Work Sucks

This week on Work Sucks, we sit down with Steven Foulger, a Director of Organizational Transformation and People Services — and the HR guy everyone wishes they’d had. Steven wasn’t just hired into HR… he was handpicked for it, thanks to his uncanny, almost superhero-level ability to solve workplace problems with empathy, clarity, and a people-first mindset that makes every HR stereotype shrivel up and cry. Steven walks us through the triumphs, chaos, and “please tell me this didn’t actually happen” moments of his career, all while proving that HR doesn’t have to be scary, bureaucratic, or allergic to fun. He’s equal parts strategist, empath, and workplace myth-buster — and yes, he makes it all sound easy. If you’ve ever wondered what HR could be in the hands of someone who genuinely cares about humans, this episode will restore your faith in the entire profession. FInd Steve on LinkedIn.

This week on Work Sucks, we’re joined by Kirsty Baggs-Morgan — HR consultant, founder of Evolving HR, and the person you desperately wish had been around the last time someone asked you to “mediate” a full-blown office fish fight. Yes… an actual fish fight. We go there. Kirsty brings the perfect mix of humor, heart, and “are-you-kidding-me” stories as she walks us through the wildest requests she’s ever been expected to handle — and how she learned to shut them down with style, clarity, and zero guilt. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay sane in a world where your job occasionally demands the impossible, Kirsty’s insights — and boundary-setting superpowers — are the breath of fresh air you need. Find Kirsty and Evolving HR on Linkedin.

This week on Work Sucks, we’re joined by Holly Norton, VP and client consultant extraordinaire, who proves that workplace chaos can reach truly impressive levels… and still be handled with grace. Holly opens up about the challenge of being “Frozen Out” by a boss — that silent treatment that makes every workday feel like a survival game — and how she navigated it with grit, humor, and strategy. From client disasters to office curveballs you wouldn’t believe, Holly takes us on a tour of the kind of “how did this even happen?” moments that make you question humanity — and your career choices. But she also reminds us of the small, powerful gestures, like saying thank you, that can transform a workplace from unbearable to just barely manageable. If you’ve ever wanted to see how someone balances workplace insanity, exclusion, and gratitude with style, this episode is your front-row seat. Find Holly on LinkedIn

This week on Work Sucks, we sit down with Kelly Venkiah — corporate HR powerhouse turned mentor and the co-founder of the HR Confidence Club — who has navigated more ethically questionable workplace situations than any one person should reasonably be expected to endure. Kelly brings the perfect blend of warmth, wit, and “oh dear God, that really happened?” storytelling as she walks us through the moments that shaped her philosophy on confidence, courage, and calling out nonsense when you see it. From dodgy directives to corporate tightropes that would make even seasoned HR pros break into a cold sweat, Kelly shares how she learned to trust her instincts, protect her integrity, and help others do the same. She’s candid. She’s unshakeable.  Whether you’re an HR pro, a manager, or just someone who’s been told to “just handle it” one too many times, Kelly’s wisdom will make you feel seen, empowered, and a little less alone in the madness. Find Kelly on Linkedin and check out her website.

Ever feel torn between your ethics, your job, and life in general? Elles Skony gets it. On this week’s Work Sucks, she shares how to stay grounded when everything’s chaotic — and how to turn uncontrollable moments into productive ones. Expect humor, real talk, and practical strategies to keep your cool without losing yourself. If work has ever left you stressed, conflicted, or overwhelmed… this episode is for you. Find Elles on Linkedin and learn more about Fractional People People.

This week on Work Sucks, Fraser Duncumb, founder of Wotter, joins us for a conversation that’s equal parts hilarious and horrifying. We talk phoned-in trainings, cars driven into buildings (yes, really), and how trauma at work isn’t just personal, it can be crowd-sourced.Fraser will make you appreciate the normal, forgettable days of work by sharing some truly strange situations.  Expect laughs, disbelief, and plenty of “yep, that happened” moments, plus a reminder that if work has left you drained, you’re not alone — and maybe you can even laugh about it along the way. Find Fraser on LinkedIn and learn more about Wotter.

On Episode 2 of Work Sucks, we sit down with Siobhán Godden to talk about the part of work no one glamorizes: the muck you have to move through before things start to make sense. Siobhán shares how our paths often find us because of the difficult stretches — the terrible boss you have to wait out, the endless “hurry up and wait” moments, and the seasons where progress feels stalled but isn’t. Rather than rushing past discomfort, she unpacks why staying present, learning in the mess, and resisting the urge to force clarity can be what ultimately shapes more meaningful work. From enduring tough environments to intentionally designing trainings that actually work for real humans, Siobhan brings grounded insight, honesty, and a steady confidence that growth doesn’t come from shortcuts. It comes from showing up, paying attention, and trusting that even the frustrating parts are doing something important. If you’re in the middle of it — stuck, waiting, or wading through workplace nonsense — this episode will remind you that the muck isn’t wasted time. It’s often the path doing its work. Find Siobhán on Linkedin and check out High Performing HR.

This week on Work Sucks, we kick off the podcast with Josh Drean — work futurist, co-author of Employment Is Dead, and proof that you can fight deeply broken work systems without losing optimism about what comes next. Josh joins us to set the foundation for Work Sucks: an honest look at how we consistently fail to create workplaces that serve the humans who make them run and why that failure isn’t inevitable. With clarity, hope, and just enough provocation, Josh helps reframe disillusionment as a starting point rather than an endpoint. This conversation explores what needs to be questioned, what needs to be let go. If you’ve ever felt worn down by work but still believe the future doesn’t have to suck, Episode 1 will leave you challenged, energized, and cautiously optimistic about what comes next.Find Josh on LinkedIn and check out his book.

Let’s be real. Work can be glorious and gutting, hilarious and humbling, exhausting and exhilarating... all before your second coffee.Hosted by Calli Adamson Bakken and Toby Kheng, Work Sucks is the podcast that asks the same seven questions to different guests each week, in search of the true highlight reel (and blooper reel) of modern work.This isn’t a corporate love letter or a burnout badge-fest. It’s reflective, funny, sad, disappointing, awkward, and occasionally a bit beautiful.Just like work itself.We talk about the wins, the weirdness, and the “what am I even doing here?” moments that define our careers and shape our lives.Whether you love your job, loathe it, or are just trying to not cry on Zoom again, Work Sucks is here to remind you: you’re not alone, you’re not broken.