Good Morning, HR

In episode 241, Coffey talks with Neil Katz news and media items from the past month, including who HR is “for”, managing AI agents, and mental-health-related gaps in employment. 
 
They discuss HR’s responsibility to conduct impartial workplace investigations based on evidence; the misconception that HR exists primarily as employee advocates; aligning HR strategy with revenue, margin, and organizational mission; the decline of transactional HR through automation and outsourcing; fractional HR leadership for small and midsize businesses; managing autonomous AI agents within organizational structures; developing AI operational literacy and new leadership competencies; redefining KPIs in an AI-enabled workplace; and best practices for addressing employment gaps during hiring. 
 
For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP241 
 
Media mentioned in this podcast:  
 
If HR Isn’t There to Help You, Who Is HR For? — Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog — February 9, 2026 
To Thrive in the AI Era, Companies Need Agent Managers 
How do explain a gap year taken for mental health. : r/jobsearchhacks 
 
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.  
 
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.  
 
About our Guest: 
 
Neil Katz is the founder and CEO of Exceptional HR Solutions, a leading provider of fractional HR leadership for small and mid-sized businesses across the U.S. With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of people and business strategy, Neil leads a national team of 20+ seasoned HR partners dedicated to helping companies scale, evolve, and thrive. His firm delivers end-to-end HR solutions—from talent acquisition and organizational development to compliance, culture, and leadership alignment. 
 
Under Neil’s leadership, Exceptional HR Solutions has become a go-to resource for growth-focused companies in industries ranging from retail and healthcare to manufacturing, technology, and professional services. He is widely recognized for building agile, scalable HR infrastructures that empower leadership, strengthen teams, and deliver measurable business impact. 
While his primary focus is on growing Exceptional HR Solutions, Neil also serves selectively as an executive advisor, helping founders, CEOs, and leadership teams navigate strategic and organizational change. He holds an MBA from Amberton University, a BA in Business Administration from Texas Lutheran University, and advanced training in executive coaching from the University of Texas at Dallas. He is SHRM-certified and respected for his strategic insight and people-first leadership style. 
Neil is a frequent guest on industry podcasts and a sought-after speaker at conferences and webinars, where he shares practical insights on fractional leadership, scalable HR strategies, and the evolving role of human resources in high-growth environments. 
 
Outside of his professional work, Neil serves on the board of Hope International, a Dallas-based adoption agency, and previously served on the board of directors at Halo Senior Care, a for-profit business focused on elder care. He has also served with nonprofit organizations such as Gift of Adoption, reflecting his deep commitment to service and community. 
 
Neil Katz can be reached at  
https://exceptionalhrsolutions.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/company/exceptional-hr-solutions 
https://www.facebook.com/exceptionalhrS 
https://www.instagram.com/exceptional_hr_solutions_ 
https://twitter.com/exceptional_hrs 
https://www.youtube.com/@ExceptionalHRSolutions 
 
About Mike Coffey: 
 
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. 
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. 
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. 
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. 
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  
Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. 
Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. 
Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  
Learning Objectives: 
Understand how HR can balance legal compliance with business performance and employee trust. 
Identify emerging le...

In episode 240, Coffey talks with Yoram Solomon about motivating disengaged employees by building trust, increasing autonomy, and aligning intrinsic motivation with meaningful work. 
 
They discuss quiet quitting and job hugging trends in uncertain economic times; intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation using the car engine analogy; why pay and bonuses fail as long-term engagement strategies; the critical link between trust, autonomy, and employee engagement; why trustworthiness matters more than intelligence or effort; how micromanagement destroys creativity and productivity; designing roles that fit personality and tolerance for repetitive work; diagnosing turnover caused by boring or monotonous jobs; involving employees in organizational change initiatives; rebuilding lost trust through accountability and ownership; and why leadership should be treated as a profession rather than a promotion. 
 
For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP240 
 
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.  
 
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.  
 
About our Guest: 
 
Dr. Yoram Solomon is one of the world’s leading experts on trust. He’s the author of The Book of Trust and The Trust Premium, host of The Trust Show podcast, and creator of the Trust Habits® process. A 3-time TEDx speaker and founder of the Innovation Culture Institute®, Dr. Solomon has worked with organizations like AT&T, Dannon, Northrop Grumman, and HR.com. His research-backed, no-BS approach challenges conventional wisdom on leadership, culture, and motivation—and replaces it with brutally honest, practical strategies that actually work. With a PhD in organization and management, and a background that spans tech, military, law, and education, he brings a rare combination of academic depth and real-world experience. Whether he’s on stage, on TV, or in the boardroom, his message is simple: trust isn’t fluffy—it’s measurable, learnable, and the most powerful driver of performance. 
 
Dr. Yoram Solomon can be reached at: 
https://www.yoramsolomon.com  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoramsolomon  
https://www.instagram.com/yoramsolomon  
https://www.facebook.com/TheBookofTrust 
https://x.com/yoramsolomon  
https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrustShow  
 
About Mike Coffey: 
 
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. 
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. 
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. 
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. 
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  
Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. 
Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. 
Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  
Learning Objectives: 
 
Differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in workplace performance. 
Identify how trust and autonomy directly impact employee engagement and retention. 
Apply practical strategies to rebuild trust and increase motivation during organizational change.

In episode 239, Coffey talks with Carrie Fabris about why organizations seem to revisit the same issues repeatedly and how leaders can solve them for good through better communication, alignment, and accountability. 
 
They discuss ineffective workplace communication and recurring problems; intuitive leadership versus inclusive decision-making; defining root causes instead of treating symptoms; creating buy-in through clarity, trust, and shared language; productive conflict and psychological safety on teams; accountability, execution, and avoiding chaos in organizations; leadership energy, burnout prevention, and sustainable performance. 
 
For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP239 
 
Carrie’s book “ALL IN: A Working Mom’s Unapologetic Quest for a Juicy Life” can be found here https://www.carriefabris.com/bookstore  
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.  
 
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.  
 
About our Guest: 
 
Carrie Fabris is the founder and CEO of CareerFrame, a leadership development and executive coaching firm that helps high-performing leaders become energized, aligned, and execution-focused. Known for her fast trust and bold clarity, Carrie works with VPs and executive teams navigating growth, succession, and culture shifts. 
 
She brings 20+ years of corporate experience with companies like Google, Travelocity, and Sabre—and for the past 10 years, coaches and advises leaders using her signature FRAMEit Method™, which blends CliftonStrengths®, EQ-i®, Situational Leadership and real-world leadership systems that emphasize a whole-human leadership approach to bring balance for busy people leaders. Carrie is especially passionate about helping leaders have hard conversations, build trust fast, communicate effectively and create accountability that actually energizes. She graduated from UT Austin and resides in Dallas, TX. 
 
Carrie Fabris can be reached at  
https://www.careerframe.com  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cfabris-reframe-coaching-training https://www.carriefabris.com/bookstore 
https://www.instagram.com/cdfabris 
https://www.facebook.com/chiefreframer 
https://x.com/yourcareerframe 
[email protected] 
 
About Mike Coffey: 
 
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. 
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. 
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. 
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. 
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  
Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. 
Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. 
Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  
Learning Objectives: 
 
Identify why unresolved communication leads to recurring organizational problems. 
Apply practical leadership behaviors that create alignment, buy-in, and accountability. 
Use frameworks and assessments to improve problem solving, execution, and team trust.

In episode 238, Coffey talks with Joseph Fuller about how skills-based hiring is reshaping recruiting, workforce development, and talent strategy in the age of AI. 
 
They discuss defining skills-based hiring beyond degree proxies; redesigning recruiting and applicant tracking systems; training hiring managers to reduce bias and risk aversion; using AI, simulations, and assessments to evaluate real skills; improving onboarding for nontraditional hires; addressing automation’s impact on entry-level roles; balancing degrees, credentials, and experiential learning; and elevating social and learning skills as core capabilities in the future workforce. 
 
For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP238 
 
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.  
 
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.  
 
About our Guest: 
 
Joseph Fuller is Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School and one of the nation’s leading authorities on the future of work. He co-leads the Managing the Future of Work Project at Harvard Business School. He creates research of direct relevance to decision makers in business and government, including the impact of technology and demographic changes on the workforce, the rise of the gig economy, global talent flows, and the emergence of the care economy. The Managing the Future of Work podcast that he co-hosts has been downloaded over 2 million times. He also co-leads the Harvard Project on the Workforce, a collaboration between the Harvard schools of business, government and education. It focuses on issues related to lower skilled workers, including career pathways and the causes of income polarization and occupational segregation.  
 
Prior to joining the faculty, he was a founder, first employee and long-time CEO of the global strategy consulting firm Monitor Group, now Monitor-Deloitte.  
 
Joe is a widely published author. His work has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, the Sloan Management Review, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Washington Post and the New York Times.  
 
Joe is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College and of Harvard Business School. He is a director of Aera Technology, Hakluyt and Company and Helios Consulting, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Western Governors University and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. 
 
Joseph Fuller can be reached at  
https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=123284 
 
Additional Resources: 
Charter Workplace Summit 2025: AI and entry-level workers 
The Future of Work Series: The Effects of AI on Talent Management and Workforce Development - Video | OpenAI Forum 
MINDWORKS Season 4 Transcripts – Aptima Season 4 transcript under the title “AI and the Future of Work”  
About Mike Coffey: 
 
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. 
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. 
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. 
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. 
Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  
Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas’ 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. 
Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. 

Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  
 
Learning Objectives:  
 
Understand what differentiates skills-based hiring from traditional credential-based recruiting 
Identify practical changes employers must make to hiring processes, interviews, and ATS systems 
Evaluate when college degrees add value and when alternative signals of capability are more effective

Something New!  
For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP237 
 
In episode 237, Coffey and DeDe Church discuss recent news items about how shifting economic conditions, technology, and leadership gaps are reshaping the employment landscape. 
 
They discuss the realities of a “low-hire, low-fire” labor market; dehumanizing hiring processes and AI-driven recruiting tools; challenges facing early-career workers and liberal arts graduates; emerging roles created by artificial intelligence; the growing importance of soft skills like problem solving and communication; workforce restructuring, layoffs, and job hugging; employee disengagement and the great detachment; why strong frontline workers often struggle as supervisors; the risks of promoting without leadership training; transparency, feedback, and promotion decisions; and how kindness, accountability, and continuous feedback drive engagement. 
 
Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.  
 
If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for three quarters of a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.  
 
Media mentioned in this podcast: 
 
From AI bubble fears to the job market’s ‘Great Freeze’: Economists answer your biggest questions about 2026 
 
Private-Sector Hiring Turned Positive in December After November Losses  
 
Private Hiring Sank in November, ADP Says 
 
US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Fastest Growing Occupations 
 
The 2026 Job Market Outlook: Where the Jobs Are 
 
Economists Are Studying the Slowing Job Market—and Feeling It Themselves 
 
When Good Frontline Workers Make Bad Supervisors 
 
Is Your Leadership Style Too Nice? 
The Friendship Recession: The Lost Art of Connecting 
Use Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI)™ to Understand Intent 
 
About our Guest: 
 
DeDe Church is an attorney, employee relations counselor, workplace and University investigator, and nationally recognized trainer with more than 30 years of experience. She has trained thousands of employees and managers on how to create a productive, respectful culture for clients ranging from Fortune 50 companies to her favorite local pizza shop. Known for her humor and practicality, DeDe is often invited and then re-invited to deliver her high-energy workshops at distinguished conferences and to create videos for employee onboarding and annual training. 
 
As an expert investigator, DeDe relies upon a depth of knowledge to find the facts without causing unnecessary disturbances. Witnesses often say they feel at ease when talking with her because of her approachable nature. In addition, DeDe is often retained to review investigation procedures and to train in-house HR and University professionals on investigation best practices. In recognition of her skills, DeDe has been retained to testify as an expert witness in employment cases more than 20 times by organizations including Uber, BP, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. 
 
DeDe is a former Senior Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas in the Civil Rights/General Litigation Division. During almost seven years there, she advised dozens of state agencies on the proper response to employee complaints, represented the State in over 30 trials involving discrimination in the workplace, and successfully argued before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court. DeDe received the prestigious Presidential Citation from the President of the Texas State Bar in recognition of outstanding service to the citizens of Texas. Her Bachelor of Arts degree is from Louisiana State University, magna cum laude, and she received a Doctorate of Jurisprudence with Honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 
 
DeDe Church can be reached at 
www.dedechurch.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dede-wilburn-church-a71b748/ 
 
About Mike Coffey: 
 
Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. 
In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. 
Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. 
Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business’ small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  
Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. 
Mike has been rec...