Workplace Stories by RedThread Research

Stacia Garr and Dani Johnson run RedThread Research, an HR analytics firm, and their podcast reflects that background in the best possible way. Each episode drops you into a real conversation with someone who actually made a tough call at their organization -- not the polished conference version, but the messy, complicated reality of workforce decisions. A recent episode featured a Federal Reserve Bank exec talking about building a development culture inside a massive bureaucracy. Another had a Bayer leader explaining how they restructured around skills and shared ownership at a company with over 100,000 employees. The show comes out every two weeks, and episodes run about 45 to 60 minutes. That length gives guests room to get past talking points and into specifics. Garr and Johnson are sharp interviewers who clearly do their homework -- they push back when answers get vague and dig into what actually worked versus what sounded good on paper. With 124 episodes and a 4.7-star rating, they have built a solid following among HR and people leaders. The focus leans toward skills strategy, AI adoption, org design, and culture transformation. If you work in L&D and want to understand how the broader people function is evolving, this show connects those dots better than most. It is research-informed without being dry, and practical without being simplistic.