Not every messy workplace is a toxic one — but when it is, HR often sees it first. In this episode, Sabrina Baker reflects on 14 years of small-business HR experience and the lessons learned from surviving (and helping fix) toxic work environments. From learning the difference between dysfunction and true toxicity to figuring out how to influence change without authority, this episode blends real stories with practical advice for HR pros caught in the middle.

If you’ve ever spent more time planning office birthdays than reviewing a performance issue, you’re not alone. In this episode, Sabrina Baker tackles what happens when small business HR becomes the unofficial party planner and how to start shifting those expectations without losing the heart of company culture.

When pay isn’t planned in a small business, chaos follows. Two people in the same role can earn wildly different salaries—and once word gets out, gossip, resentment, and turnover hit hard. In this episode of The HR Connection, I break down how to fix compensation chaos and build a fair, consistent pay structure. Penelope, our Payroll & Operations Partner, joins to share how to clean up messy records and phase in changes without blowing your budget. Whether you’re untangling a pay mess or setting up structure for the first time, this episode shows you how to turn “anything goes” pay into a system employees can actually trust.

Resources from this Episode HR Readiness Assessment — Find out where your HR stands today and what’s missing to get you future ready. HR Tech Roadmap: What to Add and When — Step-by-step guide to building your HR tech stack as you scale. Blog: 5 Signs You’ve Outgrown Your HR Spreadsheet — Spot the red flags that it’s time to upgrade your systems. Episode Summary At 100 employees, the duct-tape approach to HR — spreadsheets, Google Forms, and manual processes — stops being “good enough” and starts hurting your credibility with employees and candidates. In this episode of The HR Connection, Sabrina Baker breaks down the five HR tools every growing small business needs and why integration is the real ROI. You’ll learn: Introduction into why tech is crucial at 100+ employees 0:00-:58 What an outdated tech stack signals to employees and candidates. :59-4:13 The five essential systems for a modern HR stack: 4:14 - 9:25 Recap and free resources to go further: 9:26 - 11:40 Why This Matters At scale, HR systems aren’t just about efficiency — they’re about reputation. Employees and candidates are watching, and an outdated setup sends the wrong message. A modern HR stack tells people: this is a place worth staying and growing.

Heard the phrase “HR is not your friend”? 👀 In this episode, Sabrina unpacks where it came from, why it sticks, and how to shift the focus from friendship to trust—with history, insights, and real-world tips. Want me to make an even punchier one-liner version too?

Are your people busy—but not moving the needle? That’s a performance-management problem. In this Expert Voice, Sabrina Baker turns it into a growth engine with two tools: Goal Alignment Cascade: business → department → team → individual Skills Framework: map hard + soft skills over time Together, they track the what (results) and the how (behaviors). You’ll learn how to: Spot and fix misaligned goals Cascade “+20% revenue” into team/individual targets Use a skills framework for performance (not just hiring) Weigh soft skills alongside technical skills Run quarterly check-ins that keep alignment on track

The number of interviews doesn’t equal confidence. Clarity does. And clarity starts long before the job post ever goes live. In this episode, Sabrina breaks down how small businesses can create a lean, repeatable hiring process that actually helps you make strong, confident hiring decisions — without dragging candidates through endless rounds. She’s joined by Acacia HR Business Partner Marie Rolston, who shares how this process works in real life, both inside Acacia and with clients.

If you’re handling HR in a small business — officially or unofficially — chances are you’re overwhelmed. Not because you’re bad at time management… but because you’re spending time on things you shouldn’t have to. In this episode, Sabrina Baker breaks down the real reasons HR leaders in small companies feel stretched thin — and why AI alone won’t save you. Instead, she shares: How to leverage simple tech wins to automate the things people keep asking you How to train your managers to own their responsibilities (and stop defaulting everything to you)

You don’t need a huge team, a massive budget, or some fancy HR title to do HR the right way. What really matters is knowing how HR works in a small business. In this season finale, Sabrina’s breaking down the biggest takeaways from Season 1 — including why HR in a small company comes with its own unique challenges and what you can do about it.

Employee relations issues in small businesses are more intense and harder to overlook due to fewer policies and a flatter structure. Sabrina and Acacia HR Business Partner Marie Rolston discuss the unique challenges of managing ER in small businesses and share practical strategies for preventing issues from escalating.

What do employees want besides pay? Benefits. But for small businesses, big-company packages aren’t always realistic. In this episode, Sabrina chats with Acacia HR’s benefits pro, Christine Kopp, about creative perks, cost-saving strategies, and how small employers can build benefits employees actually love.

You don’t think about payroll until someone doesn’t get paid. Then? All hell breaks loose. Payroll mistakes? They hit way harder in small businesses. One missed paycheck, one “oops” with a contractor classification, and suddenly you’re dealing with broken trust — and maybe even compliance headaches.

Can AI really manage HR for small businesses? If all you’re doing is checking boxes and staying barely compliant, then sure — a robot could handle that. But what if HR could actually drive your business forward? That’s where AI falls short. In this episode of The HR Connection, host Sabrina Baker digs into what AI can do well, where it misses the mark, and why real HR leadership still matters more than ever. So here’s the real question: Are you managing HR the way a robot could… or the way a real leader should?

Do you tailor your HR approach based on who your CEO is? Because you should. Founder CEOs and Hired CEOs lead differently—and how you pitch your ideas needs to shift with them. In this episode, we break down real-world examples to help your asks land, get support, and turn into action.

Growing a business? Then your HR game needs to level up too. In this episode, I’m breaking down when to start scaling, what to focus on first, and how to build people systems that won’t fall apart as you grow. Let’s make sure your HR can keep up.

Struggling to choose the right HR tech for your small business? In this episode, we break down what to look for in a system, why all-in-one platforms are a smart move, and how to approach demos with confidence—plus, grab our free HR tech buyer’s checklist in the show notes!

In this episode, Sabrina Baker shares why managing HR alone in a small business can feel isolating—and why building a network is essential. She offers tips to connect with peers and announces The HR Connection community launching soon for HR pros in small companies.

In this episode of The HR Connection, host Sabrina Baker explores why company culture is a powerful driver of employee retention, particularly in small businesses where every interaction carries weight. She explains that real culture isn’t about perks or slogans, but about intentional leadership, aligned behaviors, and everyday practices that reflect core values. Sabrina emphasizes that strong culture builds loyalty, while poor leadership can derail even the best efforts. She highlights the importance of recognition, gratitude, and celebration over material perks, and encourages small business leaders to use tools like pulse surveys to continuously audit and improve their culture.

Can small businesses really compete with companies like Google and Amazon for top talent? Yes—and in this episode of The HR Connection, host Sabrina Baker shows you how. Sabrina breaks down why you don’t need a massive budget to attract and retain great people. She explains what today’s candidates really want (spoiler: it’s more than salary), how to spotlight your flexibility and purpose-driven work, and how even the smallest perks can pack a punch. Plus, you’ll learn how to turn your unique employee experience into compelling job ads and interviews—and why employer branding matters, even if you’ve got under 50 employees.

In this episode of The HR Connection, we break down the common HR pitfalls small businesses face—from compliance gaps and outdated handbooks to the lack of a real HR strategy. Learn practical tips to fix what’s broken and avoid costly mistakes.