FACT CHECKED
A recent Statista report shows that AI tools claimed the largest share of global company investments in hiring and recruitment. This includes everything from AI recruitment tools that track applicant resumes to chatbots that source, screen, communicate, and schedule interviews with candidates automatically.
In light of these shifts, it’s key for HR professionals to diversify their knowledge sources, expand their skills training, and deepen their domain understanding if they’re to excel in their role. To overcome employee skills gaps caused by AI, nearly 58% of HR managers plan to invest in AI training tools.
Away from formal training, multimedia such as podcasts can be an excellent resource for enhancing HR capabilities and staying up-to-date with the latest HR developments.
This article will explore 12 of the best HR podcasts currently available. Readers will find shows covering developments across the entire HR domain, from innovative talent management solutions to the value of ChatGPT prompts for HR teams.
1. Honest HR
Kicking off our list is the Honest HR podcast, hosted by SHRM’s knowledge team, Amber Clayton, Monique Akanbi, and Wendy Fong, and brought to you by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
For HR professionals who leverage challenges into opportunities, this show addresses complex HR issues, as well as the strategic and daily challenges of sustaining effective people processes. Listeners can tune in for a thoughtful exploration of the modern workplace, discovering innovative ideas, advice, and data-backed insights.
Episodes cover real-world HR stories, case studies, talent management, onboarding process, employment law, hiring and retention, and also include candid conversations with SHRM’s Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Jim Link.
2. HR Happy Hour
The “longest continuously running internet radio show and podcast,” hosts Steve Boese and Trish Steed bring listeners the HR Happy Hour podcast. Running since 2009, it has established itself as a well-established presence in the HR media space.
Each Friday, listeners can tune in for conversations that humanize HR and recruiting, covering the full scope of HR and Human Capital Management (HCM). Topics include trends, workforce tech innovations, talent management strategies, leadership, development tips, and people management.
Episodes also explore career development, social media, work-life balance, and the realities of managing a multigenerational workforce, along with lighter takes on what gives HR professionals the “ick.”
3. Punk Rock HR
The Punk Rock HR podcast aims to help individuals become change advocates and take control of their career trajectory.
Host and prominent career advisor Laurie Ruettimann, based in the US, explores the intersection of HR and business, guiding audiences through topics that move beyond surface-level conversations to reveal the reality of real-world work. Each week, she interviews guest thinkers, writers, authors, and experts, delivering wisdom, advice, and storytelling in her unfiltered, no-nonsense style with a touch of humor.
Episodes cover career and workplace management, growth strategies, employee wellbeing, burnout, AI and HR compliance, and creating inclusive spaces by understanding autism.
4. Modern People Leader
The Modern People Leader podcast dives straight into the challenges HR leaders actually face, without gloss or gimmicks. Hosts Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta draw on their years in people operations to unpack topics such as talent strategy, data ethics, and employee engagement with both honesty and insight.
Each episode melds real-world experience, data-driven lessons, and actionable guidance, giving listeners takeaways they can immediately apply.
Guests from CHROs to innovative team leads share practical approaches that make leadership feel achievable, not theoretical. For HR professionals who want substance over buzzwords, this podcast hits the mark every time.
5. TalentCulture #WorkTrends
The TalentCulture #WorkTrends podcast is where the fast-moving currents of workplace change are charted in real time. Hosted by Meghan Biro and Kevin Grossman, the show is sharp, engaging, and never afraid to challenge assumptions, delving into the stories, shifts, and strategies that redefine how we work.
Conversations flow easily but carry weight, blending expert insights with moments that feel strikingly personal. From talent mobility to AI in recruiting, each episode connects the dots between trend and action, giving HR leaders something tangible to work with.
It’s the rare kind of podcast that makes you think differently before your next meeting, and act differently after it.
6. The AI+HI Project
The AI+HI Project explores how AI and human insight can work together to transform HR. Hosted by Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Jeanne Meister, the show goes beyond the surface, breaking down how AI is reshaping talent acquisition, performance management, and employee experience.
Episodes tackle the tough questions HR leaders face, from AI bias in algorithms to striking a balance between digital process automation (DPA) and empathy.
With research-backed insights and candid discussions, it’s a rare space where technology meets humanity, giving HR pros practical ways to make smarter, fairer, and more forward-looking people decisions.
7. All Things Work
SHRM’s All Things Work unravels the quiet but powerful shifts shaping the modern workplace. Each episode, Anne Sparaco, calm, incisive, and deeply curious, sits down with trailblazers from HR, behavioral science, leadership, and workforce strategy to unearth ideas that quietly reshape the future of HR.
She doesn’t tolerate fluff; complex issues are broken down into human stories, data-backed insights, and actionable guidance. Whether she’s dialoguing over psychological safety, compensation transparency, or leadership trends, every episode feels like an hour spent in thoughtful company.
It’s that blend of warmth, rigor, and clarity that leaves listeners learning something new and eager for the next conversation.
8. People + Strategy
- Topics Covered: ROI trends, Success stories, Workplace health, and Mental well-being
- Listen: Spotify or Apple
Hosted by senior HR leaders with decades of experience in the field, the People + Strategy podcast combines sharp analysis with unfiltered conversations.
Each guest host brings a distinct lens, one rooted in executive decision-making, another in talent science, and another in cultural transformation, making every discussion dynamic and engaging.
Topics range from succession planning to the ripple effects of hybrid work, always tied to what’s next for business. Think of this podcast as the kind of dialogue you’d overhear in a C-suite meeting, except you’re invited in and handed the playbook.
9. Tomorrowist
- Topics Covered: Workplace inclusion and trust, Change leadership, AI disruption
- Listen: Spotify or Apple
Another SHRM offering, the Tomorrowist podcast, doesn’t waste time with fluff. Each episode tackles one game-changing force shaping the workplace, pulled from SHRM’s AI and the future-of-work research, and makes it actionable.
Think rapid-fire insights on leadership, trust, and AI HR tools, distilled into conversations that feel like boardroom briefings with a twist of curiosity.
Guests speak from real experience, not theory, so you walk away knowing exactly how to adapt. For HR leaders steering through uncertainty, it’s less “future talk” and more “here’s what to do before it’s too late.”
10. Career Compass
- Topics Covered: Career development, Early talent guidance, Work-life integration
- Listen: Spotify or Apple
The Career Compass Podcast aims straight at the heart of career discovery, especially for students and early professionals entering the HR world.
Each 25–35 minute episode brings you real-world wisdom from HR leaders and workplace experts, covering topics including AI recruitment tools, job switching for recent grads, or carving out work-life boundaries, all framed in approachable, clear language.
Seen as digital mentorship in audio form with practical insights, genuine stories, and smoother transitions into the workplace. For anyone shaping their first steps in the professional world, this podcast feels like a trusted guide.
11. People Managing People Podcast
The People Managing People podcast addresses leaders directly who are caught in the whirlwind of today’s workplace.
Host David Rice doesn’t just interview experts, he invites listeners into candid, thoughtful conversations about AI adoption, culture, leadership, and what actually makes work feel human again.
Guests don’t deliver platitudes, they share real stories and strategies on topics like offboarding checklists with dignity, using personality science more wisely, and translating people practices into numbers CBOs understand
12. Vantage Influencers Podcast
- Topics Covered: DEIB, Benefits strategy, Digital employee experience (DEX)
- Listen: Spotify or Apple
Vantage Influencers podcast brings HR to life, not just theory. With thoughtful conversations in each 20–35 minute episode, hosts delve into topics such as engagement, benefits, DEIB, and strategic HR shifts, without the jargon.
Episode titles like “The Netflix of HR” or “HR as the Strategic Anchor in Times of Change” tell you right away this isn’t corporate fluff. It feels like a one-on-one with someone who gets the pressure of elevating the digital employee experience (DEX) while running a tight ship.
This podcast is for HR leaders seeking smart, grounded ideas that stick and is a go-to resource for many professionals in the field.
Selecting the right podcast to boost your HR goals
Emphasize how watching random podcasts that don’t target enhanced learning of a specific HR niche/objective can be counterproductive, given the availability of shows today. Provide a criterion for honing in on the right shows that deliver actionable and relevant advice HR teams can practically use.
People Also Ask
-
Can HR podcasts help with employee engagement strategies?Absolutely. HR podcasts aren’t just talk; they’re a front-row seat to real-world ideas and proven tactics. Hearing experts break down engagement strategies, share stories of what worked (and what failed), and discuss how employees actually feel gives you fresh angles you can apply immediately. It’s like having a mini HR summit in your earbuds, whether it’s improving recognition programs, running effective surveys, or boosting team morale, podcasts show how engagement comes alive in day-to-day work.
-
Which podcasts are recommended for HR technology and digital adoption?Look for podcasts that dive into HR tech trends, automation, and digital transformation without drowning you in jargon. The best shows discuss tools, adoption strategies, and real implementation stories from HR leaders. They’ll cover everything from workforce analytics to AI-driven recruiting, showing how technology can make HR faster, smarter, and more strategic. You’ll walk away knowing which digital tools actually deliver results, not just buzzwords.
-
Can listening to HR podcasts improve workplace culture?Yes, and not in a superficial way. The right HR podcasts explore how leadership styles, communication habits, and inclusion initiatives shape culture. They give practical advice and personal stories you can relate to your own teams. When you apply these insights, you spark conversations, rethink old routines, and reinforce behaviors that make employees feel seen, supported, and inspired. Culture isn’t built in a day—but listening is a step toward shaping it thoughtfully and intentionally.
