HR Insights

On HR Insights, we strive to bring our listeners conversations they are asking for. Avid listeners of the show may remember that this summer, we have been running our HR Resilience Report in collaboration with The Resilience Institute. Initial results highlighted a recurring theme of mindful leadership. As HR continues to take on more responsibility in an ever-changing world of work, engaging with a leadership coach can provide invaluable support and shift your perspective to be more mindful during times of change. In this episode, our CEO and Host of the show, Stuart Elliott, is joined by Nina Donovan, Head of UK and Europe at OSC Leadership Development. Nina is an experienced executive coach who works with senior leaders and facilitates leadership teams through complex periods of change. Together, Stuart and Nina explore how high-stakes environments shape leadership behaviours, and the practical frameworks leaders can use when navigating career shifts. They discuss the reality of “loneliness at the top,” with senior executives often feeling pressure to have all the answers and why building the right support system is so important. Nina also shares her perspective on what to look for when beginning a coaching relationship, how to find the right coach, and how to approach coaching as a long-term journey rather than a quick fix. The conversation then turns to leading through uncertainty and how to pace change effectively, communicate with transparency, and maintain trust without creating unnecessary anxiety. Nina explains how she draws on both psychodynamic thinking and neuroscience to help leaders work with emotions rather than against them. The discussion concludes with a look at the growing role of AI in coaching, what it can offer today, and what it might mean for the future of leadership development. If you’d like to continue the conversation or explore coaching opportunities with Nina, you can connect with her on LinkedIn or reach her directly at nina.donovan@globalosc.com. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

73% of women leaders say they would change companies for menopause-related benefits. Earlier this year, in our episode with Maggie Lester, we explored how menopause is beginning to take its place on the benefits agenda, but with a lot of work still to do. To continue this conversation, Stuart welcomes back Fiona McKay, CEO of Lightbulb and Founder of The Menopause Maze, to unpack how menopause impacts leadership retention and the loss of female talent. Together, Stuart and Fiona discuss the critical point at which organisations lose their most experienced female leaders, often without even realising it. They explore what HR frequently overlooks in leadership pipeline gaps, and how HR leaders can start connecting menopause to the silent derailments that disrupt careers behind the scenes. The conversation also touches on the long-term value chain of addressing menopause in the workplace, covering governance, the great wealth transfer and the implications for HR and corporate services leaders. Finally, Fiona introduces the NOPAUSE™ Workplace Diagnostic, the world’s only data-driven tool designed to reveal where menopause is costing organisations their leadership layer, and what can be done to change that. For a limited time, you can access a personalised NOPAUSE™ diagnostic report in just five minutes, complimentary until 8th September 2025. Who is our guest? Fiona McKay is the CEO of Lightbulb Leadership Solutions, a strategic C-suite value creation advisory company that supports high-growth businesses, portfolio companies and private equity investors navigating critical moments of leadership, performance, and value creation. She’s also the founder of The Menopause Maze, a specialist firm within the Lightbulb group that focuses on retaining and accelerating the top 1% of female leaders navigating menopause. Key timestamps: NOPAUSE™ Workplace DiagnosticYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this special episode of HR insights, Stuart Elliott is joined by Ilona Jurkiewicz and Roshan Jayawardena to draw on insights from their recently published white paper, ‘Evolving skillsets of HR leaders’, which combines qualitative interviews with 80+ HR leaders and quantitative data. They explore how the HR function is rapidly evolving in response to significant external forces and how the expectations of HR professionals have expanded far beyond traditional responsibilities; today’s HR leaders are increasingly expected to drive commercial outcomes, lead AI initiatives, and navigate complex, people-centred challenges across global organisations. They also address the growing difficulty of creating psychologically safe and inclusive environments, especially amid political polarisation and evolving definitions of inclusion. Who are our guests? Ilona Jurkiewicz is the President, Americas at Cappfinity. She has over 16 years of executive experience driving HR strategy, culture evolution, and organisational growth and specialises in leading people-centred transformations that drive measurable business outcomes Throughout her career, she has successfully scaled organisations globally, built world-class leadership ecosystems, navigated major acquisitions and divestitures, and architected cultures that empower innovation and performance. Roshan Jayawardena is the Managing Director for Elliott Scott in North America, partnering with HR leaders across a range of sectors to deliver specialist HR search and recruitment solutions. With 15 years of experience in HR and executive search, Roshan brings a strategic, consultative, and relationship-driven approach to senior HR hiring. He specialises in retained searches for senior HR appointments and his background as an HRBP at General Electric gives him a unique understanding of the HR function, allowing him to advise on both immediate hiring needs and long-term talent strategies. Key timestamps: - 02:04 – Intro into Ilona - 04:16 – Intro into Rosh - 07:32 – The inspiration for the report - 12:00 – The standout impacts of the research - 18:53 – Hybrid working - 21:50 – The evolving role of a CPO - 30:25 – The struggle of implementing empathy, psychological safety and inclusion - 35:50 – The impact of the political agenda in the US - 39:20 – Is HR ready and prepared to lead on digital transformation? - 48:50 – The potential dangers of AI - 52:40 – Advice for mid career HR professionals becoming CPOs Please download the whitepaper here for more data insights and the ever-chaging skills of HR leaders. You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

We’re back again this week with another new episode! If you have been following HR Insights, you would have seen, we are currently running our HR Resilience Survey to better understand how resilient the function truly is and what HR professionals most need to focus on right now. So far, one of the clearest themes that emerged was the challenge of managing worry and finding calm, highlighting the widespread sense of burnout across the profession. Today, we are joined by Rebecca Reed, Founder of Siendo and Creator of MentalFlex to help us unpack the shift in HR and offer some practical tools for burnout. During the episode, Stuart and Rebecca chat about the reason she started her business and her own personal struggles with poor mental health and post-weaning depression. They speak through the importance of having a mental health first aider and how this can make a positive change to company culture. The conversation then pivoted to discuss burnout within HR, the signs to look for when someone is experiencing burnout and how to manage this. Lastly, Stuart asks Rebecca about the science of joy and her development of MentalFlex. Who is our guest? Rebecca Reed is the Founder of Siendo and Creator of MentalFlex®, with nearly a decade of experience in mental health and wellbeing. Her career began in corporate banking, but a passion for prevention led her to launch Siendo, a company helping people and workplaces take a proactive approach to mental health. She's trained thousands in Mental Health First Aid and worked with brands like Nike, Oxford University, and the NHS. Following her own journey through postnatal depression, she created MentalFlex® to support parents in managing stress, resetting their nervous systems, and showing up with calm and clarity. Key timestamps There is still time to get your free personalised resilience report by completing the survey here. You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode of HR Insights, we sit down with Friska Wirya, founder of Future Fit and a globally recognised change management thought leader, to unpack what real change leadership looks like in today’s ever-evolving business landscape. With more than a decade of experience transforming some of the world’s most conservative organisations, Friska brings raw honesty, strategic insight, and a touch of humanity to the prominent topic of change. From managing layoffs with empathy to future-proofing leadership in the age of AI, this conversation dives deep into how we lead, adapt, and evolve in complex times. Friska offers practical tools, tough truths, and inspiring ideas for executives navigating transformation and employees grappling with continuous change. Who is our guest? Friska Wirya is a multi-award-winning change management expert, TED speaker, and best-selling author recognised as a top 50 Global Change Leader. She partners with leaders and organisations worldwide to drive impactful transformation. Her books have gained international acclaim, with her latest becoming a #1 bestseller in Indonesia. Friska’s work has been featured in Vogue, The Financial Review, The CEO Magazine, and more. Key timestamps This episode is sponsored by our partners at Cappfinity. Cappfinity believes in a world where skills and potential create opportunity for all. They are global leaders in measuring and developing potential in Talent Acquisition & Talent Management with a focus on skills and strengths. Through the Cappfinity Skills Suite® they provide skills-based Talent Acquisition and Management solutions across all levels and industries. Their Talent Acquisition solutions range from pre-skilling to seamless onboarding - all the while delivering immersive, brand aligned and insightful experiences to their clients and their candidates. Interested in their services? Please reach out to Celine.Floyd@cappfinity.com to book your demo today. You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

Welcome back to another episode of the HR insights: podcast! In this episode, our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott, chats to International Benefits Strategy Leader Maggie Lester at Merck Group, to discuss the evolution of employee benefits and how they mould the brand and culture of the organisation. Maggie shares insights spanning her 20 years of international experience, highlighting the shift from pensions to more inclusive benefits. She notes the impact that cultural differences have on benefit structures, discussing the implementation of fertility, menopause, carers’ leave and trans health benefits. Who is our guest? Maggie Lester is a remuneration specialist with over 20 years’ international experience working for both consultancies and multinationals, in the UK, France, Switzerland, Japan and Hong Kong. She currently heads up employee benefits for Merck Group KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, covering over 60,000 employees across 65 jurisdictions. Previous roles include Meta, HSBC (Asia Pacific) and Reuters. Maggie has always been passionate about designing and delivering innovative solutions that deliver both employee value and fiscal benefits for organisations. She believes that DE&I is a business case, and that a company’s benefits define their position. She holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Bristol in the UK, and an MBA for Executives from INSEAD. Key timestamps This episode is sponsored by our partners at Cappfinity. Cappfinity believes in a world where skills and potential create opportunity for all. They are global leaders in measuring and developing potential in Talent Acquisition & Talent Management with a focus on skills and strengths. Through the Cappfinity Skills Suite® they provide skills-based Talent Acquisition and Management solutions across all levels and industries. Their Talent Acquisition solutions range from pre-skilling to seamless onboarding - all the while delivering immersive, brand aligned and insightful experiences to their clients and their candidates. Interested in their services? Please reach out to Celine.Floyd@cappfinity.com to book your demo today. You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode, we explore the shifting landscape of DEI with Nikki Davies, a globally recognised DEI strategist, coach, and entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. Drawing from our recent UK HR Trends Report, which revealed a shift in DEI's priority amongst organisations, Stuart Elliott asks: why is this happening—and what does it mean for the future? Nikki shares insights from her 30-year career in coaching and consulting, and how organisations are facing a "day of reckoning"—separating those truly committed to DEI from those who have simply followed trends. We dive into the global trends, the importance of psychological safety, and why sustainable, authentic inclusion efforts—not reactionary ones—will define successful businesses moving forward. We also explore how factors like the US election, demographic shifts, and the rise of AI are impacting DEI conversations, and why resilience and leadership authenticity are more crucial than ever. Nikki offers advice for HR leaders on how to keep DEI embedded within business strategy and how small, consistent actions can lead to real, lasting progress. Who is our guest? Nikki Davies is a former HR executive with MNCs including Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Prudential plc. She is now the founder of coNEXTion, her consulting and ICF ACC accredited coaching business, serving clients from start-ups to global organisations. A recognised global DEIB strategist, Nikki has over 20 years' experience crafting strategies to drive inclusion, equity, and belonging. She supports executives as a coach and advises organisations on adapting global initiatives to local markets, always aligning DEIB outcomes with strategic business goals. Nikki’s approach uses human-centred design to identify systemic challenges and create action-based plans with measurable results, helping leaders build thriving, inclusive organisations. Her impactful initiatives include Diverse Talent Sponsorship Programmes, Inclusive Recruiting, Global DEIB e-learning, Employee Resource Group frameworks, and Inclusive Marketing strategies. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

You may have noticed a brief pause in our HR Insights: Podcast episodes. This break was part of our broader initiative to elevate the Elliott Scott brand. We're excited to return with enhanced content and a renewed focus on delivering insightful, topical discussions that support and inspire your career growth. We recently partnered with Cappfinity on a whitepaper focused on gathering the trends in the UK HR world at the beginning of 2025. Cappfinity is the world leader in measuring and developing potential in talent acquisition & talent management. Today we are joined by their Chief Skills Officer, Celine Floyd, to discuss our findings. Our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott, sat down with Celine to examine emerging trends, unexpected insights, the rise of skills-based hiring, change management, the integration of AI in HR, essential HR leadership capabilities and what the HR community is most excited about in the year ahead. To download the full report please visit: UK HR trends 2025 Who is our guest? Celine is the Chief Skills Officer at Cappfinity. She is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist and a featured author in Wired, Readers Digest, HR.com, Work Magazine and the Institute of Leadership and Management. Celine is a regular advisor to CEOs, CPOs and CHROs, typically of international corporations. She is passionate about authenticity, agility, inclusion, technology, social mobility and modernity. At Cappfinity Celine is responsible for their skills agenda and its global go-to-market strategy. Key Timestamps You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

It's our mid-season finale! In this episode, Stuart Elliott sits down with DN Prasad, Executive Coach, transformational HR Leader and founder of Noetic Step to discuss his career. Originally from Bangalore, Prasad’s journey is one of intentionality, growth, and impact. Over his impressive career—including 12 years at Google—he has shaped cultures, built high-performing teams, and led transformative initiatives across India, the US, and Singapore. Prasad shares the defining moments that underpin his career, from building Google India’s employment brand to stepping into global roles that stretched his leadership style. He reflects on what it means to work across borders, emphasisng the importance of embracing diverse cultures, intellectual curiosity, and humility. He also dives into the challenges of leading through transformation, the lessons he’s learned in both private and public sectors, and the intentional approach leaders must take to seek inspiration from those around them. For aspiring HR professionals, Prasad offers timeless advice: explore, challenge yourself, embrace overseas opportunities, and never stop learning. D N Prasad is an Executive Coach (PCC, International Coach Federation) and a transformational HR Leader with expertise in leading scaled transformation, building and scaling Organisations & functions (in-country, region and global) and shaping & nurturing cultures and careers. Prasad was conferred as a Master Professional by the Institute of Human Resource Professionals (IHRP). DNP, as he is known in professional circles, has held several regional and global Executive roles through his career spanning quarter of a century; in private and Public Service, across India, US and Singapore, and in organisations including Infosys, Google and GovTech (Singapore). He also founded Noetic Step, an Executive Coaching and Talent Advisory practice, in 2018. DNP is the current President of Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) and a member of The Professional Practices Committee for IHRP, Singapore. He is an Independent Advisor at GoSports Foundation, India and also an invited member of the Forbes Coaches Council. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

Today's guest is Thierry Moschetti, Co-Founder and Managing Partner Europe for the Resilience Institute. Thierry is a long-term friend of Elliott Scott HR and has been sharing his insights in the resilience space with our community in past podcast episodes and events. Today, we asked Thierry back on the show to talk through new trends in the resilience space, the idea of top-down imperative, which only works when leaders walk the talk in their capacity to balance performance and care for themselves, others and society. As the conversation develops Stuart and Thierry discuss the Resilience Institutes’ Resilience Assessment; the purpose of which gives you a resilience score and tells you how you are comparing against the global average, the assessment offers a breakdown of this score and advice on how to become more resilient. Thierry also shared insights on typical issues companies face when building resilience across their teams and advice for people struggling with wellbeing. If you would like to complete the Resilience Assessment, you can do so here. Who is our guest? After fifteen years in the service industry, including leadership roles in Europe and Asia, and a period of burnout, Thierry joined the Resilience Institute in 2010, a research and training organisation that measures and improves human resilience in organisations using an innovative assessment tool and a science-based training methodology. He has delivered keynotes, training and consulting projects in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the US. Thierry is currently based in England and now leads the Resilience Institute’s European practice. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode, Stuart Elliott sits down with Ngozi Cadmus, an inspiration in mental health, anti-racism, and leadership research. With 17 years working in mental health, Ngozi shares her journey from social worker to founder of Happiworkers, an anti-racist, culturally sensitive mental health platform designed to support employees—especially those from racialised backgrounds. Ngozi discusses her experiences as an approved mental health professional, her groundbreaking doctoral research on discovering why there is a huge lack of black women at C-suite level, and the systemic barriers they face. Ngozi breaks down what anti-racism looks like in the workplace, why racially informed mental health care matters, and how companies can truly support their staff with inclusivity and psychological safety. She also shares actionable insights for leaders to take risks, embrace discomfort, and create meaningful change in order to actively practice anti-racism. Get to know our guest Ngozi Cadmus is a TEDx speaker, social worker, psychotherapist, and CEO of the leading UK anti-racist, culturally sensitive workplace mental health solution, Happiworkers. Her expertise is in creating anti-racist organisations through a racially informed mental health lens and holding leadership accountable for their commitment to anti-racist practice. Lastly, she is nearing the end of her doctoral research, which focuses on the strategies black women use to reach the top. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode, Stuart Elliott sits down with John Gates, a former recruiter turned internationally bestselling author of Act Your Wage, to uncover the art and strategy of pay negotiation. John shares his journey from humble beginnings, working his way through college, to becoming a trusted advisor for C-suite executives and senior leaders through his business, Salary Coach. Over the years, he’s developed a proven method to help candidates secure better compensation packages without risking job offers or damaging relationships. Drawing from his own experiences, John reveals why fear holds most people back in pay negotiations and how to overcome them. He breaks down common mistakes candidates make, the nuances of pay transparency, and the importance of timing and leverage when asking for what you’re worth. Whether you’re a senior leader navigating high-stakes negotiations or simply looking to better understand your value, John’s refined Salary Coach method offers a roadmap to maximise your compensation while maintaining professionalism and trust. John Gates is an author and founder of Salary Coach, where he helps C-Suite executives and senior leaders negotiate higher compensation packages without risking their job offers or future relationships. John’s unique approach, born from his extensive experience in corporate recruiting, consistently helps his clients secure 10-20% more in their pay packages, even in challenging job markets. John’s journey began when a sudden job loss led him to a low-paying role at a temporary agency, struggling to support his young family. The turning point came when he realised the power of leverage during his own salary negotiation, securing a substantial offer from Capital One despite initial fears. Through his journey, John developed a unique approach to help senior-level professionals navigate salary negotiations with confidence, using what he calls the Salary Coach Method. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

The world of HR has changed drastically in recent years and with technology continuing to develop, AI has become a significant part of HR’s tech stack. Today’s guest is Noelle London, Founder and CEO of Illoominus, a people insights platform that integrates and gives context to HR data within and across organisations. Stuart and Noelle sit down to discuss the ever-changing role of HR. Throughout the episode, Noelle and Stuart discuss how Illoominus was created and the challenges of being an entrepreneur before focusing on how the role of HR has adapted over the years. They take a deeper dive into how leaders can prepare for the changes in HR’s role, how AI could aid HR in being more data-driven and whether leaders are ready for this change. The conversation moved forward to discuss how HR leaders can get started and be ready to take advantage of upcoming technologies, followed by which organisations are doing well within this space. Get to know Noelle Noelle is the Founder and CEO of Illoominus, living in Atlanta, GA with her husband and dog. Noelle caught the entrepreneurial bug early, starting a jewellery business at 15 years old. During her Peace Corps experience in Nicaragua, Noelle worked with female founders on their new ventures which gave her the idea to start something for herself. Noelle has worked with early and growth stage startups for over a decade, bridging connections to capital, customers and talent. Previously, Noelle led the Atlanta Mayor Office’s startup economic development strategy to connect underrepresented tech talent with career paths to Atlanta’s top startups, she also launched the Crystal City, VA office of 1776, a global startup incubator and venture fund. Whilst leading joint go-to-market opportunities with Accenture’s startup partners and investment portfolio, Noelle was able to help startups scale into Fortune 2000 clients, which allowed her to map the HR tech landscape and found that it’s overflowing with point solutions. Key Timestamps You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode, Stuart Elliott talks to Tania Martin, a neuro-inclusion Consultant and Founder of PegSquared, who has spent years advocating for neurodiversity within organisations. Tania shares her experience at EY, where she was instrumental in establishing a Neurodiverse Centre of Excellence and shifting strategies to support candidates who may not thrive in conventional interview settings. Stuart and Tania explore her own personal journey with an ADHD diagnosis which shifted her understanding of herself and fuelled her commitment to creating more inclusive workspaces. From discussing the changing landscape of neurodiversity awareness and the powerful generational shift in openness, to addressing the stigma and challenges that still exist, Tania provides a compelling overview of why this topic is so crucial today. Tania outlines the tangible business benefits of fostering an inclusive environment, offers practical support strategies, including individualised adjustments and sensory-friendly practices, and discusses her five key takeaways for embedding neurodiversity into an organisation’s core culture. The conversation finishes with Tania uncovering actionable advice for HR professionals looking to make meaningful changes, emphasising the importance of curiosity, pilot programs, and seeking external expertise. Tania Martin is the founder of PegSquared and an experienced Neuro-inclusion consultant. She helps workplaces navigate neurodiversity at both an organisation and individual level. She leverages real world corporate neurodiversity experience from her time leading the award-winning UK’s Neuro-Diverse Centre of Excellence at EY. This is underpinned by 20+ years’ experience of leading complex transformation programmes across both people and technology in large global organisations. These skills together enable her to bring a unique perspective to organisations wanting to create neuro-inclusive workplaces. Her journey also includes navigating her own career with ADHD, diagnosed in 2022, providing a distinctive firsthand perspective on neurodiversity at work. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode, Stuart dives into the transformative potential of AI in the Learning and Development space with Luis Garcia, President of PETE, an AI-powered learning platform. Luis talks about his journey from product development to launching one of the fastest-growing online universities in the US and how this has shaped his expertise and vision for the future of learning. Luis discusses why translating expertise into effective training is harder than it looks, and how generative AI is set to revolutionise both the creation and evaluation of learning materials. From scaling training for hybrid teams across the globe to designing personalised micro-courses that target specific learning gaps, Luis explores how PETE is helping organisations keep pace with the future of work. We also explore the changing role of facilitators in a tech-driven world, the impact of generative AI vs. the metaverse, and how L&D departments can overcome challenges in AI adoption. Luis Garcia is a seasoned international executive with over 25 years of experience in technology, digital media, and education. He specialises in driving new ventures and products to rapid growth by building effective teams that harness innovation, technology, and creativity to solve complex problems. He is the president of PETE, an Orlando-based tech startup that offers a suite of cost-effective and customisable solutions that enable organisations to deliver personalised workforce learning at scale. The PETE team is dedicated to harnessing the power of AI to help organisations of all sizes optimise their training initiatives, spanning from onboarding to regulatory compliance, product knowledge, technical skills, and more, without hiring additional training resources. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

Our Host and CEO, Stuart Elliott, is joined today by Lucinda Reader, Founder of Ravello HR. Ravello HR is an HR consultancy specialising in helping businesses create highly effective and efficient talent teams. Throughout the episode, Stuart and Lucinda focus on talent and succession planning; discussing why she started Ravello HR and giving advice to mums to be as they navigate their career journey. Stuart and Lucinda chat through how to get talent and succession planning right, how small businesses can adapt their talent strategy to continue growth, and how skills mapping and skills pathways can help in talent success. The discussion then moves on to hiring, where they cover the difference between internal and external recruitment partners, hiring people known to the business and how this could incorporate unconscious bias. Finally, they spoke about AI in the interview process, examples of good hiring processes and advice for startups going through a recruitment process. Get to know our guest: Lucinda Reader is the founder of Ravello HR, she is also the non-executive HR Director for Shoorah, a wellbeing app currently disrupting the market. Lucinda has worked in HR and Recruitment globally, both in house and agency, for almost 20 years across sectors, for some of the most well known brands. She is extremely passionate about creating an excellent and equitable experience for all candidates is a firm believer of equal opportunities for all; this being said, she is part of the charity No Going Back, which helps to rehabilitate offenders. Lucinda is proudly a mum to two young children; Santino and Lucia as well as her proclaimed first baby, Norman the sausage dog! Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this instalment of the ‘Latest HR News’, our CEO and Host, Stuart Elliott, is joined by Paul Knight, Senior HR Executive Leader and Consultant and Katy Goldwater, Chief People Officer to discuss topical themes and trending articles across the HR space. Stuart, Katy and Paul start the conversation by discussing a topic that has continued to be prominent post Covid; hybrid working, reflecting on whether this topic needs to be parked and if it has had an effect on those starting their careers. Moving on, they touch on the topic of intergenerational working as the current workforce is navigating the most crossover in generations in the workplace than ever before. As the conversation continues, Stuart, Katy and Paul discuss whether the cover letter is still necessary and if hiring should be left to the HR department, taking diverse hiring into consideration. Finally, they move on to chatting through AI within the HR function and the future of work and whether it is dependent on the future of reward. As a more light-hearted topic, Stuart, Katy and Paul discuss social media’s role in HR and whether the use of it is making HR cool again, through the use of TikTok and influencers in the space. Articles referenced: Mining Boss Opposes Staff Leaving Office for CoffeeThe Future of Work Navigating Intergenerational DiscordThe Mystery of the Cover LetterStop Leaving Hiring to your HR DepartmentMajority of UK HR Leaders Yet to Make use of Gen AI, Survey SuggestsMost Employers Ditch Diverse Recruitment Amid ‘Anti-Woke’ BacklashWhy the Future of Work Will Depend on the Future of Total RewardsSocial Media is Making HR Cool AgainYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

Today, Stuart Elliott is joined by returning guest, work psychologist, Sarah McLellan whose episode from Season 1 was our most popular episode to date. Today, people in workplaces are more unhappy than ever with company cultures cracking, and many harbouring the worst in human behaviour. Feelings of loneliness, exclusion, fear and exhaustion are growing within organisations and people are choosing to leave, searching for something more meaningful, somewhere they feel valued and able to flourish as a human. Sarah launched Make it Human in February 2024 to help leaders create healthier, more human-centred workplace cultures. She has also written a book titled Make It Human, which delves deeply into this topic. In this episode, Sarah explains how workplace culture and talent assessment have evolved significantly since she began in terms of training and administration. However, Sarah points out that we are now at a crossroads between technology and human input, where organisations must find a balance between using data and maintaining fairness and empathy in talent management. She also speaks about the inspiration and vision behind her book and emphasises the importance of creating environments where people can thrive, noting that successful organisations build cultures that make employees feel valued, connected, and supported. Sarah also points out how she sees hybrid work as a chance to balance home productivity with in-office collaboration, leading to better results if managed well. She highlights that small, intentional steps, can build strong, people-focused cultures. Her advice to HR leaders: focus on human growth, use microcultures to drive change, and stay intentional in shaping supportive, thriving workplaces. Sarah McLellan is a people, business and thought leader with over 20 years’ experience in HR, leadership, assessment and talent management consulting. As a Chartered Occupational Psychologist Sarah has partnered with hundreds of companies to help build happy, inclusive and growing workplaces across the globe. Sarah believes work doesn’t have to be a 9–5 meaningless, lonely grind and this inspired her to launch her company Make it Human, a business dedicated to cultivating happier, healthier, more human workplaces. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

World Mental Health Day is held every year on 10th October, the objective of today is to raise awareness of mental health issues globally and support those struggling with mental wellbeing. In support of this, we wanted to host a special episode of HR Insights: The Podcast for you today! Stuart is joined by Principal Researcher, Human Capital for The Conference Board; Rita Meyerson, EdD, to shine a light on the work they are doing to bring workplace wellbeing to the forefront of employer’s minds. Throughout their conversation, Stuart and Rita discuss a recent report by The Conference Board, that indicates that 62% of US workers feel their well-being is the same or worse than it was six months ago, despite increased corporate investments in well-being. They move on to cover what types of programs Rita anticipates emerging from the increased spending commitment to wellbeing, the difference in wellbeing from a business and human perspective, the organisational benefits for companies that prioritise wellbeing and how CEOs and CHRO’s can lead by example when fostering a culture of wellbeing within their organisation. Rita, leads research and generates insights for members across all facets of human capital management. Her research focuses on organisational change and culture, organisational development, and total rewards and wellbeing. She is an experienced management consultant, researcher, and educator with deep expertise in organisational strategy, culture and change management. Prior to joining The Conference Board, Rita consulted across industries and geographies to Fortune 100 companies and PE-funded start-up enterprises. Previously, she was a Director in corporate communications and human resources at American Express. To view the report and essay spoken about in today’s episode click the links below ReportEssay Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

Welcome back to another episode of HR Insights: The podcast. Today Stuart Elliott is joined by Fiona McKay, CEO and Founder of Lightbulb Leadership Solutions and sister company, The Menopause Maze. Fiona shares her personal and professional journey, highlighting her move from legal work to leadership consultancy and how Lightbulb Leadership Solutions focuses on helping female-led businesses scale, while The Menopause Maze, supports women navigating menopause. Fiona delves into her own experience with early menopause, highlighting how it affected her both physically and mentally thus fuelling her passion to change the narrative around menopause in the workplace. Fiona discusses her advocation for open conversations and structural changes within organisations amidst alarming statistics about menopausal women and their struggles in employment. She mentions her involvement in campaigning for free HRT prescriptions in England and points out how menopause is now becoming a significant issue for businesses in terms of talent retention and ESG considerations. Fiona emphasises the importance of creating a supportive environment for menopausal women, offering practical advice on how companies can address this issue, including conducting culture audits, providing anonymity in surveys, and offering customised employee benefits. October is Menopause Awareness Month with World Menopause Awareness Day falling on October 18th. Please click here to see how you can get involved and support such an important cause. Key Timestamps: You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!