), they unpack how wildly different mental wiring shows up at work, in friendships, and in every tense “are you
Rest, Recovery, Repeat: What Work Can Learn from Marathon Training
Send us Fan MailJenny and Sarah get real about how the pressure to always exceed expectations at work is quietly fueling burnout, quiet quitting, and toxic workplace culture.They swap HR stories (some hilarious, some horrifying) about leaders who demand 24/7 peak performance, and the human cost that follows. It’s messy, honest, and painfully relatable for anyone who’s ever felt PTO guilt or caught
“Halfway There” Won’t Cut It: HR’s Guide to Performance Management Fails
Send us Fan MailJenny and Sarah get into the HR trenches to talk about every people leader’s favorite nightmare: managing performance issues without a single documented conversation, aka zero receipts!From the leader who drops a “we’ve got to let them go” bomb via text, to the one with a novel-length complaint file (and zero follow-up), they break down the real reason performance management so oft
Workplace Shenanigans: There’s Cheese in the Ceiling! (and Other HR Violations)
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah go full rogue with a chaotic, hilarious deep dive into the strange world of workplace shenanigans. The pranks that made the office fun… until they didn’t.This episode is a tribute to the coworker chaos that somehow made your 9-to-5 bearable.You’ll hear:💻 Why “lock your computer” is more than just IT’s favorite slogan🧀 The
WorkHuman Deep Dive (Part 2): The Future of Work: It’s Complicated (But Still Human)
Send us Fan MailIn Part Two of our deep dive into the WorkHuman Conference, WTF is Business Casual hosts Jenny and Sarah pick up where they left off—this time digging into the big, bold conversations around AI, leadership, and what it really takes to build a human-centered workplace.Trevor Noah set the tone with humor and heart, reminding us that curiosity isn’t optional—it’s essential. And while
WorkHuman Deep Dive (Part 1): No BS Lessons on HR, Culture, and Leading Humans.
Send us Fan MailIn Part One of our two-part deep dive into the WorkHuman HR conference, Sarah and Jenny unpack their favorite moments, biggest surprises, and most impactful insights from the event. They tackle some provocative HR realities—like why your team might be spending a staggering 2.5 hours every day just complaining—and explore eye-opening advice from thought leaders like Adam Grant, who
Interviewing? Maybe Leave Your Mom at Home.
Send us Fan MailIn this laugh-and-learn episode, Jenny and Sarah take you inside the beautiful mess of modern recruiting. From jaw-dropping candidate missteps to the surprising rise of parental involvement in job applications (yes, it’s happening), they break down what’s really going on behind the interview screen. With plenty of humor and hard-earned HR wisdom, this episode serves up real talk on
Work Hard, Play Hard... Or Just Take a Nap? Corporate Phrases That Drive Us Bananas!
Send us Fan MailJenny and Sarah tear into the corporate phrasebook, dissecting the BS behind sayings like "work hard, play hard" – which usually translates to the soul-crushing reality of the Hotel California of the workplace ("you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave"). They dig into the eye-rolling phenomenon of forced "fun" and just come right o
Episode 2: Taking the Cake
Send us Fan Mail“Who the F*ck stole my sandwich?!” Join Jenny and Sarah as they hilariously dissect the wild world of workplace food culture in “Taking the Cake." From stolen lunches to the mystery of the missing cake, no crumb is left unturned.Ever had a potluck disaster or a coworker who treats the office kitchen like an all-you-can-eat buffet? Jenny and Sarah get it! In this episode they s
Episode 1: Welcome to the S*** Show!
Send us Fan MailGet ready to dive into the hilarious and often unbelievable world of HR with your new favorite podcast, WTF is Business Casual?! Hosted by friends and business partners Jenny and Sarah, this is episode one, and they're not holding back. In this inaugural episode, Jenny and Sarah introduce themselves and share the story of how they met and decided to start their own HR consu
Recommended
Talk About Talk - Executive & Leadership Communication Skills
Learn English B1 with Daily News | English Listening Practice
Stand In The Circle
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
Learn 50 English Phrases While You Sleep | Everyday English Phrases & Vocabulary
پلی لیست | PlayList
English with Olivia | Slow Conversations & Vocabulary
Conspiracy Files with Paige Carter
Learn English A2 with Daily News | Simple English Listening Practice
Bible Tea
Bad Friends
Fantasy Flex
