If the real meeting happens after the meeting, you’re not alone. This week on HR Nightmares, co-hosts Lisa Leath, Amy Conway, and Beth Looney talk about what happens when culture drifts—when feedback goes quiet, side conversations take over, and the “inmates” start running the asylum. They share what it looks like to bring a team back to balance and rebuild trust before things fall apart.

The group breaks down practical steps to reset culture: having direct, honest conversations that stay in the room; communicating clearly so decisions actually reach everyone; and giving employees a real voice through culture committees and open feedback. They also explore how to hire for culture add, not culture fit, and why protecting your best culture carriers keeps credibility intact.

Through real client stories and lessons from the field, Lisa, Amy, and Beth show how leaders can replace fear and avoidance with healthy tension and accountability. Whether your workplace is too nice or too noisy, this episode will help you get your team back on track.

We hope you enjoy this episode! Submit your anonymous workplace questions at LeathHRGroup.com. Subscribe and share this conversation wherever you get your podcasts, and join us next time for more straight talk from the frontlines of HR on HR Nightmares.

Harassment in the workplace isn’t just a headline issue—it’s a lived reality for far too many employees. On this episode of HR Nightmares, co-hosts Lisa Leath, Amy Conway, and Beth Looney dig into high-profile cases and share real-world encounters from their own careers.

From inappropriate comments to boundary-crossing behavior, the crew brings candid critiques and hard truths to each example. With one in five women experiencing gender-based harassment at work annually, the team takes on the culture of silence and complicity that allows bad behavior to thrive. From executives who scream and throw objects to the gray areas of compliments gone wrong, Lisa, Amy, and Beth make their stance clear: accountability isn’t optional. Packed with practical advice, humor, and a call for change, this episode gives listeners strategies for building safer, more respectful workplaces.

We hope you enjoy this episode! Submit your anonymous workplace questions at LeathHRGroup.com. Subscribe and share this conversation wherever you get your podcasts, and join us next time for more straight talk from the frontlines of HR on HR Nightmares.

Struggling to afford executive-level HR talent but need more than basic compliance?

On this episode of HR Nightmares, co-hosts Lisa Leath, Amy Conway, and Beth Looney break down the power of fractional HR leadership. Unlike traditional consultants who make recommendations and move on, fractional leaders embed within organizations as true partners — drawing from diverse experience to solve people problems, build scalable HR systems, and create psychological safety for employees who may hesitate to approach internal HR.

The team shares real-world transformations, from repairing toxic cultures to replacing ineffective practices with strategic talent systems. They also highlight the surprising financial upside: eliminating costly PEOs, negotiating better benefits, and implementing right-sized HR tech that often saves companies tens of thousands. What makes fractional HR unique is its adaptability — leaders scale their involvement to match business needs, diving in during growth or crisis and stepping back when stability returns.

We hope you enjoy this episode! Submit your anonymous workplace questions at LeathHRGroup.com. Subscribe and share this conversation wherever you get your podcasts. Join us next time for more straight talk from the frontlines of HR on HR Nightmares!