After years of watching conventional wisdom fail organizations,

I decided to challenge what doesn't work and build what does.

MY STORY

I didn't set out to become the person who challenges HR orthodoxy.

For years, I followed the playbook. I implemented "best practices." I ran engagement surveys. I recommended wellness programs. I did everything HR professionals are supposed to do.

And I watched it fail.

I watched talented employees quit—not because of pay or benefits, but because nobody taught their managers how to lead.

I watched organizations spend thousands on wellness programs that employees ignored while burning out from unsustainable workloads.

I watched culture initiatives launch with great fanfare, only to collect dust while toxic behaviors went unchallenged.

That's when I realized: the problem wasn't execution. The problem was the approach itself.

Most HR solutions treat symptoms, not systems. They're band-aids on broken cultures. They look good in presentations but don't change anything fundamental.

So I started asking uncomfortable questions:

• Why do we keep doing things that don't work?

• What if the "best practices" are actually keeping us stuck?

• What would happen if we addressed root causes instead of symptoms?

The answers I found changed everything.

I've been in workplace culture for 30 years—long enough to see every trend come and go.

I've watched: → The shift from paper files to HRIS systems → The rise of remote work (and the resistance to it) → The evolution from "personnel" to "human resources" to "people operations" → The explosion of employee engagement surveys → The wellness program boom (and bust) → The arrival of AI in HR

Here's what 30 years taught me:

What worked in 1995 doesn't work in 2025. The workplace has fundamentally changed. Our approaches need to evolve with it.

Pattern recognition is more valuable than any single credential. I've seen what actually reduces turnover, what increases engagement, what makes culture change stick—and what's just expensive theater.

The best time to embrace new technology is early. I was early on HRIS. Early on remote work infrastructure. Now I'm early on AI in HR. Not because I chase trends—but because I recognize which shifts are fundamental.

The organizations that thrive challenge conventional wisdom. They question "best practices." They're willing to do things differently. They measure what matters, not what's easy.

That's the approach I bring to every organization I work with.

Not Your Typical Consultant

Here's what leaders tell me makes working with me different:

"You tell us what we need to hear, not what we want to hear."

I've earned the credibility to be direct. After 30 years, I know what works—and I'm not interested in recommending solutions that make everyone comfortable but don't create change.

If your turnover problem is a leadership problem, I'll tell you. If your wellness program is treating symptoms of a toxic culture, I'll tell you. If you're tolerating behaviors that drive your best people away, I'll tell you.

"You challenge what we thought we knew."

Most consultants validate your existing approach with minor tweaks. I question the fundamental assumptions that might be keeping you stuck.

You can't meditate your way out of a toxic culture. Culture isn't what you say—it's what you tolerate. Burnout is a systems problem, not a people problem.

These aren't provocative for shock value—they're truths backed by three decades of pattern recognition.

"You don't just give us a report and leave."

I partner through implementation. I stay until new practices become habits. I don't declare victory after a workshop—I measure success by whether your metrics actually improve.

"You embrace new technology while keeping it human."

I'm an early adopter of AI in HR—but I know exactly where AI empowers and where humans are irreplaceable. I help organizations implement technology strategically, not reactively.

How I Spend My Time

Writing Every week, I read, research and write. I share what I'm learning about workplace culture, AI in HR, leadership, innovative practices and what's actually working.

I write because ideas need to evolve publicly. Because leaders need honest perspectives. Because someone needs to say what conventional consultants won't.

Consulting & Advisory Through Prism HR Consulting and the Live Well-Work Well workplace wellness model I created, I work with organizations on culture transformation, retention strategy, AI implementation, and leadership development. My team and I also assume the HR role in many organizations to provide the best service and practices to employees.

I take on a limited number of engagements because I stay until real change happens—not just until a report is delivered.

Speaking & Teaching I speak at conferences, lead workshops, and appear on podcasts to challenge conventional HR wisdom and share what three decades of evolution taught me.

Popular topics: AI in HR, why best practices fail, workplace culture transformation, the future of wellbeing at work.

Creating I created the Live Well Work Well philosophy—a systemic approach to workplace wellbeing that addresses leadership, culture, and workload, not just meditation apps.

I'm building tools, frameworks, and resources to help leaders implement what actually works.

How I Think About Problems

Systems over symptoms. Always.

When everyone's burning out, the problem isn't that they need better self-care. The problem is your systems are unsustainable.

When turnover is high, the problem usually isn't compensation. It's culture, leadership, or growth opportunities.

When engagement is low, the problem isn't that you need more surveys. It's that you're not acting on what you already know.

I look for root causes, not surface fixes.

Evolution over repetition.

I've watched HR resist every major shift—and fail every time.

The organizations that thrived were the ones that evolved early. The ones that resisted change got left behind.

I'm betting early on AI. Not because it's trendy—but because pattern recognition tells me this transformation is fundamental.

Data-driven but human-centered.

I use AI for what it's good at: automation, analytics, pattern recognition, administrative efficiency.

I keep humans where they're irreplaceable: strategy, judgment, empathy, relationship-building.

Technology should empower people, not replace them.

Results over activity.

I don't measure success by how many initiatives we launch or how busy everyone is.

I measure success by whether turnover actually drops, engagement actually increases, and people actually want to stay.

Metrics matter. Results matter. Everything else is corporate theater.

My Core Convictions

After 30 years, these are the truths I know:

Culture is what you tolerate, not what you say. Your values are tested when someone violates them. What you do in that moment—especially with high performers—defines your actual culture.

You can't meditate your way out of a toxic culture. Individual wellness perks don't fix systemic workplace problems. Sustainable wellbeing requires addressing leadership behaviors, workload sustainability, and organizational culture.

Burnout is a systems problem, not a people problem. When everyone's burned out, it's not a resilience issue. It's a workload, leadership, or expectations issue.

Great cultures are built with intention, not accident. The best workplace cultures don't happen because someone gave a good speech about values. They happen because leaders consistently make hard choices aligned with those values.

AI should free HR to be strategic, not replace the human element. The administrative burden is crushing HR teams. AI can automate the routine so humans can focus on what actually matters: relationships, strategy, and transformation.

What worked yesterday won't work tomorrow. The workplace is evolving faster than ever. The approaches that got us here won't get us where we're going.

Personal

I embrace new technology. I challenge old thinking. I stay curious about what's next.

What keeps me energized: Learning how AI is transforming work (I'm hands-on, not theoretical). Seeing leaders have "aha moments" when they realize what they've been tolerating. Writing—it's how I think and how I teach. Challenging conventional wisdom (respectfully but directly).

What I'm learning: AI applications I never imagined six months ago. What Gen Z is teaching us about work (they're right about a lot). How to build a newsletter that actually serves readers. That the best ideas come from questioning your assumptions.

What I'm reading: Anything about AI and the future of work. Books that challenge my thinking. Holistic health and wellness with aging well a focus. Research that contradicts what I believe (that's where growth lives)

What matters to me: Authenticity over polish. Results over activity. Substance over corporate speak. Building something that outlasts me.

If You're Ready

I work with leaders who are: → Frustrated with surface-level solutions that don't move the needle → Tired of consultants who deliver reports and disappear → Ready to hear what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear → Willing to challenge what's been "working" but isn't really working → Committed to addressing root causes, not just symptoms

Ways we can work together:

Consulting & Advisory Culture transformation, retention strategy, AI implementation, leadership development and a host of HR related topics through Prism HR Consulting.

Speaking & Workshops Keynotes and workshops on workplace transformation, AI in HR, challenging best practices and many more HR related topics.

Newsletter Weekly insights on workplace culture, AI, and what's actually working.

Let's Connect Not sure where to start? Let's talk about your situation.

https://calendly.com/marybethhartleb-prismhrconsulting/complimentary-consult-15-minutes

—Mary Beth