The world of work is weird right now—and we’re here for it. From SHRM’s bounce-back energy to teenagers being boxed out of the job market, everything's shifting. Companies are experimenting (Amazon’s making office workers volunteer?), while cybersecurity threats are literally coming from North Korea. In this episode, we talk about the collision of AI, hiring, and ethics, the controversy at Cheesecake Factory, and the real reason polyworking is gaining steam. Financial security, agentic AI, and a few big HR tech deals round it out. It’s a full rundown of the chaos in the world that we call work. Key Takeaways ➡ SHRM 2025 had solid engagement, pushing back against skepticism from past years ➡ Cybersecurity threats—including foreign infiltration—are forcing HR to rethink vendor vetting ➡ Teen unemployment is rising due to older workers taking entry-level jobs during economic uncertainty ➡ AI is absorbing low-level roles, forcing companies to redefine what “entry-level” even means ➡ Amazon’s employee volunteer initiative could be a clever long game for talent development ➡ Cheesecake Factory’s controversial hiring tactics stirred outrage and legal questions ➡ North Korean IT workers secretly embedding in U.S. companies is now a real hiring risk ➡ Work-life balance is being rebranded, but burnout and boundary-blurring are growing ➡ Polyworking isn’t a side hustle—it’s a lifestyle choice driven by economic and identity needs ➡ AI bias in hiring tools is becoming a legal and ethical landmine for CHROs ➡ Financial security is emerging as a core employee benefit, not just a nice-to-have ➡ HR tech funding is up again, especially in coaching, payroll, and intelligent finance Chapters 03:03 – Reflections on SHRM Conference 05:18 – Cybersecurity Concerns and Data Breaches 07:46 – Teen Unemployment Trends 10:38 – Corporate Volunteering and Understanding Business Operations 13:40 – Allegations Against Cheesecake Factory 16:34 – Government Contracts and Pricing Strategies 18:36 – North Korea's Cyber Infiltration Tactics 21:15 – The Business Case for RTO 22:14 – Work-Life Balance in the Current Labor Market 24:38 – Understanding Polyworking 29:53 – The Future of Agentic AI 32:07 – Mergers and Acquisitions in HR Tech 35:32 – Real-Time Learning and Feedback in Coaching 40:07 – AI's Role in Managerial Decision-Making 42:22 – Understanding AI Bias in Talent Acquisition 46:15 – Financial Security and Employee Well-being 49:53 – Innovations in HR Technology Funding 56:43 – The Future of Intelligent Finance and Payroll 01:01:27 – Upcoming Events Connect with us William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices