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Unmuted

Unmuted

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Hosted by Jeff Waldman, Unmuted features candid conversations with the leaders, innovators, and builders shaping the future of work. From AI and leadership to culture and change, each episode delivers practical insights without the jargon or hype.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Management & Leadership Ökonomie
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  • When Your Investigation Gets Investigated

    When Your Investigation Gets Investigated
    Oct 9 2026
    Unmuted Podcast | Episode #89 Topic: The $200,000 Employee You Already Have Guest: Samantha Carter - Founder at trACT Software ⁠Host: Jeff Waldman – Founder & HR Tech Evangelist at ScaleHR & SocialHRCamp Workplace investigations are only as strong as the process behind them. In this episode, Jeff Waldman and Samantha Carter unpack what “defensible” really means, why documentation matters months or even years later, and how jurisdiction, neutrality, and procedural fairness shape every step. It’s a practical conversation for HR leaders, investigators, and business owners who need to handle sensitive complaints in a way that can stand up to scrutiny. Key topics: In this episode, Jeff Waldman introduces the episode’s core idea - when an investigation gets questioned later, the process matters more than simply saying the outcome was fair. Samantha Carter explains that defensibility does not mean the outcome was “right” - it means the investigator can show clear, logical, well-documented decision-making from intake through final report. Samantha shares how her first investigation, early in her HR career, reflected an older mindset of trying to get people to confess - and how her approach evolved into one centred on neutrality and procedural fairness. We discuss why small and mid sized organizations often struggle with investigations because they are not doing them every day, may not have a repeatable process, and can end up doubting whether their file will hold up later. Samantha explains why documentation gaps are one of the biggest risks - especially decisions about which witnesses to interview, which allegations to pursue, and why certain people were excluded. We discuss jurisdictional differences, including how some provinces in Canada are more prescriptive than others and how Ontario’s workplace investigation expectations focus on thoroughness, neutrality, training, and appropriateness in the circumstances. Samantha notes that scrutiny is increasing, including through AI-enabled review and later challenges from complainants or respondents that can trigger additional complaints or retaliation claims. Jeff shares a practical habit from early in his career - writing summary notes immediately after meetings or interviews so the file still makes sense years later. Samantha outlines what organizations should do differently now: set clear expectations at the start, explain the investigator’s role, remain consistent across parties, and give respondents enough detail to respond meaningfully. We discuss the importance of going back to witnesses when new contradictory information emerges, even if that slows the process down, because procedural fairness depends on giving people a chance to respond. Samantha closes with the key lesson: thorough planning at the outset determines whether the process, if not necessarily the outcome, will be defensible. Procedural fairness - giving each party a meaningful chance to understand and respond to the allegations Neutrality - approaching the investigation without pre-deciding the outcome Defensibility - being able to show clear, fact-based reasoning for each decision Threshold assessment - deciding early whether the allegation requires a formal investigation Timestamps 00:00 - Setting up the conversation on defensible workplace investigations 00:58 - Why the process matters more than the final outcome 03:32 - Samantha Carter’s background and first investigation 06:28 - Why internal HR teams struggle with investigations 08:38 - What “defensible” means in practice 11:07 - Why jurisdiction changes the rules 15:48 - Common process and documentation mistakes 20:03 - What regulators expect to see in a file 24:33 - How to make investigations more consistent and transparent 27:30 - Why follow-up questions matter for procedural fairness 30:40 - The one thing every investigator should remember 31:31 - Closing thoughts and trACT Software update About Samantha Carter Samantha Carter is the Founder of trACT Software and HR TrAction, bringing more than 20 years of human resources experience specializing in workplace investigations, compliance, and people-first leadership. A Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL), Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/C), and licensed Private Investigator (PI), Samantha has managed investigations across organizations of all sizes and industries. Her experience exposed a recurring challenge: inconsistent investigation processes, fragmented documentation, and growing compliance risks. She founded trACT Software to help HR professionals and investigators manage workplace investigations with greater consistency, confidence, and defensibility. Connect with Samantha: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacarterchrl/ Visit trACT Software: https://www.tractsoftware.ca/ About trACT Software's Public Beta Workplace investigations are complex, sensitive, and often difficult to manage consistently. From documenting evidence ...
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    27 Min.
  • The $200,000 Employee You Already Have

    The $200,000 Employee You Already Have
    Oct 1 2026
    Unmuted Podcast | Episode #88 Topic: The $200,000 Employee You Already HaveGuest: Ayana Carroll – Founder and CEO of MetrixAIHost: Jeff Waldman – Founder & HR Tech Evangelist at ScaleHR & SocialHRCamp Organizations can usually tell you where their money is going. But ask what skills, capabilities, and readiness their workforce already has, and the answer may be less clear. That blind spot can be costly. Companies may approve an external hire without first asking whether someone already on the team could step into the role. Meanwhile, employees may lack a clear view of where they can grow next. In this episode of Unmuted, Jeff Waldman sits down with Ayana Carroll, founder and CEO of MetrixAI, to explore why internal mobility can be difficult to put into practice, and how better visibility into employees’ skills may help organizations find talent they already have. Ayana shares what inspired her to build MetrixAI after seeing layoffs happen alongside external hiring, and explains why fragmented HR data, outdated systems, and an overreliance on job titles can make internal talent harder to see. Together, Jeff and Ayana discuss the potential costs of overlooking existing employees, how useful skills data can support employee growth, and what organizations can do to make internal mobility more visible and actionable. We Explore: Why companies may hire externally without first considering internal talent How limited visibility into employee skills can make internal mobility harder Why HR data is often fragmented across systems and spreadsheets The difference between tracking job titles and understanding transferable skills What HRIS, learning management, and performance systems can, and cannot, tell you about workforce capabilities Why employees and managers need a meaningful reason to keep skills data up to date How internal talent visibility can support employee growth and organizational planning What Ayana hopes to learn from MetrixAI’s public beta Why employees are more engaged when they can see a path forward How organizations can make better use of the capabilities they already have Timestamps 00:00 — Setup and getting ready to record 03:32 — Welcome to the Unmuted Podcast 04:02 — Introducing the episode: “The $200,000 employee you already have” 05:28 — Why it can be hard for HR to see workforce capabilities 06:28 — Meet Ayana Carroll, founder and CEO of MetrixAI 07:03 — Ayana’s HR background and career mission 08:30 — The experiences that inspired MetrixAI 10:55 — The gap between internal mobility programs and employee experience 12:56 — Why HR data can be scattered across systems 15:08 — The potential cost of overlooking internal talent 17:55 — Why organizations may default to external hiring 19:56 — What HR systems can—and can’t—show about employee capabilities 21:23 — Keeping workforce skills data current 23:58 — What Ayana hopes to learn from MetrixAI’s public beta 25:45 — What success could look like over the next year 27:08 — Looking beyond departmental boundaries to transferable skills 28:20 — The takeaway: help employees use their full capabilities 29:59 — Closing thoughts About Ayana Carroll Ayana Carroll is the founder and CEO of MetrixAI. With more than 25 years of experience as an HR practitioner, including at the executive level, Ayana has focused her career on helping people find their path. She also chaired the board for Dress for Success, supporting women as they work toward economic stability. Through MetrixAI, Ayana is working to help organizations better understand the skills and capabilities they already have, and help employees see where they might grow. About MetrixAI's Public Beta Your next great hire may already work for you. MetrixAI helps organizations with 250-3,000 employees uncover their people’s skills, identify growth opportunities and build stronger succession plans. Join its founding beta program to get full platform access, dedicated onboarding and a direct voice in shaping the product—with lifetime preferred pricing when you complete the program and become a paid subscriber. Apply to become a founding beta partner. About ScaleHR The Unmuted Podcast is powered by ScaleHR (goscalehr.com), helping emerging HR, Recruitment, and Work Tech companies accelerate brand awareness and lead generation through Catalyst, our community-driven content and omnichannel marketing solution. Unmuted is also part of the WRKdefined podcast network, making it easy to listen or watch on your preferred platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. 🌐 Explore Unmuted: click here 🎧 Find Unmuted on WRKdefined: click here #Podcast #InternalMobility #TalentManagement #HR #WorkforcePlanning #EmployeeDevelopment #HRTech #PeopleAndCulture #FutureOfWork
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    23 Min.
  • We Don't Need More Team Building. We Need More Meaning.

    We Don't Need More Team Building. We Need More Meaning.
    Sep 24 2026
    Unmuted Podcast | Episode #87 Topic: We Don't Need More Team Building. We Need More Meaning. Guest: Jody Steinhauer - President & Chief Bargain Officer at Bargains Group and Kits for a Cause Guest LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodysteinhauer/ Guest Website: ⁠https://www.bargainsgroup.com/⁠⁠⁠ Host: Jeff Waldman – Founder & HR Tech Evangelist at ScaleHR & SocialHRCamp Organizations spend a lot of time and money trying to bring employees together. Team outings. Retreats. Social events. Virtual happy hours. They can be fun, but simply putting people in the same room doesn't automatically create connection, belonging, or a stronger team. What if the missing ingredient is meaning? In this episode of Unmuted, Jeff Waldman sits down with Jody Steinhauer to explore how shared purpose, community involvement, and giving back can create a different kind of employee experience, one built around contribution, empathy, and making an impact together. Jody shares her journey from building The Bargains Group to founding Engage and Change and Project Winter Survival, and eventually creating Kits for a Cause, connecting organizations with charities through purposeful employee engagement experiences. We Explore: Why traditional team-building activities don't always create lasting connection What happens when employees come together around a cause bigger than their everyday work How purpose-driven experiences can build empathy, trust, and stronger relationships Why volunteering during work hours can make participation more accessible How these experiences can uncover leadership skills that don't always emerge in the workplace How organizations can incorporate purpose into conferences, ERG gatherings, sales meetings, and other existing events Why asking employees which causes matter to them is a great place to start How HR leaders can make community impact authentic rather than turning it into another corporate initiative Timestamps: 00:00 — Opening conversation00:35 — Introducing the Unmuted Podcast01:31 — Why team building alone may not create meaning02:23 — Meet Jody Steinhauer03:20 — Jody's story and The Bargains Group05:00 — The beginning of Project Winter Survival06:23 — Engage and Change and winter survival kits08:19 — The growth of Kits for a Cause09:54 — What creates meaningful connection at work12:41 — Purpose, empathy, and productivity15:24 — What traditional team building gets right—and misses17:38 — Purpose-driven activities after COVID19:22 — Connecting hybrid teams through meaningful experiences20:37 — What happens when teams work together around a cause21:35 — Discovering hidden leadership skills23:42 — Where HR leaders can start24:42 — Asking employees what matters to them26:29 — Keeping activities accessible and meaningful27:26 — Purpose and changing employee expectations29:30 — Jody's closing advice: make purpose a priority About Jody Steinhauer: Jody Steinhauer is the President and CBO (Chief Bargain Officer) of The Bargains Group, which she grew from her Toronto apartment into a multi-million-dollar business. A passionate advocate for giving back, Jody is also the Founder and CEO of Engage and Change, the charity behind Project Winter Survival, launched in 1999 to support people experiencing homelessness across the GTA. She is also behind Kits for a Cause, a social enterprise that connects organizations and teams with charities in need through purposeful employee engagement and team-building experiences. Its clients have included Amazon, Meta, Starbucks, United Way and organizations across Canada and the U.S. Jody is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, speaker, employee engagement expert and, as she describes herself, an "impact matchmaker" and "broker of goodness". 🔗 Connect with Jody: linkedin.com/jodysteinhauer🌐 Jody Steinhauer: jodysteinhauer.com🌐 The Bargains Group: bargainsgroup.com🌐 Kits for a Cause: kitsforacause.com🌐 Engage and Change: engageandchange.org About ScaleHR: The Unmuted Podcast is powered by ScaleHR (goscalehr.com), helping emerging HR, Recruitment, and Work Tech companies accelerate brand awareness and lead generation through Catalyst, our community-driven content and omnichannel marketing solution. 🎙️ Unmuted is also part of the WRKdefined podcast network, making it easy to listen or watch on your preferred platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. 🌐 Explore Unmuted: goscalehr.com/theunmutedpodcast🎧 Find Unmuted on WRKdefined: wrkdefined.com/podcast/unmuted #Podcast #EmployeeEngagement #TeamBuilding #Purpose #Leadership #HR #PeopleAndCulture #WorkplaceCulture #FutureOfWork
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    28 Min.
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