I started this solo episode planning to talk about the evolution of HR, and ended up using one of my fav shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to explain why this job can be emotionally unhinged, and suspiciously dependent on one exhausted woman saving everybody.
We’re getting into the mental-health toll of HR, the workplace chaos currently entering the group chat, and why being the chosen one is actually a pretty terrible operating model if you think about it.
Come for the interesting HR data, and stay for the Buffy lore… filled with spoilers, FYI!
—
With Shapes, people management looks completely different.
Think AI agents handling the routine, a secure HR core, and the ability to build any people tool your org needs, just by describing it in plain english in their built in Shapes Vibe studio.
If your systems feel stuck in 2015, go check out Shapes athttps://shapes.co/
—
If you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/
And if you love the podcast, be sure to check outhttps://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-herefor even more exclusive insider content!
—
Follow Hebba
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos
LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef
Twitter:https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef
Come join Hebba at Safe Space Summit 2026 in Huntington Beach, CA! To learn more, check out:https://www.safespacesummit.com/