Podcast Summary: "Work Conversations: The HR Problems No One Wants to Admit"
Podcast: WORK with Erika Ayers Badan
Host: Erika Ayers Badan
Guest: Kat Gazarian (Creator of "Drunk at Work")
Date: January 12, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, host Erika Ayers Badan sits down with Kat Gazarian, seasoned HR professional and creator of the satirical YouTube show "Drunk at Work." Together, they pull back the curtain on the real (and rarely discussed) problems in HR, the misconceptions about the field, and why humor belongs in every workplace. The conversation is unfiltered, funny, and surprisingly honest about the repetitive challenges HR faces, intergenerational workplace dynamics, company culture traps, and the value of relinquishing control.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Gen Z at Work: Challenging Assumptions
- Both Erika and Kat discuss their appreciation for Gen Z's tendency to question norms, which brings necessary scrutiny and pushes for improvement in processes.
- Quote:
- Kat: “I like them because they ask very... they just will ask, why, why? Why do I have to do this this way?” (00:04)
- Erika: “It does challenge me to really ask myself, is there a better way to do this?” (00:18)
"Drunk at Work": Bringing Comedy into Corporate Life
- Kat describes her YouTube show "Drunk at Work" as a “new way of consuming weekly corporate smut and scandal news” with heavy satire and comedic relief, born out of a pilot for a fake HR talk show.
- The show channels the universal frustration and absurdity of the workplace through humor (and actual drinking), resonating with audiences who feel the same.
- Quote:
- Kat: “It’s just my way of saying, yeah, it makes me want to drink too.” (01:06)
Why HR Gets a Bad Rap
- Kat addresses how HR professionals are often misunderstood both for their limited actual decision-making power and their role as the “police” of the office.
- Many HR folks are blamed for unpopular company decisions they didn’t make.
- Quote:
- Kat: “People think HR have much more decision-making power than they actually do… HR gets the brunt of bad decisions that companies are making, when they weren’t even in the room…” (04:02)
The Most Frustrating HR Problems (and Why They Never Go Away)
- The hosts agree that no matter the company size, HR teams—and leadership in general—fight repeating battles: poor communication, bad decision-making, lack of employee development.
- Quote:
- Kat: “It’s very redundant. It’s the same issue whether I’ve worked with a small startup…or a large enterprise business.” (05:15)
The Emotional Toll & Irony of the HR Role
- HR must deliver bad news, absorb grievances, and influence change indirectly—often with little thanks or authority.
- These repetitive, emotionally-draining tasks explain why Kat’s comedy show involves getting “fucking wasted.”
- Quote:
- Kat: “This is why I’ve created a show where I get fucking wasted…” (07:10)
Why Workplace Humor Matters
- Erika and Kat agree: satire and humor are cathartic responses to work’s relentless pressures and ridiculousness.
- Erika: “People need to take the piss out of work more than they do…even if you have the shittiest job…a little humor goes so, so far.” (01:31)
Anger at Work: Where It’s Really Directed
- Kat believes much of workplace anger stems from feeling ignored by leadership—especially in layoffs or reorganizations where insights from those closest to the customer and product are dismissed.
- Quote:
- Kat: “Most people who seem to be a part of those reductions saw this coming a long time ago and probably tried to talk to leadership…Those being hurt the most are the ones with the most knowledge.” (07:39)
How to Actually Be Happier at Work
- Kat calls on listeners to “release control,” give up trying to orchestrate everything, and focus on delivering quality work—a theme echoed by Erika.
- Quote:
- Kat: “Let go of this idea of controlling outcomes and controlling people…Whatever happens is probably not in your control…” (09:10)
- Erika: “You can worry about everyone, everything else…but some of it’s just worrying. And the worrying is just trying to have control…it’s gonna happen regardless, so just stop the energy on the worrying.” (10:21)
How They Met: "Work Like a Girl" Community & Inappropriate HR
- Kat shares her connection with Erika via the “Work Like a Girl” community, an all-female Slack channel that offers support (with a bit of sass) reminiscent of a friendlier, funnier ChatGPT.
- Both women reflect on the uniqueness—and professional risk—of being an “inappropriate” but honest HR leader, rather than a gossipy one.
- Quote:
- Kat: “I’ve historically been inappropriate as an HR professional…I curse and I say things…This is why I had to start my own business...” (13:42)
- Erika: “I think there’s a lot of inappropriate HR people but not for anything you’re talking about…some are narcissists and self-important…HR was like, gossip central.” (14:32)
The Real Role of HR: Boundaries & Self-Awareness
- Kat emphasizes the need for self-awareness, emotional boundaries, and resisting the urge to play life coach, offering tools instead for people to find their own answers.
- Quote:
- Kat: “You can only be as good at HR as you are to the extent of which you’re willing to heal…You have to have a high enough self-awareness…to understand if you’re triggered or if you have bias.” (15:50)
- Kat: “You shouldn’t be giving advice…unless it’s happened to you.” (17:39)
Generational Differences in the Workplace
- Kat and Erika compare how different generations relate to personal/professional boundaries.
- Gen Z are more likely to bring personal life to work and to demand “why?”
- Quote:
- Kat: "I think with Gen Z, they do bring their personal life into work a lot more than maybe the millennials or above that. I’m okay with that. But I do think that I can’t…I’m not their life coach either." (20:02)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "It’s a comedy, obviously, there’s a lot of satire in it…I am getting lit on each episode, which is just my way of connecting with the audience..." - Kat (01:06)
- "HR gets the brunt of bad decisions that companies are making, when they weren’t even in the room..." - Kat (04:02)
- “Let go of this idea of controlling outcomes and controlling people and do the work that you need to do and be done with it.” - Kat (09:10)
- “If HR is a passion for you, you really do need to address your shit. You really do need to know what triggers you and how and the tools that you need when that happens.” - Kat (17:18)
- "You just have to believe that there is like a bigger reason why things are happening or there’s something better out there, but that something better is not going to come if you are delivering a work product that isn’t great to begin with." - Kat (09:10)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Gen Z and Questioning Norms: 00:00 – 00:18, 19:41 – 20:30
- Origins and Purpose of "Drunk at Work": 00:39 – 03:50
- HR Stereotypes—What’s Fair and What’s Not: 03:50 – 05:00
- Repetitive HR Problems: 05:09 – 07:10
- The Importance of Humor at Work: 01:31, 07:15
- Systemic Anger and Layoffs: 07:39 – 08:41
- Advice for Happiness and Letting Go of Control: 09:10 – 11:21
- Work Like a Girl & Building Community: 11:23 – 13:32
- Being Inappropriate (the Good Kind) in HR: 13:42 – 15:50
- Boundaries and Self-Awareness in HR: 15:50 – 18:24
- Generational Approaches to Work: 19:19 – 20:59
- Where to Follow Kat & Closing: 21:08 – End
How to Find & Follow Kat Gazarian
- YouTube: Drunk at Work
- Social: @catgazarian everywhere
- Open to collaborating with brands for comedy sketches, mock ads, etc. (21:08)
Summary Takeaways
This episode offers a candid, laugh-out-loud deep dive into the rarely discussed, endlessly recurring frustrations of HR—making clear that the best approach to work’s absurdities is sometimes to pour a drink and laugh with (not at!) each other. Both host and guest challenge company cultures to embrace transparency, question old habits, and remember that being “human” (even in HR) matters most.
For more relatable work stories, comedy, or HR satire, look for Kat’s “Drunk at Work” on YouTube or follow her on social media.