You've Got People Problems
Let’s be honest. People problems aren’t just HR problems. They’re business problems.
They show up as missed goals, unclear accountability, hiring mistakes, disengaged teams, and leaders carrying more than they should. Over time, they slow growth, create frustration, and make running a business feel harder than it needs to be. And they aren’t solved by another policy, personality test, or quick fix.
Business would be simple… if it weren’t for people.
That’s the reality behind You’ve Got People Problems, a podcast focused on the human side of running a business. Each episode explores how leadership behavior, hiring decisions, role clarity, engagement, and organizational structure directly impact performance, culture, and results.
Through honest conversations with business owners, operators, HR leaders, EOS Implementers, and consultants, the show tackles real issues leaders face every day: why the “right hire” still isn’t working, how teams outgrow roles, when full-time isn’t the answer, why accountability breaks down, and what actually drives engagement beyond perks and pay.
This isn’t about HR checking a box or leadership theory. It’s about helping leaders slow down, recognize patterns earlier, and make more intentional people decisions that support both the business and the people inside it.
If you’re leading a team, building an organization, or trying to get out of the day-to-day firefighting that comes with people problems, this podcast is for you.
Subscribe, listen, and start making sense of the people side of your business.
You've Got People Problems
Navigating the Layoff Landscape | Ep 37 | You've Got People Problems
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In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz is joined by author and speaker Steve Jaffe to explore layoffs from a perspective that is rarely discussed openly: the human experience after a job loss and the responsibility leaders carry on both sides of the table.
Drawing from his book The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery and his own experience of being laid off four times, Steve shares how people move through the emotional stages of job loss, including shock, shame, and identity disruption. Melissa and Steve discuss why layoffs are no longer rare events, how unprepared most people are for them, and why leaders and HR professionals benefit from understanding what employees experience long after the moment of termination.
Rather than focusing only on process or compliance, the conversation centers on empathy, perspective, and what helps people regain clarity and confidence during transition.
Key topics covered in this episode include:
- The emotional stages people experience after a layoff
- Why identity and self-worth often become tied to work
- How shame and silence can delay recovery after job loss
- What leaders and HR teams often underestimate about layoffs
- How empathy changes the way layoffs are handled
- What helps individuals move from dismissal to discovery
This episode is especially valuable for leaders who have navigated layoffs, HR professionals responsible for delivering difficult news, and individuals facing career transitions. The conversation offers insight into how layoffs impact people beyond the moment itself and why leadership presence matters long after the decision is made.
If you want a more human, thoughtful perspective on layoffs and how people move through them, this episode provides clarity and compassion without oversimplifying a difficult topic.