HR Works Podcast: Drug Testing Needs to Evolve

The past decade has seen incredible change when it comes to the use of cannabis. The laws have changed, the culture has changed, but employee drug testing has largely remained the same. Drug tests often fall to the wayside of priorities for HR professionals, but leaving them to become outdated is a straight shot to logistical and compliance nightmares. On today's episode of HR Daily Advisor, we're joined by Kate Riley, General Manager for recenTHC, to discuss how drug testing needs to move into the future, and the science behind compliance.

The rules and regulations around immigration and the workplace have fluctuated drastically under the current administration, and many are at a loss. Our friends over at Brightmine just released new research showing nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults lack confidence in employers’ ability to handle immigration enforcement in a way that protects employees and follows the law. Even fewer say their employer has provided training on how to respond to situations like raids (17%) or communicated formal response plans (14%). Joining us on today's episode of the HR Works Podcast is Taylor Lewellyn, Attorney and Legal editor for Brightmine, to discuss how HR leaders can better prepare for the changing immigration landscape.

Expenses are rising everywhere, and employees and employers alike are feeling the strain. Recruiting and retention is becoming less about who can provide the top dollar, and rather who can provide the best benefits, and most safety. But many of the benefits that help the most, no one knows about. It’s up to HR and Benefits leaders to not only build a comprehensive benefits package, but to research and educate both their leaders and employees on how best to utilize what’s offered. It’s a tough ask, but with so much uncertainty in the world, HR leaders have the chance to make the biggest impact in their employee’s lives. On this week’s episode of the HR Works Podcast, we’ll be looking at part two of our latest benefits webinar, featuring Emma Soy, Founder and CEO of Gentle Shepherd Care, and Creator of Gentle Care Navigator, Matt Totsch, Vice President of Compensation & Benefits, Wabtec and Margaret Wortley, Executive Managing Director, Benefit Services and Payroll, Webster Bank, where we discussed how you can do your total rewards right, and supply your team with the best support available. Check out part two!

Expenses are rising everywhere, and employees and employers alike are feeling the strain. Recruiting and retention is becoming less about who can provide the top dollar, and rather who can provide the best benefits, and most safety. But many of the benefits that help the most, no one knows about. It’s up to HR and Benefits leaders to not only build a comprehensive benefits package, but to research and educate both their leaders and employees on how best to utilize what’s offered. It’s a tough ask, but with so much uncertainty in the world, HR leaders have the chance to make the biggest impact in their employee’s lives. On this week’s episode of the HR Works Podcast, we’ll be looking at part one of our latest benefits webinar, featuring Emma Soy, Founder and CEO of Gentle Shepherd Care, and Creator of Gentle Care Navigator, Matt Totsch, Vice President of Compensation & Benefits, Wabtec and Margaret Wortley, Executive Managing Director, Benefit Services and Payroll, Webster Bank, where we discussed how you can do your total rewards right, and supply your team with the best support available.

SPARK HR has come and gone, but the memories and lessons we left with are still ringing in our heads. The world's leading minds got together, not only to discuss and tackle the greatest issues facing the HR world, but to stroll the beach and watch the sunrises, looking towards a brighter future. HR Daily Advisor got the chance to sit with Kitty Chaney Reed, former Chief Leadership, Culture and Inclusion Officer at IBM, who gave some of her insight into the conference, her presentation, and what watching the sunrise means to her. Check out the full episode below!

Action plans are only as good as the system that supports them. After the survey closes and priorities are set, managers are often expected to deliver results without the structures, skills, or motivation needed to succeed. So, what can HR professionals do to help managers actually function? We asked upcoming SPARK HR speaker, I/O psychologist, and host of the Manager to Manager podcast, Kamaria Scott, for her solutions in the face of these hurdles. Scott focuses on the organizational enablers that help managers follow through with confidence, shifting the focus from planning to doing. Check out part two of our conversation below!

Action plans are only as good as the system that supports them. After the survey closes and priorities are set, managers are often expected to deliver results without the structures, skills, or motivation needed to succeed. So, what can HR professionals do help managers actually function? We asked upcoming SPARK HR speaker, I/O psychologist, and host of the Manager to Manager podcast, Kamaria Scott, for her solutions in the face of these hurdles. Scott focuses on the organizational enablers that help managers follow through with confidence, shifting the focus from planning to doing. Check out part one of our conversation below!

In this week’s podcast episode, Erika Randall, Content Director for HR Daily Advisor, talks with Nicholas Lawrence (Nicholas L.), Executive Director of People & Culture at Chick-fil-A Restaurants (local franchise – Indianapolis), and speaker at SPARK HR 2026. Lawrence shares from his personal journey on how to be an organizational culture architect and how to make your organization a gold standard of service. You'll get a firsthand look at the themes he’ll be diving into during his SPARK HR session, and a sneak preview into the secrets behind Chick-fil-A’s conviction-driven leadership. Whether you're deep into engagement and experience or just getting started, this is your chance to hear from one of the field’s most thoughtful leaders—and get inspired before the big event April 28–30. Check out the full episode below!

The great tech shift has been slowly approaching since the internet’s invention, and with the advent of AI, the workplace as we know it is already in the past. So, how can HR shepherd the next generation of workers into this new business world? Thanks to Chelsea MacMullen, Org Change Management lead for Meta, we have an idea on how the world’s biggest name in tech is transitioning and training their employees for the future. On this week’s episode of the HR Works Podcast, we sat down with MacMullen ahead of her presentation at SPARK HR 2026 to get a sneak peek at the need-to-know advice she’ll be giving to HR professionals for the future of tech. Check out the full episode below!

As the Director of Talent Development at LinkedIn, Dr. Chrissy Roth-Francis currently oversees the growth of 3,000 leaders. She is at the forefront of a major cultural shift: the “Human Plus” future. Ahead of her sessions at SPARK HR 2026, HR Daily Advisor sat down with Dr. Roth-Francis to discuss how HR professionals and people leaders can navigate the rapid adoption of AI in HR while keeping human connection at the core. Check out our latest episode of the HR Works Podcast to hear exactly how Roth-Francis is reshaping the world of HR!