stress, romance and AI
Hi ya,
It’s Wednesday, and if you’ve already had three “quick syncs,” two passive-aggressive Slacks, and exactly zero uninterrupted deep work hours, congrats, you’re doing great babe.
To be fair, no one knows how to manage stress quite like we do in HR??
❤️ But I'll take some silence every now and then…
Let’s ✨ hold space ✨ for fun AKA this newsletter.
🗞️ Here’s the Tea:Copy anchor linkCopied
😩 Employee stress is a business risk, not an HR problem
The TL;DR: Employee stress isn’t just an HR issue, it’s a business risk with million-dollar consequences. The authors argue that most organizations are missing the mark because they aren’t measuring stress the same way they track things like revenue or compliance risk. Enter the Stress Risk Thermometer: a framework to help companies identify, quantify, and actually act on stress-related risks across the business.
My POV: This isn’t a “start a wellness Slack channel” kind of article. It’s a full-on call to operationalize stress like the liability it is. If you’ve ever tried (and failed) to get execs to care about burnout, this is your ammo—stress is costing your company millions and bleeding performance, and this piece shows you how to track it, prove it, and fix it. Of course, HR doesn’t own stress alone, but we can lead the charge to make sure it finally gets the boardroom attention it deserves!
🎙️ Mic Drop Moment:Copy anchor linkCopied
“Romance isn’t just romantic fantasy, it’s fantasy about work, about family, about who we get to be.”Copy anchor linkCopied
On the mic this week: Georgia Clark is a bestselling novelist, performer, and host of the storytelling series Generation Women. With seven published books under her belt, she’s a fierce advocate for joyful, inclusive storytelling. Originally from Australia, Georgia now lives in Brooklyn with her wife and toddlers, balancing her creative pursuits with a steady diet of reading.
Pin this:
- Good storytelling (in books or internal comms) is rooted in authenticity, vulnerability, and clarity.
- Conflict is essential, not just for plot tension, but for revealing what drives people.
- Relatability is a key ingredient in great characters! Readers want to hang out with them, not just read about them.
- Writers and HR leaders alike should ask: What does this person want? And what’s really standing in their way?
My H*ly Sh*t Moment: Happiness isn’t waiting for us after we achieve the next thing, it’s available now. If we can shift from chasing what we lack to recognizing how far we’ve already come, that’s a great start and a great reminder!
📊 Data Is My Love Language:Copy anchor linkCopied
Stat: 60% of HR consults ChatGPT for layoff decisions
My spiral: Let’s get one thing straight: AI writing your emails is whatever. AI deciding who gets FIRED?! That’s actually bonkers.
Think about it! We’re letting glorified autocomplete make career-ending calls with zero accountability, no emotional intelligence, and a proven track record of bias.
And before someone says “but data!” ChatGPT doesn’t have data on your team’s grit, your culture, or that employee who’s one mentorship away from a glow-up.
Soooo, consider it my regularly scheduled reminder of how valuable it is to be people-first!
🗣️ UNMUTE YOURSELF
This role asks us to be composed, diplomatic, and five steps ahead at all times.
But under all that composure, there’s usually something lingering that we haven’t said…maybe even to ourselves!
So here’s a question I want you to sit with or maybe even journal:
“What’s one thing you’re currently afraid to say out loud?”
🛠️ TRY THIS TOMORROW:
Look, we both know 'feedback' has become a loaded word.
It low-key makes people tense up like they're about to get scolded.
Here's what you should try tomorrow:
Swap "I have some feedback" with "I have an observation" and watch how differently people respond.
It's less accusatory, more collaborative, and suddenly that defensive wall comes down!
👂 OVERHEARD IN SAFE SPACE
Sometimes it do be like that!!!
The best part of Safe Space? You can anonymously post your vents!!!
Check out what folks are saying!
See ya on Friday!
