At Work, Under Pressure

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Trauma does not leave itself at the door when people come to work.And calling a workplace “trauma-informed” is not enough if leaders do not know how to embody that in everyday practice.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Adriana Leigh of ALG Consulting to talk about trauma, trauma sensitivity, psychological safety, nervous system responses, accountability, workplace conflict, leadership behavior, and why trauma-sensitive work is not about lowering standards.Adriana explains why she intentionally uses the language of trauma sensitivity, how trauma responses can show up as resistance, withdrawal, conflict, reactivity, or avoidance, and why leaders need to understand both the individual and structural sides of workplace safety. She also shares examples from high-pressure teams, healthcare environments, and international work where trauma-sensitive practices can change how people communicate, respond, and repair trust.In this episode, Jessi and Adriana discuss:Why trauma is not just the event, but the nervous system’s response to itWhy “trauma-informed” can become a checkbox instead of a real practiceHow trauma sensitivity builds on psychological safetyWhy trauma-sensitive leadership is not about lowering standardsHow ambiguity, unclear communication, and false urgency trigger reactivityWhat simple practices, like check-ins and clear agendas, can do for team safetyWhy trauma, mental health crises, and suicide risk show up at work whether leaders are ready or notThis episode is for executives, HR leaders, healthcare leaders, nonprofit leaders, DEI professionals, legal teams, investigators, facilitators, and anyone responsible for creating safer, more accountable workplaces.Because trauma sensitivity is not softness.It is precision, safety, accountability, and better leadership.CONNECT WITH ADRIANALinkedInWebsiteTrauma Sensitivity At Work: How To Lead Safe, Inclusive TeamsWorld Health Organization survey on lifetime trauma prevalence

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!When crisis hits, leaders do not magically become ready.They either have the tools, relationships, and emotional discipline to respond, or they create a vacuum.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dr. Leonard Marcus of Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative to talk about crisis leadership, meta-leadership, emotional response, chain of command, swarm leadership, and what workplace leaders can learn from major disasters.Lenny shares how his work studying Hurricane Katrina, COVID, the Boston Marathon bombings, emergency response, public safety, healthcare, and national preparedness shaped his understanding of what leaders need when pressure is highest.In this episode, Jessi and Lenny discuss:What Hurricane Katrina taught Lenny about leadership vacuums in crisisWhy people go to the “basement of the brain” when they perceive threatHow leaders can regain agency by moving into concrete actionWhat meta-leadership means and how to lead down, up, across, and beyondWhy chain of command still matters while influencing beyond authorityHow emotional support after traumatic events helps responders keep doing the jobWhy leaders need trusted relationships before the crisis, not business cards during itThis episode is for executives, HR leaders, safety professionals, public safety leaders, healthcare leaders, emergency managers, and anyone responsible for guiding people through moments when stress, trauma, uncertainty, and urgency collide.Because in a crisis, leadership is not just about being in charge.It is about helping people get out of the basement, rebuild agency, and move together.CONNECT WITH DR. MARCUSLinkedInNPLI at HarvardYou're It: Crisis, Change, and How To Lead When It Matters Most

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Suicide Prevention Awareness Month gives us a chance to talk about saving lives, but to understand where suicide prevention is today, we also have to understand the long, complicated history that shaped the stigma, silence, punishment, and public health efforts surrounding suicide in the Western world.In this solo episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer walks through a rapid-fire history of suicide, from ancient Greece and Rome to early Christianity, medieval religious doctrine, English common law, colonial America, decriminalization, Durkheim’s sociological theory, and the rise of modern suicide prevention efforts.Jessi explores how suicide moved through multiple cultural frames over time: a sin against God, an act of cowardice, an honorable death in some Roman contexts, a crime against the king, a symptom of insanity, a social problem, and eventually a preventable public health issue. She also reflects on how ideas from Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, English common law, Durkheim, and modern prevention organizations continue to echo in the way people talk about suicide today.Jessi discusses:How ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian beliefs shaped early suicide stigmaHow suicide became tied to sin, morality, confession, burial rights, and criminal punishmentWhy mental illness became an “excusable” explanation for suicide, but often in limited and stigmatizing waysHow suicide was criminalized in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United StatesHow Durkheim helped shift suicide from a purely individual or moral issue to a social problemHow modern suicide prevention efforts emerged through crisis centers, national strategies, awareness campaigns, and public health workThis episode is for suicide prevention professionals, HR leaders, clinicians, educators, faith leaders, public health professionals, crisis responders, and anyone who wants to understand why suicide stigma is so deeply rooted.Because the way we talk about suicide did not come from nowhere.It was built over thousands of years, and if we want to dismantle the stigma, we need to understand the history we inherited.CONNECT WITH JESSILinkedInFree Suicide Risk Readiness Diagnostic

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Before E! became a global entertainment brand, it started with limited money, limited credibility, and a team small enough to include 11 employees and 31 interns.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Larry Namer, co-founder of E!, to talk about building a 24-hour television network from almost nothing, leading through scarcity, taking creative risks, expanding internationally, adapting to technology, and why leaders need to balance toughness with fairness.Larry shares how E! grew from a scrappy cable startup into one of the fastest-growing networks in the world, why the team’s lack of rigid rules became an advantage, and how shows like Talk Soup and Fashion Police reflected a willingness to break from polished entertainment coverage and show audiences something more human.In this episode, Jessi and Larry discuss:What it was like building E! with far less funding than a traditional television network requiredHow scarcity, creativity, and a lack of rigid rules shaped E!’s early cultureWhy Larry believes tenacity and work ethic are harder to find todayHow leaders can tell the difference between conviction and stubbornnessWhy technology, including AI, should be embraced with guardrails instead of ignoredWhat the entertainment industry needs to do better to protect the humans behind the machineWhy return on investment should include social impact, not just shareholder returnsThis episode is for founders, executives, creatives, entertainment leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build something meaningful in an industry that keeps changing.Because sometimes the best way to build the future is to stop following the crowd.CONNECT WITH LARRYLinkedInInstagramFacebookWikipediaE! Entertainment

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Modern work often rewards performance, extraction, and fitting in.Katherine Dudtschak believes there is another way.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Katherine Dudtschak of Sincerely to talk about wholeness, storytelling, gender affirmation, psychological safety, leadership, trauma, hope, and what it means to build workplaces where people can be fully human.Katherine shares how her own journey through corporate leadership, affirming her gender, suicidal ideation, healing, and storytelling shaped the work she does today through Sincerely. She also explains why organizations cannot simply declare vulnerability as a value. They have to build the conditions, support, and leadership containers that make vulnerability safe enough to survive.In this episode, Jessi and Katherine discuss:Why modern systems often prioritize extraction, performance, and fitting inHow reconnecting with the inner child can help people reclaim wholenessWhy storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of learningHow Katherine’s gender affirmation shaped her understanding of hope, courage, and belongingWhy vulnerability at work requires professional support, psychological safety, and consentHow senior leaders can model self-awareness, compassion, and regenerative leadershipWhy leaders can either add to someone’s hurt or become part of the reason they find hopeThis episode is for executives, HR leaders, culture leaders, DEI leaders, mental health advocates, and anyone trying to build a workplace that values people beyond their productivity.Because people are not machines.They are stories, wounds, wisdom, longing, courage, and possibility.CONNECT WITH KATHERINELinkedInWebsiteSincerely, Katherine: Life, Gender, Inclusivity, and Leadership for the Future

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Sometimes the workload looks reasonable on paper, but your team still looks exhausted, distracted, reactive, and overwhelmed.Dr. Liane Davey says that is because leaders are often looking at the wrong load.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dr. Liane Davey of 3COze to talk about thoughtload, burnout, conflict debt, emotional contagion, decision fatigue, workplace safety, and why the invisible cognitive and emotional burden people carry may be doing more damage than the visible workload itself.Liane explains why thoughtload follows us everywhere, how stress differs from burnout, why unresolved conflict compounds like debt, and what leaders can do to help teams reconnect to meaningful outcomes before overwhelm becomes a safety or mental health issue.In this episode, Jessi and Liane discuss:Why leaders misdiagnose burnout when they only look at workloadHow thoughtload creates cognitive, emotional, and physical safety risksThe difference between stress, distress, burnout, and quiet quittingWhy people need “no input” time to metabolize what they are carryingHow conflict debt compounds and travels home with employeesWhy teams need to reconnect to the outcome they are truly trying to createHow suicide loss affects an entire organization through emotional contagionThis episode is for executives, HR leaders, managers, safety professionals, team leaders, and anyone trying to understand why people can be overwhelmed even when the work itself looks manageable.Because sometimes the work is not the problem.The thoughtload is.CONNECT WITH DR. DAVEYLinkedInPersonal WebsiteProfessional WebsiteThoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Some workplaces take care of their employees because the law says they have to.Others ask a deeper question: who do we choose to be as an employer?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Mike Frost of the Ko-Kwel Casino Resort to talk about hospitality, tribal HR, employee dignity, gaming, rebranding, integrated behavioral health, and what it means to support employees through hard moments with humanity instead of hiding behind legal minimums.Mike shares what he appreciates about working in a tribal enterprise, how Ko-Kwel approaches dignity and respect in the workplace, and why HR has to look beyond one incident or one performance issue to understand the whole person. He also explains some of the unique legal and operational realities of tribal gaming organizations, including where state and federal employment laws may or may not apply, and why Ko-Kwel still chooses to offer protections and support because it is the right thing to do.In this episode, Jessi and Mike discuss:What makes hospitality employees uniquely suited for guest service and high-contact workHow Ko-Kwel Casino Resort’s rebrand connected the organization more deeply to tribal identityWhy dignity at work often depends on hard behind-the-scenes HR conversationsWhat tribal HR leaders navigate that non-tribal organizations may not understandWhy “we can terminate them” is not the same as “that is who we choose to be”How integrated behavioral health supports employees in a medically underserved communityWhy workplace suicide prevention matters to HR, employees, families, and teamsThis episode is for HR professionals, hospitality leaders, gaming leaders, tribal enterprise leaders, people managers, and anyone trying to build a workplace where employees are treated with dignity even when things get hard.Because legal permission is not the same thing as organizational character.CONNECT WITH [email protected]

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!When suicide loss touches a workplace, employees do not need leaders to have perfect words.They need leaders to show up.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Monica Tomchick of UniBank to talk about suicide loss, grief, workplace response, HR preparedness, parenting through family mental health history, and why organizations need more than a gift card when something devastating happens.Monica shares personal and professional experiences with suicide loss, including the death of her children’s father and a workplace suicide at a healthcare facility where employees were left trying to process grief, guilt, shock, and unanswered questions. She also reflects on how different workplaces responded to bereavement, why grief is not linear, and how she has equipped her own children with language for depression and mental health before they need it.In this episode, Jessi and Monica discuss:How suicide loss creates complicated grief, guilt, and “why didn’t I see it?” questionsWhy organizations need a crisis response plan before workplace suicide happensWhat Monica wishes her workplace had done differently after an employee suicideWhy imperfect presence is often more powerful than polished corporate responseHow bereavement policies can fail employees when grief does not follow a timelineWhy families need to talk about depression and mental health before a crisisHow leaders can support employees by listening, showing up quickly, and bringing in the right helpThis episode is for HR professionals, managers, executives, people leaders, and anyone responsible for supporting employees after loss, trauma, suicide, or serious mental health crisis.Because grief does not care about your five-day leave policy.And people remember who showed up.CONNECT WITH MONICALinkedInWebsite

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Inclusion is not just a nice message during Pride Month.It is the difference between people showing up guarded, exhausted, and afraid, or showing up with enough safety to contribute fully.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Mischa Oak, author of Rainbow Wisdom, to talk about LGBTQ+ inclusion, queer resilience, Two-Spirit history, youth mental health, workplace belonging, allyship, and why silence can become harmful when it leaves people wondering whether they are still safe and welcome.Mischa shares how being one of the first gay people in the world to get married on live TV became part of his advocacy journey, and how his work now helps organizations see the LGBTQ+ community not only as a group to protect, but as a source of wisdom, innovation, empathy, and possibility.In this episode, Jessi and Mischa discuss:Why queer employees are constantly assessing whether it is safe to be themselvesHow silence from leaders can create uncertainty, fear, and emotional exhaustionWhy LGBTQ+ youth need affirmation, safety, and support from adults around themHow historical and Indigenous perspectives challenge modern anti-LGBTQ+ narrativesWhy identity-based rejection contributes to self-harm, suicide, housing instability, and mental health riskWhat leaders can do to support LGBTQ+ employees through policy, behavior, and human check-insHow inclusion can unlock innovation, empathy, civic engagement, and stronger teamsThis episode is for executives, HR leaders, DEI professionals, managers, educators, youth-serving professionals, and anyone responsible for creating spaces where people do not have to hide to survive.Because people do their best work when they are not using half their energy to decide whether they are safe.CONNECT WITH MISCHALinkedInInstagramWebsiteTEDx TalkRainbow Wisdom: 18 LGBTQ+ Life Lessons for Everyone

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Most workplace problems are communication problems.But that does not mean they are simple.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Marlo Lyons, executive coach, HR leader, attorney, former investigative reporter, and host of Work Unscripted, to talk about feedback, trust, team dynamics, workplace investigations, leadership growth, and what it really means to make people feel heard.Marlo shares how her career path from journalism to law to HR to executive coaching has always centered on people, stories, and seeing the patterns others miss. She also explains why leaders often mishandle employee feedback, how team perceptions can become self-fulfilling, and why the aftermath of a workplace investigation requires more than sending people back to work and hoping for the best.In this episode, Jessi and Marlo discuss:Why leaders should take employee feedback seriously, even when it feels small or unclearHow trust breaks when employees do not feel safe giving feedbackWhy leaders should avoid “why” questions and use curiosity-based language insteadHow to help employees feel heard even when the answer is noWhat changes as leaders move from task execution to strategic executive thinkingWhy workplace investigations can leave both employees and managers feeling traumatizedHow leaders can dig deeper when someone may be masking pressure, pain, or distressThis episode is for executives, HR leaders, managers, legal teams, coaches, and anyone responsible for feedback, conflict, culture repair, or leading people through hard conversations.Because people do not just need answers.They need to feel heard.CONNECT WITH MARLOLinkedIn (Personal)LinkedIn (Business)InstagramFacebookTikTokYouTubeWebsite

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!The hardest workplace conversations rarely go well by accident.They go well because leaders have built trust, created clarity, and learned how to handle human moments before the crisis arrives.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Sara Stowe of True Terpenes to talk about psychological safety, difficult conversations, performance feedback, leadership development, mental health first aid, and what it means to support employees without pretending HR is therapy.Sara shares how her background in theater shaped the way she reads subtext, looks for truth beneath the surface, and approaches people challenges with empathy and curiosity. She also reflects on how mental health first aid training prepared her to respond when an employee experienced a serious and highly visible workplace crisis.In this episode, Jessi and Sara discuss:How theater training translates into empathy, truth-seeking, and better HR judgmentWhy termination should never be framed too casually as a “gift”How weekly one-on-ones create the foundation for hard conversationsWhy specific, observable feedback is more useful than vague criticismHow neuroscience, psychological safety, and collaboration improve performance discussionsWhat mental health first aid gave Sara when a real workplace crisis occurredWhy mental health support affects retention, safety, trust, and the bottom lineThis episode is for HR leaders, managers, executives, and anyone responsible for giving feedback, navigating employee crises, or creating a workplace where people feel safe enough to speak up.Because psychological safety is not built in the five minutes before a difficult conversation.It is built in everything that happens before it.CONNECT WITH SARALinkedInTrue Terpenes

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!HR is often treated as a collection of disconnected functions: benefits, payroll, hiring, compliance, performance, and employee relations.Kayshia Kruger sees it differently.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Kayshia Kruger of ORC to talk about people operations, organization development, AI, people analytics, positive psychology, and what happens when organizations stop treating employees as disconnected problems and start looking at the whole system.Kayshia shares how her early interest in psychology led her away from clinical therapy and into industrial-organizational psychology, where she found a way to apply human behavior at scale. She also explains how ORC restructured traditional HR into a people operations function designed to connect organization development, compliance, employee experience, leadership, systems, and field operations.In this episode, Jessi and Kayshia discuss:How ORC supports infrastructure projects through right-of-way professional servicesWhy Kayshia helped shift HR into a people operations model at ORCHow organization development looks at structural, leadership, cultural, and adaptive depthWhy positive psychology belongs in the workplaceHow AI is changing talent strategy, hiring, data, and organizational designWhy companies need AI governance, clean data, and human-centered ethicsHow people analytics can improve attraction, retention, engagement, and developmentThis episode is for HR leaders, people operations professionals, organization development practitioners, executives, talent leaders, and anyone trying to build a more connected, ethical, and human-centered workplace.Because the future of work will not be shaped by AI alone.It will be shaped by the people brave enough to keep humans at the center of it.CONNECT WITH KAYSHIALinkedInORC

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Older workers are often treated as expensive, outdated, or past their prime.Dan Pontefract thinks that is not only wrong, but dangerous.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dan Pontefract, author of The Future of Work Is Grey, to talk about ageism, older workers, institutional knowledge, multi-generational teams, technology, AI, retirement, and why organizations lose far more than salary expense when they push experienced employees out.Dan shares how being removed from a speaker bureau roster after turning 50 sparked his work on age inclusivity and why companies need to rethink the way they view workers he calls “Rubies,” or older workers with crystallized intelligence, intuition, wisdom, and experience.In this episode, Jessi and Dan discuss:Why older workers are often underestimated, overlooked, or pushed out of the workforceHow organizations lose tacit knowledge, wisdom, and crisis-readiness when they eliminate experienced employeesWhy NASA, Ford, Boeing, and utility companies offer cautionary lessons and wild success stories about age and institutional memoryHow older workers and AI can complement each other instead of competingWhy multi-age teams can outperform age-segregated teamsHow leaders can support aging workers in physical, frontline, and labor-intensive rolesWhy mental health and suicide prevention require leaders to go directly to the people closest to the crisisThis episode is for HR leaders, executives, talent professionals, managers, workforce strategists, and anyone responsible for building a workplace that can perform now without sacrificing the wisdom it will need later.Because the future of work is not just young, fast, and digital.The future of work is also grey.CONNECT WITH DANLinkedInWebsiteThe Future of Work is Grey

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Buying a business is not just about the deal. It is about what happens when you walk in on day one and meet the people who already know how the business works.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Mike Bourgeois of Cardinal Heating & Air to talk about military service, search, acquiring a home services business, imposter syndrome, leadership, technician burnout, and why trust matters more than ego when stepping into an established company.Mike shares how his Air Force experience shaped his ability to lead people, why he and his business partner searched for nearly two years before acquiring Cardinal, and what it has been like to lead a 37-year-old HVAC company with an experienced team, strong brand, and deep customer base.In this episode, Jessi and Mike discuss:How Mike’s Air Force background prepared him for business ownership and people leadershipWhy the search process is much harder than LinkedIn gurus make it lookWhat made Cardinal Heating & Air stand out as an acquisition targetHow Mike approached leading a team with more technical HVAC experience than he hadWhy empowering smart people reduces single points of failureHow Cardinal supports technicians by avoiding unsustainable call volume and burnoutWhy Mike would choose a high-trust, lower-performing employee over a high-performing, low-trust oneThis episode is for searchers, acquisition entrepreneurs, home services leaders, operators, investors, and anyone who wants a more honest look at what happens after the deal closes.Because owning the business does not automatically make you the expert.Sometimes the best thing a new owner can do is listen first.CONNECT WITH [email protected] Heating & Air

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!High-growth companies move fast — but without clarity, speed can turn into chaos.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Sarah Frymire of OneSource to talk about scaling a company from 90 to 250 employees, building agile teams, communicating through change, creating clarity, supporting high performers, and why peer support matters more than most employers realize.Sarah shares how OneSource supports technology needs for customers through managed services, cybersecurity, lifecycle management, expense management, and brokerage support. She also explains what it takes to build an HR function inside a hypergrowth environment where processes, people, structure, and technology are constantly changing.In this episode, Jessi and Sarah discuss:Why agility and comfort with change are essential in hypergrowth companiesHow OneSource tries to avoid unnecessary rigidity while still protecting customers and the businessWhy clarity has to come before accountabilityHow new managers can build trust through bi-directional communicationWhy high performers who stop caring are a warning sign, not an employee failureHow workplace frustration, comparison, and moving goalposts affect mental and physical healthWhy trusted peers are often the first line of support before an EAP or therapistThis episode is for HR leaders, executives, managers, founders, and anyone trying to scale a company without burying good people under unclear expectations, slow processes, or preventable burnout.Because high performance does not survive on vision alone.It needs clarity, trust, communication, and execution.CONNECT WITH SARAHLinkedInOneSource

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Trust is one of the most important forces inside any workplace — but most organizations do not define it, measure it, or teach leaders how to build it.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Colleen Kelly to talk about trust theory, employee surveys, psychological safety, 360 reviews, first-line leadership, conflict, and why trust is one of the strongest predictors of success in teams and organizations.Colleen wrote her master’s thesis on trust theory after realizing that everyone talked about trust, but very few people could explain what it actually meant or how to build it. Her work spans HR, leadership development, public and private sector organizations, and first-line supervisor training deployed to more than 30,000 people around the world.In this episode, Jessi and Colleen discuss:Why trust matters more than many personality traits or team assessmentsHow turnover, bland survey responses, and fear of honesty can signal a trust problemThe difference between confidential and anonymous employee surveysWhy 360 reviews only work well when psychological safety already existsHow high-trust teams turn mistakes into growth opportunities instead of blameWhat new leaders need to learn about communication, conflict, and relationshipsWhy mental health and suicide prevention should matter to leaders from both a human and business perspectiveThis episode is for HR leaders, managers, executives, first-line supervisors, and anyone responsible for building teams where people can speak honestly, grow through feedback, and trust that conflict does not have to become destruction.Because trust is not just a feeling.It is infrastructure.CONNECT WITH COLLEENLinkedIn

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What if HR was not just about policies, compliance, hiring, and firing?What if HR could be one of the most powerful drivers of performance, culture, mental health, and human potential inside a company?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with David Alsop, CHRO of Ultradent and co-author of Making HR Matter: What CEOs Want and How to Deliver It, to talk about HR leadership, brain science, workplace culture, performance, mental health, partnership, and the convergence between profit and people.David shares how growing up around mental health challenges shaped his interest in human development, organizational behavior, and eventually HR. He explains why he moved away from therapy as a career path and into business, where he saw an opportunity to use psychology, brain science, and organizational systems to help people and companies succeed together.In this episode, Jessi and David discuss:How David’s early experiences with mental health challenges shaped his careerWhy he chose marriage, family, and human development instead of traditional psychologyHow an organizational behavior class changed his career directionWhy HR often gets stuck in policies, procedures, and controlWhat it means to move HR beyond complianceWhy people are the engine of every competitive advantageHow leaders can find the convergence point between accountability and engagementWhy HR needs to understand the founder’s vision before trying to transform a companyHow Ultradent built a culture guide, not just policiesWhy HR should focus upstream instead of only investigating and firing downstreamHow purpose, contribution, recognition, and relationships affect mental healthWhy companies can learn from the way religious communities build shared purposeWhat CEOs want from HR and how HR can deliver itHow one mentor helped David transform his influence and communicationWhy HR can matter for business, employees, families, and societyThis episode is for HR leaders, CEOs, founders, executives, managers, culture builders, and anyone who believes work can be more than a paycheck.Because when HR gets it right, it does not just help the company perform.It helps people go home better.CONNECT WITH DAVIDLinkedInDavid's WebsiteMaking HR MatterUltradent Careers

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Buying a small business sounds exciting.You get to be your own boss. Run the company. Build something. Create wealth. Own your future.But the reality is much messier.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Mark Fleming of Owner Actions to talk about small business acquisition, searchers, SBA financing, people management, employee transitions, operational risk, and what it actually looks like to buy and run small businesses.Mark’s career started in investment management, where he evaluated public and private companies, worked with people after major exits, and developed a deep understanding of what makes businesses valuable. Over time, he and his wife Katie began buying businesses themselves. Then other people started asking for help, and Owner Actions was born.Today, Owner Actions helps people find, finance, acquire, and operate small businesses across industries including trucking, restaurants, retail liquidation, HVAC, water well drilling, portable toilets, edible arrangements, and more.In this episode, Jessi and Mark discuss:How Mark moved from investment management into small business acquisitionWhat Owner Actions does and how it supports searchers and operatorsHow SBA loans can help people buy businesses with relatively low down payments (CORRECTION: manufacturing loan limits are still at $5M - the Senate is still deliberating on the increase to $10M, though the increase passed through the House of Representatives)Why grit may matter more than analysis in small business ownershipWhy MBA-style thinking can sometimes get in the way of operating a real businessWhat makes someone a strong small business leaderWhy negotiation can come down to conviction and not movingHow employees experience the transition when a small business is acquiredWhy telling employees their jobs are safe is not enoughHow new owners can build goodwill with inherited teamsWhy leaders should actually sit down and eat the pizza with employeesHow employee theft and other crises show up in small business ownershipWhy HR risk management matters when SBA loans are personally guaranteedHow Owner Actions centralizes resources across its portfolioWhy finance, digital marketing, insurance, and HR are key back-office prioritiesThis episode is for searchers, acquisition entrepreneurs, investors, small business owners, operators, veterans, MBA students, and anyone considering buying a business instead of starting one from scratch.Because buying a business is not just about closing the deal.It is about what happens on Monday morning after the deal closes.CONNECT WITH MARKLinkedInTikTokOwner Actions

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Employee benefits are not just a recruiting tool.They are one of the places where healthcare costs, prevention, mental health, productivity, employee education, and workplace culture all intersect.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Chris Kerwood of USI to talk about employee benefits, rising healthcare costs, preventive care, mental health, population health, insurance trends, and what employers need to understand about the real cost of employee well-being.Chris explains why healthcare costs are rising, including delayed care after COVID, increased utilization, pharmaceutical costs, GLP-1s, gene therapies, provider negotiations, hospital margins, and even AI upcoding. He also breaks down why employees need to better understand their own benefits — especially preventive care, which is often covered at 100%.Jessi and Chris also dive into workplace mental health, including the post-COVID rise in mental health concerns, the financial impact of mental health-related productivity loss, the elevated risk in construction and blue-collar industries, and what strong organizations do differently to support their people.In this episode, Jessi and Chris discuss:How Chris’s background as a student athlete shaped his work ethic and careerWhat USI does as a full-service insurance brokerageWhy healthcare costs are rising for employers and employeesHow delayed care after COVID is still affecting claims and utilizationWhy GLP-1s, biosimilars, and gene therapies are reshaping benefits conversationsWhat employees misunderstand about preventive careWhy people should actually read their plan summariesHow AI is affecting healthcare billing and codingWhy employers are exploring high deductible health plans, HMOs, and alternative funding strategiesWhat employers need to understand about mental health as a benefits and productivity issueWhy construction is a high-risk industry for suicide preventionWhat strong organizations do to create connection, purpose, and peer supportThis episode is for HR leaders, benefits professionals, executives, business owners, brokers, safety leaders, and anyone trying to understand how employee health affects the bottom line.Because benefits are not just about coverage.They are about prevention, access, culture, and whether people can actually get the support they need.CONNECT WITH [email protected]

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What happens when HR is grounded in psychology, business strategy, and humanity?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Jonathan Fedak to talk about industrial-organizational psychology, human resources, workplace culture, managing up, mental health, mergers and acquisitions, and what it means to lead people through the gray areas of work.Jonathan’s background in psychology shaped how he approaches HR today. From testing and selection work with police and fire agencies to compensation, payroll, government, retail, manufacturing, and executive-level HR leadership, he brings a rare combination of analytics, psychology, and people-centered judgment to the workplace.In this episode, Jessi and Jonathan discuss:How industrial-organizational psychology shaped Jonathan’s HR careerWhy words from leaders create psychological contracts with employeesWhat it means to manage upward and advise executives on communicationWhy “good concept, better words” can be one of HR’s most useful toolsThe difference between checking the policy box and understanding the person in front of youWhy great HR requires judgment, flexibility, and contextHow to balance metrics, performance, and humanityWhy culture is built in micro-moments, not just big eventsHow mental health has become more visible in the workplace since COVIDWhy employee mental health affects the bottom line whether leaders want to talk about it or notHow to communicate with employees during mergers, acquisitions, and major transitionsWhy the word “why” can feel threatening during organizational changeWhat Jonathan’s tattoo — “We think we have time” — means in work, life, and leadershipThis episode is for HR leaders, executives, managers, business owners, and anyone who has ever wondered how to balance business needs with real human lives.Because HR is not just about resources.It is about the humans that make up your workforce.CONNECT WITH JONATHANLinkedInOregon Corners Florist (his wife's newly acquired flower shop!)

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Most leaders understand that suicide prevention matters.But when it comes time to fund training, build a peer support program, or make the case to the executive team, compassion often needs numbers behind it.In this solo mini-sode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer breaks down 10 suicide prevention statistics every HR professional and business leader should know. This episode is designed as an educational resource for leaders who care about their people, but need a clearer business case for investing in workplace suicide prevention.Jessi explains why suicide prevention cannot be reduced to an EAP referral, why serious suicidal ideation is more common than many leaders realize, and how the costs of suicide, suicide attempts, emergency care, nonfatal self-harm, lost productivity, absenteeism, and coworker postvention can show up across an organization.In this episode, Jessi discusses:Why 4% of Americans seriously consider suicide each yearHow many people will personally know someone who dies by suicideWhy surviving a suicide attempt often means there is real hopeHow many Americans die by suicide annuallyWhy primary care, not mental health care, is often where people show up firstWhy an EAP is a resource, not a complete suicide prevention strategyHow suicide prevention education and peer support programs can produce measurable ROIThis episode is for HR leaders, executives, managers, safety professionals, wellness leaders, and anyone trying to make the case for suicide prevention before crisis hits.Because the question is not whether suicide risk exists in your workforce.It is whether your organization is prepared to respond before “it hasn't happened yet” becomes reality.

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Why do so many workplace wellness programs fail?Because most of them ask people to change too much, too fast, for reasons that do not actually matter to them.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Clark Lagemann of Avidon Health to talk about workplace wellness, employee engagement, behavior change, motivational interviewing, habit formation, mental health, AI, and why pizza parties are not a wellness strategy.Avidon Health helps employers build wellness programs that meet employees where they are. Rather than assuming one app, one challenge, or one big launch will change everyone’s life, Clark explains why sustainable change usually starts with small, realistic actions that build confidence over time.In this episode, Jessi and Clark discuss:Why there is no silver bullet for workplace wellnessHow Avidon Health grew out of a physician practice focused on behavior change beyond medicationWhy the term “non-compliance” misses the bigger issueHow motivational interviewing helps people connect change to what actually matters to themWhy readiness for change is essential in wellness engagementHow small wins create momentum, confidence, and dopamine-driven reinforcementWhy employers should stop expecting dramatic overnight lifestyle changesWhat workplace wellness has to do with recruitment, retention, productivity, and profitabilityHow COVID accelerated expectations around whole-person support at workWhy AI can be a powerful thought partner but not a replacement for human accountabilityWhy mental health remains harder to see, discuss, and support than physical healthWhat leaders should ask themselves if they do not believe workplace mental health mattersThis episode is for HR leaders, benefits professionals, executives, founders, wellness leaders, managers, and anyone tired of workplace wellness programs that look good on paper but do not change behavior.Because wellness is not about launching the flashiest program.It is about helping people build habits they can actually sustain.CONNECT WITH CLARKLinkedInAvidon Health

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What should employers actually know before running a background check?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Gavin Bray of Alliance 2020, a nationally accredited background screening firm headquartered in Washington State.Gavin breaks down what employment screening really includes, why accreditation matters, how background checks protect organizations, and why screening should never be used simply to “weed people out.” Instead, background checks are one part of a bigger hiring picture — one that includes fairness, compliance, role relevance, applicant experience, and thoughtful decision-making.Jessi and Gavin also dive into Washington’s Fair Chance Act, including what employers need to understand about conditional job offers, criminal history, individualized assessments, and why employers cannot rely on blanket “no felony” policies. They also discuss marijuana testing, drug screening panels, negligent hiring risk, second-chance employment, and the balance between protecting the workplace and creating opportunities for people with past criminal history.In this episode, Jessi and Gavin discuss:What Alliance 2020 does and what employment screening includesWhy national accreditation matters in the background screening industryThe “tree” of background screening: criminal checks, drug screening, employment verification, education verification, driving history, credit reports, and moreWhat Washington employers need to know about pre-employment cannabis testingThe risk of negligent hiring claims when employers do not screen candidatesWhy background checks can improve applicant experience and reduce internal HR burdenHow the Washington Fair Chance Act affects hiring decisionsWhy employers need conditional job offers before running background checksWhy criminal history should be evaluated in relation to the roleHow second-chance employment can reduce recidivism and create opportunityWhy background screening should be part of a holistic hiring decision, not a shortcut to exclusionThis episode is for HR professionals, business owners, hiring managers, compliance leaders, executives, and anyone responsible for building a safer, fairer, more legally sound hiring process.Because good screening is not about ruling people out.It is about making better decisions.CONNECT WITH [email protected] 2020

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What does it take to buy, build, and scale a business without losing sight of ethics, culture, and people?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Jim Tolbert of ExecCap Advisors to talk about entrepreneurship through acquisition, the business of education, regulated industries, private equity, trade schools, leadership, and what it takes to grow companies responsibly.Jim’s connection to entrepreneurship started long before his professional career. His father, an Air Force veteran, bought and ran a trade school in Baltimore, making trades education part of Jim’s childhood and family story. After starting his career in investment banking and consulting with organizations including Morgan Stanley, Walt Disney, and McKinsey, Jim returned to those roots by building a company that provided tuition financing for trade school students.That journey eventually led him to acquire, operate, and scale trade schools himself, including growing one platform from a single location to nine locations across four states over 15 years. Today, through ExecCap Advisors, Jim partners with experienced executives, veterans, and former business owners who want to buy and run companies.In this episode, Jessi and Jim discuss:How Jim’s childhood around a family trade school shaped his entrepreneurial pathWhy trades education matters and why the world does not need everyone to follow the same academic routeThe tension between for-profit and nonprofit educationWhat it means to operate ethically in a highly regulated industryWhy regulation can become a competitive advantage when handled wellHow to build a culture of ethics inside a growing companyWhy regulators should be treated more like customers than enemiesWhat changes when a business grows from one location to nineWhy the right leader at two locations may not be the right leader at nineWhat entrepreneurship through acquisition is and why experienced executives can be strong acquisition entrepreneursWhy veterans may be especially well-suited to buying and running businessesThe people-related challenges that come with buying, scaling, and leading companiesThis episode is for entrepreneurs, investors, executives, veterans, business owners, searchers, leaders in regulated industries, and anyone interested in acquisition entrepreneurship, ethical growth, and the human side of scaling a company.Because growth is not just a financial strategy.It is a leadership test.CONNECT WITH JIMLinkedInExecCap Advisors

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!When a student is struggling, they may not go to a counselor first.They may go to a professor. A coach. A resident director. A staff member. Someone they already know and trust.In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Erin Ruff, an HR leader at the University of Puget Sound and president of the Washington State chapter of CUPA-HR, to talk about mental health, employee wellness, student support, and the unique role HR plays in higher education.Erin shares how she moved from a global corporation into higher education, what she loves about working in a collaborative university environment, and why supporting faculty and staff directly impacts the care students receive. She also talks about wellness days, menopause book clubs, coaching employees through difficult conversations, the importance of leadership buy-in, and why listening can be one of HR’s most powerful tools.In this episode, Jessi and Erin discuss:Why higher education HR is different from corporate HRHow faculty and staff often become natural support systems for studentsWhy student mental health support depends on employee supportThe emotional toll on resident directors, coaches, student affairs staff, and frontline student support rolesHow HR can support employees without trying to solve every personal problemWhy listening matters more than many leaders realizeHow wellness days and community-building events help reduce silosThe unexpected success of a menopause book club on campusWhat CUPA-HR does for higher education HR professionalsWhy leadership buy-in is essential for meaningful staff and student supportHow small morale boosters can build trust, retention, and engagementThis episode is for HR professionals, higher education leaders, faculty, staff, coaches, student affairs professionals, and anyone responsible for supporting people inside complex, mission-driven organizations.Because students need support.And so do the people they turn to first.CONNECT WITH [email protected] of Puget SoundCUPA-HRCUPA-HR Washington Chapter

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Who takes care of the people who take care of everyone else?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Memories Mannix, an HR professional with Renton Regional Fire Authority, to talk about first responder mental health, peer support, suicide prevention, workplace culture, and what it looks like to support firefighters from the HR side.Memories began her career at T-Mobile, working her way from call center roles into HR. That experience taught her how to navigate frustrated callers, assume positive intent, understand the impact behind someone’s anger, and practice self-care in a high-stress environment. Eventually, a mix of organizational change, opportunity, and a desire for mission-driven work led her into the fire service.Now, at Renton Regional Fire Authority, Memories helps support roughly 200 members, including around 160 uniformed personnel. In this conversation, she shares how the department supports firefighters through physical injuries, administrative burdens, peer support, specialized therapists, and ongoing mental health resources.In this episode, Jessi and Memories discuss:What call center work taught Memories about empathy, impact, and difficult conversationsWhy she transitioned from T-Mobile into HR in the fire serviceHow Renton Regional Fire Authority supports firefighters and staffWhy first responder trauma can feel like a slow drip over timeHow HR can reduce administrative burden when firefighters are injured or strugglingWhy culturally competent therapists matter for first respondersHow Renton’s 24-member peer support team creates multiple points of accessWhy peer support should include members across ranks and rolesHow collaboration between fire agencies can improve mental health supportWhat Memories would say to leaders who do not believe workplace suicide prevention mattersThis episode is for HR professionals, fire service leaders, first responders, peer support teams, union leaders, public safety agencies, and anyone who wants to better support the people doing high-stress, high-impact work.Because gratitude is not enough.First responders need systems that take care of them too.CONNECT WITH MEMORIES:[email protected] Regional Fire Authority

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What does it look like for HR to stay human when the workplace keeps changing?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with William West, a people and HR leader whose career has spanned nonprofits, food, chocolate, high-growth tech, remote work, acquisitions, layoffs, and AI-driven workplace change.William’s path into HR started somewhat unexpectedly. After studying psychology and nonprofit leadership, he joined FareStart in Seattle and found himself leading HR at just 23 years old. Instead of pretending to have every answer, he leaned on curiosity, humility, and transparency — even spending time chopping carrots alongside culinary staff to better understand the work and build trust.From there, William moved through mission-driven organizations including Theo Chocolate, Tableau, Recharge, and now Wrapbook, where he supports a fully remote workforce across the U.S. and Canada.In this episode, Jessi and William discuss:How William accidentally became an HR leader at 23Why curiosity and humility can build trust faster than pretending to know everythingWhat HR learns by getting closer to the actual workWhy HR cannot become robotic, even when compliance mattersHow mission can show up in nonprofits, food companies, and high-growth techWhat it was like to experience Tableau’s acquisition by SalesforceHow to handle layoffs in a more human wayThe mental health challenges of remote work, burnout, and blurred boundariesHow AI is creating new stress and uncertainty for employeesWhy storytelling helps reduce stigma around therapy and workplace mental healthWhat William would say to HR leaders who do not believe workplace suicide prevention mattersThis episode is for HR leaders, people leaders, founders, managers, tech executives, and anyone who believes work gets better when leaders stay curious, grounded, and human.Because HR is not just policy.It is people.CONNECT WITH WILLIAMLinkedInWrapbook

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What if the biggest barrier to mental health care is not just cost, coverage, or provider availability — but language?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Warren Sadler of Therify for a thoughtful, deeply human conversation about emotional literacy, access to therapy, grief, workplace behavioral health benefits, and what it really means to help people find care.Warren’s path into behavioral health was shaped by personal loss, family grief, healthcare experience, and a deep belief that words matter. After working in healthcare and seeing how difficult it was to find meaningful support even with resources, Warren became increasingly focused on the gap between offering care and actually helping people access it.Therify works as a care navigation and access company, helping employees connect with behavioral health support through a more personal, concierge-style experience. Instead of leaving employees to figure out therapist directories, insurance eligibility, cost, fit, timing, and availability on their own, Therify helps make the pathway to care clearer and faster.In this episode, Jessi and Warren discuss:Why words matter in mental health, crisis work, and workplace conversationsHow emotional literacy helps people understand and communicate what they are experiencingWhy mental health care access is more complicated than simply offering benefitsWarren’s personal experience with grief after losing his father and grandmother close togetherHow family, loss, and caregiving shaped his work in behavioral healthWhy therapy matching is about more than credentials or availabilityThe difference between being invited to care and actually having a place set for youWhy employers need to help employees navigate the care journey, not just provide a benefits portalHow skills like active listening, emotional vocabulary, and basic therapeutic concepts can be taught earlier and more broadlyWhat leaders need to understand about the hidden complexity inside every employee’s lifeThis episode is for HR leaders, benefits professionals, executives, mental health advocates, clinicians, and anyone who has ever wondered why getting help can still feel so hard — even when help technically exists.Because access is not just having care available.Access is knowing how to reach it, understand it, and use it.CONNECT WITH WARRENLinkedInInstagramTherify

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What if your workplace communication problem is not actually a communication problem?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Brandy Ferrer, communication and leadership consultant, founder of Pathfinder Strategies, and creator of the SPARK method.Jessi first became obsessed with Brandy after seeing the title of one of her SHRM workshop presentations: Stop Being So F***ing Nice. That energy carries through this conversation as they dig into what leaders often get wrong about culture, communication, hard conversations, and employee accountability.Brandy shares how her early experience inside a strong workplace culture showed her what great leadership could look like — and how later experiences helped her see the gap between stated values and lived behaviors. She explains why so many “communication problems” are really expectation problems, delegation problems, structural problems, or leadership avoidance problems.In this episode, Jessi and Brandy discuss:Why healthy workplace culture is felt more than talked aboutThe gap between values on the wall and behaviors on the groundWhy managers carry so much of the culture employees actually experienceHow leaders can adapt communication without silencing themselvesWhy “I don’t have time” is often a warning sign of a structural problemHow poor delegation keeps managers stuck in frontline workThe SPARK method for clearer, shorter, more effective leadership conversationsHow to check in with employees without micromanaging themWhy real-time feedback reduces anxiety and prevents annual review surprisesThe financial cost of poor workplace communicationThis episode is for leaders, HR professionals, managers, executives, founders, and anyone who has ever avoided a hard conversation because they were trying to be nice.Because nice is not the same thing as clear.And unclear leadership is expensive.CONNECT WITH BRANDYLinkedInPathfinder Strategies

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What if workplace wellness was not about step challenges and generic posters, but about preventing real injuries, improving culture, and helping employees feel better in their bodies every day?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Cameron Dorn, founder of Suitcase of Courage, elite endurance athlete, triathlon national champion, and three-time Guinness World Record setter.Cameron’s company helps organizations reduce musculoskeletal injuries by treating employees like industrial athletes. Instead of handing companies a report that sits in a drawer, Suitcase of Courage goes on site, studies real job tasks, uses wearable EMG technology to identify high-risk movement patterns, trains managers to coach safer movement, and builds practical wellness programs employees can actually use.Jessi and Cameron talk about the business case for workplace wellness, why preventing a shoulder injury is not just a medical issue but an operational issue, and how employee buy-in starts with trust — especially in industries where people have “always done it this way.”In this episode, Jessi and Cameron discuss:Cameron’s three Guinness World Records and how fitness became a pathway to impactWhat “industrial athleticism” means in the workplaceHow Suitcase of Courage helps companies reduce sprains, strains, and musculoskeletal injuriesWhy wellness needs to be tied to operations, not just HRHow injury prevention saves money on medical costs, overtime, replacement labor, and lost productivityWhy employee trust matters more than shiny technologyHow wearable EMG technology can identify risky movement before an injury happensThe role of sleep, hydration, and recovery in workplace safetyWhy culture changes when employees feel better, move better, and show up differentlyWhat leaders should understand about wellness as both a people issue and a business issueThis episode is for HR leaders, safety professionals, operations leaders, executives, and anyone responsible for keeping people healthy, productive, and safe at work.Because when employees are the engine of your business, protecting their bodies is not optional.CONNECT WITH CAMERONLinkedInThe Suitcase of Courage

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What does it look like to turn grief into action?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Nicole Jones-Vogel, a suicide prevention advocate, AFSP Washington State board member, policy and veteran subcommittee co-lead, and public servant working in Pierce County.Nicole lost her father to suicide 20 years ago. In this deeply personal conversation, she shares how that loss shaped her life, why suicide grief can be so complex, and how advocacy became part of her healing and purpose.Nicole talks about her work with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, including community walks, advocacy days, state-level policy work, national advocacy in Washington, D.C., and efforts to advance bridge barrier legislation. She also shares why community matters so much after suicide loss, what she wishes she could tell her younger self, and why suicide prevention must include both personal support and structural change.In this episode, Jessi and Nicole discuss:Nicole’s experience losing her father to suicide 20 years agoWhy suicide grief can feel unpredictable, complicated, and hard to explainThe importance of being gentle with yourself after suicide lossHow AFSP helped Nicole find community without pressure to explain everythingWhy bridge barriers and lethal means restriction are critical suicide prevention toolsHow suicide attempts and crises impact first responders, families, commuters, and communitiesWhat it is like to advocate for suicide prevention legislation in Olympia and Washington, D.C.Why bipartisan suicide prevention policy mattersHow one person’s story can become part of a larger movement to save livesThis episode is for suicide loss survivors, HR leaders, public servants, first responders, policymakers, workplace leaders, and anyone who has been touched by suicide.Because grief does not disappear.But together, we continue.CONNECT WITH NICOLELinkedInAmerican Foundation for Suicide PreventionNicole's Story of LossPierce County Suicide Prevention Summit on September 18, 2026Pierce County Suicide Prevention Walk Fundraiser

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What does workplace culture look like when it is more than a slogan?In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dacon Hayes and Maddy Kristjanson from the HR team at Plymouth Poultry, a Washington-based food redistributor with nearly 90 years of history, hundreds of employees, and a culture rooted in taking care of people.From monthly food gifts and employee massages to mental health support, family-centered values, and a leadership team that actually knows its people, Plymouth Poultry offers a real-world example of what it means to build culture before crisis hits.Dacon and Maddy talk about what it was like to help lead employees through COVID, rapid growth, acquisitions, geographic expansion, and deeply human challenges like grief, suicide, financial hardship, isolation, and mental health struggles. They also share how Plymouth’s values — family, customer first, do what’s right, and own it — show up in everyday decisions, especially when things get hard.In this episode, Jessi, Maddy, and Dacon discuss:How Plymouth Poultry grew from a small chicken-and-egg business into a large regional food redistributorWhy long-term retention starts with genuinely taking care of employeesWhat “family culture” looks like when it is backed by real actionHow HR helped the company navigate COVID, isolation, safety concerns, and employee pushbackWhy listening mattered when employees raised concerns about workplace safetyHow leaders can justify spending money on culture, wellness, and employee connectionWhat onboarding has to do with culture integration after acquisitionsWhy mental health support works best when leaders know their people well enough to notice changesThe HR skills Dacon and Maddy use most: active listening and problem-solvingThis episode is for HR professionals, executives, founders, safety leaders, and anyone who has ever wondered whether investing in culture actually matters.Because when pressure hits, employees remember whether your values were real.CONNECT WITH DACON AND MADDYLinkedIn (Dacon)LinkedIn (Maddy)Plymouth Poultry

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!What happens when the person holding everything together is the one who burns out?In the very first episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Kristen Deskin, SHRM-SCP, past president of the South King County SHRM chapter and an HR leader for small teams, to talk about burnout, boundaries, career pivots, and the deeply human side of workplace culture.Kristen did not start her career in HR. She began in early childhood education, working long hours, leading programs, and eventually experiencing the kind of burnout that forced her to step back and rebuild. That experience became part of what pulled her toward HR: the opportunity to advocate for employees, shape healthier workplace cultures, and help prevent others from reaching the same breaking point.In this episode, Kristen and Jessi discuss:Why burnout often happens before people realize they are in dangerHow leaders unintentionally model overwork for their teamsA practical way to ask your manager for help prioritizing without simply saying “no”The overlap between childcare, HR, leadership, and human behaviorWhy small-team HR can be such a powerful place to shape cultureHow SHRM and local HR communities can support career changersWhy self-empathy is not just a personal wellness tool, but a leadership skillKristen also shares the quote she already has tattooed on her body, the musical that recently made her cry, and the question she wants to leave for the next guest.This episode is for HR professionals, leaders, managers, founders, and anyone who has ever wondered whether setting a boundary means letting people down.CONNECT WITH KRISTEN:South King County SHRM Chapter

CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE!Welcome to At Work, Under Pressure — the podcast about what happens when real life shows up at work.In this trailer episode, host Jessi Beyer introduces the story behind the show, the mission behind The Crisis Readiness Group, and why workplace suicide prevention, de-escalation, and crisis readiness cannot stay locked behind clinical degrees and professional licenses.Jessi is a SWAT negotiator, licensed mental health professional, and suicide prevention trainer whose work started long before the credentials. As a teenager, she found herself trying to support someone she loved through suicidal ideation with no training, no roadmap, and no idea what she was supposed to do. That experience became the thread that eventually led her into psychology, crisis response, field-based mental health work, SWAT negotiation, and now suicide prevention education for high-impact organizations.In this episode, Jessi shares:The personal story that pulled her into suicide prevention workWhy one social worker’s small act of humanity changed the trajectory of her lifeWhat field crisis response taught her about connection, dignity, and saving livesHow SWAT negotiation shaped her approach to communication under pressureWhy so much suicide prevention training fails to create real-world skillWhy leaders, HR professionals, safety teams, and coworkers need practical crisis skills before someone is in dangerWhat this podcast will explore in future conversations with executives, HR leaders, safety professionals, and workplace wellness expertsThis show is for leaders who understand that people problems become operational problems — and profit problems — when organizations are not prepared.If you lead people, support people, manage risk, shape culture, or simply want to be better prepared for the human moments that happen at work, this podcast is for you.CONNECT WITH JESSILinkedInCrisis Readiness GroupTEDx Talk: How To Think Outside Your Own Box