If your HR tech stack were a reality show, who would be the star, and who needs to be voted off the island?

In this episode of The Total Package, Ashunta Thornton breaks down the five “personalities” that show up in most HR tech stacks, from Sparkle (the glamorous HRIS) to Dusty (the outdated legacy system), and how each one impacts efficiency, employee experience, and business results.

You’ll learn:

• How to identify which systems are helping or hurting

• Practical steps to optimize your tech stack

• When it’s time to replace underperforming tools

🎧 Listen now to meet your tech “cast” and learn how to build a digital workplace worth keeping up with.

Is AI your new HR team member, or your company's biggest liability?

In this episode of The Total Package, Ashunta Thornton breaks down how artificial intelligence is transforming HR, especially Total Rewards. From auto-generating salary bands to flagging pay inequities (or… reinforcing them 👀), we unpack how AI is leveling up compensation strategy, what questions HR should be asking before plugging in, and why “automated” doesn’t always mean “equitable.”

Whether you’re a business leader, HR pro, or just trying to keep up with the bots, this episode will help you navigate the intersection of tech, pay, and people, with humor, insight, and a healthy side of HR skepticism.

• Download our e-book ⁠Pay Like A Boss: A Pop Culture Guide to Employee Compensation for HR Pros, Business Leaders, and Job Seekers⁠

• Book an HR Consult at ⁠Thornton Consulting Group
• Book a Career Strategy Session at Thornton Consulting Group

This bonus episode kicks off our “Workplace Tea, Explained” series, where real HR scandals meet real talk. We’re breaking down the alleged drama between the CEO and Chief People Officer of Astronomer at a Coldplay concert (yes, you read that right) and what it means when HR becomes part of the headline instead of handling it.

We unpack why undisclosed relationships at the top are a compliance nightmare, how power dynamics create toxic risks, and why your company might need a Monday-morning damage control plan for Friday-night antics.

Whether you’re leading HR or just dodging dysfunction, this episode is your guide to protecting credibility, culture, and common sense with a dash of humor.

Download our e-book Pay Like A Boss: A Pop Culture Guide to Employee Compensation for HR Pros, Business Leaders, and Job Seekers
Book a consult at Thornton Consulting Group

Follow, rate, and subscribe for more episodes that keep HR smart, modern, and a little spicy.

🎙️ Episode 1 – Pay Me What I’m Worth: Decoding the Salary Game
Host: Ashunta Thornton, a Total Rewards strategist and HR pro.

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Think you’re being lowballed? You just might be.
In this kickoff episode of The Total Package, we’re breaking down the salary game, what market rate really means, how to decode vague pay lingo, and why job titles might be holding you back.

Whether you're job hunting, hiring, or just want to stop leaving money on the table, this episode is for you.

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What we’ll unpack in this episode:
🔹 What “market rate” really means (and who decides it)
🔹 How to read between the lines of “competitive salary”
🔹 Why job titles are lying to you

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📘 BONUS RESOURCE
Want to dive deeper into compensation?
Download my e-book:
👉 Pay Like A Boss: A Pop Culture Employee Compensation Guide for HR Pros, Business Leaders, and Job Seekers
🎯 Only $4.99 — https://a.co/d/ajsS9je

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💬 Let’s connect!
Follow me on IG: @thorntonconsultinggroupllc
Subscribe + share if this episode helped you negotiate better or think differently about pay!

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🎧 Thanks for listening to The Total Package.
New episodes drop weekly, same time, same place.

#TotalPackagePodcast #PayLikeABoss #ALaCarteHR #ThorntonConsultingGroup #SalaryGame #CompensationTips

Welcome to The Total Package, the podcast where Human Resources becomes more relatable. I’m Ashunta Thornton, your HR Bestie, breaking down HR, Career, and Tech. From comp strategy to career moves, it’s the real talk HR pros, job seekers, and leaders need to win at work.