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Jenny and Sarah get real about how the pressure to always exceed expectations at work is quietly fueling burnout, quiet quitting, and toxic workplace culture.

They swap HR stories (some hilarious, some horrifying) about leaders who demand 24/7 peak performance, and the human cost that follows. It’s messy, honest, and painfully relatable for anyone who’s ever felt PTO guilt or caught themselves trying to be “on” all the damn time.

Inside, they break down:

• A reality check on why “exceeds expectations” has replaced “meets” as the new normal, and why that’s a problem
• What marathon training can teach us about peak performance, recovery, and sustainable success at work
• Tips for actually taking PTO without guilt (and why your boss emailing on vacation screws everyone)

This one’s for you if:

• You’re burned out from always overperforming
• You feel guilty about using your PTO (stop that)
• You lead a team and secretly worry they’re about to ghost you

Because guess what? Showing up, doing your job, and then going home? That’s actually enough.

Highlights:
[00:02] School drop-offs, chaotic mornings, and why women’s mornings hit different
[12:30] The corporate hamster wheel: no valleys, only endless peaks
[25:10] Marathon training as a metaphor for work (and why it matters)
[39:45] Why “meets expectations” should actually be the goal
[52:00] Leaders, boundaries, and taking real time off (yes, actually unplugging)
[1:04:20] Why people quit without another job lined up and why that should scare companies
[1:15:00] Sarah’s surprise party, Diet Coke bets, and husbands who think sweaty gym clothes are dinner-ready

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Jenny and Sarah get into the HR trenches to talk about every people leader’s favorite nightmare: managing performance issues without a single documented conversation, aka zero receipts!

From the leader who drops a “we’ve got to let them go” bomb via text, to the one with a novel-length complaint file (and zero follow-up), they break down the real reason performance management so often goes sideways and how to stop making it harder than it needs to be.

This isn’t about paperwork for paperwork’s sake. It’s about protecting your team, your company, and your own reputation.

Inside the episode:

• The three manager types that derail performance conversations (Avoider, Documenter, Talker)
• The low-lift documentation system to track conversations without creating more work
• How to actually say the hard thing with clarity and kindness
• Tips for using AI as your HR sidekick, not a crutch
• A spicy reminder that facts > feelings (especially in court)

Documentation doesn’t have to be scary. But skipping it? That’s what gets you sued.

Highlights:
[00:02] Oversleeping, storms, Post Malone, and bad kid karma
[18:15] “I need to fire her yesterday!”... but no one’s talked to her yet
[24:40] Documenters, Avoiders, and Talkers—pick your manager archetype
[37:18] The “SBI” method: Situation. Behavior. Impact. (Facts, not feelings.)
[45:22] Using AI (yep!) to clarify your language, remove bias, and stay human
[58:10] What HR wishes every leader knew and why feedback is a love language
[1:05:30] “I hope every time you hear Bon Jovi, you think of performance management.” You're welcome.

Pro Tip:
If your performance conversations live in your head and not on paper, you’re not leading, you’re guessing.

Need help having the hard conversation? Slide into our DMs with your workplace dilemma, we just might unpack it on the show.

Resources:

• SBI Method (Situation – Behavior – Impact): Use this as a framework for informal documentation and feedback conversations.
• CPR Framework for crucial conversations: Content → Pattern → Relationship – useful for evaluating when a situation moves from a one-off to a larger issue.

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In this episode of WTF is Business Casual?!, Jenny and Sarah go full rogue with a chaotic, hilarious deep dive into the strange world of workplace shenanigans. The pranks that made the office fun… until they didn’t.

This episode is a tribute to the coworker chaos that somehow made your 9-to-5 bearable.

You’ll hear:

• 💻 Why “lock your computer” is more than just IT’s favorite slogan
• 🧀 The cheese prank that cleared a whole office
• 🌶️ A popcorn machine saga featuring jalapeño drama and The Corn Stars™
• 🤮 The fake vomit prank so real it almost got Jenny fired (by herself)
• 💬 The signs that say “please stop talking to me,” and why some of us need them daily

Because in HR, it’s all fun and games… until it’s an incident report.

Highlights
[00:01] Jenny and Sarah introduce “shenanigans”
[05:12] Coffee plug? Yes! But also, lock your damn screens, people.
[13:40] IT threats, fake emails, and one panicked new hire
[20:55] Pranks that aged poorly (but still kinda funny)
[31:22] Jalapeño popcorn: the crime, the all-caps email, the apology from The Corn Stars™
[42:03] Vomit phobia + Oscar-worthy performance = prank perfection
[57:44] Spray bottles, whipped cream, and a workplace almost-wet-t-shirt-contest
[1:08:30] Sticky notes, ceiling cheese, and the great Babybel Cheese War
[1:16:10] Submit your own shenanigans for a future episode!

We want your prank stories!
DM us on Instagram @‌WTFisBusinessCasual with your favorite office pranks (the wins and the ones that went too far). Bonus points for photos, trauma, or HR investigations.

Get yourself some freshly roasted coffee - I finally tried it, and it’s amazing! (tell them we sent you!)