I Hate It Here

Marinus van Driel, a Partner at Aon who leads workforce transformation and advises on aligning people strategy with AI, joins the conversation. He argues 2026 is about scaled AI adoption and redesigning work, not just automation. They discuss breaking static job descriptions, HR’s role in reskilling, mapping AI across value chains, and why treating AI as a cost-cutting lever is a mistake.

Anne Maltese, VP of People Insights at Quantum Workplace with nearly 20 years in people data, talks about how engagement scores get misread. She explains why single numbers miss context. Short, tactical ideas on smarter questions for leaders, spotting disengaged top performers, and clearer data storytelling keep the conversation punchy and practical.

Hanan Sahourieh, learning strategist and author of Everybody Be Cool, diagnoses why L&D functions fail and offers practical roadmaps for rebuilding them. She covers how ego and power dynamics wreck learning cultures. She explains rebuilding trust, pushing back on senior leaders, avoiding people-pleasing, and focusing on application over flashy events.

Okay so this episode is a little different, because the layers here are a lot.  Morgan T. Stanley is my guest today, and yes, that is her real name, and yes, we have laughed about it many times.  We started as peers, then somehow ended up in a manager-direct report situation, then became peers again, and NOW she has my old job! We discuss everything — how we met, what it was like when the dynamic shifted, what she changed after stepping into the role, and how leadership has genuinely changed her as a person.  This one felt less like an interview and more like two people who've seen each other grow up in this industry, finally putting it all on the table. --- Quantum Workplace helps leaders build thriving teams that fuel business success. We give leaders at every level a clear path forward—by unlocking critical talent insights across engagement, performance, and development. With clarity and confidence, people leaders can act decisively, scale leadership quality, and strengthen connection and performance.  Trusted by thousands of people-focused companies, Quantum Workplace makes it easier to keep teams aligned, empowered, growing, and valued on the path to business success. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠quantumworkplace.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. --- 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:39 - One New Thing Morgan is Learning This Year 00:04:30 - How Hebba and Morgan Met 00:15:59 - How Hebba and Morgan Have Learned From Each Other Over the Years 00:21:44 - When Morgan Stepped Into Hebba’s Old Role 00:36:24 - What Changes Did Morgan Make After Stepping Into Hebba’s Old Role? 00:41:51 - How Morgan’s Relationship With Power and Responsibility Have Evolved 00:48:45 - How Morgan’s Role Has Changed Her --- And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. ⁠https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/⁠ And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here⁠ for even more exclusive insider content!   Follow Morgan: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgantstanley/⁠   Follow Hebba:  YouTube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef⁠ Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Melissa Elbert, a retirement and human capital expert at Aon who uses data to shape benefits and financial well-being strategies. She tackles why traditional retirement designs fail many workers. Short takes on outdated assumptions, how money mindsets shape saving, signals to watch in benefits data, and practical fixes like smarter defaults and better HR-finance collaboration.

Madison Butler, author and people-work coach behind Let Them See You, explores authenticity at work and why it feels dangerous. She talks about who can safely be their true self, how organizations often perform inclusion, and practical tools like boundaries and strategic vulnerability. Short, candid, and focused on real workplace realities.

A rapid-fire revisitation of rethinking HR fundamentals. Topics include redesigning operations for equity, being honest about culture with candidates, and welcoming employees’ passions. Conversations cover clarifying and holding leaders accountable, treating HR as a creative team, and returning to operational basics to execute well.

Amanda Litman, author and activist who studies next‑gen leadership, talks about how younger leaders are rewriting power and work. They cover vulnerability as leadership, social media’s role in public authority, why old leadership myths persist, and how workplaces misread boundaries and loyalty. Short, sharp, and challenging the status quo.

Ayanna Kelly, Director of Culture and founder of Hidden Healers and an Afro-Latina disabled veteran who builds trauma-informed workplace programs, talks about why work feels empty now. She explores grieving the workplace we expected. She challenges monetizing passions and explains how to decenter work from identity. The conversation centers on boundaries, healing practices, and rejecting burnout culture.

Cassandra Babilya, author and career coach who left the CIA to help professionals redesign work, discusses why the old career ladder is collapsing. Short takes on portfolio careers, why stability is a myth, and which transferable skills matter now. Conversations cover AI disruption, HR rethink, and how to define success with flexibility and values.