HR Tech 2025: The Future of Retention Through Peer-Driven Recognition with Curtis Forbes

🎸 How can we make EVERYONE feel seen at work—while actually driving retention and business results? On this episode of The Inclusive AF Podcast, Katee Van Horn sits down with the dynamic Curtis Forbes (he/him)—former jazz musician, serial entrepreneur, and founder of Mustard Hub—to jam about transforming workplace culture, recognition, and DEI through tech. Curtis shares his unique journey from the jazz stage to launching an AI-powered employee engagement platform and dives into: - What it means to truly "feel seen" at work - How peer-driven recognition (not just top-down!) drives retention—especially for underrepresented voices - Avoiding the recognition “blind spot” that leaves diverse contributions unnoticed - How predictive analytics and AI can pinpoint burnout, turnover risk, and even opportunities for growth - Success stories in education and private equity that saved $$$ and improved culture - Why building intentionally inclusive cultures is a MUST for all organizations, big or small! If you’re an HR leader, people manager, DEI advocate, or just curious about the future of recognition tech, this episode will give you tools, ideas, and inspiration for your workplace. Don’t miss Curtis’ HR Tech sneak peeks, real-world impact stats, and fun stories from the world of jazz and karaoke! 👇 Drop your experiences, questions, and favorite recognition wins in the comments! 📍 Want to demo Mustard Hub at HR Tech? Find them at booth 6414 A N M. #InclusiveAF #DEI #HRTech #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #Recognition #Retention #FutureOfWork #PeopleAnalytics #AI #HRTech2024 If you like what you hear, we would like to encourage you to subscribe to our channel! We would also appreciate it if you would rate this channel by going here: RateThisPodcast.com/inclusiveaf We create this podcast as a labor of love. But if you would like to support this channel you can buy us a cup of coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InclusiveAF