Podcasts about chief people officer

HR leaders spend all day surrounded by people. So why does it often feel like the loneliest job in the building? In this episode, Tom Emery, former Chief People Officer at a top City of London wealth manager, 20-year corporate HR veteran (ex-HSBC), and founder of HEX Talent & Development, joins Al and Leanne to pull back the curtain on the reality of HR leadership. Tom shares his powerful "Vet Analogy" for HR: just like veterinarians enter the profession out of love for animals only to see them at their illest, weakest, or most aggressive, HR leaders enter the role because they love people, only to be brought in when people are backed into a corner. Together, they dive deep into how HR leaders can step out of the isolated "police officer" role and step into the room as true strategic drivers, how senior leaders can build psychological safety by simply asking for help, and why learning to disagree well is the missing ingredient in high-performing C-suites.

Don't fear losing your job to AI—fear losing it to someone who knows how to use AI better than you. It's time to stop treating AI as a tool and start treating it as your default way of working.Human by Design, AI by Default: Rewriting the Way We Work #110What does it actually look like to rebuild a global, legacy brand with years of technical debt into a completely AI-native business from the ground up? As it turns out, it isn't just a technological challenge—it is fundamentally an HR and communications mountain to climb.This week, Gary and George are doubly thrilled to welcome back Groupon's Chief People Officer, Nick Walker (marking his record third appearance on the show!), alongside Groupon's VP of Comms, Engagement, and Inclusion, Emma Coleman. Together, they take us behind the scenes of Groupon's massive cultural and structural transformation under their AI-savvy CEO, Dushan.From reshaping employee mindsets and restructuring traditional departments into lean "speedboats" to managing the psychological fear of redundancy, Nick and Emma share the unfiltered reality of rewriting the way we work. They discuss why AI adoption is actually a massive transfer of power from legacy systems back to human beings, and how human judgment remains the ultimate corporate superpower.Key takeaways from this episode:Speeding Fines vs. Parking Tickets: To build an AI-native culture, leaders must encourage risk-taking. Groupon welcomes "speeding fines" (mistakes made while pushing boundaries and moving fast) but has zero tolerance for "parking tickets" (complacency or refusing to try).Ditch the "Hand-Off Tax": Legacy organizations slow down because of continuous hand-offs between bloated, siloed teams. By structuring operations around "speedboats"—lean teams of 2 to 3 people running a complete workflow—you eliminate the friction and move exponentially faster.Close the Execution Gap, Not the Judgment Gap: AI is incredibly efficient at closing the execution gap (handling processes and grunt work). However, humans still own the judgment gap. Your ability to understand context, see around corners, and apply emotional intelligence is irreplaceable.Prompt Engineering is a Non-Negotiable Skill: Good inputs yield rich outputs. Investing time in mastering prompt engineering (sometimes spending up to an hour crafting a single prompt) is a major career differentiator that prevents "sloppy AI work."Send us Fan MailLinks & references: https://www.thecompanydoctor.com/Gary Gamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garygampGeorge Clode: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeclodeGary's new book, Career Catalyst - available online now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Career-Catalyst-Secret-Skills-School-ebook/dp/B0DFYVG6XY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

From Army officer to sustainability leader to Chief People Officer, unlocking human potential has been the thread running through Adam's career.  Adam shares the lessons from Skanska's pioneering journey to net zero, becoming the first tier-one contractor to commit to a target. He explains why lasting change starts by understanding the audience you're trying to reach, rather than expecting people to share your passion from day one.   Now leading people and culture, Adam discusses why inclusion and high performance go hand in hand, and how creating the right conditions helps people contribute at their very best. From supporting social mobility at Skanska to his work helping survivors of human trafficking to rebuild independent lives, Adam shares why creating opportunities for people to reach their potential is at the heart of leadership.  Thank you to Kin&Co for sponsoring this episode What makes or breaks large-scale transformation? Rarely the strategy - almost always the culture. Kin&Co is a certified B-Corp and female-owned consultancy on a mission to make work better for 10 million people by 2030. Using cutting-edge behavioural science, they help global organisations transform cultures and drive measurable impact on strategy, people and performance. They've developed a new behavioural blueprint for transformation, drawn from their experience at some of the UK's most iconic organisations. If you're curious, read their latest thought piece on transformation and assess your cultural readiness. Ready to build a culture that measurably drives performance? Read their thought piece at The Transformation Blueprint to learn more.

Daniel Bay, Chief People Officer at Underdog, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why HR teams in hypergrowth should stop copying big-company playbooks, how Underdog invests deeply in manager coaching, and why impact matters more than activity.----  Sponsor Links:

Nosipho Radebe speaks to Lungile Mahluza, Chief People Officer at Deloitte AfricaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most companies talk about purpose. Patagonia builds the systems to back it up. Even when that means holding many contradictions. In this episode, Teresita Richard, Chief People Officer at Patagonia, joins Culture Amp's Justin Angsuwat to unpack how the company protects a culture built by climbers and surfers while scaling it across nearly 4,000 employees worldwide. From "liberating structures" that replace bureaucracy with just enough guardrails, to a hiring philosophy built on alignment over "fit," Teresita shares what it really takes to stay radical, human, and honest.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI isn't just speeding up recruiting; it's actually forcing companies to redesign work itself, blending human judgment with agentic execution across hiring, mobility, and skills development. As a result, most conversations these days are about AI in the enterprise centre on software development and engineering. Recruiting, hiring, and talent management get far less attention, but they may be where AI's impact is most immediate.In a recent episode of Tech Transformed, host Dana Gardner spoke with Meghna Punhani, Chief People Officer at Eightfold AI, about how organisations are rethinking talent acquisition, workforce planning, and employee development in an AI-driven world. Meghna Punhani's perspective is shaped by nearly two decades at Google, a stint leading employee experience at Palo Alto Networks, and her current dual role at Eightfold AI, where she both leads the people function and helps build the product her team relies on. That vantage point gives her a practical, ground-level view of what works and what doesn't when AI meets HR.Reimagining the Talent Lifecycle with AI Punhani's central argument is that most legacy HR systems were designed for a different purpose, one that has evolved as work itself has changed and the workforce now includes AI agents alongside people. Simply bolting automation onto existing processes, she argues, isn't enough. Organisations that are succeeding are the ones re-engineering roles, workflows, and organisational structures from the ground up, treating this as an operating-model shift rather than an IT upgrade.This shift touches the entire talent lifecycle, from how companies find candidates and evaluate skills instead of just job titles to how they support internal mobility. Punhani points out that skills now have a much shorter shelf life than in the past, which means static job descriptions are giving way to dynamic, skills-based decision-making. AI, she says, helps surface pathways for employees that traditional resumes and titles would never reveal, including her own nontraditional route into HR leadership.How AI Is Reshaping Workforce Strategy Trust is the recurring theme throughout the discussion. Punhani is candid that employees often fear AI-driven decisions, especially around jobs and evaluations. Her approach is focused on transparency first. When Eightfold rolled out digital twins internally, employees were uneasy until leadership explained how the technology worked and used it themselves, which helped build organisation-wide confidence.That same principle shows up in Eightfold's own hiring practice. One example is the company's campus recruiting programme in India, where its AI interviewer conducted roughly 90 per cent of interviews. This enabled recruiting to scale from around eight or 10 university partners to more than 150, and from approximately 5,000 applications to 15,000, without pulling engineers away from their day-to-day duties.Time-to-offer dropped from around six weeks to as little as four days in some technical roles, largely because interviews could happen around the clock rather than around a recruiter's or hiring manager's schedule. Beyond recruiting, Eightfold's internal initiative, nicknamed Project Andromeda, applies the same re-engineering approach across sales and finance, reportedly reclaiming thousands of employee hours through redesigned, agent-assisted workflows.AI and the Future of TalentLooking ahead, Punhani doesn't frame AI as a threat to human contribution, but she frames it as an amplifier of it. As tools become more accessible across every function, she believes the people who will succeed won't be the ones who know the most facts, since AI can answer those questions. Instead, it will be the people who ask better questions, orchestrate multiple AI agents, and apply judgment where the right answer isn't obvious.For HR leaders specifically, Punhani's advice is to claim a seat at the table now, rather than letting AI adoption happen without a people-first lens. This means learning the technology firsthand, demonstrating its value to non-technical teams, and partnering closely with CTOs and CIOs to shape decisions jointly. Her advice for individuals entering this shifting job market is similarly grounded: focus on learning agility over any single technical skill, since the skills in demand today may look different within months.Future of AI in Talent ManagementAcross the conversation, Punhani returns to one idea, and that is AI in talent management isn't primarily a technology problem; it's a leadership and trust problem. Organisations that treat it that way, redesigning work with both humans and agents in mind, are the ones seeing measurable gains in speed, candidate experience, and internal mobility.For HR leaders exploring AI adoption, the takeaway from this episode is to start before you feel ready, build trust through transparency, and let AI handle evaluation and execution so people can focus on judgment, empathy, and connecting the dots across the organisation. If you would like to find out more, visit eightfold.ai or connect with Meghna Punhani on LinkedIn.TakeawaysAI's impact on talent acquisition and management.Reengineering work processes with AI.Building trust and transparency in AI systems.Skills-based internal mobility and workforce planning.AI-driven candidate evaluation and employee development.Chapters00:00 Introduction to AI in Talent Management02:59 Understanding AI's Role in Talent Acquisition06:07 AI's Impact on Workforce Planning and Skills Development10:02 Building Trust in AI for Hiring Processes13:04 Internal Use of AI at Eightfold AI18:58 Measuring ROI from AI in Talent Acquisition25:02 Enhancing Candidate Experience with AI29:53 Future Directions for AI in Talent Management

L'ensemble des liens utiles : Envie de vous inscrire à Yaniro Minute ? 1 conseil par newsletter. 1mn de lecture ? C'est ici : https://www.yaniro.co/yanirominuteEnvie d'envoyer à vos managers la version auto-administrée de notre formation au management ? C'est ici : https://yanirowiki.co/kitEt pour retrouver les meilleures pratiques RH directement dans notre Yaniro Wiki c'est ici : https://yanirowiki.co/(Re)Découvrez un extrait du podcast de Yaniro avec comme invité Johann Vivier qui est Chief People Officer chez Smartbox. L'ensemble des liens utiles : Envie de vous inscrire à Yaniro Minute ? 1 conseil par newsletter. 1mn de lecture ? C'est ici : https://www.yaniro.co/yanirominuteEnvie d'envoyer à vos managers la version auto-administrée de notre formation au management ? C'est ici : https://yanirowiki.co/kitEt pour retrouver les meilleures pratiques RH directement dans notre Yaniro Wiki c'est ici : https://yanirowiki.co/

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work, create, and communicate. But here's a question most people aren't asking... Who gets to shape what AI becomes? This week, Mitch sits down with executive coach, bestselling author, and AI thought leader Erica Rooney for a conversation that's about much more than technology. Together they explore why everyday users, especially women, have a unique opportunity to influence the future of AI, why you don't have to be a tech expert to make a difference, and practical ways to move beyond simply using AI... to helping shape what's next. __________   Have you been thinking about being a Coach or a speaker… but you've been wondering whether you have the authority to make it happen?   The Authority Archetype Assessment is a free, research-based tool designed to help you identify your unique authority style and discover whether coaching, speaking, consulting, advising, or teaching might be part of your next season.   Take the free assessment at https://mitchmatthews.com/6  __________ In this episode you'll discover: - Why AI needs more women in the room - The surprising MIT experiment that changed Erica's perspective forever - How everyday users are already helping shape the future of AI - Simple ways to move beyond basic ChatGPT prompts - Why curiosity may become your greatest competitive advantage Whether you've been experimenting with AI for months or you're simply wondering what's next, this conversation will leave you feeling more confident, more curious, and ready to engage. __________  Connect with Erica Website:  https://www.ericaandersonrooney.com Book: The AI Gap - https://amzn.to/4eK7NgI Listen to our conversation on Erica's Podcast Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors: https://mitchmatthews.com/glass Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericaandersonrooney __________ This Week's Challenge Go one step beyond your usual AI routine. Ask a bigger question. Try a new use case. Stay curious. Because the future of AI won't be shaped only by the people who build it. It will also be shaped by the people who choose to engage with it. If this episode inspired you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Read the full show notes at https://mitchmatthews.com/460

Courtney Kolar, Chief People Officer at Neighborly, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how she helped build an HR function from a three-person team into a 40-person people organization, the People Services 2020 roadmap that created the foundation for scale, and why every company should operate as if it needs to be IPO ready.----  Sponsor Links:

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Duvo and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Ocado announces CEO Tim Steiner will step down in 2028 following a boardroom tussle, as shares slide amid a stalled automated-warehouse strategy.Klarna applies for a U.S. bank charter, pushing further beyond buy now, pay later and toward becoming a full-fledged consumer bank.Kroger names Emilee De Martino as its new Chief People Officer, marking the first C-suite change under CEO Greg Foran.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.

Sarnjit believes great organisations are built on cultures that genuinely care. At Cox Automotive, she shares how psychological safety, active listening and continuous feedback create environments where people can thrive. For Sarnjit, HR isn't simply responsible for culture – every interaction is an opportunity to shape it.  As AI changes the way work gets done, Sarnjit sees technology as a tool to enhance, not replace, human judgement. Drawing on examples from Cox Automotive, she explains why HR leaders must stay deeply connected to the business they support, understanding how work really happens so people strategy creates lasting commercial value.  Growing up with immigrant parents, inclusion has always been personal to Sarnjit. She reflects on how her Sikh heritage has shaped her leadership, and shares Cox Automotive's work to embed inclusion across the organisation, for example to increase female representation. Throughout the conversation, one idea comes through consistently: stay curious, keep learning, and never stop looking beyond your own role. How HR Leaders Change the World Live! 11th November 2026 – London Book your Early Bird ticket now! 150 of the best HR leaders in one room! Join the annual gathering of bold, forward-thinking HR leaders who believe people strategy shapes the future of business - and the world beyond. ·      Hear stories from pioneering CHROs, be part of hands-on workshops and work with a community of peers who get it; you'll leave with actions, as well as inspiration.  ·      Expectr real conversations on building cultures that perform under pressure, rethinking productivity in the age of AI, and designing organisations that are genuinely human. ·     This year's sessions include The Agility Lab: Reimagining High-Performance Culture through Experimentation, and speakers include CPOs from easyJet, Edelman, Havas, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Lloyds of London and PepsiCo Europe. Plus, this year's grande finale keyonte is the extraordinary Livia Firth! Her session titled: Stop Eating at Your Desk, and Other Stories to Fall in Love with Change, will bring an inspiring and very human lens to transformation. And who's not talking about transformation right now?! Here's what attendees have said on previous years: ·     "Game changing ideas on how we shape the future of work" Dannii Portsmouth, CPO, PepsiCo Europe ·      "Brim full of ideas and inspiration" Emma Norton, People Policy & Risk, Bupa ·      "Absolutely inspired is how I feel!"  Natalia Wallenberg, CHRO, Ahold Delhaize And as always, every penny of profit empowers vulnerable children to be safe, loved and learning, so your ticket is creating positive change from the go! Places are limited, the early bird closes 17th July It's energising. It's practical. And it's a reminder that HR holds extraordinary influence. If you care about the future of work, and the role you play in shaping it, this is your room. You can book your Early Bird here: https://www.upliftingpeople.com/pages/how-hr-leaders-change-the-world-live-2026 See you there!    

Was macht es mit dir, wenn du weißt, dass hunderte Mitarbeitende morgen ihren Job verlieren — und du musst es ihnen sagen?Stephanie Frenzel ist Chief People Officer bei HomeToGo und hat den Merger mit Interhome von innen erlebt. 750 auf 1500 Mitarbeitende, 14 Länder, null HR-Infrastruktur auf der Zukaufseite. In dieser Folge spricht Katharina mit Steffi über Kommunikation unter Unsicherheit, die Frage was man zurückhält und was man sagt, und warum HR-Führungskräfte so oft das Gesicht für Nachrichten sind, die niemand hören will.Außerdem: Warum der Unterschied zwischen Director People und CPO nicht die Jobbeschreibung ist, sondern ob man mit am Tisch sitzt wenn Entscheidungen fallen. Und was Unternehmen jetzt tun müssen, damit ihre Teams KI-ready werden, bevor der Druck von oben sie überholt.Über den Gast: Stephanie Frenzel ist Chief People Officer bei HomeToGo und hat dort den Interhome-Merger als People-Führungskraft verantwortet.Mehr HR Weekly:- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRWeekly- beyobie: https://www.beyobie.com-- unsere Werbepartner --MASTERPLAN Wie lernen Mitarbeitende eigentlich die Skills, über die gerade alle sprechen – von KI bis Zukunftskompetenzen?In dieser Folge stellen wir euch unseren Partner Masterplan vor: eine Corporate Learning Plattform, die Lernen einfach, individuell und wirklich alltagstauglich macht. Mit Kursen in hochwertiger Qualität, einer intuitiven Plattform für HR und Mitarbeitende – und einem KI-Coach, der hilft zu überprüfen, ob Wissen wirklich hängen bleibt.Außerdem laden wir euch zum Lern Geschehen Summit von Masterplan ein: Am 14. und 15. Oktober treffen sich in Berlin über 1.000 Menschen aus PE, L&D und HR für Workshops, Roundtables, spannende Speaker und ehrlichen Austausch.Das HR Weekly ist am 14.10. erstmals mit einem Live-Podcast auf der Hauptbühne dabei.

I talk with Yolanda Seals-Coffield, PwC US Chief People and Inclusion Officer, about how PwC is preparing 80,000 people for an AI-enabled future. We get into PwC's approach to democratizing AI access, building responsible AI habits, measuring adoption beyond token usage, and creating learning that happens directly in the flow of work. Yolanda also shares how PwC is rethinking entry-level talent, human skills, and career development as AI changes the work new graduates are expected to do.

Sunaina Lobo, Chief People Officer at Omnissa, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why the HR-IT partnership is becoming critical in the AI era, how Omnissa is approaching AI transformation with a small but mighty team, and what it takes to build an AI-first culture while maintaining trust and engagement.----  Sponsor Links:

In dieser Episode der SAATKORN CHRO-Talk Podcastserie spreche ich mit Dr. Rebecca Koch, ehemals Chief People Officer bei DB Schenker und der Nemetschek Group. Durch ihre Erfahrungen in Logistik, Software, Healthcare und internationalen Konzernen bringt sie einen außergewöhnlich breiten Blick auf die Zukunft von HR mit. Ein Zitat, das mir besonders hängen geblieben ist: „Lernen ist das neue Daily Habit.“

Bienvenue dans cette série FORWARD, qui revient sur les moments clés de notre événement annuel qui réunit DRH et Directeurs Learning pour réfléchir ensemble aux nouvelles pratiques et aux évolutions du travail.  Dans ce premier épisode, on s'intéresse à un enjeu central :  comment remettre le client au centre du jeu ? Avec nous pour en parler, Paulina Celerier-Kruzel, Chief People Officer de Brut & Et Jordan Defas, People Development & Culture Director chez Doctolib.Deux entreprises, deux approches, mais une même conviction : la culture client n'est pas un projet ponctuel, c'est une discipline quotidienne qui influence la performance, l'innovation et la croissance d'une organisation. Alors au programme : 

In this episode of UC Today, host Kristian McCann sits down with Magen Gicinto, Chief People Officer at Nisos, to discuss one of the fastest-growing threats facing technology companies: fraudulent job applicants linked to nation-state operations. Drawing from her own experience interviewing a suspected North Korean operative for a technical role, Gicinto provides rare insight into how these actors navigate recruitment processes, leverage AI-powered deception, and gain access to organizations. For HR leaders, hiring managers, security teams, and business executives, this conversation offers a practical look at a threat that extends far beyond talent acquisition and into enterprise risk, data security, and operational resilience.Key discussion points:

Every successful business owner is resilient. Capable. Driven. But what if the traits that got you here are quietly preventing you from scaling? That's the question at the heart of this conversation — and it's one that Laila Tarraf has spent decades living, learning, and ultimately writing about in her book Strong Like Water. Laila has served as Chief People Officer at some of the world's most recognised brands, including Peet's Coffee and Allbirds. She has advised founders and CEOs through critical leadership transitions. And she brings all of that experience — alongside her own deeply personal journey — to this conversation about what it really means to lead at the next level. Because real leadership, Laila argues, isn't about getting things done. It isn't about pushing through, holding it all together, or being the strongest person in the room. It's about creating the conditions for everyone around you to rise. That shift — from doing to enabling, from controlling to trusting — is one of the most significant transitions a founder can make. And it doesn't happen automatically with success. It requires a deliberate, often uncomfortable, evolution of identity. Laila shares candidly what that evolution looked like for her. Growing up in a household where strength meant perseverance and composure, she spent decades building armour — the kind that protects you in difficult moments but can also prevent you from leading with the vulnerability and clarity that truly scales a business. It wasn't until she navigated profound personal loss while serving in her first executive role that she began to understand: the armour wasn't strength. It was a barrier. In this episode, you'll discover: Why "getting things done" is not leadership — and what it actually looks like at the level your business needs now The founder traits that create early success — and why they can block scalability if you don't evolve beyond them How to create psychological safety so your team tells you what's really happening in your business The difference between principles (sacred) and practices (evolving) — and why confusing them keeps founders stuck Why clarity around vision, roles, and decision rights is the first step to real freedom How emotional maturity determines how far your organisation can grow Mentioned in This Episode: Apply to Join the HerBusiness Network Laila Tarraf's Website www.lailatarraf.com Laila Tarraf's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lailatarraf Laila Tarraf's Book: Stong Like Water is available here

Resumes still matter—but not for the reasons we think. In a world where AI can polish anyone's experience into a compelling narrative, the traditional hiring signals many organizations have relied on are losing their value. Heather Krueger, Chief People Officer at Engine, joins David Rice to explore what comes next when a polished resume becomes proof of tool usage rather than proof of talent.Their conversation challenges hiring leaders to rethink where and how they evaluate candidates, shifting from credentials and company logos toward judgment, learning velocity, resilience, and real-world decision-making. They also unpack why pedigree is often an expensive shortcut, how experimentation should influence both hiring and leadership, and what actually predicts success in an AI-driven workplace.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Heather on LinkedInVisit EngineSupport the show

Kate Railton, Chief People Officer at Mejuri, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how Mejuri transitioned from e-commerce into retail, why they've decided to flatten the organization, and the business review cadences and operating model that allow them to move faster.----  Sponsor Links:

No lectures, no powerpoint presentations, at How HR Leaders Change the World – Live! you'll find honest discussion and plenty of participation on the realities facing HR leaders today. On HR's opportunity to drive positive change for business, people and planet.  Tickets have just gone live, and in this special episode to launch our brilliant early bird offer, we're bringing you highlights from 3 of this year's CHRO speakers, all alumni of this show, sharing examples of their leadership: Elly Tomlins, Chief People Officer at easyJet, Nathan Adams, Chief People Officer at Lloyd's of London and Dannii Portsmouth, Chief People Officer at PepsiCo EMEA – a taster for what's to come – your opportunity to be in the room, learning from and with, some of the world's most pioneering CHROs. We also hear from Stacey Kingshott, Global Senior HR Director at World Wide Technology, who's been attending for many years, indeed has already secured her Early Bird ticket, on why this conference is so special and what she takes away to help her in her own work. Plus – introducing our grande finale, this year's keynote is the incredible Livia Firth – a first mover driving sustainability in the fashion industry – you might be recalling photos in the press at glamorous awards, of her creation, The Green Carpet. Her session, Stop Eating at Your Desk, and Other Stories to Fall in Love with Change, will bring an inspiring and very human lens to transformation. This is the conference where nobody is on their phones - because nobody wants to miss a thing. 11th November 2026, London Get your Early Bird Ticket today and save £100; spaces are limited and it's a sellout conference! Click here to secure your place: Early Bird Ticket: How HR Leaders Change the World - Live! 2026 The Early Bird is only open until 17th July – so don't delay! Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?   Our book of the month for June is Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking, by Matthew Syed. We're all navigating more complexity than ever right now. AI, shifting workplace expectations, doing more with less, and still making work feel human.  Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed provides a resource for how. His argument: the teams who solve the hardest problems aren't the ones full of the best individual thinkers, they're the ones who think differently from each other. A brilliant book on why diversity of thought helps us solve complex problems. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.  

This is another episode recorded live at UKREiiF, the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum in Leeds. My guest is Louisa Finlay, Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer at contractor Kier Group. Our conversation builds on a panel session that she hosted to discuss the construction sector's digital mindset and skills needed to power up infrastructure delivery.Because the reality is that the construction sector has long been criticised as a digital laggard and remaining tethered to legacy processes. However, this narrative is rapidly shifting. We are moving on from the era of digital experimentation. Today, the use of data and digital technology is no longer an optional efficiency driver but a core commercial imperative.Tier 1 contractors and their supply chains face mounting pressures to deliver complex infrastructure under tighter regulatory and financial scrutiny. In response the modern construction landscape is being reshaped – like it or not - by cloud-based data platforms, generative AI, predictive analytics, and digital twins. Yet, the true barrier to this revolution is rarely technical. Instead, the industry is grappling with the need for cultural change, a widening skills gap, and deeply entrenched commercial structures that actively disincentivise data sharing.To unlock the value of technology, the sector must treat data not as an exhaust product of construction, but as a critical asset with its own lifecycle. So let's find out what Louisa is doing about these challengesResourcesKier GroupUKREiiFNational Highways digital strategyUK Construction Skills Mission BoardUK Infrastructure PipelineUK NISTA

Ray'n Terry, Chief People Officer at MOO, joined us on The Modern People Leader to discuss why AI should create more space for humanity at work instead of simply increasing productivity. We talked about balancing business performance with employee wellbeing, rethinking performance management in an AI-powered world, and why leaders must intentionally help people reclaim time, creativity, and connection.----  Sponsor Links:

Ian Turner has spent over two decades as a Chief People Officer watching the same slow collision happen inside organisations: brilliant performers get promoted into leadership roles, never get developed as leaders, and quietly become — in Ian's phrase — "overpaid doers." This episode asks what it actually takes to be a human-centric business leader, why that capability is in shorter supply than it should be, and what the real commercial cost is when organisations let it drift.The conversation lands on a deceptively simple idea: sustainable performance comes from leaders who hold the commercial and the human in the same hand at the same time — not alternating between them, but integrating both as a single discipline. Ian reframes what that looks like in practice, from getting out of your furrow in the carpet to understanding that every tech transformation is actually a people transformation with a tech element.Key Themes & TakeawaysLeaders who succeed long-term care passionately about two things simultaneously: delivering results and the people delivering them — treating these as one system, not a trade-off.Organisations have created a generation of "overpaid doers" — people promoted for technical excellence who were never equipped, trained, or expected to actually lead.The "furrow in the carpet" is a powerful diagnostic: if your daily movement through an organisation never changes, your leadership reach probably doesn't either.Attrition, stagnation, and cultural echo chambers are not people problems — they're the commercial consequences of ignoring the human side of performance.Post-COVID, companies that genuinely cared about their people maintained flexible, human-aware cultures; those that did it out of necessity are now facing the cultural bill.The most powerful thing a leader can offer isn't advice — it's belief. Coaching someone to their own solution builds both the answer and the person.Every tech transformation is a people transformation with a tech element — and leaders who frame it the other way around will keep hitting the same wall.Three Reasons to ListenListen if your organisation keeps hitting numbers in the short term but quietly haemorrhaging your best people — Ian names exactly why, and it's not what most senior leaders want to hear.Listen if you've ever caught yourself thinking that leadership is "on the side of the desk" — this conversation will reframe that as a strategic and commercial error, not just a personal development gap.Listen if you're trying to make the case internally that human-centric leadership isn't soft — Ian builds the business argument clearly, without ever making it fluffy.Notable Quotes"They don't become leaders because they're recruited into those more senior roles because they've been a great salesperson, a great product person, a great marketer — and they've not been recruited because they show true leadership traits." — Ian Turner"Every transformation is a people transformation with a tech element. It's not a tech transformation with a people element." — Ian Turner"One of the most powerful things you can offer another person isn't advice — it's belief." — Ian Turner (referencing Jenny Rogers, Coaching Skills)Ian's bioIan Turner, a Chief People Officer, talent strategist and leadership coach with over two decades of experience shaping people and culture across some of the UK's most recognised organisations. From leading transformation programmes and building high-performing teams to championing social mobility and developing future talent, Ian has built a reputation for combining commercial acumen with a genuinely human approach to leadership. He's passionate about helping people realise their potential and creating workplaces where both individuals and organisations can thrive.

Amy Reichanadter, Chief People Officer at Databricks, joined us on The Modern People Leader to discuss her upskilling journey throughout her career, creating consumer-grade employee experiences, and leading through rapid technological change. ----  Sponsor Links:

As AI transforms the workplace, Ashley shares why organisations should focus less on having all the answers and more on creating environments where people feel confident to learn, experiment and adapt. Drawing on her experience in high-growth businesses, Ashley explains why curiosity is one of the most important capabilities for both leaders and employees.  Ashley shares how Checkatrade is using AI to improve customer and employee experiences, while encouraging people to develop new skills through practical experimentation. She discusses the importance of creating safety nets that allow employees to try new approaches and make mistakes.  Ashley makes the case that successful transformation is fundamentally human, and advocates that fostering curiosity, confidence and continuous learning means organisations will be best placed to unlock the opportunities AI creates.  Free online Lunch & Learn with Coca Cola and Kantar: AI in TA & Onboarding Tuesday 23 June 1-2pm BST Digitalising your Talent Attraction and Onboarding processes is one thing. Knowing where AI fits - and where it doesn't - is quite another. Many of your peers are at exactly this crossroads right now. Excited by the possibilities, but conscious of the risks. Keen to move faster, but not at the cost of the human moments that matter most. Join our free online lunch & learn, we'll share the findings from our research in partnership with The Talent Labs, and you'll hear from Heidi Eckersley, Global Talent Acquisition Leader at Kantar and Suzy Jearum, Global Digital Employee Experience Lead at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. From productivity gains to employee experience wins, you'll leave with insights and ideas you can consider for your organisation too. Join us! Book your place here:  AI in Talent Attraction Onboarding webinar   Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?   Our book of the month for June is Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking, by Matthew Syed. We're all navigating more complexity than ever right now. AI, shifting workplace expectations, doing more with less, and still making work feel human.  Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed provides a resource for how. His argument: the teams who solve the hardest problems aren't the ones full of the best individual thinkers, they're the ones who think differently from each other. A brilliant book on why diversity of thought helps us solve complex problems. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, I had an inspiring conversation with Kelly Costanza, Chief People Officer at CAVA, to unpack how one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands is turning culture, hospitality, and frontline careers into a real business advantage.Kelly shares why culture cannot just be a word on a wall. At CAVA, culture is operationalized through values, competencies, recognition, career pathways, frontline listening, stock grants, mental health benefits, and leadership rituals that make the employee experience feel just as intentional as the guest experience.Most importantly, Kelly explains how CAVA is building a place where people can have a career, not just a job, from hourly team members growing into general managers, to leaders staying connected to the restaurants through shoulder-to-shoulder service, town halls, and practical feedback from the frontline.

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, we sit down with Anju Choudhary, Chief People Officer at Xoxoday, to unpack why burnout is not just a wellbeing problem, but a work design and change design problem.Anju explains why organizations often treat burnout as an individual resilience issue, when the real problem is often the way teams are overloaded with unclear priorities, constant change, weak manager support, and poor recognition systems. She shares why leaders need to stop rewarding unsustainable hustle and start designing cultures where people can perform, grow, and recover without burning out.Most importantly, Anju breaks down the practical ways HR leaders can reduce burnout, build trust, and create healthier performance cultures, from clearer feedback and better change management, to manager enablement, recognition, AI coaching, team playbooks, and reward strategies that actually connect to the lived employee experience.

Organizational change is now a constant rather than a phase. Few stories illustrate this better than Hearst Networks' journey, as shared by Dean Possenniskie, CEO, and Lucy King, Chief People Officer, on this episode of Workplace Stories. Moving from a legacy cable business into a diversified, higher-margin media powerhouse, Hearst proves that reinvention is possible not just for startups but for well-established companies with deep roots and long histories.Hearst, an organization with a legacy and heritage, and a willingness to continually reinvent itself, has adopted the “phoenix” metaphor to frame its transformation. They've made hard choices, like closing brands, exiting joint ventures, and even shutting offices, before expanding into new partnerships with giants like Sky, Amazon, Apple, and YouTube. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...[07:59] Working in HR during transformations[12:36] Transitioning to full Hearst ownership[18:29] Crafting a purpose statement[21:12] Why it pays to implement a coaching mindset[25:30] Investing in learning and development[32:11] Defining company values and culture[37:08] Improving profitability and growth focus[39:16] Valuing autonomy and trust at Hearst[44:15] Encouraging innovation company-wide[47:14] Balancing governance with creative autonomyCulture at the CoreCulture is often seen as a soft layer, a set of values on a wall, or the flavor of the latest offsite. Dean Possenniskie and Lucy King see it differently: culture had to be the engine of transformation, integral to performance and strategy. One of Dean's earliest moves was to reposition the people and culture function away from finance, placing it directly alongside the CEO—a signal of culture's importance as a business driver.The results speak for themselves. While revenues declined 20%, margins grew by more than 40%, and internal workplace surveys saw “great place to work” scores leap from 53% to over 80%. This wasn't about being “nice,” but about creating a place where people could do their best work, take risks, and feel empowered.Building Change MuscleA core tenet of Hearst's approach to transformation was empowerment at every level. Lucy describes removing archaic performance systems and replacing them with coaching-centered one-to-ones, helping managers foster a sense of ownership, capability, and resilience in their teams. The organization invested in professional coaching for anyone, at any level, who requested it, a significant commitment, but one tailored for maximum impact rather than blanket sameness.This was complemented with mentoring, leveraging technology to link senior leaders with mentees across the company. This “bottom-up” ethos even shaped their AI and technology adoption: rather than mandating tools from the top, creative, programming, and scheduling teams were given room to experiment and bring forward the solutions that actually worked for them.The Power of Purpose and the “Deal”Change is unsettling, and ambiguity can erode trust. To anchor their people, the leadership spent months articulating a purpose statement—a north star for decision-making and daily work. More boldly, they introduced “our deal,” a written two-way document explaining not just what the company expected from employees, but what employees could expect in return: support, development, and clear direction.Dean describes this as adult-to-adult relationship building. It's about empowering personal leadership and ownership, backed by transparent communication—even when delivering hard messages or acknowledging failures. As they say, “we learn fast, not fail fast.” Resources & People MentionedAbout - HEARSTLeave Something on the Table: and Other Surprising Lessons for Success in Business and in Life by Frank Bennack The Problem with Change: And the Essential Nature of Human Performance Kindle Edition by Ashley Goodall Understand the network dynamics of culture'Sapiens' by Yuval Noah HarariConnect with Lucy King and Dean PossenniskieLucy King | Hearst Networks EMEA Dean Possenniskie | Hearst Networks EMEA       Connect With Red Thread ResearchWebsite: RedThread ResearchOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn TwitterSubscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES

Most reward systems were built for a world where speed, volume, and visible output were reliable signals of performance. But AI now produces all three at scale. That leaves organizations facing an uncomfortable question: if AI can generate more output than ever, what exactly are you rewarding?In this episode, David Rice sits down with Anju Choudhary, Chief People Officer at Xoxoday, to explore why recognition systems need a redesign for the AI era. They discuss the growing gap between productivity and impact, the importance of recognizing human-centered behaviors like judgment and collaboration, and why the most important question leaders can ask isn't "What do we want people to do?" but "What do we want people to feel?"Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Anju on LinkedInVisit XoxodaySupport the show

Host Jaime Klein sits down with Sara Birmingham, Chief People Officer at Shutterstock, to discuss what modern leadership requires in a rapidly changing workplace. Their conversation explores empathy, authenticity, navigating competing priorities, and using AI to enhance human potential, all while embracing Sara's belief that agility is the new stability.

In some industries, aging workforces and deepening skill shortages mean companies can no longer rely on hiring the experienced workers they need. The only realistic option is to grow their own, and that puts apprenticeship schemes right at the centre of workforce planning. Running a programme at that scale raises questions that go well beyond recruiting. Culture shapes whether people stay, mentoring determines whether skills actually transfer, and long-term success often depends on governments understanding how to direct support towards the future talent that industries actually need.  So what makes an apprenticeship scheme genuinely effective for high-skilled talent, and what has to be in place around it to make it work? My guest this week is David Dart, Chief People Officer at Caliber Holdings. In our conversation, David shares what he's learned building a skilled-talent pipeline at scale. In the interview, we discuss: The unique talent challenges in recruiting auto body technicians Skills shortages and an aging workforce Culture and retention The importance of mentoring The impact of AI on jobs The importance of trades careers and the need for government support What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify. A full transcript will appear here shortly.

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, we sit down with Khadija Ben Hammada, Member of the Executive Board and Chief People Officer at Merck Group, to unpack how HR can lead through AI transformation without losing the human heart of the organization.Khadija shares why leaders cannot run global organizations from an ivory tower, and why being close to employees on the ground creates the trust, safety, and pride people need to speak up. She explains how field visits, human connection, and a strong sense of global community help Merck stay united across regions, even as the world outside becomes more fragmented.Most importantly, she breaks down how Merck is building AI capability across the business, from AI literacy for everyone, to leader upskilling, internal AI tools, hackathons, flagship use cases, and HR agents that can improve employee experience at scale. Through it all, Khadija is clear: AI should take tasks, not humanity, and HR must stay at the intersection of business, technology, and empathy.

Amy Schwartz, Chief People Officer at Wiz, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why HR alone can't create a high-performance culture, why relationships and influence matter more than HR systems, and why "picking up the trash" - a leadership philosophy she picked up working in casinos - has stuck with her ever since.----  Sponsor Links:

This episode is part of our 2026 Summerfest TechAI series, sponsored by Cream City Cyber. Steve's guests on this one include:Celeste Cuffie, Chief People Officer and Co-founder, Cream City CyberSheldon Cuffie, CEO & Co-founder, Cream City CyberLena DeLaet, Director of Sales & Summerfest TechAIWhat you'll get:Sheldon and Celeste share how they bootstrapped Cream City Cyber from scratch into a nearly 40-person, multimillion-dollar cybersecurity firm in the last 18 months. They also announced they're now launching a second Milwaukee venture, They make the case that AI is moving at “light speed,” but the real risk isn't the technologyOn the cybersecurity front, Sheldon warns that AI is becoming “a firecracker on top of a rocket ship” The conversation then turns to Milwaukee's biggest challengeThanks to Concurrency and Secure Compliance Solutions, sponsors of Experience Milwaukee!

This episode is sponsored by Deel.Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickdayhr/In this episode of @thehrldpodcast Nick Day is joined by Jackie Dube, Chief People Officer at The Predictive Index, with over two decades of experience helping organizations unlock performance through behavioral science and talent optimization. Grounding her work in a simple but powerful belief, that happy, aligned people do better work and live better lives, Jackie brings both the science and the human heart to one of the most pressing challenges facing workplaces today.Jackie brings a rare blend of behavioral expertise and people leadership into the world of HR and organizational performance. Together, Nick and Jackie explore why so many employees, despite better tools, more flexibility, and greater leadership investment than ever before, still feel a deep sense of emptiness at work, and what leaders can actually do about it.This conversation unpacks what it truly means to align people with their work from the inside out. Nick and Jackie discuss why engagement and meaning are not the same thing, how the four behavioral drives of dominance, extraversion, patience, and formality determine what energizes or drains each employee, and why the same task can be deeply motivating for one person and completely demotivating for another. They explore how hiring for speed quietly erodes culture, why interpersonal conflicts at work are almost always behavioral mismatches rather than personality clashes, and how leaders can use the three whys technique to reconnect people to organizational purpose.They also cover the four forces of engagement, the role of pulse surveys in detecting disengagement early, and how AI adoption is creating a new wave of workforce fear that behavioral science is uniquely equipped to address. The discussion highlights PI's J-curve framework for navigating change, why transparency around AI matters more than most leaders realize, and how understanding what drives each individual is the foundation of a truly high-performing team.In a world shaped by remote work, rapid AI adoption, and growing disconnection, this episode examines why behavioral science may be the most practical and powerful tool HR and L&D professionals have in 2026 to restore meaning, motivation, and performance across their organizations.A must-listen for HR leaders, L&D professionals, and anyone ready to stop guessing what their people need and start building workplaces where people are genuinely wired to thrive.Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thepayrollpodcast for more great content!Connect with Jackie Dube & The Predictive Index:Predictive Index: https://www.predictiveindex.comPredictive Index behavioural science insights: https://www.predictiveindex.com/blog/Jackie Dube's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-dube/Nick Day's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the HR L&D Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of the HR L&D Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction: Why Work Feels Empty in the Modern Workplace(01:40) Meet Jackie Dube, Chief People Officer at The Predictive Index(02:28) Jackie's Origin Story, From Family Therapy to HR(05:30) How Behavioral Science First Clicked for Jackie(08:33) What Is Driving the Emptiness at Work Today(12:44) How Organizations Unintentionally Drain Meaning from Work(14:39) Early Warning Signs of Disengagement and How to Spot Them(16:22) The Four Behavioral Drives and How They Shape the Way We Work(20:13) How Behavioral Differences Create Motivation or Demotivation(22:52) Why Engagement and Meaning Are Not the Same Thing(27:31) AI Adoption, Workforce Fear and the J-Curve Framework(36:01) How The Predictive Index Helps Organizations Build Meaning and Performance

Stephanie Manzelli, Chief People Officer of Employ Inc joins the show to discuss their latest report. LINK: https://www.jobvite.com/2026-job-seeker-nation-report/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the biggest mistake companies make with AI transformation is treating it as a technology problem? Laurent Aufils, Chief People Officer at Orange Business, knows that it's all about people. In this episode, Kathi Enderes sits down with Laurent to explore how one of the world's leading digital services companies transformed its entire 30,000-people workforce through a people-first approach to generative AI. The results are concrete and striking. Orange Business's AI-powered contract management tool slashed what previously took teams weeks of painstaking analysis to under three hours — fundamentally disrupting not just how people work, but how they understand the value they bring.  Rather than letting 30,000 people go and rehiring AI specialists, Laurent and his team made a bold choice: there will always be a human in the loop. That principle became the foundation of everything — the cultural compass that kept employees from fearing the future and turned anxiety into engagement. The numbers tell the story. Among employees who went through Orange Business's reskilling and upskilling programs, employee Net Promoter Scores shot from a modest +8 to a remarkable +41. Over 90% of the company's workforce is now trained in generative AI, and more than 60% use it as a regular part of their daily work.  AI certifications became a business objective on par with financial targets, and the company won contracts specifically because clients knew their teams had the credentials to back up their pitch. But perhaps the most powerful insight Laurent shares is about learning. In the AI era, learning is no longer a one-time investment or a classroom event; it is a continuous business capability, and it must be embedded into the rhythm of everyday work. Orange Business's YouTime initiative — dedicating three hours per month per employee to learning — changed the entire mindset of the organization. Paired with an 11,000-member internal generative AI community, it created the kind of grassroots momentum that no top-down mandate ever could. Laurent's advice to CHROs and HR leaders: stay humble, keep experimenting, and never let technology outpace your people. Related resources Podcast: Why AI Is A Massive Job Creation Technology. Automated Integration. Findem. And Thank You.  The Superworker Organization: AI Goes Enterprise AI Pacesetters: Six Secrets Of The Superworker Company  The Age of the Superworker (and Supermanager) Get Galileo: The AI Superagent for HR   Chapters (00:00:03) - What Works: Changing the Way People Work(00:00:44) - Orange Business's AI Transformation(00:05:40) - How GE Prepared for the Generative AI Transformation(00:12:16) - How did the learning function change with the introduction of generative AI(00:15:09) - How Has Cognizant is evolving its culture(00:18:49) - Culture and the AI journey(00:22:02) - Top Executives: The AI Transformation(00:24:39) - What Works: Chief People Officer at Orange Business

In this episode of our On The Road series, we sit down with Amy Coleman, Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer at Microsoft, to explore how leaders can scale AI transformation without losing the human connection at the center of work.Amy reflects on stepping into the Chief People Officer role at Microsoft, the humility of becoming a beginner again, and why leaders do not need to pretend they have all the answers in moments of uncertainty. What matters is being honest, learning fast, and bringing people with you.Her message is clear: AI and humans cannot be separated. As work changes, HR leaders have to help people understand what is shifting, what still matters, and how AI can unlock more creativity, curiosity, innovation, and human potential.

Laura Tomaino, Chief People Officer at Glooko, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why “People-First” leadership feels harder in 2026 and what it actually looks like to live up to that today.----  Sponsor Links:

What does it take to build high-performing nonprofit teams that stay engaged, grow their skills, and strengthen organizational impact? In this episode, I sit down with Melanie Gonzalez, Chief People Officer at the Behavioral Science Research Institute (BSRI), to explore how intentional career pathing supports nonprofit leadership development, staff training and development, and employee retention.From aligning compensation philosophy with career progression to building customized learning and development strategies, this conversation offers practical guidance for nonprofit leaders who want to invest in their people while navigating limited resources and flat organizational structures.▶️ A Look at Career Mapping: Who, What, When, and How with Nonprofit Leader Melanie Gonzalez▶️ Key Points:00:00:00 Career Paths Matter for Nonprofit Growth and Performance00:03:46 Melanie's HR Leadership Journey00:09:34 Career Pathing and Compensation at BSRI00:17:34 Nonprofit Career Growth Beyond Promotions00:21:03 Aligning Career Pathing with L&D Strategies00:24:21 The Impact of Investing in Nonprofit Staff Development00:27:24 Advice for Nonprofits Creating Career PathsResources from this episode:Join us at our next networking event for the Nonprofit L&D Collective on  June 17: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/join-the-nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveConnect with MelanieLinkedIn: Melanie GonzalezWebsite: bsrinstitute.org Connect with HeatherLinkedIn: Heather BurrightWebsite: skillmastersmarket.comBook an interest call with Heather here.⭐Was this episode helpful? If you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!

Send us Fan MailArnnon Geshuri is Chief People Officer at Snowflake, where he leads culture development, talent strategy, and organizational design at one of the world's leading data cloud companies. His career spans decades of scaling high-growth technology organizations, including leadership roles at Google, Livongo Health, and Tesla, where he oversaw its growth from a 400-person startup to a 35,000-person transportation juggernaut.Throughout his career, he has consistently chosen companies that demand a people function as innovative, as creative, and as forward-thinking as the business itself. And across every role, he has focused on one core idea: the people function must evolve as fast as the business itself, grounded in data, experimentation, and trust.In this episode, Arnnon draws on that experience to challenge how leaders think about AI in the workplace, arguing that the real opportunity is not automation alone, but redefining how humans contribute, decide, and grow inside modern organizations.In this conversation, we discuss:Why the people function must speak the language of data and analytics to influence engineering-led organizations and earn credibility in high-growth, technical environmentsThe shift from transactional HR to a strategic role focused on connection, education, and rebuilding trust after workforce disruption and disconnection during COVIDHow Snowflake frames AI adoption by automating repetitive work, augmenting creative tasks, and preserving human judgment in decisions that require empathy and contextWhy employees adopt AI faster when leaders encourage curiosity, remove fear of experimentation, and make tools accessible through simple interfaces like natural languageThe risks of over-automating decisions like hiring and performance reviews, and why removing human accountability breaks trust inside organizationsHow building a culture of experimentation, measurement, and iteration allows people leaders to scale organizations without relying on intuition aloneExplore the Conversation00:00 Intro & Fun Fact: How AI manipulation threatens autonomy05:06 Meet Arnnon Geshuri: CPO at Snowflake, from Google, Tesla, and Livongo Health10:24 The Evolution of HR: From Transactions to Amplifying Humanity13:37 Snowflake's AI Framework: Automate, Augment, and Preserve Human Judgment21:44 Driving AI Adoption: AI for Everybody and a Culture of Experimentation26:26 Data Privacy and Trust: Building Guardrails for Enterprise AI28:36 AI in Hiring: Mitigating Bias to Rescue Human Connection32:28 Setting AI Boundaries: Why Algorithms Should Never Conduct Performance Reviews34:16 Scaling Culture in Hyper-Growth: The Power of People Analytics41:33 The AI Ride-Along Prediction and What Comes Next43:15 Where to Connect with Arnnon Geshuri and SnowflakeResourcesSubscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Arnnon on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How Rodrigo Liang, Raised Over $1B to Build the First Generative AI Unicorn

Jevan Lenox, Chief People Officer at Writer, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why AI adoption alone is not enough, how companies can use “directed innovation” to drive real business outcomes with AI, and what high performance looks like in the AI era.----  Sponsor Links:

In this episode of the HR Like a Boss podcast, John Bernatovicz interviews Becky Kowall, a seasoned HR professional and founder of 22 North HR, a purpose-driven HR firm. They discuss the importance of significance over success in HR, the role of HR in value creation, and the concept of executive presence. Becky shares her insights on active listening, communication, and building relationships in the workplace. The conversation emphasizes the need for HR professionals to be strategic partners and to create trust within their organizations.22 North HR Resources: https://www.22northhr.com/hr-resources/ABOUT BECKY KOWALLBecky Kowall is the Founder and Principal of 22 North HR, where she partners with private equity firms, CEOs, and HR leaders to strengthen leadership alignment, scale people strategy, and navigate high-stakes moments of growth and transition. With more than 20 years of senior HR leadership experience, Becky has served as a Chief People Officer and Global VP of Human Resources in private equity–backed and high-growth organizations. Her background includes leading organizations through rapid scaling, post-acquisition integration, and periods of significant organizational change, with a focus on building leadership credibility, operational discipline, and durable people infrastructure. Becky is known for bringing calm, clarity, and gravitas to complex environments, often serving as the strategic and emotional bridge between executive teams, HR, and investors. At the core of her work is the belief that HR is not a support function, but a critical driver of business strategy and value creation. Becky is especially effective in moments when leadership decisions carry both performance and human consequences. She advises and mentors leaders who are building organizations designed to perform, endure, and scale with integrity.

Employee engagement remains one of the most talked-about challenges in the world of work. Year after year, the data tells the same story: levels barely shift, no matter what organizations try. The usual response is to focus on what happens once people are already in the door, but the results rarely change. At the same time, AI is reshaping roles and expectations, making employees question their value in ways that weren't there before. So what if the real engagement problem starts in the hiring process itself? My guest this week is Dr. Roz Cohen, Chief People Officer and author of “The Engagement Dilemma”. In our conversation, she explains why there are three distinct types of engagement, how outdated job descriptions undermine them, and what hiring teams should do differently to build belonging from the start. In the interview, we discuss: Why engagement levels haven't shifted Three types of employee engagement The role of TA in employee engagement Reassessing roles before recruiting Hiring for attributes and behaviours Onboarding for connection and belonging Identity beyond surface characteristics What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify. A full transcript will appear here shortly.

This week on Truth Works, my co-host Jeff Markowitz and I sit down with Judy Gilbert, the Chief People Officer of Oura, the company behind the Oura Ring.Judy is not a typical HR leader.She started her career at McKinsey, moved into executive search at Egon Zehnder, and then spent 12 years inside Google's People Operations team, helping scale the company from roughly 3,000 employees to 70,000.Along the way she ran learning and development, ran performance management, and served as head of HR for both YouTube and Google's moonshot factory, Google X.After Google, she became Chief People Officer at the biomanufacturing company Zymergen, where she helped build the team, took the company public, and then navigated its sale and wind-down.She tried to retire. It didn't last. The pull of being on a team trying to do hard things brought her to Oura.In this episode, we get into the difference between HR as an order-taker and HR as a genuine strategic partner, and why so many chief people officers get "organ rejected" within a year of joining.We talk about the danger of arriving with a fixed playbook, the chemistry that has to exist between a founder and their people leader, and why the job is really about being the one person willing to tell the emperor he has no clothes.Judy also shares the exact questions she asks before taking any role, how she pressure-tested Oura's CEO Tom Hale by sparring with him over compensation philosophy, and why a company's soul has to already exist before anyone can help it grow.In this conversation, we discuss:- The "I don't want to know" fear that stops people tracking their health- Whoop vs Oura, and how much data is actually useful- Why strategic HR is a competitive advantage most companies waste- The three questions Judy asks before joining any company- Why chief people officer turnover is so brutally high- The "toolkit" mistake that gets HR leaders fired- Being the person who has to tell the CEO he has no clothes- Glass balls vs rubber balls, and what to drop when you're building- How to protect a company's soul while running a hard business- Why clear cultures keep people and confused ones lose them- Why every CHRO is now the company's AI strategistThis is a candid look at the work behind the work, from someone who has built the people function at three very different companies and seen what separates the ones that scale from the ones that stall.If this conversation changed how you think about culture, leadership, or the people who quietly hold a company together, share it with someone who needs to hear it.Full episode of Truth Works with Judy Gilbert out now.

In this episode of Biz/Dev, we sit down with Erica Anderson Rooney, founder of HER Collective and former Chief People Officer, to talk about what actually holds people back in their careers.Erica shares her perspective from years in the C-suite making decisions on who gets promoted and paid, and why so many high-performing women still get overlooked. We also get into how AI fits into career growth and what it takes to move from doing everything right to actually getting ahead.LINKS:Erica on LinkedInHER Collective on LinkedInHER Collective Website___________________________________Submit Your Questions to:hello@thebigpixel.netOR comment on our YouTube videos! - Big Pixel, LLC - YouTubeOur HostsDavid Baxter - CEO of Big PixelGary Voigt - Creative Director at Big PixelThe PodcastDavid Baxter has been designing, building, and advising startups and businesses for over ten years. His passion, knowledge, and brutal honesty have helped dozens of companies get their start.In Biz/Dev, David and award-winning Creative Director Gary Voigt talk about current events and how they affect the world of startups, entrepreneurship, software development, and culture.Contact Ushello@thebigpixel.net919-275-0646www.thebigpixel.netFB | IG | LI | TW | TT : @bigpixelNCBig Pixel1772 Heritage Center DrSuite 201Wake Forest, NC 27587Music by: BLXRR

Cara Brennan Allamano (Founder of PeopleTech Partners and former Chief People Officer at Lattice) and Jevan Lenox (Chief People Officer at Writer) joined Stephen at Fix Healthcare Live. They talked about the growing pressure on HR leaders and why modern people leaders need to rethink how they operate in a rapidly changing world.----  Sponsor Links:

Why do businesses stall - even when demand is strong? Often, it comes down to leadership bottlenecks. In this episode of Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder, Dave speaks with executive coach and author Daria Rudnik about what happens when leaders become the constraint on growth—and how to fix it. Daria shares how to recognize an overloaded leader, the impact it has on team performance and business value, and why so many organizations struggle to build truly self-sufficient teams. The conversation breaks down her CLICK framework: Clear Purpose, Linking Connections, Integrated Work, Collaborative Decisions, and Knowledge Sharing; with practical examples from a cybersecurity team and a telecom call center. She also offers a simple question leaders can use immediately to start shifting how their teams operate. Dave and Daria explore how AI is changing team dynamics, decision-making, and communication—and why human judgment and critical thinking are becoming even more valuable. If you're a business owner, executive, or advisor, you'll walk away with actionable insights on building stronger teams, developing leaders, and creating a business that can scale beyond you. About Our Guest: Daria Rudnik is a Team Architect and Executive Coach who helps overloaded leaders build high-trust, self-sufficient teams so they get better results with less burnout. She's the award-winning author of CLICKING and co-author of The AI Revolution, and the creator of Aidra.AI, an AI-powered coach for leaders. A former Chief People Officer and ex-Deloitte pro, Daria brings her many years of global leadership experience to every conversation. Connect with her here: https://dariarudnik.com/ About the Host: Dave Bookbinder is known as an expert in business valuation and he is the person that business owners and their advisors reach out to when they need to know what their most important assets are worth. Known as a collaborative adviser, Dave has served thousands of client companies of all sizes and industries.    Dave is the author of two #1 best-selling books about the impact of human capital (PEOPLE!) on the valuation of a business enterprise called The NEW ROI: Return On Individuals & The NEW ROI: Going Behind The Numbers.  He's on a mission to change the conversation about how the accounting world recognizes the value of people's contributions to a business enterprise, and to quantify what every CEO on the planet claims: “Our people are this company's most valuable asset.” Dave's book, A Valuation Toolbox for Business Owners and Their Advisors: Things Every Business Owner Should Know, was recognized as a top new release in Business and Valuation and is designed to provide practical insights and tools to help understand what really drives business value, how to prepare for an exit, and just make better decisions. He's also the host of the highly rated Behind The Numbers With Dave Bookbinder business podcast which is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.