Is AI really replacing jobs, or are we misunderstanding AI's role at work?

In this episode of The Gen Mess with Tess, Tess Brigham sits down with People Operations executive Erin Turnmeyer to break down what leaders, employees, and organizations are getting wrong about AI in the workplace.

With 15+ years of experience building talent systems, including time at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Erin brings a data-driven perspective on how AI, automation, and analytics are reshaping work.

💡 In this episode, we cover:

• Why AI is a force multiplier, not a replacement
• The real reason companies are making AI-related layoffs
• What tasks should (and should NOT) be automated
• How to use AI without losing the human element at work
• Why resume screening with AI can backfire
• Practical ways to start using AI without feeling overwhelmed
• How early-career professionals can stand out in an AI-driven world

If you’ve been feeling anxious, confused, or curious about AI, this conversation will help you rethink what’s actually happening—and how to adapt without fear.

Whether you’re a leader, job seeker, or just trying to keep up with the future of work, this episode will give you clarity and practical takeaways.

00:00 – Intro: “Fixing the mess vs living in it”

00:42 – Meet Erin Turnmeyer (People Ops + AI perspective)

01:05 – From chem bio weapons analyst → HR leader

03:10 – What people get wrong about AI at work

04:00 – “AI is a force multiplier, not a replacement”

05:00 – Fear-based headlines & why they’re misleading

06:00 – Why fear blocks people from learning AI

07:30 – How companies fail at AI adoption

08:15 – Real example: teaching AI internally at work

09:30 – What AI should NOT replace (human touchpoints)

10:30 – What to automate vs keep human

11:10 – Why AI resume screening is flawed

13:00 – Smart ways to use AI in recruiting (without bias)

15:00 – Removing “administrative weight” from work

16:00 – Will AI lead to layoffs—or growth?

17:00 – The real opportunity: 20% more strategic thinking

18:10 – Why companies must allow time to learn AI

19:20 – Advice for early-career professionals

20:00 – Using AI as a daily learning coach

21:30 – Don’t outsource your thinking

23:00 – Could AI finally deliver work-life balance?

24:00 – The 4-day workweek conversation

25:00 – Real-world AI use cases (healthcare, systems, etc.)

26:00 – What happens to jobs AI can fully replace?

27:00 – What actually gets someone hired today

28:00 – Why AI-generated resumes are hurting candidates

30:00 – How to use AI correctly for resumes

32:00 – Training AI to sound like you

34:00 – Spotting AI-generated applications instantly

35:00 – How young professionals can “train” AI on themselves

37:00 – Using AI as a thinking partner (not a cheerleader)

38:00 – Trust but verify: why sources matter

40:00 – First step: how to start using AI today

41:00 – Unexpected tip: use AI for shopping decisions

43:00 – Final thoughts + where to find Erin

Connect with Tess at tessbrigham.com

Subscribe to Erin's Substack, AI for Human Operators, at hrai.substack.com

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No one really warns you how psychologically hard early career can be.

You learn how to write a resume, interview, and get hired, but almost no one explains what it feels like once you’re inside the workplace. You're being evaluated constantly, questioning yourself, guessing the rules, and trying to build confidence without experience.

In this episode of The Gen Mess with Tess, Tess Brigham explains why the beginning of your career can feel so mentally intense, and why that experience is often misunderstood. She breaks down the psychological weight of uncertainty, self-doubt, comparison, unclear expectations, and why many young professionals incorrectly assume they are the problem when they are often responding normally to a demanding environment.

Tess also addresses something leaders need to hear clearly: being early career does not mean someone should tolerate unhealthy behavior, poor emotional regulation, or unclear leadership.

This is Part 2 of Tess’s solo series on the psychology of work and why younger employees need more clarity, not more criticism.

• 00:00 Why early career hits harder than expected
• 01:05 Learning who you are while being evaluated
• 02:20 Why young professionals internalize stress
• 03:05 High expectations, low control, constant comparison
• 04:20 Why unclear environments create self-doubt
• 04:50 What young employees should never normalize
• 05:30 Why yelling at work should not be accepted
• 06:15 Discomfort vs unhealthy environments
• 06:50 How to separate mistakes from identity
• 07:40 What leaders owe early-career employees

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode. To learn more, or to Shop available resources, visit tessbrigham.com

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Think you're not a morning person? Think again.

This week, Tess sits down with Amy Landino, bestselling author, content creator, and founder of Vlog Boss Studios. Together, they blow up everything you think you know about morning routines, productivity, and what it actually means to start your day on your own terms.

Amy's newly expanded book, Good Morning, Good Life, isn't about waking up at 5am or turning your morning into an Instagram aesthetic. It's about reclaiming ownership of your day before the world gets a vote, and her simple three-bucket framework (Movement, Mindfulness, and Mastery) makes that possible for anyone, in any season of life.

Tess and Amy also get into the messy generational stuff: why Millennials were conditioned to believe "work harder" was always the answer, why a six-figure business might actually be the wrong goal, and the moment Amy told her dad she'd already made $90K that year and watched him go completely speechless.

In this episode:

• Why your morning routine is probably built around someone else's agenda
• The key difference between starting your day "on offense" vs. "on defense"
• Amy's three-bucket framework: Movement, Mindfulness & Mastery explained simply
• The real reason you're "not a morning person" (it's not what you think)
• Why a six-figure business might be the worst goal you're chasing right now
• The Millennial financial reality: student loans, a broken housing market, and boomer advice that no longer applies
• How self-compassion and accountability actually work together, not against each other
• 
  

Amy Landino's book Good Morning, Good Life is available now. DM Amy on Instagram @AmyLandino the word "Tess" to receive her free Extraordinary Action Framework.

00:00 — Welcome & Amy Landino introduction

01:00 — Amy's origin story: moving out at 18 and the "there's gotta be a better way" mindset

04:00 — The wedding video that started everything — and how YouTube changed her life

07:00 — What people get wrong about morning routines (hint: Instagram flex culture)

09:30 — Checking email vs. checking your goals: offense vs. defense

12:00 — Why you apologize for not replying fast enough — and why you need to stop

13:15 — Is Good Morning, Good Life the Gen Z version of Miracle Morning? Tess makes the case

16:45 — The three-bucket framework: Movement, Mindfulness & Mastery

19:20 — Tess's morning confession: sitting with her dogs, and finally giving herself permission

21:00 — "I'm not a morning person" — the #1 objection, completely reframed

24:00 — "But I have kids" — excuse #2, and Amy's surprisingly honest answer

28:45 — The Extraordinary Action Framework: DM Amy on Instagram to get it free

29:20 — Self-compassion + accountability: why they're not opposites

33:45 — Screw "realistic" — why shooting for the unrealistic actually makes sense

34:45 — Hot take: Why Amy tells clients with six-figure businesses to just go get a job

40:00 — Generational spotlight: Millennials as the internet's guinea pigs

42:30 — Student loans, the housing market, and what Millennials actually inherited

47:20 — Boomer advice vs. Millennial reality — a tension that's very, very real

48:00 — The $90K moment: Amy's dad, and why the people who love you don't always know what's possible for you

SUBSCRIBE to The Gen Mess with Tess podcast for weekly insights on workplace culture, generational challenges, and relationship advice.

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