Is This Room Free?

In this epsiode I'm joined by Dotty Day, a seasoned HR professional with over 26 years of experience, specializing in interim roles and organisational change. Dotty shares her unique career journey, which began unexpectedly when she took a temporary position at Boots Pharmaceuticals, leading her to discover her passion for HR amidst a corporate merger.Throughout the conversation, Dotty reflects on her diverse experiences across various organizations, including Capital One and Eon, where she developed her expertise in HR transformation and organizational design. She emphasizes the importance of saying "yes" to opportunities, which allowed her to gain valuable experience and grow her career.Dotty is someone who experienced rapid career progression but she also discusses the challenges of burnout she faced in her early career, which prompted her to reevaluate her work-life balance. This pivotal moment led her to explore freelance work, where she found fulfillment in helping organisations navigate change while maintaining her own flexibility.Having worked in contract roles for many years, Dotty is now looking to help others who want to take the freelancing path through Giggly, a new community for HR professionals and independent consultants helping them with the tools and support required to navigate this route successfully.Notes

In this episode I speak with Megan Kelsall, People and Operations Manager at Kelpi, a startup focused on sustainability through innovative seaweed-based materials. Megan shares her unique career journey, which began in the performing arts as a dancer before transitioning into the corporate world. She reflects on her ballsiness when working in a small business and convincing the MD that they needed a HR function because that's what she wanted to do.Throughout the conversation, Megan discusses her rapid ascent in HR leadership roles, but how she's had to handle imposter syndrome along the way. She discloses her experiences in both small and larger corporate environments, and receiving different advice about which direction to follow with her career but ultimately taking ownership of what she felt was right for her. Megan has primarily worked in businesses that operate within the sustainability sector and she explains what it is like working for companies that are B Copr certified, something she has helped them achieve within her work too.A significant theme of the episode is the importance of mentorship and coaching in professional development. Megan recounts her experience working with a mentor who provided invaluable support during a challenging period in her career. Their discussions helped Megan build resilience, gain confidence, and develop a more nuanced understanding of workplace dynamics. This conversation serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that mentorship can have on personal and professional growth, encouraging listeners to seek out mentors and embrace opportunities for learning and development.Overall, this is an incredible episode that covers many points of interest so I hope you enjoy it.Notes

In this episode I sit down with Ryan Cheyne who has been operating as a HR leader for almost 20 years. Ryan's began his career in retail at Argos, quickly rising through the ranks to become a store manager before transitioning to HR. He talks about a hugely pivotal time at Pets at Home, where he tackled high attrition rates and focused on creating a positive workplace culture. From this we learn about his belief that the most important thing in HR is creating amazing places to work. He emphasises that HR's role is fundamentally about ensuring that employees have a positive and rewarding experience in the workplace. This involves focusing on culture, values, and employee engagement while also ensuring that the basics—such as pay, disciplinary processes, and overall HR functions—are handled effectively. Ryan asserts that when employees feel valued and engaged, they are more likely to deliver excellent service to customers, ultimately leading to the commercial success of the business.The discussion also covers Ryan's experience at rentalcars.com and his subsequent role at Flutter, where he continued to champion the idea that a strong people strategy is essential for business success. Throughout the episode, Ryan highlights the significance of building and maintaining professional relationships, the power of networking, and the impact of having supportive leadership in HR.NotesEdit

In this episode we delve into the significance of HR data, featuring Lara Holding Jones, who is the Founder of Pink Jelly People Consultancy. The thought of data analysis will make many run for the hills but through this conversation we learn about Lara's mission to make HR data engaging and accessible. It's not about becoming an analytics expert, Lara's focus is on practices such as learning what and how to input data correctly, simply become more comfortable and confident around data, but also being able to read reports more effectively so you understand what the data is showing.Lara didn't set out with specific goal of becoming a data specialist. Like many people's careers, it was something that kind of just happened along the way. We talk through her career and how she got some amazing exposure to strategic HR very early in her career. However, a chance opportunity to lead on an LMS implementation sent her career down a new path.Over time she began to realise the importance of data in making informed decisions, and wanted to empower HR teams to become more comfortable and proficient with data analysis.Her motivation stemmed from her belief that if HR professionals could improve their understanding of data and statistics, they could significantly enhance their effectiveness and contribute more strategically to their organizations. So she created Pink Jelly People Consultancy - aimed to provide training and resources that help HR teams move from basic data handling to more advanced analytics, ultimately enabling them to make better decisions and drive business outcomes.Notes

The guest this episode is Amelia Bradshaw who has been in HR for over 20 years and working as a HR leader for over a decade, primarily working in the Tech sector.Amelia is currently looking for a new role and we discuss the challenges of navigating the job market in the current climate. Amelia's regularly posts some thought-evoking topics on LinkedIn and we delve into how and why she started to focus on her personal brand. We also get onto the role of AI in recruitment, discussing its current limitations, and what the future may look like.Amelia fell into HR through an Office Management route and her career progressed quite rapidly to being part of the Leadership Team and overseeing a large HR function with an international aspect. We discuss how she had to learn, grow, and influence to become successful in a HR leadership role as well as how you need to adapt when becoming exposed to sensitive commercial information.Notes

We're back with Season 5 and what a guest for this first episode. I'm joined by the LinkedIn legend that is Emma Djemil.If you don't know Emma then not only does she fill the LinkedIn feed with her TikTok dances, witty, and sometimes provocative statements but more than that she is on a mission to support females through their HR careers. In early 2021 Emma founded Be Unstoppable, her own venture to help women in HR be sustainably curageous and unstoppable in their HR careers. That means being the best you can be but without compromising your family or your health. The conversation starts with us falling into the topic of personal branding and Emma reflects on her experiences with recognition and online negativity. We then dive into the emotional challenges faced by HR professionals and the importance of support networks, sharing personal anecdotes about difficult situations encountered in the field.Emma talks about the need for gender equity in HR leadership, her initiatives such as the HR Club, and the unique struggles of women in the industry. We also address work-life balance, mental health, and the importance of acknowledging personal experiences in professional environments.Lastly, we wrap up by exploring future trends in HR, the imperative of addressing burnout, and ethical considerations in leadership.There's a lot that is unwrapped in this chat yet so pertanent to what is going on in the HR space right now, especially for a lot of women out there. It's a great conversation and I hope you enjoy it.Notes️ Introduction and Personal Branding (00:04 - 07:57)Emma Djemil introduced as a guest on the podcastDiscussion about personal branding on LinkedInEmma's experiences with recognition and trolls on social mediaChallenges of remembering people from LinkedIn in real-life encountersHR Challenges and Realities (07:57 - 18:14)Lack of preparation for HR professionals in dealing with difficult situationsDiscussion on the emotional toll of HR workImportance of support networks for HR professionalsExamples of traumatic experiences in HR (hostage situation, suicide prevention)Women in HR and Workplace Challenges (18:14 - 28:32)Emma's focus on helping women in HR be 'sustainably unstoppable'Creation of the HR Club and HR Big Meet eventDiscussion on gender imbalance in senior HR positionsChallenges specific to women in HR leadership rolesPersonal Experiences and HR Transformation (28:32 - 40:20)Emma's story of going through IVF while working in HRThe struggle of suppressing personal experiences in professional settingsNeed for acknowledging human experiences in the workplaceDiscussion on the term 'humans resourced' for HRWork-Life Balance and Mental Health (40:20 - 49:09)Challenges of separating personal and professional lifeExamples of personal struggles affecting work performanceLack of comfort in discussing personal issues at workNeed for more understanding and flexibility in the workplaceFuture of HR and Leadership (49:09 - 01:00:36)Discussion on hot topics in HR for the coming yearNeed for addressing burnout in the HR professionImportance of leadership paradigm shiftChallenges of balancing profitability with ethical practicesExample of a transformative experience in an accountancy practiceSupport the show

My guest on this episode is Jess Gray who has recently joined a solicitors as part of their outsourced HR team. However, we cover off so many interesting aspects and situations within this episode. Jess found her way into HR and Training after university and gained her Level 5 CIPD. It was always the plan to do some travelling though so she took a break in her fledgling HR career to go overseas and taught English in Thailand.When she returned home she found it incredibly challenging to secure a new entry level HR job, despite having adequate experience and the qualification under her belt.She then joined an organisation and experienced a reduction in the HR team, a change in leadership, investment and growth of the team once again. Jess explains what it was like working through this turbulence and how the priorities changed for the HR function at various stages.Her next company was an Academy Trust which presented a whole new set of challenges. She was now operating in environments where there had barely been a HR presence before and Jess explains how her much of her work had an emphasis of building and nurturing relationships to get those building blocks in place for her to make an impact.Very recently her career has taken another twist by moving into outsourced HR. Jess shares what it has been like adapting to this version of HR delivery but what she has found inredibly enjoyable about it too.This is a highly fascinating conversation shedding light on some aspects of HR that many wouldn't be aware of. I hope you enjoy listening.Support the Show.

We have a first for the podcast - it's the very first time that I've had two guests feature on one episode.I'm joined by Gemma Ellison and Lisa LLoyd who are both returning guests from this series. Since my recording with Gemma in October 2023, the pair have teamed up to create Leadership Labs which provide a truly unique approach to helping leaders tackle issues and drive change.Both highly passionate about workplace culture they also recognised that the general formats for Leadership development simply didn't go far enough or were too generic. They knew that something better could be achieved.What they have created are mechanisms for honesty, collaboration, and peer support and learning. At the same time, they are pushing the boundaries by encouraging leaders to tackle 'experiments' that are measured and assessed to help drive positive change in their businesses.I absolutely love the concept and format they have come up with. Whilst not the traditional format for this podcast, it's still a compelling listen, especially for any HR folk tasked with supporting leadership development in their organisations or even HR leaders themselves.Support the Show.

My guest this episode is Jane Ferre who is an expert in all things Talent Management.Jane is such a fun and engaging individual who is prolific on LinkedIn so connect with her on there if you aren't already.Like many she didn't know what she wanted to do after university but secured a job at Euro Disney in Paris soon after it opened resulting in her dancing in the parade as Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast and having the time of her life!Eventually she moved to British Airways where she spent almost 20 years working in a range of roles within the HR department but it was Talent Management that she always enjoyed the most. After two redundancies in a short space of time she made the decision to go self-employed and help lots of different companies align their Talent Management strategies with the overall business goals to ensure they had the right people with the right capabilities to achieve those goals.During the conversation we discuss the importance of building and maintaining your network. Jane effectively sums this up by saying you need to invest the time by developing your network so that it's there and in place for when you need it.This was an incredibly enjoyable conversation and I'm sure you'll get as much pleasure from listening as I did recording it.Support the Show.

My guest this episode is Lisa LLoyd who could be considered an unconventional guest for me to have on. Whilst Lisa hasn't worked in HR per se, the work she does feeds into the HR ecosystem. In the spirit of bring as broad a variety of people from the HR world onto the show then her story definitely warrants a place here.Lisa studied Psychology at University, not knowing exactly what she wanted to do but feeling it would be something that could help her in whatever vocation she did ultimately choose.Her career then actually began as a Primary School Teacher but it was through her wanting to help those kids most in need of support that made her leave the profession. However, it took her to working directly with those families who needed help and getting them the support they required. This then led to her first position as a Psychologist but it's fascinating to hear how great Managers and Leaders impacted Lisa at this stage in her early career.A chance conversation with a HR friend made Lisa see that the work she had been doing in school environments was equally as relative in the commercial world so she made the leap to working as a Consultant.Where Lisa differs from so many other business coaches out there is that she uses her psychology background but also provides a bespoke, tailored solution to each company she works with. After all no two companies are the same! Lisa is incredibly engaging and has a unique ability to simply issues, identify the true objective with her clients, and then help them develop plans to reach that destination.For anybody frustrated at feeling the burden is on them as the HR person to drive organisational culture matters then this is an absolute must listen.Support the Show.

I'm joined in this episode by Julie Spicher who is Head of People & Culture for energy company Leep Utilities in Manchester.I've know Julie about 8 years when she was a HR Administrator and have watched her career flourish at quite a rapid rate over that time. Even back then she was someone who stood out so it's not surprising that her career has rocketed.I wanted to get Julie on to share her story so we could try and discover what it is about her that has enabled such fast-tracked career progression.Julie is originally from Holland but, at only 17 years old, decided that she wanted to push herself and go off and see the world. She moved to the UK and worked as an au pair before deciding on a career in HR and going to university to study Human Resource Management.She did a placement year working at Honda and then worked in the Shared Service Centre for Marks & Spencers, so left university with two years HR experience already under her belt. This already indicates some of the characteristics that have made her so successful.Julie then worked for a tech business before joining Leep Utilities. This provided Julie with the chance to set up a HR function and all the systems and procedures, which again is quite a task for someone with only a few years experience.Julie was taught early in her career about the importance of asking the 'why' whenever embarking upon an activity or project. This is something that underpins how she operates but she is also someone who has a plan but pushes herself outside her comfort zone. There are so many discussion points within this episode and it's absolute gold for anyone starting out in their career who wants to understand how to excel and propel their career forward.Support the Show.

My guest for this episode is Steven Ingram who worked for the bulk of his HR career doing consultancy before launching his own business, Neurodiversity Together, in the summer of 2023.Steven has ADHD, autism, and a stammer. What I absolutely love about him and what you'll realise from this conversation is that he approaches discussions on neurodiverity in a different way. It's a more holistic and inclusive way for all concerned rather than focussing simply on any singular individual.Having gone straight into the world of HR Consultancy from university he lifts the lid on that world as I think, for many, it's not a pathway that is considered at the entry level. However, Steven explains how, like in any role, you learn from those around you until you have the tools and knowledge to take on further responsibility so there's absolutely no barriers of entry for those starting off in their careers.Steven explains why he ultimately set up his own business and we learn how his approach to supporting individuals and organisations regarding neurodiversity puts just as much onus on the person as it does any adjustments that need to be made to assist them.I find Steven such a refreshing and insightful individual and talking to him raises many lightbulb and 'a-ha' moments. I'm sure you'll enjoy this and gets lots of 'a-ha' moments for yourself too.Support the show

I've often referenced the HR Bingo sheet through various podcast episodes. That's the list of everything you can do in the HR spectrum and ticking off as many as you can.Well I think this episodes guest is the first person I've ever met who can probably stand up and shout "HR BINGO!"I was incredibly thrilled to be joined by Simon Shumann-Davies for this 101st episode.I would class Simon as being in the top percentile of HR professionals, simply based on what his market rate would be if he were looking for permanent work. However, this isn't someone who has had it easy... quite the opposite in fact.Simon began his HR career in the RAF, which in itself is quite unique. Upon leaving the Forces he then struggled to get a HR job in the private sector as his experience in such a different type of organisation wasn't deemed relevant.However, despite overcoming that initial difficulty he has gone on to accumulate one of the most comprehensive profiles I've ever come across.Whilst he says his is an employment law and change specialist, I struggle to think of anything he hasn't done in the HR space. This is combined with him working across an incredible amount of sectors and industries as well as companies from start-up to global giants.Taking another unique turn, Simon now works as a fractional HR Director and he explains what exactly this type of work entails.This is THE episode that you cannot miss!Support the show

This is a landmark episode as it's our 100th!!Therefore a landmark episode requires a guest of equal stature and I'm delighted to be joined by Annette Andrews.Annette has an incredibly fascinating career story to share. From growing up and moving countries ( and schools) reguarly due to her Dad's job, she strongly considered joining the Army but a significant sporting injury meant that was no longer an option.Unsure of what she then wanted to do with her life, some summer work at a local hospital put her under the tutelage of the HR Director. He encouraged Annette to apply for HR graduate schemes which led to her joining Ford  where she stayed for the next 18 years, gaining an MBA along the way.She then joined Lloyds Bank right before the global financial crash in 2008 and was on the actual trading floor the day the markets crashed. This led to supporting the huge transition project of bringing together Lloyds and Bank of Scotland as one new banking group.Annette moved to the US in a Head of HR role for Lloyds but she explains how various things going on in her personal life meant she needed something different from her career during this period and a role that demanded less from her. This is common to so many during their careers and it's encouraging to hear someone with such a stellar career recognise that there may be a time when we need to take our foot of the gas for a while and seek out something more condusive with our personal lives.Then when she was ready to tackle a larger role and a big challenge once again she moved to Lloyds of London as Chief People Officer.Annette now has a portfolio career doing HR Consultancy, Coaching, working as a Non-Exec Director, and doing Speaking events.This is an incredible episode that covers so much, especially about how Annette has pulled on the experiences throughout her life to aid her career but how life also impacts the decisions we make at times too.I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Support the show

Joining me on this episode is Beth Orford who is the Head of People for a FinTech business called Everything Financial.Beth is an incredible guest as she changes the perspective on how we should look at not only our careers but HR as a function. She is someone who has learnt to understand what type of work she is suited to and therefore, just as importantly, what types of roles and environments she wouldn't be a good fit for. This has been something she has discovered over time but now she has clarity it is the lynchpin to how she determines if a role will be suitable or not, and she explains how this impacts her reading of an advert, and the questions she asks through an interview process.Beth also challenges the evolution of HR beyond the current notion of becoming 'People' functions to something even broader and presents the concept of 'Capability' being what her purpose and remit is all about.Beth began her career in L&D but realised to have a greater impact she needed to broaden her own toolkit and, working for Virgin Money, had the opportunity to move across a few different areas within HR to develop her knowledge.Whilst she has remained within the Financial Services sector in various guises this is just an incredibly fascinating conversation to hear how someone has found what works best for them and then the ripple effect of understanding what type of roles and environments she suits and can deliver the most value in.It's a great listen so I hope you enjoy it.  Support the show

Joining me on this epsiode is Caroline Oxley who works as Head of People & Culture for a property investment company and is based in Greater Manchester.In her early HR career, Caroline worked in Facilities Management. What I found interesting was that people in HR always talk about delivering bad news, such as redundancies in the right way and being empathetic, however, Caroline shared a further nuance where in industries where there are high levels of TUPE transfers, such as outsourced service delivery, and contracts changing hands every few years then it's even more important to 'do it right' as it can impact business development and there's a liklihood of your encountering people you've had tough conversations with further down the line.Caroline is someone who has experience of doing large scale TUPE (one company went from 6 people to circa 1400 in the space of a few months!) and she talks us through what is involved, how to successfully navigate it, but also what type of person might be better suited to it. Therefore, it's incredibly helpful to listen to Caroline explain it all if you're someone who has never done it but is curious about it. As with many of my guests, Caroline is also a Mum, and she talks about having to leave a job she loved due to the amount of travel required and her feeling like she wasn't being the best Mother she should be but then torn about not being the best working professional she should be too.However, this change was significant for Caroline as it re-positioned her as a HR professional who moved from having worked for large companies to getting experience of working in much smaller operations which required a different type of HR.This is a wonderful journey, understanding what HR can be like in organisations of different sizes and ownership. There's a lot to take away so I hope you enjoy it!Support the show

I'm delighted to be joined by Hayley Duckworth on this latest episode of the podcast. Hayley is someone I've known in a loose sense for a long time and have watched her career flourish. Like many, she began in recruitment but didn't enjoy the sales aspect to it so made the logic move into HR. Hayley has had some amazing opportunities to get exposure to some of the less-common HR activties such as mergers, TUPE transfers, and change/transformations. This leads us to discussing the HR Bingo Card (as I've defined it) and the benefits of either coincidentally joining organisations who are going through changes where you get exposure to some of these less common HR activities or seeking out roles that can give you exposure to them for your development.We also learn how Hayley did a degree whilst working full-time and then topped that by not only working full-time and studying for a Masters but then having her first child midway through the course too. Hayley currently works a four day week and one of the things that drew her to applying for her current role as Head of People at Marsden Building Society was how family friendly their advert read and the fact they were open to part-time as well as full-time applicants.As a recruiter I'm highly aware of the lack of part-time opportunities in the professional and qualified space yet the high number of people who would prefer part-time hours that would accommodate the demands of family life. It's a topic we discuss in some depth and how employers could benefit in their hiring strategies by simply being more open minded.This is a wonderful conversation and there's plenty to get from all the topics we cover so I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

This is the final episode of 2023 and I'm joined by Jo Mountney, who has spent the entirety of her career so far within hospitality and tourism, working for the largest theme park in the UK for 20 years.Jo initially began in operations before moving into L&D and then ultimately HR. She believes that her background in operations has been one of the most useful aspects for her career, as it has enabled her to understand the position of her stakeholders better.It becomes apparent that Jo has put herself into situations that have been way outside her comfort zone. From studying in France for four months, where all lectures were delivered in French, to making the move firstly into L&D and then into HR. However, she recognises that one of the ways we grow best and develop is by stretching ourselves in such a way.... and it's a concept she's taken into managing teams but as an enabler for her own teams to grow and develop too.Behind all of this, Jo is naturally someone who lacks confidence in herself. It was others who pushed her to apply for roles (that she never thought she'd have a chance of securing) but it was her ability to solve problems, have the vision, and lead that helped her. Overarching it all is that Jo places people at the centre of everything she does and driving every decision she makes.We manage to squeeze quite a lot of different topics into this episode (a Christmas cracker, you could say!) and I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

The guest this episode is Jane Ayrton who has been working in the L&D space for over 30 years.Her career has incorporated being in both self-employed and employed roles. In her most recent role, Jane was Head of L&D in a financial services business and worked with what she describes as 'the best team she had ever had the pleasure of leading'. Within that same organisation, they introduced Insights Discovery Profiling and Jane shares the principles of what that is but then explains the amazing results they achieved by using it. The key, as with any learning initiatives, was their focus on embedding what was learned, how the information was being used day-to-day, and then measuring the results. The business were able to see marked improvements in all aspects following the roll-out of this across the organisation from how people communicated with each other to projects delivered quicker and more efficiently.Jane takes great pleasure from watching others grow and succeed and we talk through some principles of how to get the best from your teams.We also discuss the topic of confidence as this is something that Jane coached when self-employed having struggled with confidence herself in her early career. She shares some really useful tips to help boost your confidence when you really need it.I've known Jane a number of years so always knew trhis was going to be a great conversation. However, I also learned a lot through the various topics we explored too. I hope you enjoy it! career outplacement, career consulting, Support the show

My guest this episode is Daniel Balshaw who has built a HR career combining his two interests - technology and people.Dan was working in his local Sainsbury's store when he was approached by the HR team (personnel back then) to help with letter formatting, as simple as that now sounds, due to his IT skills. This was the early days of computers in the workplace so having the ability to work his way around a PC became advantageous.Sainsburys were one of the first large organisations in the UK to open a Shared Service Centre and Dan was one of the first employees to start there. This was the catalyst to his career taking the direction it has.Dan has run large scale technical and systems implementation but he believes it's vitally important in getting the part right of taking people through that journey, to ensure the tech lands successfully. It's effectively change management and we delve into the factors that ensure change and transformation projects go as smoothly as possible.We also tackle the concept of AI and how it might impact the world of HR in the future.Dan clearly loves what he does and has found a niche within the HR universe that enables him to get a buzz out of what he does each day but also what the future might have in store for all of us through the use of technology in the workplace. I loved chatting with Dan and hope you enjoy listening as much.Support the show

My guest this episode is Natalie Ellis who is the founder of Rebox HR, a multi-award winning HR Consultancy business based in Daventry, Northhamptonshire.Natalie has spent over 17 years in the world of HR, working her way through the corporate world before deciding to start her own business in 2020.Originally starting her career in the travel industry, Natalie believes it was those lessons she learnt about tailoring the service to the needs of each customer that gave her the foundations for how her business operates so successfully.Although Natalie is essentially an outsourced service provider, there are lessons in how she partners with each customer. She wants to learn and understand the intricacies of their culture, identity, and ways of working. The same approach can be applied for internal HR teams as your 'customers' are the internal stakeholders you support so it's about understanding their needs and adapting your delivery accoridngly to achieve the best results.Natalie's first HR role was with Woolworths during the period they went into administration, and she explains what a baptism of fire it was to the world of HR going through such a process. She then joined a little start-up called ASOS to set up their HR function.A couple of years ago, right before launching the business, Natalie suffered with a breakdown due to burning herself out. She is very open and honest about this period of her life and is a huge advocate for HR for HR to try and ensure others don't succumb to what she endoured.On top of all this we also address the question "Is it the responsibility of HR to change the way they are perceived in businesses?"Natalie has been there, done it, and got the t-shirt through her career and this is a great conversation covering so many of the burning topics in HR right now.I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

This episode I'm joined by Alex Rose who is Group Recruitment & Media Manager for a cake manufacturer called BBF based in Blackburn.I wanted to invite Alex on as a guest as I helped recruit him into this position and it was an interesting brief that his HR Director wanted from the role. Over the past couple of years I've followed what he has been doing and, more importantly, the impact and results the business have benefitted from.Alex started out as an agency recruiter before moving internally. We discuss the key differences from the two sides of the recruitment fence and the transition needed from a sales mindset to a service one when moving internally.It was when working for an organisation in the construction industry who had a fantastic brand that he first became aware of benefits a strong brand (and the subsequent employer brand) had on their recruitment and talent attraction.Alex now works for a company who manufacture cakes on behalf of supermarkets. They aren't able to put their name against any of the products they manufacture as the supermarkets own the product and any licensing. Therefore, this had historically made recruitment very challenging. However, a significant part of Alex's job is to create various content and marketing strategies to enhance the brand as well as shining a spotlight on what it's like to work in the company. After two years of consistently creating content the results speak for themselves in how beneficial this has been to their direct hiring.I personally believe there has been a real morphing between the role of a recruiter and a marketer in recent years and this episode highlights how significant and relevant this concept is.If you have any responsibility for recruitment in your company then this is absolutely an episode you don't want to miss.Support the show

Joining me on this episode is Wendy Macartney who is not only a Senior HRBP but also a coaching Psychologist.This is a fabulous conversation as we really go off-script and barely touch upon Wendy's actual career journey. However, what we do uncover is far more insightful as Wendy is such a fascinating individual.She gave up a position on a fast-track leadership programme, despite incredible pressure from her friends and family all saying she was crazy, because she believed deep down that it wasn't truly the right direction for her. It was a pivotal moment for her as it took her down a path of self-discovery and Wendy states she's had these inflection moments about 4/5 times through her career, where she has had a realisation she's on the wrong path and pivoted against the recommendation of others.Wendy was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult and around that time she was having to make redundancies. Wendy recognised that the majority of these individuals had psychologic disorders or were experiencing hormonal changes, which were affecting their performance. This led to her decising to retrain as a Psychologist.Wendy works for an organisation who have embraced that everyone is different and they use her psychology expertise to coach line managers into understanding how to get the very best out of people as we're not simply round pegs fitting into round holes. However, in most organisations this isn't the case so Wendy shares ways you can influence business leaders to also look at adopting the principles of individuality but through performance maximisation.She also has a strong interest in bullying and harrassment, why it happens, but how to educate people in how their behaviour is affecting others as well as explaining some tools to deflect these actions if you're on the receiving end.As you can tell there's a heck of a lot that gets unwrapped and debated on within this episode but we have lots of laughs along the way too (there's even a spot of teaching me meditation techniques), so I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.Support the show

My guest for this episode is Alison Allen who, following a successful career in internal HR, set up her own HR Consultancy in March 2023.Alison's real passion through her career has been about developing people, so as well as providing generalist HR support to her clients, she also works as a coach and a mentor, an Insights practitioner, she is a trained and accredited mediator, and offers bespoke line management development programmes. Not wanting to stop at just that, Alison is also a qualified Menopause Workplace Trainer.Originally intending to be a Teacher, Alison realised that wasn't for her and embarked upon a period in L&D before moving into generalist HR. Her first HR role was a standalone position for a multi-site, national business and we discuss how you succeed in a role despite never having worked in it before and, therefore, with very limited knowledge and expertise. She then moved her career forward with a mindset of plugging the gaps in her own skills base to ensure she had as complete a tool kit as she possibly could.There's a pattern within Alison's journey of going back to former employer's but in a new role that aligns with her own wants, needs, and development goals and we discuss how and why sometimes you need to leave a company if opportunities aren't available but why there's also no reason you can't return in the future if circumstances change.When she decided to go self-employed, Alison knew that she wanted to become a specialist in menopause awareness and we talk through why this is such a critical topic. 75% of people going through the menopause have symptoms and, of those, 1 in 4 has serious symptoms. 100 years ago the average age of menopause was 57 and your life expectancy age was 59. Whereas now menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45-55 and average life expectancy is 83. Therefore, where is now appears in life is with women who are in the prime of their careers and often in influential and significant roles. 25% of women are considering leaving their employers due to lack of support and this is why it's so important we recognise the impact the menopause can have and employers do all they can to help.There are so many wonderful aspects we cover in this conversation beyond the menopause but this is certainly a hot topic that needs more awareness and education around so I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

How do you get to the top of your game? What should you be doing, and more importantly not doing, to be a HR professional who is taken seriously and has a track record of success and impact?Well this is the episode that uncovers all that.I'm joined once again by Rachel Wilson Rugelsjoen who has worked for some of the most high profile, multinational corporations.Rachel was my guest towards the end of Season 3 and we didn't manage to get through all we wanted to that time so the plan was always to bring her back to dive deeper into some of the parts we weren't able to cover off last time.In this episode Rachel explains what it was like returning to Norway the second time, but on this occasion with solid HR career already behind her rather than trying to launch a career as was the case ten years previous. She tells how Norway had changed and become more multicultural and inclusive but how for any person relocating internationally can be a challenge as you leave your reputation behind and almost have to start from scratch.However, my favourite part of our conversation is where we delve into what measures you need to be taking if you want to become a HR professional who is contributing to the strategy and truly adding value and impact. This will be a game-changer episode for many people and make them look at their careers in a critical manner but in a way to ensure they are on the right track for whichever destination they ultimately want to get to.I hope you enjoy listening as much I enjoyed the conversation with Rachel. Support the show

My guest for this episode is Gemma Ellison who currently works as a Senior Talent & Leadership Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support.However, Gemma didn't start her career within HR. She had studied Law at university and went on to become a solicitor. An opportunity presented itself when she spoke up about the culture within the law firm she was working at where she was told to 'do something about it'. Gemma subsequently wrote a three year strategy to drive the changes she felt were required.Interestingly, Gemma had always had an interest in Culture, Leadership, and the improving workplaces so this sliding doors moment presented her with an opportunity to follow her passion and she has been helping various businesses since.This is a very candid and fascinating conversation. Gemma shares pivotal periods in her life that contributed to her working career and some of the challenges and obstacles she has had to endure and overcome.I really want to thank Gemma for being so honest during our recording as it enabled some deep conversations that make for a riveting listen. I hope you enjoy it.Support the show

I'm so excited to share this episode as my guest is Nicola Coull who is a Managing Director. What is unique is that Nicola made that move from a HR background, which it seems very rarely occurs. Hence, I asked Nicola if she'd join me as a guest to not only share her story but also to discuss why so few HR professionals make that transition into a business leader role.Nicola has a HR Management degree but through her studies and over the course of her career there has always been a mindfulness of the bigger picture and not just staying in her 'HR lane'. She has always had an appreciation of an organisation in its entirity and the impact each function has.You might assume that you'd need to be 100% career focussed to do this. However, Nicola has two children and even had a 3.5 year career break when her children were both very young and we discuss what it was like when she ultimately did return to work after such a long break.One of the key aspects that is picked up from Nicola's career journey is that she identified it was in SME's where she believes you are generally able to have greater operational focus and influence than you can in larger corporates. Nicola also tells us what she feels makes an effective HR leader and how to have an impact at that level. It leads us to discussing 'your own personal brand' and what type of HR practitioner you want to be through your 'flavour' of HR.Finally I hit Nicola with the questions around "why don't more HR professionals become business leaders" and "is there a lack of respect given to HR people in believing they have the capability to make the move". So sit back and enjoy the chat to find out what Nicola's replies were. Support the show

This week's guest is Dan Wilbeck who currently works as a HR Manager for a US Tech Tourism business, based in Liverpool (UK) and covering the UK and Europe in a standalone capacity.Both of Dan's parents are dyslexic and is the youngest of six brothers but none of his siblings were diagnosed with the condition. Dan had struggled with reading and writing but hid it and he himself didn't realise was also dyslexic until a university lecturer suspected it and made a suggestion of reading from green, not white, paper.Dan's initial career journey surprisingly began with him working in a Funeral Director's. Opening up a drawer and seeing the lack of documentation for each employee alarmed him and changed his trajectory to becoming a HR practitioner.Dan has a very clear perspective on what he thinks HR should be and we discuss how he has become quite a prolific poster of HR content on LinkedIn and the benefits of doing so. Working primarily in manufacturing through the early stages of his HR life, Dan then chose to become a HR Consultant to gain diversification and further breadth of experience. He now works in a standalone role supporting the UK and Europe region for a US tech business and Dan shares with us how he has grown and adapted in this role.This is a great episode where we discuss and debate over a range of topics so there's plenty included for anyone no matter the stage of your HR career.  Support the show

In this episode I'm joined by Roisin Williams who has been in HR for over 30 years and has been a freelancer for the past 3 years. Roisin's career is a fascinating one as one of her first roles was as Equality and Diversity Adviser for Cheshire Constabulary. This was the late 90's where equality and diversity wasn't as broad a topic and was more about improving equality for women in the workplace. Apart from a degree in Women Studies, Roisin admits she had no practical skills or experience to do a job like this, however, she 'took a punt' and submitted an application and ultimately got the job. That approach of 'taking a punt' is one which she applied throughout her career and it's a concept we discuss and why more people should adopt it.As well as working in senior in-house HR roles, Roisin has also worked for some large, well-known outsourced HR providers and we discuss the pros and cons of working in outsourced HR. We also cover what life is like as a freelancer, good and bad, for anyone who might be interested in their career taking that route.On top of all that we talk about the amazing work of a charity called Smart Works, where Roisin does some volunteering. They provide work outfits for disadvantaged women for interviews and Roisin offers coaching for CV's and interviews. It's a phenomenal charity and this part of our chat alone is worth listening to raise awareness of the amazing work they do.Support the show

My guest on this episode is Rebekah Ross, someone I've known for two years after we connected whilst she was looking to move from a career as a nurse to HR.I'm delighted Rebekah was able to join me as a guest as we had to squeeze the recording in whilst her baby was asleep and before my children got home from school. I mention that because within this conversation we highlight how life isn't always plain sailing and often life gets in the way. Rebekah shares her story of why she decided to leave the nursing profession but how she looked at what she enjoyed within her role and researched what other professions she could leverage on those skills to transition into. A career in HR struck a chord but she then had the task of showing the rest of the world why anyone should consider her for a job in their HR team.Rebekah explains how she started studying her Masters in HR to show her commitment and intent to this career change, as well as re-positioning her CV to evidence the transferable skills she had. She took a leap of faith and accepted a short term contract role as a Recruitment Advisor which acted as a perfect springboard into her current position as a HR Assistant.However, through this journey over the past two years Rebekah has also moved house, got married, and had a baby! This is a superb episode with lots of learnings and insights for anyone looking to change career and move into the world of HR. I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

We're taking a slightly different route with this episode and my guest is Janet Hadley - the very first non-HR guest!However, the work that Janet does is incredibly relevant to the HR profession and so the justification to have her as a guest was a no-brainer.Janet is the Founder of Choose Sunrise, a business that she launched in May 2022 to raise awareness about alcohol in the workplace, remove the stigma of alcoholism, and work with organisations to develop bespoke solutions to promote alcohol-safe workplaces.This is a really open and honest conversation where both Janet and myself share our own relationships with alcohol, but there are also plenty of listeners who will be able to identify with the various topics we discuss. There was even a lightbulb moment for myself when I identified with some institutionalised practices regarding alcohol that I've adopted into my own business.This is a must-listen for any HR professional to help understand the issue that alcohol has within our society and ultimately the workplace. For example, did you know:5% of all workplace absence is alcohol related32% of employees have attended work with a hangover in the past month20% of workers have drunk more than they wanted to due to pressure from colleagues40% of all industrial accidents are linked to substance abuse50% of all sexual harassment claims involve alcoholOn 3rd May 2023, Janet is hosting a Teetotal Tasting Event in Leeds, England where guests will leave with a new favourite alcohol-free drink and some tips you can put in place to help you create an alcohol-safe work place, without killing the buzz!Here is the link for anyone who wants to attend - https://choosesunrise.co.uk/registerFor anyone who would like to connect or follow Janet / Choose Sunrise then here are the links:Connect with me on Linked InFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/choosesunriseInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/choose_sunrise/Listen to the Podcast - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choose-sunriseSupport the show

My guest this episode is Rachel Wilson Rugelsjøen who is the Founderand MD of Level Up HR, a HR consultancy helping businesses and HRfunctions to level up and get results through people who thrive.However, Rachel's back story is a truly fascinating one.Having done a Psychology degree and then a Masters in HRM, Rachel did aone-year study internship at Copenhagen Business School. Here she mether now husband and decided to try and get her first HR role in Norwayrather than returning to the UK. However, this was significantly morechallenging than she had anticipated but ultimately she got there.Eventually Rachel and her husband did relocate back to the UK and shewas headhunted for a Senior HR role with Merrill Lynch whilst stillrelatively early in her career. From there Rachel has gone on to workfor some huge, global organisations such as Barclays Capital, Cognizantand The Norwegian Oil Fund.Rachel shares some incredible insights during our conversation and sheis a truly inspirational HR professional. This one isn't to be missed!Support the show

Joining me as my guest this episode is Gemma Isherwood who currently works as Global Head of HR for a business unit in a large, international organisation. Gemma is originally from the UK but, interestingly, has never worked in HR there.Having studied Biomedical Science at university she didn't fancy life working in a lab and found her way into recruitment. However, her degree did turn out to be beneficial as Gemma specialised in Healthcare and Life Sciences. An opportunity came up to move to internal recruitment but it meant a big life choice for her and her partner as it was based in Holland. Eventually Gemma transitioned over to HR and has worked in a number of international roles, all for the same company. Wanting to move again, now as a family, they moved to Philadelphia in the US in Jan 2020.Within our conversation Gemma shares what it's been like not only to work internationally (and all the ups and downs that has with it) but the personal side of living in different countries too. This is such an interesting and fascinating conversation and really helps you understand what a global HR career can look like. Gemma is such a fun and down to Earth individual which made it a thoroughly enjoyable chat. I hope you enjoy it.Support the show

After a long wait, I've finally managed to get someone from the Talent Acquisition / Internal Recruitment space onto the podcast. And what a guest in Trish Young I have for you!Trish is originally from Northern Ireland but went to university in England and decided to stay once she'd graduated. Having done a Business Management degree she wasn't sure what would come next but learnt about a career in recruitment at a Jobs Fair. Trish admits it was a bit of a car crash and that she wasn't quite suited to life in a staffing/recruitment agency. However, it wasn't recruitment itself that she didn't enjoy more the sales aspect. So a conversation with a former client led her to a Talent Acquisition role and then the ultimate move to in-house.For anyone wondering what exactly life looks like for an Internal Recruiter then this is a must-listen episode. Trish shares just how many facets there are to the job, what it takes to become successful in this type of role, and how she's learnt the importance of using data as a tool.Trish was great fun to talk to and we really lift the lid on the world of internal recruitment so I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

On this episode I'm joined by Justin Dorsey who currently works as a Lead HR Consultant for an outsourced HR provider in Dallas, Texas. I've been connected with Justin for a while on LinkedIn and he is someone who posts really interesting and thought provoking ideas so he naturally caught my attention and someone I was very keen to get onto the podcast.Justin has a very interesting introduction into HR. He was working in the Finance Team for a cell phone retail business when the HR Director left and Justin put his hand up and offered himself up for the vacant role..... with absolutely no previous HR experience. Want to find out how that worked out? Well you'll have to listen to the episode to find out, of course. However, Justin is still in HR so it can't be all bad.Throughout our conversation, Justin shares his view on HR and how he believes we should always be re-assessing our ways of working to ensure we're always raising the bar and pushing ourselves further. In his current role, Justin has gone from in-house HR to working for an outsourced Consultancy, meaning he now works with a range of businesses on an ever wider range of HR topics. It's something he absolutely loves so we explore the difference between the two (internal and outsourced) for anyone else keen to understand that side of things.Justin is an inspirational HR leader who is always pushing the status quo and an hour probably didn't do justice to the further insights we could have gotten from him. However, this is still a fantastic episode so I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

My guest for this episode is Jenn Wells, People Operations Lead for a cyber security business, based in Dallas, Texas.Jenn's story will be familiar to so many people. Not being overly academic, she went straight into employment after school but wasn't sure what she wanted to do for a career. Like a lot of people she went into administration and found that she got a bit comfy and stayed in some roles longer than maybe she should have.Her first insight into the world of HR came when a colleague was going on maternity leave so Jenn offered to cover her HR role. However, it wasn't until later in her career, working for a nation-wide US business, that she built up a relationship with the HR Director and got on so well that she asked if she could be part of the HR team. This was when Jenn's career really kicked off.Jenn is very active on LinkedIn and it's clear to see how much passion she has for HR. Despite not having worked in HR for her whole career, Jenn's superpower is being able to bring a breadth of experience from the operational side of a business. Her approach to her HR career is essentially a motto for life - treat others the way you'd want to be treated yourself.I loved talking with Jenn and she's really easy to get on with, something I anticipate comes across when you listen to our conversation. So.... I hope you enjoy it!Support the show

On this I'm joined by Jenny Cook, People Director at a specialist fleet company in the UK.  I've known Jenny a long time and we've been trying to set up this recording for almost two years so I'm really pleased we've managed to get her on as a guest at last.Jenny is someone who hasn't been pigeon-holed to one specific industry but has worked for a real breadth of companies in a variety of sectors. This is actually one of the topics we discuss, why some organisations insist on previous sector experience when they are recruiting but does it really matter? We also talk about thinking outside of the box when trying to recruit into certain roles in your organisation and looking for transferable skills rather than a like-for-like, and how this can open up a wider talent pool for you.Jenny is someone who has energy in abundance (or Jenergy as she has rebranded it)! She is passionate about ensuring that the teams she leads understand the importance of being approachable and engaging, especially in an organisation where employees are spread around the country and might not have a lot of interaction with the HR team. Jenny has a fantastic reputation amongst her network and it's clear to understand why. This is a fantastic episode and we have a few giggles along the way so I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

The guest on this episode is Mike Shaw who has spent the past six years working in Learning & Development. However, prior to that he has spent two decades working in the Education sector as a teacher and then in various Senior Management/Leadership positions.In this episode we find out why Mike decided to make the transition, the challenges he faced, but how the power of building up a network ultimately led to successfully securing a position as a Head of L&D in a large corporate business. We talk about how important it is when you come from somewhere like a non-traditionally corporate background to reframe your CV to overcome prejudice and lack of understanding by recruiters and hiring managers but what benefits someone who is doing a career change can bring.Mike's career has been built on the rule of 'do the job until you've feel you've done it as well as you can or you feel you've outlived the whatever you were brought in to do'.  We take this concept and explore how businesses, HR, and line managers should be doing more to have open and honest conversations with employees to address those factors that can potentially lead to someone leaving.Mike is a fascinating individual who has been able to identify what he enjoys doing most and keep that as a 'core' through his career, whilst taking some interesting twists and turns with the decisions he has made. I hope you enjoy listening as I loved doing the recording.Support the show

Joining me this week is Rebekah Zetts, a HR Director living in Dallas. Rebekah's journey is a fascinating one as she has only worked in HR for a couple of years. However, in that short space of time she has progressed to HRD and I was curious to find out how. Rebekah has a background unlike most. She spent a year in France before taking International Studies and French at university. After graduating she moved to South Korea and taught English for a few years. After returning to the US and continuing her teaching career, Rebekah questioned whether this was the right vocation for her. She wrote down all the skills she had acquired and realised they matched those required in HR, so she went back to university to gain the theoretical knowledge needed to support a career transition. Whilst studying, Rebekah started networking and found this was hugely beneficial. She combined attending events with developing her LinkedIn network, sending messages and introducing herself to others in the profession. All this networking led to her securing her first HR role and she hasn't looked back since.A combination having a unique non-traditional perspective on HR, being able to leverage on the knowledge of her wider network, having the opportunity to get some amazing exposure to strategic projects early on, and absolute hard work have all been ingredients to helping Rebekah accelerate her HR career from first job to HR Director in such a short space of time.I had such a great time chatting with Rebekah about her whole career journey and there are some amazing insights shared. I hope you enjoy listening!Support the show

Joining me on this episode is Alison Dixon who is based in Austin, Texas and working as Global Head of People Operations for a tech business.The more of these conversations I have, the more common it seems that my guests have all entered HR via an unorthodox route. Alison is another prime example of this. Having entered the job market in the middle of the global recession in 2008, there were literally no jobs.Alison did eventually secure a job, working in Fundraising for a local high school. She continued down this career path for a number of years before having the opportunity to do a Masters degree in Organisational Design. This gave Alison exposure to the world of HR and she was fascinated by it. Her perception of HR until then had been one of the 'morality police' and she was now seeing it in a very different manner, and she was hooked!Alison has gone on to have what I would class as an accelerated HR career, progressing to a leadership role in only five years. Getting under the skin of how she has managed to do this it can partly be attributed to her approach to HR. Because she had no preconceptions about how she should act as a HR professional, Alison was both vulnerable and authentic. She was honest when she didn't know the answer to something and built trust by being imperfect and authentic. She was also inquisitive asked questions to get under the skin of the business in order to understand what was really going on in the teams she supported, therefore enabling her to better assist them.Alison is really refreshing and honest in this conversation and I believe there are some reflections we can all have by listening to her thoughts on the delivery of modern HR practices. I hope you enjoy listening!Support the show

My guest this week is Samantha Purdy who has built up a career in Learning & Development and then the broader, over-arching Organisational Development.Like many, Samantha felt a bit lost after College and wasn't sure about which direction to take. Despite considering to do a Social Care degree, she also looked at other options and applied for some Apprenticeships too. One was for a Business Administrator in local government and just happened to be in their Organisational Development team. As Samantha's skills and capability developed she was asked by her Manager if she wanted to start delivering some training. So as a 19 year old, she wrote and delivered her first training programme. Pretty scary stuff for someone so young and Samantha admits to struggling with imposter syndrome even now.As her career progressed it took her out of public service and into the private sector.... and back again. Along the way she has picked up line management responsibility and Samantha talks about how it was easy to start in a new role as a line manager than transitioning into that type of position from within a team. She also talks about  where in one Management role she oversaw a large team and her realisation that she really missed being 'hands-on' so left for something that was a good blend between leading a team but still being involved in daily activities herself.This is a fantastic conversation for anyone who has wondered about the world of L&D and OD, and considered if this would be a good career as an alternative to HR. I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

In this episode I'm joined by Katrina Reader who currently works as a HR Associate for one of the Big Four accountancy firms in the UK.I was absolutely blown away and utterly impressed with Katrina. Her story is a perfect case study in how to give yourself the best chance of securing employment post-university.Katrina did a BA in Human Resource Management but was very conscious that it would be highly advantageous to get some practical experience on her CV. So not only did she choose an undergraduate course that had a one-year vocational placement as part of the programme but Katrina also maximised her chances by doing some volunteering work.Her first role was to volunteer at a charity and she gained some basic administration skills. This was followed by a period of work for a recruitment agency, doing Right To Work checks, placing adverts, and screening applications. Both of these helped her secure a job with Bentley Motors for her placement year, beating all the competition to work for this highly respected brand.By the time Katrina graduated from university, not only did she have a First Class HR degree to her name, but she also had two years worth of practical work experience on her CV. This put her in the top 10% of graduates who entered the job market and ensured she got offered a permanent role - again with a highly revered organisation.This an absolute MUST Listen for anyone currently in university! I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

My guest this week is Christina Cantu who managed to secure her first HR job at the start of 2022. After a whirlwind 12 months, seeing her nominated as Emerging HR Professional of the Year, Christina has learnt a heck of a lot and kindly shares her story and experiences with me.Christina is the first person in her family to attend University and since she can remember she has had a plan of achieving her Bachelors degree, then a Masters, and finally a PhD. Having secured a BA in Psychology, she is about to complete her MA in Public Administration.HR came on to her radar after her Mother first suggested it but at that time Christina's perception of HR was that of most - the department that just hires and fires people. However, it was through a module within the Masters study course that she learnt about the wider remit and impact that great HR can have.As she entered the job market Christina found it extremely tough. She was applying for entry level HR roles but consistently found that she wasn't getting any form of response or feedback from any applications. Christina is very candid and open about just how difficult a period this was and how she started to doubt herself and have a lot of negative thoughts, wondering if she was being overlooked because of her age or because of career choices she had made.However, Christina finally secured an Internship and grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Coming to the end of her first year in HR she explains what she has learnt and how she has developed her skills and knowledge. This is a superbly helpful discussion for anyone looking to enter the HR profession covering the highs and the lows! I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

My guest this week is Sarah Burton who has been primarily working in the Tech industry for the past twenty years.I found this conversation with Sarah a really interesting and insightful one as it became apparent as we spoke just how tactical she had been with her career. She explained how working in the public sector had given her a really solid foundation in 'what good looks like' but she left after a relatively short period to move into an SME. Sarah was conscious of the broader exposure she would get in that type of environment and how much it would benefit her development.Sarah explains how she believes one of the most important skills to have in your locker is stakeholder management, and how effective communication builds trust and credibility.  She also talks about what it's like working in the Tech sector, so really useful for anyone who has been curious about that space for your HR career.Sarah also shares what it's like to step up and move into a strategic or leadership role, providing fantastic insights for anyone who has aspirations to climb the career ladder.This is a superb conversation with plenty of lessons to be learned. I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

Have you ever wondered what the mindset or approach is needed to become a HR leader? Well then what an episode we have this week, where I'm joined by Michele Haugh.Having done a business degree at university, Michele decided that a HR career path was for her but upon entering the job market found she had no practical experience. What Michele then did was strategically map out a route via recruitment, then training, that ultimately led to her fulfilling her career goals.Michele has tackled numerous relocations, due to her husband's job, and taking an extended career break whilst living in Thailand and raising their children. However, she has applied a key fundamental in her HR approach that has enabled her to reach the top of her game. It's the understanding that to be truly effective, you need to adopt a complete business partnering methodology. This means that you get to understand the business and it's issues first then look at the HR initiatives and strategies you can implement to add the maximum value. A simple concept, yet not one applied by everyone. Michele now runs a HR Consultancy, along with her business partner, where they provide HR support and Engagement initiatives to early or growth stage businesses.Listening to Michele talk, it's easy to understand how she has created such a successful HR career and there are some great takeaways and advice she delivers during our talk.I hope you enjoy listening.earlyHRSolutions - https://www.earlyhrsolutions.com/earlyEngage - https://www.earlyengage.com/Support the show

Joining me on this episode is Mags Kerns. She has been in HR since graduating from university but after climbing the career ladder and having worked as a HR leader in her last few positions, Mags decided to set up as a coach in October 2021.Throughout her career, Mags had seen how challenging it could be as a profession and often you have to deal with some really emotional aspects. It got her thinking 'where is the HR for HR?' and she wanted to do something about that. She initially set up a Facebook group called The HR Sanctuary and that then led her to start coaching and Mags is now a qualified Breakthrough Coach who specialises in helping HR professionals who are currently feeling burned out and overwhelmed, or perhaps lacking the self-belief to fulfil their true potential. We talk about how Mags progressed through her career and how she was exposed to and tasked with leading on some pretty large projects whilst still in the early days of her HR journey, and how she ultimately handled those situations and learnt how to do HR. Later in her career, Mags joined a start-up and she explains how you tackle a situation like that where there is literally nothing in place. The coaching work that Mags now with HR people is amazing. She tailors each programme to the individual and it's easy to understand why she is getting interest from HR people around the world who need some support.This is a fantastic conversation that I thoroughly enjoyed so I hope you get some benefit from listening.https://www.magskernscoaching.com/ The HR Sanctuary group on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/547127873015680/)Support the show

My guest this week is Tim Roberts, a seasoned Learning & Development professional who has been running his own business, Enthuse, for the past four years where he focuses on the application of emotional intelligence in our workplaces and how we interact with colleagues. Tim explains that when we understand what our own values are and how these affect the way we communicate with others, then it provides a platform for cohesiveness, improved relationships, and overarching culture. He has also written a book (Break The Mould) that highlights the importance of not feeling the need to fit within a preconceived stereotype, but by being your true, authentic self, you are then able to be the best version of yourself.... and when you are the best version of you you can be then good things tend to happen!Tim had a few roles before finding his way into Training and L&D. By participating in a Leadership Development programme at the company he worked, Tim saw a whole new way of thinking about how to be an effective leader and he was 'sold'. It was a moment that changed his career trajectory and he hasn't looked back since.Whether you're in HR, Training, L&D, or any sort of management/leadership role, there are plenty of thought-provoking and inspirational elements that pop up in our conversation. If you'd like to find out more about the work Tim does or make contact with him then follow these links:www.enthusecoaching.comtim.roberts@enthusecoaching.comSupport the show

On the fifth episode of season 3, my guest is Kate Maddison-Greenwell. As well as having had a successful HR career, Kate now has her own consultancy business (People Efficient) providing transformational or change support but through the application of an Agile mindset, your more traditional HR transactional support, and leadership courses that focus on topics such as conflict resolution and psychological safety. On top of that she currently works alongside a business in a long-term project capacity, supporting the CEO and leadership team through a large acquisition, ensuring the culture is maintained through the integration process. However, it doesn't stop there. Kate also hosts the HR Director's Cut podcast with two other former guests, Victoria Bond and Lisa Tomlinson.​Kate is a force to be reckoned with... in a good way! When you are spinning so many plates, you'd anticipate that managing your time can ​be a huge challenge. Kate explains how one of the keys to success is to be transparent and communicative with all stakeholders (skills that are both highly critical to be truly effective in your HR career).Kate is an absolute fountain of knowledge and there are a tonne of tips and insights to benefit from before we even get into the story of Kate's career. What I really enjoyed about Kate was her honesty. We talked about being comfortable at making mistakes and accepting that sometimes you'll drop the ball, and that you can't know everything in any given situation. ​There are aspects within this episode that anyone at any level in their HR career can benefit from so I hope you enjoy listening.​Support the show

The guest for this episode is Kyle Warner who is a HR Generalist III, and has recently joined Samsung in Dallas, TX.I met Kyle in the summer when we connected after his contract was coming to an end and he wanted support in finding a new role. As we spoke it quickly became apparent how Kyle stood out a someone who could be considered a 'fixer' or a 'change enabler'. What I mean by that is he gave me example after example of how he had gone into a role, became aware of legacy issues and problems, and although they weren't necessarily 'his' problems to fix, he  appreciated that the whole HR function would operate more effectively and provide a better service is these problems were corrected.  Therefore, that's what he did.... he took matters into his own hands and resolved them. Kyle would describe his own superpower as being someone who can create order from chaos and this is a perfect case study in how you can be someone who turns up 9-5 and just wants a job, or you can be someone who creates a strong personal brand and is recognised for constantly going above beyond and exceeding expectations. The benefit of the latter is that your stakeholders appreciate you more and the results you deliver.Kyle attitude and approach to work is a benchmark for anyone at the early stages of their HR career and wants to know how to get their career moving forward. I hope you enjoy listening.Support the show

I'm thrilled to bring Jane Murphy back as a guest. We finished the last season with Jane talking through her career of working for some of the world's biggest and most recognised brands, and this time we're uncovering what it's like to operate as a HR Business Partner with international responsibility.Whilst Jane worked at Cadbury's they were involved in one of the most public acquisitions that has happened in the UK. The takeover by Kraft made headline news all over the media but I was curious to learn from Jane what it was like to work in the HR team through such a challenging period. Explaining how she had to try and put her own concerns to the back of her mind and focus on the task in hand, Jane also talks about how the skills needed to do the job changed.Whilst at Kraft, but more so in her current role, Jane has also had remit to deliver HR support across international regions. We discuss how it's not always as glamourous as people may perceive and what to do if you make a mistake when trying to navigate unfamiliar local legislation.As always, Jane is a fountain of information, insights, and anecdotes so this is a must listen for anyone who aspires or is curious about working in an international role or how to get through a challenging acquisition.If you would like to contact Jane or have any questions, then please feel free to email her on jane.murphy@alexander-dennis.comSupport the show

I'm thrilled to be joined on this episode by Andrew Bartlow who has an outstanding pedigree in HR, spanning 25 years.During his career, Andrew worked for some of the largest organisations in the US and globally, such as PepsiCo, Wells Fargo, and General Electric. However, as well as crafting his trade in Fortune 50 organisations he also has experience at the opposite end of the spectrum with much smaller start-ups.In 2018, Andrew was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to exit his last permanent employed role with a golden handshake. However, retirement at such a young age left him without a sense of purpose. So, he found new purpose....... in the last few years Andrew wrote a book (Scaling For Success), became a consultant and advisor for PE platforms and tech businesses looking to scale quickly, mentors other HR Leaders, as well as creating the world's best development programme for HR leaders at high-growth tech companies.Andrew is one of the most impressive guests that I've had the pleasure of speaking to on Is This Room Free? Some of the advice that he shares during our conversation is invaluable for anyone who wants to forge a successful career in HR, and is both pragmatic and insightful. Andrew has been fortunate to learn from some amazing individuals throughout his own career and he is now able to pass on that knowledge and learned experiences to others.This is an ABSOLUTE MUST LISTEN TO episode and I am confident that you'll finish having taken something that will help you with your own career.For more information, here are some useful links:Andrew Bartlow - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartlow/People Leader Accelerator website - https://www.peopleleaderaccelerator.com/Link for his book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scaling-Success-Priorities-High-Growth-Organizations/dp/0231194447Support the show