HR People Pod, the CIPD's new fortnightly podcast, brings together top HRDs, CPOs and business leaders to look behind the news headlines and current topics and their impact in HR and business practice.

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To view all other CIPD podcasts please visit the CIPD Podcasts page.

HR People Pod – Ep 10: Employment Rights Bill special

Duration: 00:45:32

The UK Government has proposed the biggest overhaul of workers’ rights in a generation. What will this mean for employers and people professionals? Our panel reflects on the Employment Rights Bill announcement, examining the potential impact of the provisions, such as removing the two-year qualifying period for protection against unfair dismissal, probation period changes, ending ‘exploitative’ zero-hours contracts and the role of a new, single enforcement body, the Fair Work Agency.

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Carl Quilliam, CIPD Public Affairs Manager; Mel Steel, former HR director and interim people and transformation leader; Gareth Neale, Head of HR at Crimson Hotels Limited; and Oonagh Johnston, Group People Director at Vesty Holdings Limited.

Recorded: 11 October 2024 

HR People Pod – Ep 9: RoboCop| Presenteeism | Discretionary effort | ‘Un-bossing’

Duration: 00:35:27

Are RoboCop-style security guards and AI accountants a glimpse of the future of work? Are longer hours more likely to be the norm, especially if you want to progress in your career? What are the differing perceptions and attitudes of a multigenerational workforce and how is this giving rise to the purported trend of ‘conscious un-bossing’?

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Mel Steel, former HR director and interim people and transformation leader; Jo Carlin, senior VP HR Europe and global head of inclusion and diversity at Firstsource; and Caroline Roberts, associate non-executive director at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University NHS Trust.

Recorded: 27 September 2024 

 

HR People Pod – Ep 8: Benefits| Location tracking | Shadow policies | Sexual harassment

Duration: 00:33:54

Is free water really an ‘employee benefit’? Would you track employees' working locations to enforce stricter hybrid working policies? And would you turn a blind eye to ‘shadow policies’? In this episode, we debate these questions and also discuss the preventative measures organisations should take to reduce the risk of sexual harassment incidents in the workplace.

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Danny Mortimer, chief executive at NHS Employers; Janet Campbell, director at Restoration & Renewal Delivery Authority; and CIPD People and Transformation Director Amanda Arrowsmith.

Recorded: 13 September 2024 

HR People Pod - Ep 7: ‘Great Retention’ | Organisational vision | ‘Office peacocking’

Duration: 00:38:21

Tune in to the latest episode of the HR People Pod, where our panel assesses the impact of the so-called ‘Great Retention’ and considers whether a period of stability is beneficial for organisations. We discuss how business leaders may be facing an uphill battle as employees become more sceptical of organisational direction, and also if the idea of ‘Office Peacocking’ ruffles any feathers?
 
CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Jon Dawson, chief people officer at Lore Group; Jo Carlin, senior VP HR Europe and global head of inclusion and diversity at Firstsource; and Jane-Emma Peerless, director of people at Caxton. 
 
Recorded: 30 August 2024 

HR People Pod – Ep 6: Conflict | AI and CVs | Gender imbalance in HR | ‘Quiet vacationing’

Duration: 00:30:02

In the latest episode of the HR People Pod, our panel reflects on the recent riots in the UK, the conflicts happening globally and the effects they have in the workplace. We also get to grips with the rising use of generative AI by job applicants, the gender mix within the profession, and the concept of ‘quiet vacationing’ – another media catchphrase or a real phenomenon? 

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Caroline Roberts, associate non-executive director at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University NHS Trust, and Claire McCartney, policy and practice manager – resourcing, inclusion and talent management, CIPD.

Recorded: 16 August 2024

HR People Pod - Ep 5: Pay transparency | ‘Workation’ | Bullying and incivility | Social mobility

Duration: 00:30:10

Would you share salary information on a job advert? In the latest episode of the HR People Pod, our panel challenges organisations to be more transparent with pay, explores the rise of the ‘workation’, how sadly commonplace bullying and incivility is at work, and tips to improve social mobility in your organisation.

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Janet Campbell, director at Restoration & Renewal Delivery Authority, Garin Rouch, OD consultant at Distinction Business Consulting, and Woosh Raza, Director of People at NCVO.

Recorded: 02 August 2024

HR People Pod - Ep 4: Microsoft IT outage | Elon Musk | Microaggressions | #WorkTok

Duration: 00:29:45

As workers turn to TikTok to discuss work issues, should business leaders be paying attention? In this episode CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Vilma Nikolaidou, Director of People and Culture at the British Film Institute; Gareth Neale, Head of HR at Crimson Hotels Limited; and Dr Markos Koumaditis, Director of HR at University of Oxford, as we explore the top stories of the past fortnight, including the fallout from the CrowdStrike-Microsoft global IT outage, whether anonymous reporting of microaggressions a good idea, and if you should just walk out of unproductive meetings.

Recorded: 19 July 2024

HR People Pod – Ep 3: A new UK Government and a ‘New Deal for Working People’

Duration: 00:36:00

What can employers expect from the new Labour government’s proposed ‘New Deal for Working People’? CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza hosts former Labour MP Iain Wright, Firstsource Senior VP HR Europe and Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity Jo Carlin, and Mencap Executive Director of People David Blackburn, to explore the implications and impact of potential day-one employment rights, apprenticeship levy reform, and how quickly the plans may come into effect.

Recorded: 05 July 2024

HR People Pod – Ep 2: Relationships at work | Mouse jiggling | Therapy dogs | Summer of sport

Duration: 00:32:46

Do romantic relationships at work need to be disclosed? Can you trust a ‘mouse jiggler’? How do you manage time off or flexibility around major sporting events? Join the conversation with David D’Souza, CIPD Director of Profession, Gemma Dale, senior lecturer at Liverpool Business School, and David Balls, Chief People Officer at Newcross Healthcare Solutions, as we unpack the topical stories over the past fortnight and look at how HR can consider their impact for their own organisations. 

Recorded: 21 June 2024

HR People Pod – Ep 1: Leadership | Privacy | Second Jobs | Disconnecting

Duration: 00:27:47

Decisive or divisive, Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s leadership message was definitely bold. Join the chat with David D’Souza, the CIPD’s Director of Profession, Katie Obi, Chief People Officer at One Advanced, and Mel Steel, former HR director and interim people & transformation leader, as we unpack the biggest stories of the past fortnight including: is Microsoft Recall a privacy nightmare? Should we be wary of a growing trend of side hustles or second jobs? And do we need ‘right to disconnect’ legislation? Leadership like the Manchester United back-to-work offer.

Recorded: 7 June 2024

HR People Pod – Pilot Episode 2

Duration: 27:29

In our second pilot episode, host David D'Souza, the CIPD's Director of Profession, recruits Mel Steel, former HR director and interim people & transformation leader, and Alistair Gill, Chief Alchemist at Alchemy Labs, to the panel as we respond to some of the key stories from the past fortnight, including the decision from John Lewis to share interview questions in advance with potential candidates and the use of AI in the recruitment process.

Recorded: 24 May 2024

HR People Pod – Pilot Episode 1

Duration: 31:10

In our first pilot episode, host David D'Souza, the CIPD's Director of Profession, welcomes Woosh Raza, Executive Director of People Culture and Inclusion at NCVO, Katie Obi, Chief People Officer at One Advanced and Bertie Tonks, Chief People Officer at Collinson to the panel as we discuss whether Gen Z are ‘lazy’, the unintended consequences of a rising minimum wage, whether more organisations are letting people work from home full-time and take a deeper dive into the growing demands on the profession.

Recorded: 10 May 2024

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