HR Insights - The Podcast from Elliott Scott HR. Topical discussions with and for our global HR community.
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 timestamps00:40: Introducing Maggie Lester06:02: How benefits have evolved12:05: Benefits linked to brand and culture17:00: Time off/ quality of life20:40: DEI as part of the benefits package26:27: Fertility benefits30:02: Has the shift in DEI impacted the benefits space35:30: Global vs local benefits40:00: Newest trends within benefits46:32: Advice for renewing your benefit structure48:24: Wellness benefits 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 and is also the Senior Consultant for Pixel Alchemy Collective. 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:04:00 - Intro into Nikki Davies 06:20 - Results from our survey11:00 - The shift in the prioritisation of DEI17:39 - Is the shift being seen globally? 22:56 - The emergence of other aspects of DEI30:40 - Impactful DEI initiatives 37:17 - The importance of keeping DEI on the agenda and advice for HR leadersYou 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 2025Who 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 Timestamps00:45 – Where have we been?02:01 – Intro to Celine Floyd and Cappfinity05:49 – Celine's key takeaways from the whitepaper07:20 – The trends that came to light14:38 – The skills-based movement19:39 – Change management22:02 – How we use AI29:34 – The shift in EDI35:21 – HR leadership skills40:42 – What HR is excited about in 2025You 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: 01:25 - Intro into D N Prasad04:49 - The defining moments underpinning D N Prasad's career 06:36 - D N Prasad's role at Google 11:57 - The positive impact of working abroad 16:13 - How D N Prasad's experiences have shaped his leadership style 21:52 - Public vs Private sector 31:10 - D N Prasad's toughest work engagements 37:39 - Advice to aspiring HR professionals 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:02:17 – Reintroducing Thierry and the Resilience Institute07:18 – How does the Resilience Institute work?08:21 – Top-down Imperative 11:38 – The Resilience Assessment 22:20 – Celebrating the small wins26:20 – Fitness and wellbeing 31:04 – The connection of wellbeing to the outside32:26 – Typical issues organisations face when approaching resilience work36:19 – Engagement Surveys38:43 – Advice for companies wanting to improve their resilience 40:59 – Advice for anyone strugglingYou 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: 00:48 – Intro into Ngozi and her career history03:26 – Ngozi's experience as a mental health professional 07:33 – Ngozi's doctoral research 16:45 – The definition of anti-racism and a racialised employee 24:12 – The importance of racially informed mental health care 34:55 – How companies can look after racialised employees 38:42 – The significance of psychological safety 45:00 – How leaders can start creating inclusive workforcesYou 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: 04:27 - John's background and career history12:50 - The lessons John has learnt about negotiation16:40 - Why Senior Executives struggle to negotiate24:28 - 'Know your worth' tactics36:48 - The Salary Coach method 42:48 - Advice for people who are cynical of recruiterYou 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 NoelleNoelle 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 Timestamps03:33 – Introduction to Noelle and Illoominus07:49 – The hardest part of being an entrepreneur10:47 – How the role of HR is changing18:40 – Are leaders prepared for the changing role of HR22:47 – The AI utopia 32:20 – What are you doing to prepare for AI 33:16 – How can HR leaders take advantage of up-and-coming technologies?39:34 – Companies that are doing well in this space44:27 – Businesses focus on peopleYou 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: 02:20 – Intro into Tania05:30 – The prevalence of this topic 08:08 – Tania's personal ADHD diagnosis 16:42 – The breadth of the spectrum22:55 – Business benefits of implementing change35:09 – Five takeaways from Tania's experience of neurodiversity in an organisation43:48 – Changes in the recruitment process47:13 – Where to start as an HR professional 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: 01:50 – Intro into Luis10:40 – Trends shaping the workforce 15:45 – How the system delivers the courses 17:40 – Personalising the programmes for organisations 20:58 – Generative AI vs the Metaverse22:44 – How to ensuring workforces remain agile 33:10 – Challenges of implementing generative AI 35:40 – How to overcome the challenges 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:02:06 – Introduction to Lucinda Reader06:44 – The birth of Ravello HR09:32 – A special mention to Norman the sausage dog10:09 – Career advice for mums to be13:42 – Getting talent and succession planning right16:50 – Small businesses people strategies20:03 – Skills mapping and skills pathways24:50 – What Lucinda believes falls under the word ‘talent' in the workplace29:05 – Internal vs external recruitment partners33:00 – Hiring people known to the business37:34 – Examples of good hiring processes 39:49 – Advice for startups going through a recruitment processYou 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: 02:28 – Intro into Sarah05:20 – Changes in talent assessment11:40 – The inspiration behind the book17:26 – Sarah's view on 5 days in the office24:00 – The vision for a healthier work-life30:50 – The companies getting it right44:52 – Advice for HR leaders shaping better culturesYou 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 belowReportEssay Key Timestamps:01:17 – Introduction to Rita Meyerson EdD07:01 – Factors contributing to the stagnation of wellbeing 13:41 – Anticipated wellbeing programmes from increased spend15:58 – 4 day work week and part time working 18:39 – Expectations of wellbeing for leaders 25:51 – 24/7 working 30:20 – Chief Wellbeing Officer's33:30 – Business buy in34:43 – Fostering a wellbeing culture 42:35 – Aims for promoting wellbeing in the workplaceYou 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: 01:53 – Intro into Fiona06:40 – Overview of the menopause and Fiona's personal experience with early menopause17:30 – Stats around the menopause in the workplace21:30 – How HR can deal with the prevalence of menopause in the workplace24:50 – Elevating the conversation 27:50 – Starting points for companies 37:50 – Importance of allyship to grow the conversation 41:30 – Socio-economic issues with menopause 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 Andy Brown, Leadership coach and Author of best-selling book ‘The Emotional Overdraft: 10 simple changes for balancing business success and wellbeing' focused on the often overlooked mental and physical costs of leadership.In this episode Stuart and Andy discuss how his love for problem-solving led him to help businesses, especially marketing agencies, optimise their structures for success. He shares his key insights on the concept of the "emotional overdraft” explained as the practice of sacrificing one's mental and physical well-being to support business or personal success, often born from an inability to disconnect from work. He highlights the need to address the issue to avoid burnout, offering strategies like tracking behaviours, setting boundaries, and promoting awareness. Throughout the podcast, Andy emphasizes self-reflection, recognising emotional overdraft signs, and the value of coaching to foster curiosity about behaviour patterns. He concludes by advising empathy and kindness when helping someone experiencing emotional overdraft, encouraging them to seek change.Andy Brown has over 30 years' experience as an award-winning adviser and coach for people-based businesses. He's also a podcast host and the author of Amazon #1 best seller, ‘The Emotional Overdraft: 10 simple changes for balancing business success and wellbeing' a book for entrepreneurs, leaders and founders that articulates the often overlooked mental and physical costs of leadership. Take the Cosmo Quiz and get the book here. Key Timestamps: 02:38 – Intro into Andy 06:25 – The idea for the book10:25 – Summary of the book 12:50 – Causes of an emotional overdraft 18:45 – Recognising you are in an emotional overdraft 36:50 – Paying off an emotional overdraft 44:40 – How to help someone in an emotional overdraft 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 today's challenging market, career coaching is a pertinent topic. Today's resident expert, Programme Director and Career Coach Kate Mansfield, is a familiar face of the show. Kate has previously written content for us and has been a guest on our news episode of HR Insights. Joining Kate is our CEO and Host Stuart Elliott to facilitate the conversation and provide our audience with the starting points they need to have those sometimes feared, career conversations. Throughout the episode, Stuart and Kate discuss what career coaching is and the power those conversations can carry. They touched on the challenges faced with internal career conversations and the benefits of an external coach, pushbacks from management, organisations that have good strategies in place to have these conversations and the seniority of individuals wanting these conversations. As the conversation moves on Stuart and Kate chat through The Kaleidoscope Career Model and becoming career champions. Kate is a familiar face to the ESHR family, she takes responsibility for designing and delivering career development programmes for CCS clients across both private and public sector organisations in the UK and internationally. Kate is also a Lead Tutor on our open Accredited Career Coach Training course and continues to coach clients individually, thoroughly enjoying working with those wishing to focus on a wide variety of career related issues from career development to career transition. Kate brings a particular depth of knowledge of coaching HR professionals as well as those transitioning from corporate life. Kate is also highly experienced and passionate about coaching women to evolve their careers. She is a qualified career coach trained by CCS and supported by her MSc in Organisational Behaviour. Key Timestamps:01:46 – Introduction to Kate Mansfield05:52 – Becoming a Career Coach 07:59 – Challenges with internal career conversations 13:13 – Pushbacks from management to have career conversations 17:38 – Organisations that so well in this space23:18 – Do career conversations depend on seniority?28:43 – The Kaleidoscope Career Model 32:00 – Challenges HR face with career conversations 36:16 – Career Champions 40:33 – How Kates's research helps workplace professionals 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 our Host and CEO, Stuart Elliott, is joined by Ruth Gellert-Neale, who speaks about strategic HR leadership. It is very difficult to execute and be a true strategic HR leader, this episode aims to guide HR leaders to be just that by using Ruth's myriad of knowledge and expertise. Throughout the episode, Stuart and Ruth discuss how strategic leadership can contribute to organisational success, strategies to get businesses through times of change or crisis, ensuring the development and succession of leaders, metrics and analytics that strategic HR leadership can use to measure and improve organisational success and the challenges or barriers to effective strategic HR leadership and the routes to overcome them. They also touch on Ruth's career story, attrition rates and how the perception of DEI has changed over the last year.Ruth is an experienced HR Executive with a diverse portfolio of global expertise; advising C-suite leaders, as well as developing and growing teams to operationalise and deliver strategic HR initiatives. Originally from the UK, Ruth got her master's degree in human resources from the University of Hertfordshire and is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD. Ruth moved to Singapore in 2019 and is now the Chief People Officer for APAC and EMEA for JLL Technologies, where she champions the use of AI within the HR function and has driven a culture of high performance. Key Timestamps02:45 – Introduction to Ruth Gellert-Neale13:14 – How strategic HR leadership can contribute to organisational success16:30 – Understanding what strategic HR leadership is20:38 – Effective strategies to manage difficult times 26:56 – How strategic HR can ensure continuous development and succession of leaders32:42 – Metrics for measuring organisational success36:20 – The rise and fall of attrition rates 39:42 – The perception of DEI 42:02 – Challenges and barriers for strategic HR leadership and how we can overcome themYou 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 HR Insights: The Podcast Series 7! This week, Stuart Elliott is joined by global business leader and co-founder of Leadrly, Paul Stewart. Paul has spent decades transforming organisational culture and leadership through a multitude of roles and shares his insights on the fast-paced changes shaping our world today. He also offers his perspective on how important conversation is in making real change.In this episode Paul and Stewart discuss Paul's evolving career from economist to the founding of Leadrly, a cutting-edge leadership and AI-driven platform. He discusses the challenges of creating vs changing culture and the role of AI in today's leadership landscape, particularly how Leadrly integrates with tools to provide on-demand coaching and guidance for leaders. Paul also delves into the nuances of leadership as a conversation, the challenges faced by mid-level managers, the generational divide in communication and the misconceptions around AI in the workplace. Paul Stewart has a background in social sciences and spent 10 years as a bank economist. He moved into corporate strategy, focusing on strategy implementation, organisational culture, and leadership development. In 2004 he co-authored the bestseller Branded Customer Service and went on to co-found On-Brand Partners two years later. In 2022/23, he launched Leadrly, an AI-powered system that supports leaders. Read some of Leadrly's blogs below: History of leadership communicationLeading beyond downsizing – conversations matter Embracing change: How to lead your team through transformation Key Timestamps: 02:50 – Intro to Paul06:55 – The journey into entrepreneurship13:20 – Setting up Leadrly 17:42 – The philosophy behind Leadrly 22:45 – How Leadrly helps mid-level managers 28:10 – The generational divide in technology33:08 – Leadrly's reception amongst clients 39:20 – Measuring success44:28 – AI's implications for organisational culture 46:44 – Advice for HR leaders implementing AIYou 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!
We have another exciting episode of HR Insights: The Podcast. This week, Stuart Elliott is joined by HR Consulting Director and Thought Leader at EDLIGO, Reimund Nienaber to discuss his role of leveraging talent analytics to enhance employee satisfaction and business outcomes. He explains how EDLIGO supports companies in their digital transformation journey and the importance of understanding data to personalise career development paths.In this episode, Stuart and Reimund begin the conversation by talking through his career and role at EDLIGO as well as the benefits of talent analytics. He emphasises the importance of starting small with data, and allowing EDLIGO's AI driven competency frameworks to fill in the gaps, thus enhancing personalised career development paths and creating a positive impact on overall job satisfaction. The conversation then moves on to the role of talent analytics in fostering a more inclusive workplace, free of bias and ensuring equal opportunities for career advancement. Reimund expresses the concerns and scepticisms employees may have regarding the use of talent analytics and how organisations can address these to build transparency and trust.Reimund Nienaber is passionate about Talent Development, Talent Analytics, and Learning Analytics. He is a seasoned HR leader with extensive global experience and a strong track record of driving innovation. With over 20 years of expertise in human resources and 15 years in technical and managerial roles within the telecommunications industry, he excels as a trusted senior management advisor and coach. He holds a Master Professional (CCI) in Business Management (IHK) and is a Certified Business Economist (DeLSt). His focus is on continuously improving people and processes through game-changing strategic initiatives, enabling businesses to thrive in rapidly changing environments.Key Timestamps: 03:02 - Intro into Reimund 04:58 – Reimund's role within EDLIGO08:28 – How talent analytics can be used to personalise career development paths for employees and improve employee satisfaction12:17 - Leveraging AI to create reliable competency frameworks 21:11 – How a manager can use talent analytics to identify skills gaps in their team26:00 - The difference between ‘future skills' and ‘competency'29:35 – The role of talent analytics in helping us create more inclusive environments38:00 – Changing the sceptics' minds on data-driven research41:04 – How to use data to enhance your own performance and career growth 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!
We're back with another episode of HR Insights: The Podcast!Today, Stuart Elliott is joined by Nikki Brigati, SVP of Client Engagement at PGC Group. She joins the podcast to talk about the misconceptions of the employment landscape in the US.When clients hire their first US workers, they often have misconceptions about the employment landscape, such as underestimating the complexity of federal and state regulations or assuming that employment practices are consistent across the country. In this episode, Stuart and Nikki discuss one of the biggest challenges clients face when hiring in the US market; navigating regulatory complexities while also understanding the cultural nuances of the workforce. Talking through what key factors US workers are driven by, for example: competitive compensation, benefits, work-life balance, and opportunities for growth when accepting a role. The use of notice periods is also discussed alongside the terminology used between the UK and US. They also chatted through the main aspects to consider when hiring in a new state as well as key advice for businesses to undertake to mitigate the risk of potential employment claims. Nikki specialises in the realm of Client Relations, Expansion, and Retention. As the SVP of Client Engagement at PGC Group; she focuses on building scalable client solutions, developing relationships with stakeholders at key client accounts, helping clients mitigate risk, building bespoke client solutions, and resourcing clients on the North American employment landscape to position them for growth. She also manages a team of Business and Relationship Managers across the US and UK. Due to her depth and breadth of experience in account management and increasing revenue through building strategic relationships with clients, Nikki has cemented herself as the go to expert and the voice of the client in PGC. If you would like to find out more about the US market and for advice on making your first US hire, please contact Nikki on nicole.brigati@pgcgroup.comKey Timestamps 02:17 – Introduction to PGC04:48 – Introduction to Nikki 09:30 – The biggest misconceptions of hiring your first US employee12:22 – The difference in employment between Democratic led and Republican led states16:06 – Legislations around notice periods in the US17:48 – Biggest challenges when starting out in the US21:27 – 3 most important factors to consider when hiring US based employees 23:08 – Paid time off and hybrid working 28:44 – Factors to consider when hiring across states 31:10 – Temp vs Perm hiring 32:55 – Top tips for hiring in the USYou 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. To kick off the first career stories episode of the series, Stuart Elliott welcomed another friend of Elliott Scott HR, Ria Davey to discuss her career journey spanning multiple global locations, her development along the way amidst organisational changes and transformation, as well as the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone. In this episode, Stuart and Ria begin by discussing Ria's expansive experience in the HR world. From an early career working in the Middle East, moving to Hong Kong and then on to New York, Ria explains the challenges she faced when adapting to different cultures and ways of working. The conversation then moves onto Ria's career milestones as well as some of the obstacles she's faced both personally and in her work life. She shares her top tips for becoming an effective business partner as well as leader, emphasising the importance of authenticity in leadership, continuous learning, and creating environments where team members feel safe to grow and challenge the status quo.Ria Davey is the Group Director of People for D&A-Engineering at LSEG. With over 20 years of global, strategic HR leadership experience, she is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD (FCIPD), holds an MA and BSc in HRM and Psychology and a certified executive coach. A transformation specialist with a wealth of experience in engineering, fintech and data led multinationals, Ria has lived and worked in the Middle East, Hong Kong, New York, and London. Key Timestamps: 02:09 - Intro into Ria Davey07:25 - How the move to the Middle East escalated her career 12:55 - Ria's top three career milestones 14:43 - The similarities and differences between working in the Middle East and Hong Kong17:45 - The challenges of establishing boundaries 21:30 - Career and Personal challenges 27:15 - The proudest moment in Ria's career 28:20 - The core responsibilities of a People Business Partner 30:50 - Key skills and qualities of a successful Business Partner 34:32 - How to lead successfully 39:33 - Insights on the market, future trends and direction of HR 46:08 - Advice for aspiring Business Partners 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!
Has your voice ever been front of mind for you? Many people often dismiss how their voice sounds and comes across to people, but it is a huge part of your executive presence. Our guest today, Susan Room is a former C-suite leader and is the creator of business voice coaching. Business voice coaching helps organisations communicate in an open, authentic and inclusive way.Today, our CEO and Host Stuart Elliott speaks to a familiar face of Elliott Scott HR, Susan Room. Susan has previously worked with us on a successful event in the UK and will hopefully be back with a webinar in the coming months for our global audience. In this episode, Stuart and Susan chat about what business voice coaching is and how it differs from other types of coaching, what a typical business voice coaching programme involves, the business case for voice coaching, measuring the success of the programme and tips for working professionals to help with their voice. Susan's Make Your Mark framework focuses on developing mindset, body language, speech and voice; enhancing personal success and well-being, organisational culture and performance. Susan holds a master's degree in Voice Studies with a Distinction from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She is an ICF Professional Certified Coach, a Voice and Speech Trainers Association member, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.If you are interested in working with Susan; you can read her testimonials here. Key Timestamps:02:21 – Introduction to Susan Room10:43 – What is business voice coaching?15:20 – Vocal bias18:59 – Vocal Brand 27:27 – The business case for voice coaching 30:31 – Vocal Capital 36:21 – Tone of voice38:16 – What does a business voice coaching programme involve?44:39 – Measuring success 49.50 – Tips for working on your voiceYou 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 a brand new series of HR Insights: The Podcast hosted by our CEO and Owner, Stuart Elliott. We are excited to bring you another insightful series with both new and returning guests. We're kicking off our first episode with audience favourite and long term friend of Elliott Scott HR, Sasha Scott. Sasha has two of the three most downloaded episodes of all time and is back to to talk about DEI in the corporate world, its decline amid cultural and economic challenges, SHRM's decision to drop the E from DEI, the impact of the new government in the UK as well as reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent individuals. In today's episode, Stuart and Sasha kick off the discussion with the decline of DEI within big organisations, whether that be due to budget cuts, impetus or internal initiatives. The pair examine recent headlines that question the future of DEI and whether companies are quietly withdrawing their commitments. Sasha also speaks of the demonisation of the acronym as the world becomes more polarised and the way in which DEI has often become a scapegoat for corporate failure.The discussion then moves on to how evolving government regulations and economic pressures will shape the future of DEI roles and initiatives. The decline of the job market for DEI professionals is highlighted and the increasing need for comprehensive DEI strategies to be implemented within organisations. Amid the SHRM's decision to drop Equity from its DEI framework, Sasha expresses her frustrations as well as the pressing need to understand equity versus equality. Finally, Stuart and Sasha look ahead to how the new UK government might influence business accountability and inclusion, the potential for increased regulation and the positive changes expected in the DEI landscape. With a focus on psychological safety, Sasha highlights the importance of including neurodivergent individuals and the broader implications for workplace culture. Sasha Scott is the CEO and Founder of Inclusive Group and is considered an expert in her field; she has appeared on the BBC and has been published in multiple newspapers. She understands the commercial drivers behind reducing bias within the workplace and the critical need to promote and sustain an inclusive workplace culture.Key Timestamps:00:30 – A warm welcome back to Season 702:40 – Intro to Sasha Scott 06:50 – The decline of DEI amid cultural and economic challenges11:25 – Laws banning/limiting DEI initiatives 12:40 – Quiet Quitting15:30 – Job cuts in TA17:15 – SHRM's decision to drop the E from DEI 26:42 – The New government in the UK and its impact 30:16 – Toxicity in the workplace 35:25 - Economic pressures putting strain on DEI37:56 – Neurodiversity and making reasonable adjustments 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 to the final episode of Series 6 of HR Insights: The Podcast!We have had another amazing series with a range of exciting guests and insightful episodes exploring topical and relevant subjects as well as the career stories of some inspirational entrepreneurs. In this episode, Group Marketing Executive for Elliott Scott Group, Hannah Costen sat down with CEO, Stuart Elliott to look back on Series 6 and some of the stand out moments from the last quarter.Stuart shares an update on the current market, reflecting on the challenges currently facing CHROs and CPOs working with fewer resources, however he remains positive by highlighting a sense of optimism for the upcoming months. They also discuss the current trends in the market, how these have evolved since the last quarter and whether these have affected Elliott Scott HR as a business. The episode finishes with Stuart sharing his most memorable guests from Series 6 as well as aspirations for future series.Key Timestamps:- 01:13 – Icebreaker questions: Stuart's TV and Film recommendations - 02:30 - An update on Stuart's achievements in fitness competition, HYROX- 03:52 - Recapping Q1 and key trends- 06:05 - The most topical Season 6 episodes- 08:06 - The development of trends in the last year- 10:18 - The impact of trends on Elliott Scott HR as a business - 11:43 - Memorable moments from Series 6 - 14:04 - Aspirations for Series 7You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotifyand most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
As we approach the end of season 6 we wanted to bring back a topic that has continued to be a critical issue for organisations over the last few years. This topic is still front of mind for many as 2023 reported the highest level of sick leave in a decade with more people taking time off with mental health struggles and the average age of burnout sitting at 32.Today our CEO and Host, Stuart Elliott, is joined by Co-Founder of HumanOS, Bianca Errigo to speak about burnout and the healthy habits one can adopt to combat it. Throughout the conversation, Bianca and Stuart chatted about her career prior to co-founding HumanOS and the motivation behind the company, touching on how she began her career working for the world's largest IT services company but after several successful but extremely stressful years within their top-performing global sales team, coupled with the loss of her father, Bianca saw a dramatic deterioration in her own health. This led to hospitalisation, and she decided to make some changes, transforming her life to become a wellness coach and building a tech start-up. Continuing the conversation Stuart and Bianca discussed habits to encourage high performance, the impact of emotional intelligence in the workplace, whether preventing burnout should be owned by the individual or an organisation and how to meet the needs of a diverse workspace and minimise the generational gaps. Bianca is a wellness expert and speaker, recently awarded American Express "Speaker of the Year 2023" for her work around "Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace". She is recognised by Cisco for the impact she had with their "Women In Cisco" community. Bianca is the Co-Founder of health optimisation platform HumanOS.If you are interested in having a session with Bianca we are able to offer our listeners a complimentary strategy call, you can sign up here. You can also download HumanOS' 2024 white paper on the discrepancy between the rise of corporate welling solutions and the fall in employee wellbeing. The paper includes actionable takeaways for organisations looking to improve their employee wellbeing. Key Timestamps:02:06 – An introduction to Bianca 07:34 – Symptoms of burnout 10:13 - Bianca's story 15:59 – Building habits with HumanOS21:30 – What is the knowing/doing gap?29:28 – Who should take ownership of mental health at work?31:46 – What is the ROI for having a good wellbeing strategy?33:18 – Emotional intelligence in the workplace38:01 – Tips for employers introducing a wellbeing strategy 41:57 – Advice for employees dealing with mental health issuesYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Remote Working has been a topic of great significance for the last couple of decades, and has come to the fore over the past few years, amidst the COVID pandemic. Joining our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott today is Jaime Nacach, entrepreneur, marketer and Founder & CEO of Virtual Latinos, a company focused on hiring remote professionals from Latin America. In this episode, Stuart and Jaime discuss how Jaime accumulated knowledge from his marketing background to set up Virtual Latinos and how it has grown to help over 900 businesses so far since its inception in 2018. He also highlights the advantages of utilising his company for hiring and their process of finding ‘quality' talent for their clients. The evolution of remote work is also examined, with an emphasis on the positive shift in its perception and effectiveness in encouraging productivity. Jaime also shares some useful tips for those looking to outsource professionals and the importance of ensuring everyone feels like a valued member of the team, no matter where they are based. Finally, the advantages of being ahead of the curve and utilising quality talent all over the world are stressed. Jaime is an entrepreneur, marketer, self-taught tech expert, and the Founder and CEO of Virtual Latinos. He was born in Mexico City but has now been living the majority of his life in San Diego, California. He has combined his creativity and business strategy experience to create a digital marketing agency, Bloominari, and a recruitment agency called Virtual Latinos focused on hiring remote professionals from Latin America. So far, Virtual Latinos has helped over 900 companies to elevate their levels of freedom, success, and growth, and has assisted over 1,000 Latino professionals in finding their dream remote jobs. Key Timestamps:01:34 - Intro into Jaime Nacach07:45 - Advantages of utilising Virtual Latinos 10:12 - The evolving landscape of remote work18:38 - The shift in the perception of remote work23:25 - Benefits of hiring in Latin America 35:06 - How technology has evolved to enhance Jaime's business37:36 - The future of international hiring 42:48 - Key advice for those considering outsourcing You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
One of the biggest topics in conversation currently within a professional setting is AI and how it can change the working world, with the fear that it could eradicate some roles. Today our CEO and Host Stuart Elliott is joined by Nicky Garcea, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Cappfinity to talk about the use of AI in the Talent Acquisition space. In this episode, Stuart and Nicky discuss how Nicky came to set up Cappfinity; a skills-based talent intelligence business, they then cover where organisations currently sit in their relationship with AI, and whether candidates are more likely to use AI to secure a role. They also speak about current guidelines and regulations in relation to AI and automation. In contrast to AI being a predominant focus, there has been attention placed on skills-based hiring and development and Stuart and Nicky discuss whether the two conflict or complement each other. As the conversation draws to a close, Stuart asks where Nicky believes this topic would sit in 12 months and again in 5 years.Nicky has a career spanning over 20+ years and is a chartered industrial and organisational psychologist passionate about how behavioural science can support the use of technology and AI in talent solutions. She has led on talent initiatives for over 250 global organisations, often in support of widening their talent pipelines. Nicky was featured on TAtech's list of 100 Most Influential Talent Acquisition Thought Leaders and has co-edited The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and Work, she has also been featured in Forbes, Protocol, HR.com, Recruiter, The Wall Street Journal and Fox News. Key Timestamps:01:50 – Introducing Nicky Garcea and Cappfinity12:26 – When did Nicky first hear about AI?16:28 – What are organisations currently doing with AI?22:09 – Candidates using AI to help secure roles28:54 – Guidelines and regulations regarding AI32:25 – Skills-based learning and development37:46 – Soft skills vs hard skills39:52 – The difference in AI in 12 months and in 5 years 43:30 – Advice for CHRO's regarding AIYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
When building a career within HR it is important to consider the building blocks to success and the necessity to nurture and adapt to different cultures and ways of thinking. Today, joining our host, Stuart Elliott is Chief Talent and Learning Officer at Jardine Matheson, Peter Attfield to discuss his long spanning HR journey and his keys to success to ensure a flourishing and fulfilling career. In this episode, Stuart and Peter delve into how Peter moved from external consulting into an internal HR function, the important building blocks that have aided him throughout his career including embracing different cultures and building a strong network of peers who challenge and push the boundaries of your thinking, as well as his key takeaways from living and working in over nine countries. Peter highlights his greatest achievements throughout his extensive career and how he believes the HR function has adapted over this time, notably referencing technological advancements, employee expectations and the significance of upskilling to stay relevant. Peter Attfield is a Senior HR leader (Group HRD, SVP, CHRO level) with a proven global track record in strategic Business Partnering and HR Expertise leadership roles across multiple sectors and geographies in developed and emerging markets. He also holds deep expertise and over 30 years of experience in both large scale organisation and cultural transformation as well as HR functional transformation in both MNC's and large regional family owned businesses. Key Timestamps: · 04:15 – Intro into Peter· 06:03 – How and why Peter made the leap into HR· 11:00 – The key building blocks in Peter's career · 16:20 – The significance of influential mentors· 18:45 – HR Business Partnering vs Centre of Expertise · 21:23 – What Peter has learnt from working all over the world · 27:50 – Peter's greatest career achievements · 33:35 – How the HR function has adapted over time · 40:13 – Advice for people beginning their career in HR You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Welcome back to February's installment of ‘The Latest HR News'. This month, Stuart Elliott is joined by Justine Thompson and Taylor Bradley to discuss some of the themes from trending articles in business and HR. In this episode Stuart and our guests discuss a host of themes on how success can be fostered within an organisation. They start the conversation by discussing hybrid working and its continued prominence within the workforce; reflecting on the potentially damaging monitoring of remote work and the significance of trust in order to see productivity and retention of top talent. Our guests also touch on flexibility within the workplace and how this has become, a ‘non-negotiable' to yield a successful culture in a post-covid world. They then move onto DEI and its necessity to build a winning business strategy and remain progressive. They also examine workplace culture, exploring how so-called ‘negative traits' such as competitiveness and rivalry are being reframed to promote a healthy mindset where competition is seen as a motivation to excellence. The final topic explored is job ghosting, based on an article claiming that a large percentage of Gen-Z have avoided an interview or their first day on a job. Despite Justine's scepticism of these statistics, it provides an interesting perspective on how, in a virtual world, some individuals would rather severe communication to avoid difficult conversations.Justine is an ED&I expert with over 20 years' experience in HR and people focused roles. She has a particular interest in culture, psychological safety and belonging, and has worked with organisations across many sectors to bring these topics to life through training and facilitated discussion. She has extensive experience of working with diversity to identify barriers and design data driven strategies and is the Head of Market Intelligence at Inclusive Group. Taylor is a seasoned HR executive deeply committed to shaping organisational talent strategy and fostering a culture of growth and technical innovation. He is the Head of HRBPs and Compensation at Turing, an Al-empowered Talent Cloud and has worked with founder-led startups like DocuSign and Datto to craft IPO-ready talent strategies. For links to the articles, please see our blogKey Timestamps: - 00:52 – Intro into Justine Thompson- 01:24 – Intro into Taylor Bradley- 02:50 – Hybrid Working- 11:33 – Operational effectiveness - 19:30 – Flexibility in the workplace - 34:32 – DEI: The success of diversification - 44:48 – AI: Fear vs Reality - 51:58 – Rivalry in the workplace - 59:05 – Job ghostingYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Having a coaching culture in an organisation is in an impactful way to change your leaderships management style and allow every employee to reach their full potential. This a growing trend that we have been covering over the last year and today's guest Karen Gilhooly, Engagement Expert & Transformative Leader, joins us to talk about the transition from a traditional management style to a coaching one.Karen joins our CEO & Host Stuart Elliott, to discuss moving from her long tenure in banking to starting her own business with True North Collaboration LLC and how the ‘boss to coach' philosophy influences learning and failure within a team. They talk through ways to adopt a coaching style of management and how it can improve decision-making and problem-solving skills within the team, what specific behaviours and skills can be developed from this transition and how this can impact employee motivation and job satisfaction. Lastly, they speak about the potential risks of moving to a coaching management style and how to mitigate them in a hybrid working environment.Karen is an employee engagement expert and transformative leader with over 25 years of experience driving innovation and organisational change by leveraging the strengths of their employees. She firmly believes that when employees feel connected to their roles they find meaning in their work and bring new energy to the workplace. Karen is the Founder and Managing Partner of True North Collaboration LLC and works across industries to initiate and implement strategic transformation initiatives. True North Collaboration LLC is dedicated to guiding businesses through thoughtful and holistic transformations. Key Timestamps:01:21 - Intro into Karen Gilhooly06:03 - Founding True North Collaboration LLC07:37 - The difference between being a coach and being a manager16:04 - Delivering feedback delicately 18:17 - Adopting certain behaviours when transitioning from ‘boss to coach'24:13 - Dealing with the ‘I don't have time' excuse27:43 - The effects of the coaching management approach on employees29:27 - Mitigating the potential risks of the coaching management style 39:04 - The coaching management style in the hybrid world You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Learning and leadership development of mid-level management is a pertinent topic in HR at this time of year and in a recent Gartner report was deemed as the top priority on Senior HR leaders' agendas for 2024.In todays' episode, Stuart Elliott is joined by recognised Organisational Culture and Systems Workplace Expert, Tammy Dowley-Blackman whose collaboration with an array of sectors, has seen her work to improve leadership across many workplace generations. In this episode, Tammy joins Stuart to discuss leadership; its definition, the qualities one must possess to be a successful manager and the tools aspiring leaders, particularly those that fall under the umbrella of ‘Gen-Z', can acquire in order to become great. Tammy also offers her own experience of evolving her leadership skills whilst running the Suite of brands under the Tammy Dowley-Blackman Group, a boutique consulting firm born in response to sector needs. Tammy Dowley-Blackman is a recognised organisational and leadership development authority. She has designed and delivered presentations, residencies, training and workshops across the United States. She has spent almost two decades building companies focused on delivering innovative approaches to leadership and organisational development and now runs her own boutique consulting group. In addition to her consulting experience, Tammy has developed partnership programs for higher education and the philanthropic sector. She has acted as a strategic advisor to hundreds of organisations on a range of topics and in her free time enjoys serving on boards that connect to her interests in the arts and strengthening communities. Key Timestamps: 2:00 – Intro into Tammy 4:55 – Defining leadership 11:55 – How ways of working have evolved over the past few years13:30 – Maximising the presence of Gen Z in the workplace 20:10 – Tools for becoming a great leader as Gen Z 30:35 – How Tammy has evolved her leadership over the past few years 35:35 – The characteristics of a great leader You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Neurodiversity is a fairly new topic in the world of DEI but affects an estimated 1 in 7 people, with diagnosis rates on the rise. This is a topic we expect to see more of over the next year with its prevalence in many more organisations' agendas for 2024. Our CEO and Host, Stuart Elliott is joined today by an expert in this field Ritu Kiran, Founder and CEO of Aubilities. Throughout the conversation, Stuart and Ritu discuss her career, how and why she founded Aubilities and neurodiversity in the workplace. They take a deeper dive into what neurodiversity is and why it's important, discussing the rise in cases and whether it is due to trends or general awareness around the subject. They also look into the recent high number of diagnoses within adults and what organisations can do to be more neuro-inclusive and how they can adapt the recruitment process to ensure they are getting the best out of people. Lastly, they discuss what Aubilities can offer and do to allow those with neurodiverse needs to thrive. Prior to founding Aubilities, Ritu had a corporate career for many years, starting her journey working for a major global Management Consultancy firm, specialising in HR consulting and HR projects across a multitude of clients. After this, she moved into the global learning and development space. In 2016 Ritu had her first child, who was diagnosed with autism in 2018, shortly after his diagnosis Ritu began researching autism to learn more about her son's needs and quickly identified a gap in the corporate market of utilising these talented and specialist thinkers to add value to businesses. Ritu is also a Trustee Board member for the UK national charity – Resources for Autism. She has recently been picked up by Jessica Kingsley Publishers and has an impending book launch in 2025 on parenting autistic children. Key Timestamps:01:19 – Intro to Ritu & Aubilities 08:35 – Definition of Neurodiversity 11:13 – Neurodiversity at work15:40 – The rise in neurodivergent diagnoses18:53 – Tips to start supporting neurodiverse employees22:47 – Adapting the recruitment process 21:47 – The person-centric approach – does it work for everyone?36:30 – The 3 key pillars to start the conversationYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
When implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies into an organisation in an effective way, it is important to cultivate transformation, creativity and ultimately commercial success. Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Moët Hennessy, Greg Morley joins our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott today to speak about his career in DEI and the advice he has acquired over the years for building a safe and effective working community that champions inclusion.In this episode, Stuart and Greg talk about his long-standing career in Asia and the cultural differences he has encountered that have in turn aided his development within the DEI landscape. They also discuss Greg's insight into the most important factors for making progress around Diversity and Inclusion, highlighted in his upcoming book, ‘BOND: Keys to Inclusion and Belonging' as well as Greg's response to recent derogatory articles around DEI and the significance of rewiring the system to enforce real change.Greg Morley leads Global strategies to increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion across Moët Hennessy, the luxury wines and spirits division of LVMH, based in Paris. Greg brings personal and professional passion to the development of talent and to helping others achieve more than they believe they can. Prior to joining Moët Hennessy, he was Vice President, Human Resources Asia Pacific for Hasbro, Inc. and was Vice President, Human Resources for the Shanghai Disney Resort based in Shanghai. Greg played a leading role in the team that produces Gay Games Hong Kong 2023, a participant sports, culture and inclusion event, in Asia for the first time in its 40 years history.Key Timestamps:- 01:02 - Intro into Greg Morley- 3:40 - Greg's transition into HR- 9:00 - The cultural appeal of working in Asia- 15:41 - The most important factors in making progress around Diversity and Inclusion- 23:20 - Greg's upcoming book: 'BOND: Keys to Inclusion and Belonging'- 31:56 - Response to recent derogatory views on DE&I- 40:28 - The 2024 agenda for DE&I- 48:25 - Advice for people throughout their career in HR You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Over the last year, we have seen pushback from organisations around their DEI agenda with many questioning their approach to the topic. To bring some clarity to the situation, Diversity & Inclusion Architect, Toby Mildon, joins our CEO and Host Stuart Elliott, for today's episode of HR Insights: The Podcast. In this episode, Stuart and Toby discuss his disability and how his personal and professional experiences with inequality when applying for roles affected him and led to his passion for diversity and inclusion. They also chat about what organisations do well in the DEI space and how they can improve, especially in the equity aspect of the acronym. The conversation then explores what Toby believes will aid the future of DEI, leading to a discussion on AI and the anxiety around new technology and the paralysis of fear when employing disabled staff. As a Diversity & Inclusion Architect, Toby is passionate about creating diverse workplaces and cultures that are inclusive, which stemmed from his own experiences as a disabled man. He has helped some of the UK's largest companies improve their staff retention, brand innovation, productivity and performance. Toby has also written a book called Inclusive Growth, which aims to future-proof organisations by creating a diverse workplace and providing a practical framework that allows the company to grow and succeed. Key Timestamps:01:40: An introduction to Toby07:25: Workplace barriers for disabled people15:51: Toby's book - Inclusive Growth 18:53: Organisations that do well in the DEI space21:04: The shift in HR's focus on DEI25:39: The future of DEI 28:12: Hiring managers' fears around hiring people with disabilities 36:25: Tips for prioritising DEI with the aim to retain and obtain top talentYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Welcome back to another installment of ‘The Latest HR News'. This week our host Stuart Elliott is joined by Amelia Lavery and Lee Murphy to discuss the latest topical news articles in business and HR.In this episode, Stuart and our guests talk about the ever-prevalent topic of hybrid working and the importance that should be placed on workplace culture to foster a healthy work balance. As Amelia points out, ‘the culture sets the tone in the context of how everyone reacts together.' They also examine the top five priorities for HR Leaders in 2024 which includes topics like management development, organisational culture, HR tech and more, and their ranking of these in terms of building a productive work environment. Further trending topics were touched upon such as AI; the need to embrace this as it becomes more advanced and the potential difficulties of working with Gen Z amidst anecdotal accusations of tardiness and disinterest. As well as the more provocative subjects discussed, they also converse over more entertaining topics such as so-called ‘Mondayitis', using too much corporate jargon in the workplace and setting business New Year's resolutions. Amelia Lavery has over 18 years of experience in HR, starting her career in the Banking industry. She brings deep experience in HR Business Partnering having performed country, regional and product line roles. Sector wise, Amelia has worked across Financial and most recently Corporate Services at Vistra where she has recently been appointed as the Global Head of Talent Acquisition. Lee Murphy is a seasoned Human Resources executive with diverse global experience leading teams to deliver strategic HR initiatives. In a career spanning more than 25 years, Lee has worked in increasingly senior roles for global technology companies such as Google, Microsoft and Nokia. Most recently, Lee was Group Chief Human Resources Officer with FWD and is currently an adviser to Hupo, a technology enabled coaching platform in Asia Pacific.Key Timestamps:01:02 - Intro into Amelia Lavery02:08 – Intro into Lee Murphy04:30 – Hybrid Working 10:25 – Leadership strategies for a strong work culture19:15 – Top 5 priorities for HR leaders in 202425:27 – AI & technology35:25 – Gen Z54:50 – ‘Mondayitis'59:38 – Buzzwords in the workplace64:20 – Business Resolutions for the New Year For links to the articles, please see our blogYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
*TRIGGER WARNING: Contains references to assault that some listeners may find distressing*Welcome back to the first episode of HR Insights: The Podcast after our mid-season break! We are very excited to start this new year with a very important topic. Amid increasing cases of workplace violence, safety at work has never been more paramount. This week, our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott sits down with Social Entrepreneur and CEO of ROAR, Yasmine Mustafa. ROAR have developed unique wearable technology in the form of a panic button to ensure safety, improve well-being and increase job satisfaction across all industries. Yasmine and Stuart discuss ROAR's inception and how the Panic Button Solution functions to foster a culture of safety within workplaces, particularly those experiencing a rise in violence and incivility such as healthcare, hospitality and retail industries. Yasmine also talks through the consequences of neglecting to protect workers and HR's role in ensuring solutions are put in place to prevent this. From astonishing data, she shows how the adoption of ROAR into a business can result in an immediate shift in staff's morale and perception of safety, with a newfound ‘shield' that not only protects their wellbeing, but improves productivity. With over 15 years of leadership experience in the tech industry, including the successful sale of her first company, 123LinkIt in 2009, Yasmine is a driving force for positive change and balancing profits with purpose. A former refugee and undocumented immigrant, she draws upon her unique life experiences to lead ROAR in its mission to empower and protect workers across all industries. Her journey is a testament to her resilience and unwavering commitment. Yasmine has earned recognition from the BBC where she was named one of the Top 100 women, CNBC's Upstart 100 and has spoken on prestigious platforms such as TEDx where she has shared her deep passion for positive change through harnessing technology. Key Timestamps:01:15 – Intro to Yasmine Mustafa03:20 – How ROAR manifested itself07:28 – How the panic button works 11:20 – What is causing the rise in violence and incivility in the workplace?15:13 – The tangible and intangible consequences of not protecting a worker18:28 – The role of HR in enhancing workplace safety22:15 – Yasmine's top recommendation to HR professionals for fostering a safe working environment25:05 – The financial benefits of adopting ROAR into an organisation You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Supporting employee wellbeing has become integral to the success of organisations. This week our CEO and Host, Stuart Elliott speaks to VP of UK and Ireland for Gympass, Luke Bullen to discuss how Gympass adapted as a company post covid, how to help employees dealing with burnout as well as how organisations can measure employee wellbeing. Today's episode sees Stuart and Luke discuss how Gympass pivoted from only offering physical wellbeing packages to now having all wellbeing offerings in one place. Another topic discussed is the rise in employee burnout and how companies can prevent this by measuring employee wellbeing and using strategies to promote positive mental health and eradicate burnout. They also touch on how to foster an inclusive working environment and how leaders can act as role models by prioritising their own wellbeing. Luke is a seasoned business leader with a passion for driving positive change in the wellness space. Since joining Gympass, the company has forged partnerships with renowned businesses, broadening the reach and impact of employee wellness initiatives. Luke firmly recognises that a healthy and engaged workforce is the foundation of a thriving organisation and is committed to data-driven decision-making to ensure Gympass' initiatives are guaranteed to be quantifiable and sustainable. Key Timestamps:01:21: Intro to Luke Bullen 03:30: Who are Gympass?11:27: The implications of employee burnout for an organisation13:40: How to measure employee wellbeing 16:52: Strategies to promote employee wellbeing and prevent burnout 19:42: Pivoting Gympass' offerings22:33: How to foster an inclusive workplace 28:32: How leaders can act as a role model by prioritising their own mental healthYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
In the second installment of ‘The Latest HR News', our host, Stuart Elliott is joined by Friska Wirya and Jig Ramji to discuss a host of topical news articles in business and HR, exploring current trends and the impact they are having on organisations.In this episode, Stuart and our guests discuss the impact of hybrid working and the prevalent reluctance to commit to returning to the office. They also touch on hot desking and its benefits as well as the difference between Managing and Leading, particularly the toxicity that can materialise from having a ‘bad boss'. Along with talking about more thought-provoking topics for example, as Jig highlights, the impetus for organisations to consider the terminology they use around diversity, as well as the emerging HR trends of 2024, Stuart, Friska and Jig touch on the more light-hearted topic of Christmas parties and the differing perspectives on whether they are worthwhile for building company camaraderie.Friska Wirya is a top 50 Global Change Management Thought Leader, a TEDx speaker and is a triple best-selling author of 'The Future Fit Organisation: A Leader's Guide to Transformation'. She has been featured in a number of publications including Vogue and Smart Company and is a frequent contributor to Women's Agenda. Jig Ramji has over twenty years of experience as a Human Capital Leader specialising in HR Strategy, Organisation Transformation and Change, Talent Management and Leadership Development. He has wide scale international experience having lived and worked in the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong whilst leading Global and Regional teams. Following an extensive career working with some of the largest global multinationals, Jig was most recently the Chief Talent Officer at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and is also a non-executive Director and trustee at Roffey Park Institute.Key Timestamps of the articles discussed:01:12 – Intro into Friska 02:13 – Intro into Jignesh Ramji03:15 – Hybrid working 13:25 - How to make hot desking work20:25 – Managing vs Leading 25:35 – Toxic Management 32:35 - Ray Dalio's brutal management regime39:50 – ESG and Diversity 47:30 – Pay Transparency54:40 – 2024 HR Trends 63:28 – Christmas Parties For links to the articles, please see our blogYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Navigating a career across borders can offer a host of different challenges. Strategic HR Business Partner at Astellas Pharma, Özge Yurtsever joins our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott to speak about the adjustments she has made over her career in order to effectively engage with different profiles of people and develop her understanding of cultural nuances. In this episode, Stuart and Özge discuss how HR varies in different regions both strategically and culturally as well as the skills she has gained to help her adapt and thrive in her role. Özge offers advice to up-and-coming HR professionals on how to maintain a resilient mindset and embrace every change in life as a new opportunity. With rapid change inevitably comes challenges, and Özge highlights the importance of adapting in order to improve the overall culture of the environment we work in. Originally from Turkey, Özge Yurtsever is an accomplished HR professional with a wealth of experience in cross-cultural and multi-industry settings. She has lived and worked all over the world in places including Dubai and Singapore and currently holds the position of Strategic HR Business Partner at Astellas Pharma, where she plays an integral role in forging strong partnerships with the commercial team to drive a transformative agenda aimed at cultivating a high-performance organisational culture.Key Timestamps:01:13 – Intro into Özge and her background08:33 – How is HR viewed in Turkey in comparison to other locations?12:53 – The differing cultural markets and their impact on Özge's career18:13 – The Pharmaceutical Vs FMCG sectors 22:40 – Developing your skills to have greater influence25:53 – What Özge would advise for her younger self30:55 – The biggest challenges of working in a HR role34:58 – Three tips for an up-and-coming HR professionalYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
How to engage employees and retain talent has been at the top of many companies' agendas post-pandemic and with the Great Resignation now over and the Great Reshuffle beginning it's imperative that organisations have the tools to keep their employees from looking elsewhere. Our latest guest aims to do just that. Today our CEO and Host Stuart Elliott is joined by CEO and Founder of Inspire HR, Jaime Klein.The conversation centres around employee engagement and talent retention and see's Stuart and Jaime delve into The Great Resignation, The Great Reshuffle, returning to a five-work week in the office, tools for boosting employee engagement and retention, the flow of life post-post pandemic and who ultimately is responsible for retention and engagement. They also touch on inspirational companies leading the way with their engagement strategies, which could inspire our HR Community to make changes in their own organisations. Jaime founded Inspire HR in 2007 and is a trailblazer in the world of fractional and remote work. She has been a workplace culture expert and HRBP since 1994 and has implemented strategies and programs in talent management, coaching, workplace culture and the talent acquisition space. Jaime has made appearances on multiple media channels, podcasts and panels including facilitating Inspire's webinar series where she shares her knowledge globally. Key Timestamps 01:41 – An intro to Jaime + Inspire HR 05:48 – Is The Great Resignation over?08:09 – Reskilling employees09:22 – Returning to a five-day work week in the office14:28 – Is attrition always bad?19:39 – Stay interviews23:18 – Tools for boosting employee engagement and retention 26:19 – The flow of life post-post pandemic29:52 – Who is responsible for employee engagement?38:17 – Advice for our audienceYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
As we head towards the end of the year, one prevalent conversation in 2023 amongst organisations is around pay gaps. Our host, Stuart Elliott is joined by pay gap expert, Michelle Gyimah to talk through how companies can decipher what their compensation data is telling them in order to improve workplace culture. In this conversation, Stuart and Michelle touch on various types of pay gaps, from gender to ethnicity and disability and the importance of recognising the lesser-known gaps. They also talk through the steps companies should be taking to address these pay discrepancies including educating employees fully and regularly to enforce real change and developing effective communication plans. Michelle also explains how remote working has influenced pay inequity and advises that companies should be using pay gap data as a start point for acknowledging the deeper nuances within their organisations. Michelle Gyimah is a financial coach and CEO of Equality Pays, a pay gap consultancy that provides businesses with the coaching, support and confidence they want and need to educate them on the root causes of their pay gaps. With over 15 years of experience, 10 of which were spent at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Michelle's role is to help organisations identify what is necessary to address their pay gap discrepancies and implement them into their business strategy, thus creating more inclusive, equitable workplaces. Key Timestamps:01:37 – An introduction to Michelle Gyimah06:10 – The different types of pay gap08:16 – The importance of strong leadership in implementing effective strategy 13:43 – Educating people on pay gaps18:08 – Developing engaging communication strategies 24:55 – Working with people to eradicate fears around pay gaps29:03 – The influence of remote working on the pay gap39:55 – Using the pay gap conversation to address deeper nuances within a businessYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
M&A refers to the phrase mergers and acquisitions, a term used when one company merges with or buys another and covers the whole process from beginning to end. Today our host, Stuart Elliott, is joined by HR M&A Lead, Graham Poole to speak about why the role of HR is so critical to this process.During their conversation, Stuart and Graham discuss the role of HR in the M&A process, the aligning of workforce and culture of the two merging entities, the best practice for a smooth transition and some key considerations for companies during the due diligence phase of the merge. They also touch on the challenges HR teams can face during the integration process and tips for HR professionals embarking on an M&A journey. Graham is an experienced international HR Director with a global track record in successful HR M&A and change projects. He provides HR support to organisations undergoing the M&A process and offers executive coaching for leaders going through change. His expertise includes full-scope HR M&A programmes, organisation design and global transformation initiatives. Previously, Graham has lived and worked in multiple regions including APAC, LATAM, Northern Europe & Russia and Africa. Key Timestamps:1:24 – An introduction to Graham Poole 6:06 – Graham's early career7:55 – Why the role of HR is so critical in the M&A process 12:27 – HR's role in aligning the workforce and culture of the two merging entities18:10 – Cost elevation and organisation design process20:25 – The due diligence phase27:04 – Challenges and successes when going through the M&A process35:30 – Why Graham likes working within the M&A space38:29 – Tips for HR professionals embarking on an M&A journeyYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Welcome to the first edition of ‘The Latest HR News', an additional monthly special episode, brand new for season 6 of HR Insights: The Podcast. Our host, Stuart Elliott will be joined by professionals and experts in the HR field to discuss recent topical news articles in business and HR, examining the trends and the impact they are having on organisations. In our premiere, Stuart is joined by Kate Mansfield, Programme Director and Career Coach at Career Counselling Services and Dan Silverman, US Head of Corporate Functions Recruitment at Bloomberg. Together, they dive into some hard-hitting pieces around the rise and fall of DEI and how to support employees amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to more light-hearted topics about the so-called ‘manopause'. Stuart, Kate and Dan hold an insightful and engaging conversation creating invaluable awareness of the current topics that are shaping businesses and their HR functions today. Kate takes responsibility for designing and delivering career development programmes for CCS clients across both private and public sector organisations in the UK and internationally. She is also is also a Lead Tutor on their open Accredited Career Coach Training course and continues to coach clients individually. Dan, who moved in-house following a career in agency recruitment, currently leads and manages a team of experienced recruitment and sourcing partners, responsible for hiring experienced talent into a range of Bloomberg's departments. Leading with data, market intelligence and recruitment best practices he ensures they hire, retain and develop world class talent.Key Timestamps of the articles discussed:04:43 – Full-time office workers overtake hybrid staff 09:30 - Badge checking –employees office time is being monitored15:20 – The rise and fall of DEI21:58 – Should DEI sit under HR?25:28 - Layoffs at LinkedIn – what's the best conduct? 34:36 - Boomerang staff – re-joining a former company 41:39 – How to get the lying out of hiring 49:50 - Providing support to employees amid the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict 55:17 – The ‘manopause' 58:53 – Should all relationships at work, including friendships, be declared? For links to the articles, please see our blogYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Navigating a career from recruitment to corporate HR was a huge cultural shift for this week's guest, Vanessa Harris. Vanessa is Director of Partnership and Performance at global law firm Baker McKenzie and joins our host, Stuart Elliott to discuss her journey into HR and the skills she has had to obtain in order to adapt to a global role. Vanessa has extensive experience in the professional services sector, in particular within legal services and has worked for Baker McKenzie for over sixteen years in a variety of different roles. Starting her career in Sydney as a recruiter, Vanessa has since moved to Singapore and has learnt the importance of having international experience to broaden her career. In this episode, Vanessa speaks about the challenges she has faced moving across the world into a global role and her proudest moments working in HR. She also offers her advice on fostering a trusted network of people, seizing opportunities and learning 'organisational savvy' in order to build a flourishing career in HR. Key Timestamps:2:00 – Introducing Vanessa Harris 9:32 – The shift from a career in recruitment to Learning and Development 20:30 – The cultural change from Australia to Singapore 22:22 – The challenges of working within a legal firm27:10 – What it's like working in a global role being based in Singapore 33:15 – Vanessa's proudest moments from working in HR 40:29 – Vanessa's experience in a male dominated sector 44:30 – Advice for those beginning a career in HR You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Adapting to life with a disability is a challenge many of us won't face. This week our Host and CEO, Stuart Elliott had the pleasure of speaking to Dr Amit Patel, talking about his journey with an unexpected disability; we hope to enlighten our listeners with his incredible story and how he learned to navigate the world in a completely new way. Dr Amit is an Accessibility Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Writer, and Disability Activist. Amit lost his vision overnight in November 2013, amid the prime of his career as a Trauma Doctor. Since accepting his sight loss, he has been a powerful advocate for disability rights. In 2020 he wrote his first book Kika & Me, which explores his experiences of being visually impaired and how much having a guide dog changed his perception. In this episode, Stuart and Amit look into what happened to Dr Amit's vision, how his feelings adapted over time to his sight loss, changing career unexpectedly, coming to terms with his disability and how organisations can break down the barriers to become more inclusive. For any of our UK listeners with children, you can watch Kika and Amit in Dog Squad on BBC iPlayer here. Key Timestamps:01:04 – Introducing Dr Amit Patel 04:23 – Early career journey 07:09 – What happened to Dr Amit's sight? 16:07 – Feelings around his sight loss 20:49 – Coming to terms with his sight loss 24:03 – How Dr Amit became a Disability Activist 31:42 – Applying for new roles 39:58 – Navigating barriers 41:39 – What are people doing well in the disability space 52:07 – Breaking down barriers and being more inclusive You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
In this episode, our host Stuart Elliott is joined by Ali Khan, Founder and CEO at SHAPE. This episode covers the current big issues facing HR teams today, how surveys can guarantee a positive employee experience and how to ensure your team is being productive and flourishing. They also discuss Ali's career and journey to found SHAPE, an employee experience measurement company, that helps organisations navigate unprecedented change and challenges in their team. SHAPE uses employee experience data to help employees and the organisation succeed on a global scale. Ali works and travels globally to deliver techniques that help employees to flourish across multiple industries. He is an inventor, entrepreneur, and investor, specialising in health, data, and change. Ali's mission is to help people and businesses do measurably better in work, life, health, culture, and happiness. Key Timestamps 01:03 – Introduction to Ali and SHAPE 09:29 – The big issues facing HR teams today 17:07 – What is meant by employee experience 21:32 – Measuring employee experience 31:12 – How often should companies run employee engagement surveys? 33:27 – How quick should the response action to the survey results be? 35:52 – What is meant by the term flourishing? 42:17 – Employee experience on a global scale You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Welcome back to a brand new series of HR Insights: The Podcast! We are back with Series 6 and we will be bringing you more topical HR discussions and amazing guests. You can look forward to episodes around AI, HR Tech, Employee Engagement, DEI, the Gender Pay Gap, inspiring HR career stories and so much more. Today we are joined by a familiar face, Ben Williams, CEO and Co-Founder, Loopin. In this episode Stuart and Ben sit down to chat through his newest AI powered product Omni, the fear surrounding AI, losing the human touch and worries around AI reducing the number of jobs for humans. Powered by Loopin, Omni is an AI assistant, that aims to make learning and development easier by acting as an employees own personalised AI coach enriched with your data. Omni can engage with countless employees simultaneously and hold conversations that mirror insight from senior team members. Ben appeared in a previous episode of the podcast where he introduced us to his company, Loopin and discussed his difficult past and subsequent life changing career as a Royal Marines Commando. Ben went onto found Loopin, a tool that checks in with your employees and aims to make people feel ‘more human' at work. He has appeared on various other podcasts, including ‘The Diary of a CEO'. He has also written a book ‘The Commando Mindset' where he reveals his process for achieving goals of any size to help take your life to the next level. Key Timestamps 03:03 – Introducing Ben Williams 04:13 – Learn about Loopin and Omni 14:29 – Why people fear AI 22:51 – Understanding Omni 32:07 – AI automating roles 39:23 – Risk of losing that personal touch 46:27 - Making AI part of your life You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Welcome to the final episode of Series 5 of HR Insights: The Podcast!It has been an amazing series with plenty of noteworthy guests offering useful insights on some fascinating topics! In this last episode, Group Marketing Manager at Elliott Scott Group, Emily Abbott sat down with our CEO, Stuart Elliott to recap on this series and talk through some stand out moments from our guests.Emily and Stuart highlight the top book and TV programme recommendations from our guests this series and the topics that have linked to trends within the current HR function and global market as a whole. Stuart also reflects on the most memorable discussions with guests this series as well as his aspirations and hopes for Series 6. Key Timestamps:- 1:40 – Stand out book recommendations from this series' guests - 4:00 – Stand out TV shows from this series' guests- 6:30 – Reflecting on Stuart's achievements in fitness competition, HYROX- 9:35 – Which topics discussed in Series 5 link to current trends within the HR function? - 14:30 – Changes and trends in the current global market- 17:05 – The evolution of Stuart's role and how this has impacted the business - 18:33 – Memorable moments from Series 5- 22:20 – Aspirations for Series 6- 24:00 – A thank you to the guests and listeners of Series 5You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and most popular podcast apps, subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening and please rate and review!
Welcome back to another episode of HR Insights: The Podcast! Stuart Elliott sits down with two guests this week from Parents@work, the CEO and Founder, Sarah Meier and Partner, Celine Hendrick. They join Stuart to talk about the company's aim to transform workplace culture for parents through Peer Coaching, Personal Development and Communication.Sarah Meier is originally from South Africa and began her journey into empowering parents at work after having children of her own and experiencing loneliness when going back to work. She founded Parents@work around six years ago to help tackle these feelings and alleviate the stress of returning to a job as a new parent. Belgian born Celine Hendrick joined the company a year and a half ago and having faced similar difficulties when having her own children, was keen to join an organization that was solely focused on easing this transition.In this episode, Stuart, Sarah and Celine talk about Parent@work's mission to design bespoke programmes for different organizations to support new parents in returning to work, as well as encouraging them to find comfort in expressing their goals and future career plans within their organizations. They also discuss the importance of building a family-friendly environment to maximize hard work and loyalty amongst their workers.Key Time Stamps:- 1:30 – Intro into Sarah Meier - 4:55 – Intro into Celine Hendrick - 17:55 – What are the main challenges for working parents today? - 21:00 – Gender discrepancy for parents at work- 26:40 – How companies can invest in people and do more for parents at work- 28:40 – How to have empathy for working parents - 33:05 – How parents fit into talent strategies within organizations - 37:00 – Advice for people putting off having a family in case of career progression - 42:50 – Parents@work's three key processes - 46:20 – Advice for companies to improve on their treatment of working parents
Stuart Elliott sits down with Louise Swaffield this week, Future Skills Talent Director at Fidelity International. Louise talks through Fidelity's approach to mobility and development opportunities, the importance of upskilling and the advent of hiring based on skillset rather than qualifications. Louise Swaffield has worked in the HR world for over 20 years, beginning at Accenture working across a variety of global talent and HR roles, before taking on a brand new role at Fidelity International where she is leading efforts to embed a strategic skills framework across the organization. In this episode, Stuart and Louise discuss the creation of a talent marketplace within Fidelity in order to maximize mobility, growth learning and development particularly within Financial Services. Louise also highlights the shift in hiring preferences to a more skill-based approach and the importance of enhancing proficiency to maintain an agile and successful career. Key Time Stamps:- 1:10 – Introduction into Louise Swaffield and her background- 10:00 – Fidelity's approach to people mobility and development opportunities- 11:39 – What does the talent marketplace at Fidelity look like? - 15:50 – Fidelity's talent strategies and accelerators reversing the trend of skill scarcity within Financial Services- 19:15 – Challenges that we'll see going forwards in terms of advances in skills and work- 23:40 – The potential gender disparity of skill self promotion in Financial Services - 26:15 - Fidelity's utilization and distribution of skills data within the organization- 28:18 – Are people starting to look more at the skills that they need for a job rather than qualifications?- 31:30 – Are Fidelity investing in the Learning Development of their people to make them have a broader skillset? - 32:30 – Fidelity's focus in terms of future skills