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

It’s widely recognised that developing a psychologically safe working environment can significantly enhance both individual and organisational performance. However, while organisations seek to reap these benefits in the long term, the immediate challenge is to cultivate a culture of psychological safety from which these benefits can grow. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Chartered Psychologist, podcast host and Founder of Zircon Consulting, Dr Amanda Potter; Leadership Coach, Phil Lowe; and Theni Paramaguru, Senior Adviser – Future of the People Profession at CIPD, as we explore how organisations can foster, measure and fundamentally maintain psychological safety in the workplace.

10 October is World Mental Health Day and this year's theme is ‘Mental Health at Work’ so in this minisode, we discuss mental health in the Irish workplace. Meg Dunphy, HR Policy and Engagement Manager speaks to Mary Connaughton, Director, CIPD Ireland, about what our CIPD HR Practices research is saying as well as practical tips for opening up the dialogue in organisations and looking at the working environment. You will also hear from Dr. Mark Rowe, our opening keynote at the annual CIPD Ireland Wellbeing Conference, giving us some tips for supporting our mental health. What are you doing in your organisations? Tell us by tagging @ CIPDIreland and #WorldMentalHealthDay

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

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

How often have we taken a course or acquired some knowledge, only to have those skills lie dormant, before being forgotten as there was no immediate use? Would it be more sensible to move learning closer to or at the point of when the skills or knowledge are needed, and if so, how can learning professionals better anticipate and create learning to be ready at the point of user need? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Teresa Rose, award winning learning consultant and founder of ConsultHer and Seb Tindall, director of strategic enablement at Vitality, as we question why morning learning isn’t available ‘on tap’ – at the point when people need it most?

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’ ruffle 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

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 at CIPD. Recorded: 16 August 2024

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

The need to better understand your people is critical to driving better employee and wider organisational performance. Fundamental to that is the need for people professionals to have the capability and confidence to make sense of data, while working alongside and empowering people managers to take action. But is collecting the right data easier said than done? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Hayfa Mohdzaini, Public Policy and HR Practice Senior Adviser – Technology and Analytics at CIPD and Katie Nightingale, Director of People Consulting at Grant Thornton, as we explore how you can make better use of people data to gain increased understanding of employee performance and create a more effective workforce.

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

The Labour Party will form a new government in the United Kingdom. But what can employers expect from its 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

Our latest CIPD Good Work Index noted the experience of conflict in the workplace, as correlating with poorer mental health, poorer view of the organisation’s leadership and a higher likelihood of quitting. But what are some of the other factors that prevent work from being ‘good’? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Marek Zemanik, Senior Public Policy Adviser, UK Nations at CIPD and Aysha Al Marri, UAE National Talent and Development at Etihad Airport Services L.L.C, as we unpack the barriers to ‘good work’ and how you can overcome them.

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.

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

CIPD research suggests that work is occupying a less central place in our lives, with an increasing proportion of employees feeling that a job is ‘just a way of earning money’. While it could be argued that there is nothing wrong with employees taking a transactional view of work – it may after all be a way of them self-determining healthy boundaries – disengagement with the organisation may be a concern. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Jake Young, Senior Policy and Practice at CIPD and Garin Rouch, Consultant at Distinction, as we explore how a refreshed organisational development approach can help get that balance right.

Welcome to HR People Pod, the CIPD’s new fortnightly podcast series bringing you expert insight on topical stories impacting the world of work. In our pilot episode, host David D'Souza, CIPD's director of people 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

Welcome to HR People Pod, the CIPD’s new fortnightly podcast bringing you expert insight and topical stories impacting the world of work. In our pilot episode, host David D'Souza, CIPD's director of people 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

In a world heavily influenced by technology and evolving views on leadership and employee experience, people practice by and large, is still founded on the so-called 'Ulrich HR operating model' that was put forward in the 90s. Is it finally time to consider HR's next top operating model?  Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Dave Ulrich, University of Michigan - Ross School of Business, Natalie Shiels, Chief People Officer at Mosaic Group, and Perry Timms, founder of People and Transformational HR, as we explore what approach to HR would be fit-for-purpose in the rapidly changing business environment of today and the future.

Digital innovation has continued to move at an unprecedented pace, and few would argue the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted the model for organisations, and equally, if not more so, in the realm of L&D. 2023 research from the CIPD revealed that just 5% of respondents currently use AI to support L&D, with a modest 6% additionally planning to use AI into 2024. So, is an untapped opportunity waiting for the curious L&D professional to uncover? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Radha Bharj, Co-founder of Rythmik and Erica Farmer, Co-founder of Quantum Rise, as we explore how learning professionals can embrace the disruption AI offers to increase their capacity to deliver impactful and effective learning for organisations?

Awareness of what it means to be neurodivergent has grown amongst employers, as well as the understanding of the value this talent pool offers the organisation. But what does it mean to be neuroinclusive? Are we in danger of pigeon-holing or shoehorning neurodivergent talent into specific roles? And is there more that we can do to create workplaces that respond to individual working preferences? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Kevin Lyons, Senior HR Manager at Pearson; Alex Hirst, Co-founder of Hoxby; and Dr Jill Miller, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Policy Adviser at CIPD, as we explore how you can make your organisation more neuroinclusive.

There’s no time to lose in making our businesses environmentally sustainable, but among the myriad of responsibilities falling on the shoulders of people professionals, what role can you play as agents of change within the environment agenda? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Dr Jan Maskell, Business Psychologist; Gilda Neiman, Board Director at Chapter Zero in Brussels; and Susannah Haan, Senior Corporate Governance Advisor, as we explore how people professionals can better influence boards and senior leaders while also embedding sustainable checkpoints in your day-to-day processes.

The role of a people professional can often feel like an impossible task, being pulled from pillar to post in one of the most multi-faceted jobs in the organisation. Given the growing portfolio of responsibilities that people professionals need to manage, and the expectations around that, what does it take to thrive in this complex role? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Laura Callahan, Director at Willow HR; David Balls, Chief People Officer at Newcross Healthcare Solutions; and Peter Cheese, Chief Executive at CIPD, as we explore the skills, behaviours and competencies required to create the ‘unicorn’ people professional.

Learning professionals may not be asked to ‘show me the money’, but they will be expected to demonstrate value and return on investment. So, what can learning professionals do to best set themselves up for success? Could the answer lie in simply asking the right questions to properly diagnose an organisation’s real learning need? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Natalie Richer, Natalie Richer Consulting; Payal Gaglani-Bhatt, Chief People Officer at The Little Gurus; and Steve George, Interim Head of Learning and Development at CIPD, as we explore how learning professionals can ask the right questions to better understand and diagnose the real learning requirement for your organisation or client.

CIPD’s latest health and wellbeing at work report revealed that sickness absence is at a ten-year high and that wellbeing support for individuals at different life stages can be patchy. So, how can organisations offer sophisticated and nuanced wellbeing support without truly understanding the individual needs of their people? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Krystal Wilkinson, Associate Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University; Nick Pahl, CEO at Society of Occupational Medicine; and Rachel Suff, Senior Policy Advisor at CIPD, as we explore how your organisation can better understand and tailor individual support for the different wellbeing needs of your people.

How are you balancing new working freedoms with post-Covid realities? For many organisations, remote working was a boon that enabled their businesses to carry on through the pandemic. All the while their people uncovered and experienced the benefits that working remotely had to offer. But as we unwind from the pandemic, some organisations that had seemingly settled on a balanced hybrid approach are making headlines for scaling back offering flexible remote working. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Danielle Harmer, Chief People Officer at Aviva; Kevin Lyons, Senior HR Manager at Pearson; and Claire McCartney, Senior Policy Advisor at CIPD, as we explore how your organisation can take a more nuanced, deliberate approach to hybrid working.

Despite increased resources in most organisations, CIPD’s 2023 Learning at Work survey found that over half of L&D teams had intensified workloads over the last year. This has left L&D professionals battling with a lack of capacity, puzzling over business priorities and with a lack of insight about what is needed. So, what can learning professionals do about it? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Sonali Narendran, Talent and Learning Partner at Starbucks; Laura Overton, Founder at Learning Changemakers; and Andy Lancaster, Head of Learning at CIPD, as we explore a number of practical solutions to help you overcome capacity barriers and deliver impactful learning.

Is your cybersecurity training fit for purpose? There’s a common perception that cybersecurity is an issue for the IT function, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is that modern cyber-criminals have mastered the psychological techniques of manipulating their target to perform a specific action, making the issue of cyber-security a far more human issue than you may think. So, how can people professionals get on top of the issue, better understand their people and then identify where the risks might lie? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Shelby Flora, Managing Director at Accenture; Tim Ward, CEO at ThinkCyber; and Tarquin Foliss OBE, Vice Chairman at SASIG as we unpack the human side and behavioural science of cybersecurity.

Have we over-expanded the remit of people managers? As the world and the workplace have become increasingly complex, management requirements and expectations are expanding exponentially. So, what steps can People Professionals take to support managers, to relieve the risk of being overwhelmed, and equip them with the competencies and behaviours to thrive? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Zofia Bajorek, Research Fellow at Institute of Employment Studies; Wayne Clarke, Founding Partner and Leadership and Management Expert at Global Growth Institute and Amanda Arrowsmith, People and Transformation Director at CIPD, as we discuss how people professionals can best support managers to tackle the demands of a new era of people management.

Do we need to start thinking differently, perhaps more creatively, to reengage your people with organisational learning? For many, a perception exists that traditional approaches to organisation training have become stale. It’s imperative for learning professionals to remain curious and open minded towards new techniques and methods, in order to get the best from their programmes. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Andy Hoang, Founder of Beyond Blocks, Rita Isaac, Learning Coordinator at CIPD and David Hayden, Learning Content Manager at CIPD as we discuss how L&D professionals can incorporate the element of surprise and tap into human emotions to help people learn more effectively.

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) itself is not new – many organisations, knowingly or not, already use forms of AI technology within their businesses – we are now at the cusp of a major change. So just as the internet of things changed the way we work, connect, shop, spend our leisure time – and in turn how businesses operate – the AI revolution is set to usher in massive change affecting job design, workforce planning and organisational development. But is your organisation ready? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Katie Obi, Chief People Officer at Beamery, Kendra Briken, Sociologist and Senior Lecturer at University of Strathclyde, and Francis Lake, Founder at Green Juniper Limited, as we discuss how you can rewire your organisation to seize the initiative and not get caught on the backfoot.

If pay transparency is good for workplace fairness, why isn’t everyone doing it? The calls for pay transparency as a means to remedy existing inequalities and close gender and racial pay gaps are loud and many. But the reality of implementing it is not without complications. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Karen Jackson, HR Director at Reed, Gemma Bullivant, HR Consultant at Gemma Bullivant HR & Coaching, and Charles Cotton, Senior Policy Advisor – Performance and Reward at CIPD, as we discuss how you can find the right level of transparency for your organisation.

Have we become too comfortable and over-reliant on digital learning? CIPD research suggests we are losing sight of the richness of varied learning experiences and their role in effective learning transfer. So do learning professionals need to think afresh about designing content that can meet the changing expectations and needs of both the organisation and learner? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: coaching and professional development specialist, Jilly Julian, and David Hayden, Learning Content Manager at the CIPD, as we question whether we are sacrificing purpose for convenience when it comes to organisational learning.

Is cultural intelligence (CQ) the ‘secret sauce’ to make your equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives bear fruit? In an increasingly global environment, working effectively with others across different boundaries is critical for a competitive advantage. It requires people who are sensitive to different cultures and perspectives, and can adapt their behaviour to built trust and collaborate effectively. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Ritika Wadhwa, Chief Operating Officer at Cultural Intelligence Centre and Rob Neil, Director at Krystal Alliance, as we explore the benefits of seeking and improving your personal CQ, and the tangible commercial impact it can have for your organisation.

Do you know what’s really concerning your people as we enter a new year? As months of crippling industrial action continue, the growing struggle to make ends meet, a new period of recession in the UK and an increasingly tired and burnt-out workforce, what can people professionals – and organisations more broadly – do to support people through the challenges ahead? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Nebel Crowhurst, Chief People Officer at Reward Gateway; Emma Jacobs, Features Journalist at the Financial Times; and CIPD Membership Director, David D’Souza, – as we explore the real issues keeping your employees up at night.

It’s said that affording a little breathing space to reflect on workplace learning can vastly improve its effectiveness and likelihood of achieving behavioural change. But what’s the evidence for this? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Julie Drybrough, Founder and Chief Executive at Fuchsia Blue; Learning and Development Consultant, Fiona McBride; and Sue Murkin, Learning Delivery and Associate Lead at CIPD – as we explore why offering time to reflect can lead to more effective, transferable learning experiences and improve work performance.

Please be advised that parts of this podcast cover issues that may be emotionally sensitive. Statistics on men’s health are concerning: men account for three-quarters of premature deaths from heart disease, are twice as likely to die from drug or alcohol abuse and three times more likely to die from suicide. In part, due to unhelpful ideas about what masculinity is, and societal expectations for them to ‘man up’ and ‘keep it together’, men often face health challenges alone. So when it comes to supporting the wellbeing of your people, how can organisations target working-age men more effectively? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests: Elliott Rae, founder of Music. Football. Fatherhood; Helen Lake, director of men’s health services at Peppy; and Steve George, learning content lead at the CIPD – as we ask how organisations can better engage and support male colleagues when it comes to health and wellbeing.

Offering a four-day week could give organisations a competitive edge, as employees seek a better work-life balance. But does it really have the potential to become the norm across a wide range of sectors and businesses? Our experts debate the pros and cons of working fewer days for the same pay.

Theories encouraging employee learning have evolved considerably over the past decade, most notably in the shift from venue-based learning (while still vitally important) to learning in the flow of work. But what value can ‘adjacent learning’ – off-the-job learning that takes place outside the workplace setting – bring to learning experiences? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Carole Bower, Head of Learning at Best At Digital and Steve George, Learning Content Lead at CIPD – as we explore how organisations can tap into benefits of adjacent learning experiences.

Trust is critical for functional relationships and not least when it comes to the case of organisational leaders and their people. With scandals and examples of failed leadership making daily headlines, it is little wonder that trust in organisations may already be at an all-time low. Throw in cases of actual leadership mistakes – does the situation then become unsalvageable? Or can you repair broken trust? Join Nigel Cassidy, and this month’s guests – Veronica Hope Hailey, Emeritus Professor at the University of Bath and Richard Nolan, Chief People Officer at Epos Now – as they debate the impact of external influences on state trust in today’s organisations and how senior leaders can begin repairing and regaining trust from their people. You can hear more from Veronica Hope Hailey on the subject of trust and leadership in a post pandemic world at CIPD Scotland Annual Conference, 14 September, Edinburgh (Session A3). https://events.cipd.co.uk/events/scotland/

People professionals have stepped up through recent crises to support their organisations and their people. Yet, the perceived value of the profession remains under constant challenge. While some applaud these efforts to take the profession beyond form-filling and compliance, others say HR have exceeded their remit with their public agenda crusades. Join Nigel Cassidy, and this month’s guests – Cat Navarro, Talent Advisor and Consultant; Dr Washika Haak-Saheem, Associate Professor at Henley Business School; David D’Souza, Director of Membership at CIPD – as they debate the real purpose of HR in today’s organisations and fundamentally how people teams can be used to create the impact you need in your organisation.

Accessible and inclusive experiences are critical to the success of organisational learning. Few would argue against the benefits an accelerated shift to – and adoption of – digital learning has brought to learners, particularly with greater flexibility in terms of access, delivery and coverage. But is the design of your learning drawing out the best from your workforce or a stumbling block to truly accessible learning? Join Nigel Cassidy, live from the CIPD Festival of Work 2022, and this month’s guests – Susi Miller, eLearning Accessibility Expert and Author of Designing Accessible Learning Content; Giorgia Gamba-Quilliam, Digital Learning Content Manager at CIPD – as we unpack how your organisation can make learning content accessible for all learners and ensure everyone has the opportunity to engage with learning without barriers.

The benefits of an inclusive and diverse workforce are inarguable – not just because it’s the right thing to do for social justice, but for the benefits it can bring to every business. But despite having the right policies in place, many organisations are still struggling to build inclusive workforces, and progress has been slow or stagnant. It may sound counterintuitive to use technology to address this very human issue, but using digital processes to identify biases and measure performance against organisational objectives could give I&D the boost it desperately needs. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Kevin McFall, Head of Belonging, Diversity and Inclusion Solutions at Workday; Hayfa Mohdzaini, Senior Research Adviser for Data, Technology and AI at CIPD; and Dr Zara Nanu, CEO and Co-founder at GapSquare – as we explore the benefits of using technology to help organisations boost inclusion and foster a culture of employee belonging to drive business performance.

Dealing with stress can place immense demands on employees’ physical and mental health. Our Health and Wellbeing at Work 2022 report emphasises the negative impact stress can have on productivity, with 79% of organisations reporting some stress-related absence over the last year. So, the idea that organisations could purposely generate or allow pressure and stress to raise employee performance sounds counterintuitive, right? Well, not necessarily. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Alexandra Lichtenfeld, Business Mentor at Client Matters, Dr Serra Pitts, Clinical Director at 87% Limited, and Alan Lambert, International Strategic HR Change Leader at TotalEnergies – as we explore the benefits of positive stress and why generating healthy levels of pressure can drive higher individual, team and organisation performance.

Organisations often invest large sums of money in learning and development opportunities for their people, but CIPD research finds that only a small minority are evaluating the wider impact on business or society (8%). Learning transfer – applying newly acquired knowledge and skills to real-life situations in the workplace – should be an integral part of the L&D process. So how can organisations measure whether their L&D programmes are having the desired impact? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Robert Brinkerhoff, Senior Research Adviser at Promote International, and David Hayden, Digital Learning Portfolio Manager at the CIPD – as we explore the benefits of measuring and evaluating learning transfer in your organisation.

“We need to cultivate a growth mindset”. It sounds motivating and uplifting, but what exactly does it mean, and just how aware are we of open and fixed mindsets? Research carried out by American psychologist, Carol Dweck, suggests that when organisations embrace and nurture an organisational culture which enables a growth mindset, employees feel more empowered and committed, while simultaneously offering far greater support for collaboration and innovation. So how can organisations shift their whole culture to support and cultivate a growth mindset? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Helen Deavin, Managing Director at Mathew Syed Consulting, and Isabel Duarte, Head of Leadership Development at Tucows – as we explore the science, benefits and pillars of nurturing a growth mindset in your organisation.

Whether the ‘Great Resignation’ is a phenomenon supported by statistical evidence or not, the pandemic has prompted many to reassess what they want from their jobs. The battle to recruit and retain talent in these challenging times has been well documented, and if a workplace revolution is truly underway, employers need to be tuned in to what employees and potential employees really want. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Melanie Green, Research Adviser at CIPD, Josie Cox, Business Journalist, and Pete Thomas, Head of EVP and Brand at Department of International Trade – as we explore how employers might raise their employee value proposition and meet the demands of the post-pandemic labour market.

The rapid uptake of digital technology to deliver organisational learning during the pandemic has changed the L&D landscape forever. But as we move forward, how can organisations capitalise on the momentum to further embrace digital solutions and provide effective, engaging, immersive and safe learning experiences? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Andy Lancaster, Head of Learning and Development at CIPD, Gaelle Delmas-Watson, Founder at SyncSkills and Marco Faccini, Digital Learning Architect – as we discuss how people professionals can ensure that the use of technology, such video, webinars and mobile apps, continues to evolve and enrich employees’ professional development.

Motivation can be defined as a desire or willingness to do something, but would you be able to tell that your team or an individual is struggling with motivation? Many of us may be feeling tired, overloaded and overworked and while the monotony of heading to the kitchen table can equally take its toll, what is the cost of doing nothing when it comes to tackling the challenges of low motivation? Join our podcast presenter Nigel Cassidy, Perry Timms, Founder and Chief Energy Officer at People and Transformational HR (PTHR), Chris Shambrook, Director at PlanetK2 and Sally Hopper, HR Director at Hertfordshire County Council, as we explore the art of motivation and how people leaders and managers can help stimulate and reinvigorate their workforce.

There is little doubt that social media use can prove valuable for engaging customers and enhancing brand image. But, as the ongoing impact of the pandemic and challenges presented by choppy Brexit waters intensify the competition for talent, can leveraging social media platforms for creative and innovative recruitment practices give your organisation the edge? Join our podcast presenter Nigel Cassidy, Cassandra Hoermann, People Experience Lead at Personio and David D’Souza, Director of Membership at CIPD, as we explore how you can make social media an effective tool to tackle your recruitment challenges.

Are outdated and ineffective learning models holding your organisation back? CIPD research found that less than half of L&D practitioners are integrating new learning concepts into practice. Theories about effective learning, together with insights from behavioural science and neuroscience, can inform and shape the design of effective and engaging learning. Yet, wrapping your brain around all these theories can feel overwhelming and it can be difficult to know where to start. Join our podcast presenter Nigel Cassidy, Michelle Parry-Slater, Commercial Content Learning Manager at CIPD and Carl Crisostomo, Digital Learning Consultant at Carl Learns, as we delve into the world of learning theory and find out how it can breathe new life into your organisation’s L&D programme.

Organisations are significant contributors to the causes of climate change with businesses responsible for an estimated 17% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. While averting a planetary crisis is reason enough to act with urgency, there is also a compelling business case for doing so. So, what role must business leaders and people professionals play in embedding environmental sustainability within their organisation and what are the consequences of taking no action at all? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Dr Jan Maskell, Business Psychologist; James Robey, Global Head of Corporate Sustainability at Capgemini; and George May, Managing Director at Bio-Bean – as we explore how your organisation (regardless of size), can be proactive in delivering real change.

Organisations must constantly adapt to an everchanging environment. This may include evolving customer demands, new technologies, increased competition, and even a global crisis. Many have negotiated their way through the pandemic by reflex – adjusting practices on the fly to align with government guidance and the latest developments. But as we look to build for the longer term, does change management require a different approach? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Melanie Franklin, Founder and Principal of Agile Change and Nick Williams, change management expert and CIPD Board Member, as we discuss change implementation, the behavioural barriers, and how people professionals can lead and help organisations to embrace change.

In the face of the global pandemic, learning professionals have had to adjust swiftly to sweeping changes to how people work and connect and critically rethink learning delivery. However, a high level of uncertainty remains about what the future holds, with just 18% of organisations expecting learning strategy, investment, and resourcing to return to pre-pandemic levels. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, David Hayden, Digital Learning Portfolio Manager at the CIPD and Stella Collins, Co-Founder and Chief Learning officer at Stellar Labs, as we explore how learning practice adapted to overcome pandemic-induced challenges and to seize the opportunity for rethinking learning, to better fulfil the requirements of changing organisations. -------- Stella Collins MSc FITOL is co-founder and Chief Learning Officer at Stellar Labs, one of the Brain Ladies and the author of ‘Neuroscience for Learning and Development’. She has a clear understanding of the challenges faced by organisations in upskilling and reskilling their people, especially with digital change being so high on the agenda. Stella and her team pragmatically apply principles from neuroscience and psychology to consult, design and build practical performance focused solutions with measurable ROI. She has trained thousands of learning professionals in brain-friendly principles over more than 20 years in L&D. www.stellarlabs.eu | https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellacollins/ Book: Neuroscience for Learning and Development https://www.koganpage.com/product/neuroscience-for-learning-and-development-9780749493264 Course: 6th July - ‘Transform your learning culture’ https://get.stellarlabs.eu/learning-culture-crash-course

Is the human brain wired for a digital working? Virtual platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams are instrumental in bridging the communications gap between homeworkers, but how can we set healthy boundaries for digital tools, so they don’t fuel harmful working practices? With the expected rise in hybrid working and the impending return to the workplace, healthy, sustainable implementation is key, and identifying stress factors will help keep digital fatigue at bay. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Jonny Gifford, Senior Advisor for Organisational Behaviour at CIPD, Nilufar Ahmed, Lecturer in Social Sciences at the University of Bristol, and Marc Weedon, Sr. Director of Human Resources at Zuora, as we explore the pitfalls of working in a digital context, and how to foster a healthy relationship with communication tools for future work.

The pandemic has accelerated the evolution of the workplace, perhaps years before many organisations were ready to take the leap. But as we begin our recovery from the pandemic businesses will have a big decision to make. Do we want to return to a ‘tweaked’ version of normality or are organisations prepared to map out a bold new vision for how we work and better utilise the physical workplace? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, David D’Souza, Membership Director at CIPD, Polly Mackenzie, Chief Executive at Demos, and Rachel King, People Director at Camelot, as we explore how business can reimagine and modernise three key elements of work; the physical workplace, working practices and working relationships.

Are we too busy to learn? Is there a strong case for L&D in a cost-conscious environment? There is increasing demand on organisational departments to justify their spending and deliver measurable value. As a result, there is a steadily growing trend for L&D teams to present evidence-based practice to demonstrate growth and impact. Without tangible evidence, it is becoming increasingly harder for L&D professionals to inform strategic decision making or budget considerations. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Andy Lancaster, Head of Learning at the CIPD, Laura Overton, co-creator of Emerging Stronger, and Owen Ferguson, Chief Product Officer at Emerald Works, to hear how L&D professionals are moving to adopt evidence-based practice that drives forward impact.

Is it time to tear up the HR playbook? Should the people profession be less fixated on rules, and instead, lead by principles? We are seeing seismic shifts in the world of work, not just in what our physical workplace looks like, but in what our expectations of work are. But is the people profession – so frequently labelled ‘risk-averse’ – ready to step up, release the handbrake and seize the opportunity to drive organisations forward and make progress where it’s needed? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Yetunde Hofmann, Managing Director at Synchrony Development Consulting, Caroline Parsons, HR Director and Director of Shared Services at WSP Middle East, and Geoff Trickey, Managing Director at PCL, as we explore how people practitioners can take well-calculated risks and seize opportunities.

Over the past 12 months many organisations in the UK and across the globe switched to survival mode. Whether that was due to a sudden surge in demand for key services or having to adapt operations as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, no business remained unscathed. One thing that is abundantly clear is that our working lives will not be returning to ‘normal’. The pandemic presented an opportunity for employees to reconsider how they work and whether it’s conducive to work-life balance. But are organisations prepared to make the necessary changes that contribute towards building a braver, fairer and more equal world? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Neil Morrison, Group HR Director at Severn Trent PLC, Deborah Lee, Group Engagement Director, Compass Group and Brad Taylor, Director of People at CIPD, as we take our first steps into 2021 and explore the key anticipated shifts in people practice as we recover and rebuild better and fairer organisations.

In the last year or so there has been growing debate and conversation around the benefits of soft skills in the workplace and the essential or core skills we will increasingly need. The events of 2020 have prompted greater shows of empathy, teamwork and problem solving, but can getting these ‘softer’ skills right pay dividends in the long-term and do we need to value these skills more within our organisations? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Rebekah Wallis, Director of People and Corporate Responsibility at Ricoh UK, Phil Lowe, Leadership Development Specialist and Lizzie Crowley, Senior Skills Adviser at CIPD, to unpack how a greater emphasis on nurturing, utilising and measuring the effectiveness of soft skills can benefit your organisation.

Do you have the right learning culture to nurture your people? What are the tell-tale signs you have developed a strong environment for learning in your organisation? Creating a supportive learning environment is imperative to ensuring employees have the right capabilities to adapt and respond to challenges in the right way. While 98% of learning and development practitioners would seek to do this, CIPD research reveals only a third feel they have achieved this feat. Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Gavin McQuillan, NatWest and Mel Green, CIPD, to unpack what you need to do to instil a positive learning culture in your organisation.

Due to the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic, many organisations feel unprepared for incoming immigration changes brought about by Brexit. Priorities have shifted, and the onset of COVID-19 put workforce planning on the back burner. In what ways can organisations prepare for Brexit, and how will new migration restrictions impact their future plans? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Marina Fernandez-Reino, The Migration Observatory, Ian Robinson, Fragomen and Gerwyn Davies, CIPD, to understand the true cost of post-Brexit recruitment and the importance of workforce planning.

Over a quarter of people say their alcohol consumption has increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions. Yet recent CIPD research has found a fifth of businesses don’t offer proactive support to employees for drug and alcohol misuse. So at what point do concerns of drug and alcohol misuse become an issue for employers and how can people professionals and line managers best support their teams? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests, Professor Dame Carol Black, Simon Jones and Dr Jill Miller, as they look beyond the stigma of alcohol and drug misuse and discuss why organisations need to prioritise it as a health and wellbeing issue.

Few would argue against the beneficial role technology has played as an enabler of work, especially now, as we continue to face disruption to both work and working life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But is there a point when the implementation of technology crosses a line? Workforce surveillance and employee monitoring is a topic of contention, but is it something we all just need to get used to? Join Nigel Cassidy and this months’ guests, Edward Houghton, Dr Stephanie Hare and Daniel Sharaiha, to discuss the benefits and risks of employee monitoring and where the boundaries between work and private life lie?

The global Black Lives Matter movement has shone a stark spotlight on the need for society and organisations to stop, reflect and acknowledge where they need to start making changes. While laws and changing social norms have helped to make overt and blatant racism unacceptable, a shake-up in working practice and systemic culture is required. And that will only happen if we all take ownership of the issue.

Conflict is an inevitable part of human interaction. At a time when it’s crucial we come together and strengthen our relationships, albeit virtually, inconsequential disagreements or a mishandled conversation can bubble up into unpleasant or even toxic situations. While being able to ‘manage’ conflict is a necessary skill for individuals and the modern workplace, is there a healthy and progressive side of conflict that can be channelled into success? Join Nigel Cassidy and this months’ guests, Amy Gallo, Contributing Editor at Harvard Business Review; Clive Lewis, OBE and CEO of Globis Mediation Group and Rachel Suff, Senior Employee Relations Adviser at CIPD, to learn about the key causes of negative conflict, strategies for diffusing workplace flare-ups and how we can encourage constructive and progressive workplace conflict.

Before coronavirus struck, mental-ill health was the number one cause of long-term sickness absence among UK workers. Current lockdown restrictions are likely to have exacerbated these conditions for many, and this poses a real challenge for managers who are expected to look after the health and well-being of their teams. Join Andrea Winfield, HR Director at Microsoft, Professor Neil Greenberg, Professor of Defence Mental Health at Kings College, and Rachel Suff, Senior Employee Relations Adviser at CIPD to learn how managers can have confident and sensitive well-being conversations to support the mental and physical well-being of their remote teams, and crucially what employers need to consider as the UK plans for an eventual return to the workplace.

We have heard many times before that we are operating in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world and few would argue that current developments aren’t case in point. The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) is without question testing businesses on an unprecedented scale. But having a well-designed organisation to respond flexibly and rapidly is only half the battle. Some organisations are having to rework their business models to deliver outside-the-box-offerings, while many others are grappling with the challenge of business continuity. Join Jaimini Lakhani, Director at Lumiere Consulting, David Frost, Director of OD at Total Produce and Peter Cheese, Chief Executive at CIPD to discover how organisations can and should respond to the coronavirus crisis, and vitally, how you can support your workforce through this difficult period.

Traditional organisation development [OD] skills are becoming increasingly embedded within the DNA across all aspects of people profession today – this is highlighted in the new Profession Map from the CIPD. In what way, then, can OD practice be integrated throughout the people practice ecosystem? How can people practitioners adopt traditional OD roles and responsibilities in their workplace? Join Dr Linda Holbeche, co-director of The Holbeche Partnership, and Caroline Nugent, HR Director at the Financial Ombudsman, as they delve into the role of organisation architects and OD professionals whose job is to explore the ways organisations can benefit from OD practice, and the key challenges they may face in doing so.

There are currently 5 million workers in the UK (1 in 7 of the workforce) juggling work with care responsibilities. That number is set to increase. Working carers say their responsibility for another causes significant worry and anxiety, so much so, that it can feel like being a ‘rabbit caught in the headlights’. Employers should start developing an understanding and awareness of the issue, in order to provide the best support and retain valuable employees. Join Katherine Wilson, Head of Employment, Carers UK and Claire McCartney, Senior Policy Adviser, CIPD as we explore the impact of caring responsibilities on workers and what measures employers can put in place to better support their working carers.

A new year presents new challenges, but what are the key business issues your organisation should prepare for? From providing support and stability to employees following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, to tackling workplace inequality and addressing diversity and inclusion at all levels of business, our guests discuss the crucial topics set to change the landscape of work. Join business journalist Josie Cox and CIPD’s David D’Souza and Edward Houghton as they ponder the year ahead, explore what organisations need to prepare for and offer top tips to help you tackle these key business issues.

Critical thinking is a key skill for HR and all people professionals - it is the ability think well and to critically reflect on the ideas, opinions and arguments of others. It can help us solve complex problems and make better decisions, bringing clarity to confusion. and increasing our potential to succeed when others look to us and our teams for answers that work. Join Warren Howlett and Tim Coburn discussing why critical thinking is important, and how you can learn to reason well.

The concept of “learning in-the-flow of work”, coined by Josh Bersin, is a simple notion; learners can access learning at their point of need in the workplace. See Bersin’s article “A New Paradigm For Corporate Training: Learning In The Flow of Work” (Bersin, 2018) available at: https://joshbersin.com/2018/06/a-new-paradigm-for-corporate-training-learning-in-the-flow-of-work/. He cites the 2018 LinkedIn Learning survey of over 4000 L&D leaders and business professionals that highlighted the biggest barrier to learning is that employees simply don’t have enough time for learning; respondents want to learn at their own pace (58%) and in-the-flow of work (49%) (LinkedIn, 2018). This is further supported by Towards Maturity’s “Learner Voice” research (Towards Maturity, 2016) which found that 91% of learners want to learn at their own pace. See https://towardsmaturity.org/2016/11/03/learner-voice-part-3/. However, learning in-the-flow of work requires learning practitioners to design and facilitate learning close to the workface and that requires new thinking and tactics. We can no longer rely on “the course”. Andy Lancaster, Head of Learning at CIPD, David James, Chief Learning Officer at Looop Learning, and Kate Graham, Head Of Content at Fosway Group discuss this and more.

Neurodiversity refers to the fact that all our brains function differently. In the workplace it’s an essential area of diversity and inclusion that refers to alternative thinking styles, including autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Without an appreciation of neurodiverse conditions and considering how individuals can be enabled to perform at their best at work, employers will miss out on the sought-after skills of a large talent pool and potentially neglect a significant proportion of their customer base. In this episode, Margaret Malpas, Vice President of the British Dyslexia Association, and the CIPD’s Diversity and Inclusion Adviser, Dr Jill Miller, explain why it’s so important for employers to understand neurodiversity. They also share ideas on how to create a neurodiversity-friendly workplace where people with alternative thinking styles can thrive. Kirsty Wilson, Lead International Job Coach at Auticon, an IT consultancy that exclusively hires adults on the autism spectrum, gives insights and practical examples of how to create an inclusive environment where people can fully use their talents.

All listed companies in the UK with more than 250 people must now report the ratio between their CEO pay and the median pay of their employees. But will that make much difference to the widening gap, and are big, complex reward packages, much of a motivator anyway? In this podcast, our speakers discuss the existing models of executive pay and incentive plans, what motivates top earners and the importance of fairness in reward, as well as the future role of Remuneration Committees. We hear from Sandy Pepper, Professor of Management Practice at the London School , Professor of Management Practice at the London School of Economics, Charles Cotton, CIPD’s Senior Adviser Pay and Reward, and Julia Hanna of Verditer Consulting.

Many organisations still shy away from this important combined business practice and HR led strategy as it can appear to be too complicated a task. This podcast encourages organisations of all sizes to start small and build on the data and analysis that will inform the practices and key skills required for talent acquisition and management, succession planning and change.

In this podcast we explore how organisations can support ethical behaviour at work through their people management practices, job design, and through building ethics into the way they do business.

Fads, anecdotes, fake news and gut instinct aren't reliable tools for HR practitioners. In this episode we explore evidence-based practice, and discuss what it is, how it works, and why it is important for people professionals.

Women over the age of 50 are the fastest growing segment of the workforce, and most will go through the menopause transition during their working lives. For every ten women experiencing menopausal symptoms, six say it has a negative impact on their work. Yet it remains a taboo topic in many workplaces. Women will continue to suffer in silence unless we break the stigma and start talking openly about the menopause at work. In this episode Deborah Garlick, from Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace and the CIPD’s Senior Employment Relations Adviser, Rachel Suff share their ideas and insights. We also hear from Janet Trowse at Network Rail who has first-hand experience of working within an organisation that does all it can to support menopausal women in the workplace.

Flexible working includes various working arrangements such as part time, flexitime, compressed hours and working from home to name but a few. With UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s support the Flexible Working Taskforce was established to widen the availability and take-up of flexible working and is chaired by the CIPD. In this episode we’ll explore the work of the Taskforce and the CIPD’s investigations into flexible working including design, availability, visibility, and productivity. We capture ideas and insights from Peter Cheese and Claire McCartney from the CIPD, Kamal Shergill, Dan Kieran, Christine Armstrong, and Margaret Heffernan.

The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of high profile bullying and harassment claims across industries and sectors, from daily newspapers and multinational corporations to government bodies. With scrutiny high and both employees and consumers demanding more transparent practice, it is essential that HR teams have appropriate policies, processes, and practices in place. In this episode we talk to Julie Dennis at ACAS about how you can best handle harassment claims, and to the CIPD's Head of Public Policy Ben Willmott about the future of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

In today’s business landscape, as new scandals occur with increasing regularity, the concepts of trust and reputation are growing ever greater in importance. Organisations are finding that they must be more transparent and accountable to engage and retain their customers and to attract the best talent. Building trust both outside and within an organisation is now essential to business success. In this first episode of 2019 we explore trust and human connection in today’s workplaces. What benefits can pursuing them bring to a company and what challenges do they present? What role do people professionals play in developing this culture and embedding it throughout their own organisations? And how can they model these behaviours in their own day-to-day work?

The world of business is becoming increasingly complex and as a result businesses themselves are adding complexity to their structures, processes and systems. This can often act as a blocker to the factors of business success like innovation, engagement and ultimately productivity. So how do businesses and their people stay agile in a complicated environment? Many organisations have taken inspiration from the world of tech and increasingly people professionals are using techniques such as agile working, sprints, and scrum or squad working to achieve their goals and complete projects. But is it for everyone? In this episode we talk to three HR and L&D specialists about what it means for an organisation to be ‘agile’ in today’s business world. We discuss the increasing complexity of business structures and look at simple steps for empowering employees to work collaboratively.

Robots aren’t taking over our jobs just yet, but automation is already augmenting many roles. Much of the current discussion on how new technology stands to change the world of work is limited. Debates typically centre on the extent to which humans are going to be ‘replaced’ or which jobs or tasks are most at risk of automation. This narrative is driven by the assumption that all we care about is productivity and since machines are seen to be much more efficient with the potential to make better decisions than humans – it can only lead to one conclusion. But in a world that is more connected than ever before – individuals are increasingly feeling isolated and desire human interaction. This episode explores how people and technologies can augment each other in the workplace, through a series of case studies, providing important food for thought for both organisations and individuals.

As the people profession evolves to meet the needs of a changing business landscape, HR and L&D teams are becoming far more integrated throughout their organisations, working closely with different functions and using their professional skills and knowledge to improve business performance. In this episode we talk to CIPD’s own Director of people, Brad Taylor, as well as Kate Griffiths-Lambeth, HRD at Charles Stanley, along with her CEO and COO, to find out how their teams go about working with a range of different business areas and the importance they place on integrating the HR and L&D functions throughout the organisation.

In the changing context of work, performance and productivity are key considerations for organisations of every size. Today’s L&D teams play a vital role in helping organisations to address these issues. In order to do so, learning must be embedded at the heart of their businesses and this may mean a significant shift in learning culture. L&D teams must seek to revolutionise their approach if they are to drive productivity and performance in their organisations. In this episode we explore the latest research from Towards Maturity which looks at L&D in high performing organisations and how they are able to achieve astounding improvements in their performance and productivity. We discuss the role L&D practitioners, senior leaders and managers play in driving these changes and challenges they may face. And we hear from an organisation that has already implemented many of the recommendations from the research.

Self-directed learning is nothing new. As early as 1840, self-development has been celebrated and today, with the rise of new technologies and social platforms, self-directed learning is more accessible and relevant than ever before. So why are many organisations resistant to the idea of self-directed learning? Self-directed learning represents a move away from traditional, class-room based learning, empowering individuals to take charge of their own learning needs. It allows learners to proceed at their own pace, according to their own needs and in a style that suits them. However, it is not without its challenges. In this episode we explore what self-directed learning looks like in today’s organisations and what challenges and opportunities it offers for both the individuals and their businesses. We ask how L&D professionals can best support self-directed learners and what conditions are necessary for self-directed learning to be successful in an organisation.

The practice of organisational design and development is changing and its profile is growing in the world of work and HR. Organisations are looking to OD experts - and sometimes HR professionals with only limited OD expertise - to help them resolve the many and varied challenges they face. But there's confusion about what OD is and some questionable truths about OD often go unchallenged. Together those issues can create significant organisational risk. In this episode, we talk to OD experts Dr Naomi Stanford, Sadie Sharp, Gary Cookson and Warren Howlett about how OD is changing, what it can do and the role that HR can play.

The business and ethical case for diversity is clear and well established and today we’re seeing notable progress on gender. However, research shows that we’re still not seeing the same pace of change in racial equality at work. While one in eight of the working-age population is from a BAME background, this group still only holds one in sixteen of the top management positions. Despite governmental and business focus we are failing to make a meaningful and lasting impact. So what is holding organisations back? In this episode we hear clips from an event in which senior HR professionals discuss why they believe progress remains slow and why we find it so difficult to talk about race. We also hear from television broadcaster June Sarpong MBE and CIPD’s Membership Director David D’Souza as they discuss what organisations and HR can do to support and encourage change.

Recruitment is a fundamental process for every organisation. Get it right and it can strengthen company culture, improve productivity and performance, and positively impact well-being and diversity. Get it wrong and the negative effects can be far-reaching for individuals, teams and organisations. So how do HR professionals ensure that their recruitment processes are fair and unbiased and so attract the best talent? In this episode we talk to three HR experts about the impact of unconscious bias on recruitment. We look at how unconscious bias can creep into to any decision-making process and offer advice on what HR and managers can do to address the effects of unconscious bias in their organisations, particularly at the point of recruitment.

What is the connection between productivity and engagement? It’s a key question for organisations and much debated in the HR community. Do engaged employees always work harder, smarter or more efficiently? Does a productive worker always mean an engaged worker? Can you measure the relationship between productivity and engagement? In this episode we look at both sides of the engagement/productivity debate. We explore the evidence that links the two and we discuss the many ways in which engagement (high or low) can impact an organisation. We also offer advice for HR professionals on assessing their own companies’ engagement levels and tips on getting a better understanding of the productivity and engagement relationship.

There’s not a week that goes by where the spotlight isn't being shone on corporate governance, from the collapse of Carillion to sexual harassment at work and the latest President’s Club scandal. In the wake of the 25-year anniversary of the Cadbury’s Corporate Governance Code the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has launched a new consultation on the code. In this episode we ask what’s gone wrong with corporate governance in the UK? How do we create a better system for the future? And what opportunities do we have now to encourage Board practice to be more progressive and ethical in nature – from a human capital governance model, to a new remuneration committee.

In the second part of our cyber security double-bill, we take a closer look at an area of increasing concern: recruitment fraud. Between September 2015 and September 2016 over 1200 instances of recruitment scams were identified, costing victims an estimated £500,000. With individuals losing out, and organisations and the recruitment industry facing increasing reputational damage, we discuss the factors contributing to the rise in these cases. We’ll hear from experts at SaferJobs, Cifas and CIPD on what to look out for and the steps businesses and HR professionals can take to protect themselves and others against recruitment fraud.

The past twelve months have seen enormous changes in the social, political and economic landscapes: new policies and changing market conditions; new ways of working and changing employer/employee relationships; and changing values and demands for accountability and ethical practice. With businesses changing seemingly faster than ever before, the role of HR and L&D professionals has never been more important. In this episode we explore what top HR, L&D and business experts see as the biggest challenges and opportunities facing organisations and people professionals in 2018. We look at leadership, collaboration, technology and organisational agility and how HR and L&D roles in each of these areas contributes to making businesses more productive and ultimately more successful.

One of the biggest challenges for any organisation is managing risk and for HR professionals, their people are at the heart of creating a secure organisation. With up to 96% of cyber security breaches owing to human, rather than technological error, it is imperative that an organisation’s people, its management and its processes are well prepared. In the first of two episodes we look at the cyber security risks facing organisations today – a threat which the UK Government estimates cost £27 billion annually. We’ll hear from representatives from CIPD, Safer Jobs, the Corsham Institute, Cyber Insider and Cifas, the UK’s largest cross-sector fraud sharing database. We’ll be discussing the key role HR professionals play in managing people risk and the steps they can take to ensure their people processes are contributing to maintaining a secure organisation.

Over the past year the issue of performance management has been much debated, largely owing to several high-profile organisations publically abolishing their annual appraisals in favour of more regular systems of feedback. In this episode we’ll be looking at some of the latest trends in performance management from appraisals and smart objectives to performance ratings and employee involvement. We’ll be talking to Jonny Gifford from CIPD, about what the evidence has shown in the field of performance management, James Brook from Strengths Partnership about a strengths-based approach, and Ali Mohammed from Great Ormond Street Hospital about the practicalities of embedding good performance management practice across an organisation.

Businesses today are experiencing growing levels of distrust and disillusionment both internally and externally. Fuelled by high-profile stories of fraud and unethical behaviour from Volkwagen and Amazon to BHS and SportsDirect, customers, employees and investors are demanding greater transparency and stronger moral leadership from the organisations with which they do business. But is ethical behaviour a personal choice or a business imperative? New research from CIPD suggests that leaders who display strong moral character are likely to inspire greater motivation, productivity and commitment. In this episode we talk to three HR and business leaders about the role HR plays in developing strong ethical leadership in themselves and their employees.

Over the past twelve months performance management practices have come under close scrutiny with some high-profile organisations including Deloitte and Accenture scrapping their annual performance reviews, instead implementing a more fluid system of ongoing, timely feedback. To transition to this type of new system successfully, however, organisations must ensure that their people are equipped to give and receive more regular feedback and, crucially, that their culture is one in which coaching, mentoring and other forms of continuous feedback can thrive. In this episode we talk to Chris Britton and Nebel Crowhurst from River Island and Rhonda Howarth Nestle about why coaching is an integral part of performance management in their organisations. They offer practical advice on developing coaching capabilities and embedding them into the business. We also explore the psychology of coaching wit ex England cricketer and founder of Sporting Edge, Jeremy Snape.

In April this year the new Apprenticeship Levy came into effect, which means for the first time business with pay bills of over 3 million have to contribute to apprenticeships. It is expected that the Levy will encourage more employers to introduce apprenticeships or expand their existing programmes. In this episode we talk to employers, apprentices and apprenticeship providers to explore what the new world of apprenticeships could look like. What implications will the levy have for businesses and what opportunities could it provide potential candidates? With an increasing number of organisations offering apprenticeships, how can businesses stand out from the crowd? And could apprenticeship extend beyond the traditional 16-25 demographic? Also in this month's podcast, cast your minds back to Ksenia Zheltoukhova and her partner Ryan McKelvey, who were among the mere 7,500 who in the past year decided to take advantage of shared parental leave, a legislation introduced in April 2015 allowing both parents to share a block of fifty two weeks leave after the birth of a child. This month, in their final conversation with us, Ryan and Ksenia sum up the experience after a year full of surprises...

In his best-selling book, The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge outlines the concept of the ‘learning organisation’. These organisations would be agile, innovative and highly competitive. They would emphasise continual learning and work from a shared vision for all employees. Senge was certainly ahead of his time and 27 years after publication, organisations are still seeking (and often struggling) to embody these ideas. In this episode we discuss new research from Towards Maturity into the New Learning Organisation, and we chat to learning professionals from Virgin Media, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and British Heart Foundation to find what becoming a learning organisation has meant for them and what steps they’ve taken to put learning at the heart of their business.

The world of work is changing fast and technology is changing even faster. Research suggests that in the next 20 years at least 35% of the current jobs in the UK are at risk of computerisation or automation. As organisations communicate, collaborate and innovate is evolving, new skills and roles are gaining prominence. But are organisations and individuals prepared for this pace of change? And in this new technological landscape, can the future of work be human? In this episode we chat with Dr Nicola Millard, BT Global Services, David Woodward, SDWorx and CIPD’s own David D’Souza about the ways in which technology is affecting work and working lives. From flexible working and automation to analytic reporting and office environments, this episode will explore how technology is changing the way organisations operate, the effect this is having on its employees and the challenges (and opportunities) that HR and L&D can face.

This April new legislation comes into effect that requires organisations of more than 250 employees to gather data and report publically on their gender pay gap. These regulations come five years after the Government’s Think, Act, Report initiative aimed at encouraging voluntary transparency around equal pay in organisations. Today, however, despite such efforts, women working in the UK are paid on average 18% less than men and there is still a widely recognised under-representation of women in senior leadership positions. The new gender pay gap reporting legislation aims to drive change by highlighting these issues and encouraging organisations to both understand their own pay gap and to work to improve it. In this episode we talk to Sheila Wild, Equal Pay Portal, and Ben Willmott, Head of Policy at CIPD, about what the legislation is demanding of employers and the impact it could have on organisations and employees, as well as the practical considerations for HR professionals.

Increasingly organisations are seeing learning not in terms of isolated interventions, but rather as the ongoing transfer of knowledge that comes through the everyday connections made between colleagues and within teams. This type of social learning is typically informal and self-directed, occurring as and when the need arises, often through the use of social media or similar collaborative technology. And it already takes place in almost every workplace, so how can organisations harness the potential of this behaviour in their own learning and development strategies? In this episode we chat with three social learning experts – Dr Clair Doloriert, University of Bangor, Perry Timms, People and Transformational HR and Julian Stodd, Seasalt Learning – about what social learning might look like for organisations, the challenges and opportunities of encouraging social learning in the workplace, and what it means for the L&D professional (as well as the employee) as organisations move away from controlled, classroom-based learning environments towards self-directed learning.

Interest in behavioural science has risen significantly over the past decade with industries as diverse as finance, energy and media, using its insights to improve resilience, innovation and leadership development. Take up in HR, however, has been slower, with many professionals unsure where to begin or how to apply behavioural science insights in their own organisations. In this episode we chat with Hilary Scarlett, Samantha Rockey and Jonny Gifford about how behavioural science can benefit organisations, teams and individual employees. We’ll take a closer look at how the insights from behavioural science can be applied in today’s businesses and explore how HR can use these insights to develop themselves and their organisation’s leaders.

2016 has been a year of change and upheaval socially, politically and economically. From the National Living Wage and the Apprenticeship Levy to Brexit and the US election, events over the past year are set to have a significant impact on work and working lives. In this episode we talk to Margaret Heffernan, Laura Overton and Laura Harrison about the effect these changes are having – and will have – on businesses and their employees and what HR and L&D professionals can be doing to help prepare themselves and their organisations for the year ahead.

We catch up with Ksenia and baby Maya to see how they’re enjoying the first few months of Ksenia and Ryan’s shared parental leave plan. We find out if any of their predictions have come to pass and how they’re preparing for the second portion of shared leave when Ksenia returns to work.

2016 has been quite a year for trade unions and employee relations. Teachers, junior doctors, train drivers and London underground staff have all voted to strike over issues such as pay, contracts, working hours and working conditions. News coverage has highlighted how important maintaining good relationships with employees and trade unions and HR’s role in this is critical. In this episode we chat to David Widdowson, Partner at Abbiss Cadres and Jeremy Gautrey, Employee, Industrial Relations and Change Management Specialist about HR’s relationship with trade unions and the business, the common issues that can lead to disputes, and how to develop partnering arrangements to encourage greater agility and collaboration.

In this episode we’ll be talking to Foo Chek Wee, Regional HR Director at Zalora, Clarence Hoe, Group Director, Human Resource Group, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and Su-Yen Wong, Chief Executive Officer, Human Capital Leadership Institute about how they’re planning for the future of Talent in Singapore.

In this episode we hear from Andy Lancaster, Head of L&D Content, CIPD and Nicola Josephs, Senior Executive Advisor, CEB on the challenges and opportunities facing L&D professionals now, and in the future. We also chat with Derek Bruce, Head of International Development, ABN AMRO and Alexandra Bode-Tunji, Programme Lead - Skills and Capabilities, TFL about how their organisations are preparing their employees for the future.

In this episode we chat with mum-to-be Ksenia Zheltoukhova, research advisor at CIPD, and her partner Ryan McKelvey about their decision to take advantage of shared leave and what challenges and opportunities it has presented. We also chat with Fiona Martin, Pay and benefits administrator at CIPD, to find out how it works in practice and how HR can support and encourage couples considering shared parental leave.

Recorded at the launch event for new research from the Valuing your Talent initiative, this episode explores why companies should be interested in measuring the value of their people, how they can begin, and the impact that human capital measurement and reporting can have business performance and investment potential.

Dr Mark Cole, Head of L&D at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation, Catherine Noel, L&D Manager at Cannon and Jennifer Wrigley, L&D Manager at Discovery Networks International discuss how they tackle line manager training and how L&D professionals could better support and engage with their line managers to increase the success of their learning and development plans.

Podcast 113: Wearable Technology by CIPD

Podcast 112: Interview with Scott Durairaj (Bonus) by CIPD

Liz Bingham, a Partner in People Advisory services at EY, describes how her career flourished after a supportive boss encouraged her to come out at work and how this helped her become a more authentic leader. Liz also discusses her opinion of the experience of young people entering the workforce, as well as giving tips for HR and line managers who want to bring a truly diverse community into the workplace.

Amy Stanning is shared services Director at Barclays and in this podcast she discusses her experience of transitioning her gender identity while staying in the same job, the essential support she received from her senior HR business partner and her tips for HR on how to create an inclusive culture in the workplace.

Gay, lesbian and trans people talk about their work, their colleagues, disclosure, language and why there’s no such thing as the LGBT community. Our guests include Stephen Frost, a globally recognised diversity expert for Frost Included, trainee vet Hattie Smart, EY partner Liz Bingham, Amy Stanning, shared services Director at Barclays, Head of diversity and inclusion at NHS Employers, Paul Deemer, and Scott Durairaj, head of patient experience, mental health and learning disability for the NHS.

Podcast 110: Resilience by CIPD

Welcome to our first podcast episode of 2016! In this episode we ask three leading thinkers to share their predictions for what the next 12 months will hold for HR and L&D. Sharing their insight and foresight Professor Sir Cary Cooper, 50th anniversary professor of organisational psychology and health, Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Dave Coplin, Author and Chief Envisioning Officer, Microsoft UK and Inji Duducu, Group HR Director, Benenden Group discuss the key issues facing HR and L&D in the changing world of work including automation, wellbeing, performance management, the leadership of the future, the ongoing debate around email and the concept of finding the right balance in the emerging phenomenon of “work-life integration”.

In today’s business landscape HR professionals are seeking greater business credibility, greater influence and greater impact in their organisations. But what role does HR play in promoting and/or enforcing ethical responsibility in business? Recent high-profile scandals at Volkswagen, Tesco and Amazon have highlighted the importance of organisational culture and leadership, not to mention the risks of ignoring them. In this roundtable discussion Philippa Foster Back CBE, Director of the Institute of Business Ethics, David Jackson, Associate Director of HR at Manchester Metropolitan University and Laura Harrison, Director of People and Strategy at CIPD, discuss the changing role of HR and how ethical responsibility and business credibility can be balanced and incorporated into that role.

As the world of work changes at an ever increasing pace this podcast explores the role HR professionals should play in planning and landing change programmes in their organisation.

CIPD research shows that over two-fifths of organisations have reported an increase in mental health problems in the last 12 months – but rather than simply taking measures to deal with these problems there is growing evidence that it is in employers’ best interest to promote and support good mental health in their workforce. So how can employers work to tackle the root causes of mental health problems and provide measures to foster good mental health in their organisation? In this podcast we hear from John Binns, a well-being and personal resilience advisor, about his personal experience of poor mental health and how he now uses this experience to advise organisations on how best to support employees who may be suffering from poor mental health, including the importance of carefully considering messaging around initiatives. We also speak to Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, about the importance of proactive communication to make mental health conversations normal and remove the stigma around mental health. Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk and former Minister of State at the Department of Health, also gives insight into the work he did as minister to promote mental health support and gives his opinion on the economic and social case for why employers should make this a priority.

Research suggests that by 2030 there will be more jobs than people. In this talent-led market, reward strategies will become enormously important in helping organisations to stand out and attract and retain the very best candidates. In this podcast Charles Cotton, Public Policy Advisor for Reward at CIPD offers insight into the shifting landscape of reward and the challenges of catering to a changing workforce with increasingly diverse needs and preferences. Neil Morrison, Group HR Director at Penguin Random House discusses the importance of reward in creating a fair and transparent culture following the merger of the two publishing houses in 2014. And Kelly Mitchell, Head of People Services at Home Group shares her organisation’s experience of launching an innovative reward scheme and the benefit of good communication and engagement.

In this podcast Kathryn Nawrockyi, Gender Equality Director at Business in the Community, Vilma Nikolaidou, Head of Organisational Development at Tate Gallery and Margot King, Head of CR, Diversity and Recruitment at Eversheds offer thoughts and insights into boardroom gender diversity issues.

Recent research shows that just 7% of L&D professionals evaluate the impact of learning initiatives on the wider business but in these uncertain and evolving times it’s essential that L&D becomes all about alignment; with both business aims and with evolving ways of learning. But what does alignment actually look like? In this podcast we speak to three experts to gain their insight. Laura Overton, founder of Towards Maturity, discusses what is holding alignment up and what L&D should really be measuring to assess value, while Julian Stodd, Founder and Captain at SeaSalt Learning describes the new world of learning, of social and community, and why L&D need to act as agile facilitators not controllers of learning. Andrew Jacobs, Talent Management and Organisational Development Manager at London Borough of Lewisham, agrees with the importance of embracing new ways of learning but stresses the need to challenge the use of certain methods and technology to ensure it’s what is needed for the business. Andrew also discusses his experience of stripping back his L&D offering to truly align with what people want and what they’re already using. Do you feel that more needs to be done to align L&D with business objectives in your organisation? How are you embracing evolving learning methods? Join in the discussion on Twitter @CIPD using the hashtag #cipdpodcasts.

Recruiting the right people is a challenge faced by every organisation, but SMEs in particular may face more challenges than most. Limited time and resources as well as competition from larger companies can make it much more difficult for smaller firms to find and recruit the best candidates.

The world of continuing professional development (CPD) is changing. Organisations and professional institutions are increasingly shifting their emphasis from classroom-based learning and compulsory hours or units to a much more personalised, flexible and informal approach. This podcast takes a closer look at CPD in the HR profession, exploring the benefits and challenges of a voluntary system, how it compares to other professions, the opportunities it offers for the individual and the organisation and ultimately, how CPD can contribute to building and maintaining the HR profession as a whole. In a round-table discussion, our guest speakers David D’Souza, Head of London at CIPD, Simon Collins, Talent Manager at Caterpillar and Rebecca Normand, International Business Manager at CIPD, talk about their own experiences of CPD, both in HR and other professions, the new and innovative ways that companies are engaging their employees and encouraging ongoing learning and how they see CPD evolving in the future.

It’s our 100th podcast! To celebrate this milestone we asked you, our listeners, to take the lead and give us your wise words and views on the HR profession; its highs and lows, how it’s changing, the best advice you’ve been given in your career and what you love about working in HR. We also put your questions to our trio of expert speakers: HR Director of Telefonica, UK, Ann Pickering, Stefan Stern, visiting professor as CASS Business School, and Max Blumberg, Research Fellow at Goldsmiths University. Ann, Stefan and Max also give their expert insight on successful HR careers, industry trends and buzzwords, and what HR means today.

Parents of babies born or adopted on or after 5 April 2015 will be able to take advantage of shared parental leave, one of the biggest family friendly working reforms in years. But does this legislation do enough to truly suit the needs of the future workforce? In this podcast we discuss the future of family friendly working and the advantages to be gained from embracing a culture of agile working. We hear from Jo Swinson, Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Women and Equalities Minister, about how shared parental leave will work and what she expects the take up to be. Jo also discusses why legislation like shared parental leave will help challenge conceptions in society and drive change to achieve a more level playing field for male and female employees. Tim Munden, Vice President of HR at Unilever, discusses how Unilever are looking to go beyond implementing the new legislation to start incorporating parental and other family absences (like eldercare) into their talent planning pipelines and the importance of line managers and role models in communicating this type of culture. We also speak to Jennifer Liston-Smith from My Family Care about the issue of pay and why employers should consider the business case for embracing family friendly working in terms of recruitment and retention. Jennifer also gives her advice for employers who want to embrace the future of family friendly working, including how to equip managers to handle requests for leave. To discuss this episode on Twitter, use the hashtag #cipdpodcasts.

Business partnerships are on the rise, with 25% more organisations setting one up in 2014 than in 2013. This episode follows on from the December episode which looked at the key considerations that should be made when approaching business partnerships. In this episode we speak to representatives from Shell and Rolls Royce about their experiences of business partnerships. Sofiah Umar, VP for HR Strategy and Planning for Shell tells us about using business partnerships as a way to collaborate with competitors and the challenges HR face in accepting the change of mindset required for success, while Charlotte Dearnley, Head of HR for Controls and Data Services at Rolls Royce, speaks about her role in building an individual culture and identity for her business unit, while remaining part of Rolls Royce, and the importance of fostering communication. Philippa Stokes, Head of Global Employment Relations at Rolls Royce echoes this point by describing why it is crucial to foster common understanding. We also hear from Paul Sparrow, Director of the Centre for Performance-led HR and Professor of International Human Resource Management at Lancaster University Management School on the role of HR in launching and sustaining successful business partnerships.

Welcome to the first podcast for 2015! In this podcast Chief Executive Peter Cheese explains the key themes the CIPD will be focusing on in the coming year and introduces 4 important thinkers discussing what they think is significant and cutting edge for the profession right now. First we speak to Nick Chater, Professor of Behavioural Science at the Warwick Business School, about the science of human behaviour and its relevance to HR issues. Next we hear from James Rule, Director of HR Solution Effectiveness at Thomson Reuters who describes a scheme called ‘partnering for performance’ that embodies the idea of aligning talent within the business with opportunity and how they have used technology to achieve this. We also hear from Arnab Banerjee, an HR Transformation and Technology expert, who describes the ways technology can optimise HR and his predictions for what will happen in this space. Finally we hear from Rita Gunther McGrath, a Professor at Columbia Business School, who outlines why she believes that businesses should stop focusing on sustaining a competitive advantage and instead work towards identifying different opportunities and working in an agile way to take advantage of these opportunities.

As the nature of organisations changes to become less insular and more networked, strategic business partnerships are on the rise and HR’s role in these partnerships is critical This podcast looks at HR’s role in business partnerships and the key considerations that should be made when approaching business partnerships. We speak to to Paul Sparrow, Director of the Centre for Performance-led HR and Professor of International Human Resource Management at Lancaster University Management School about why business partnerships are on the rise, the concept of mutual benefits and the three overaching themes that his research has identified as affecting the outcome of partnering arrangements; risk and capability, governance and sharing knowledge and learning beyond your own organisation. This podcast will be followed up by the February episode where we speak to Shell and Rolls Royce to learn about their experience of HR’s role in the success of their business partnerships.

This podcast explores the tricky business of team creation and discusses the role and contribution of evolving technology, the importance of communication patterns and shared values.

In this podcast we discuss the impact of increasing numbers of migrant workers on the UK workforce and in particular the effect that this is having on young people as they seek employment. We speak to Gerwyn Davies, Public Policy Adviser at the CIPD, who sets the scene for the numbers of migrant workers compared to 10 years ago. We discuss the rising number of skilled EU workers entering the UK workforce and the impact on the UK employment rate. We also speak to Alex Gennie, Senior Research Fellow, IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) and Sinead Lawrence, Senior Policy Adviser, CBI (Confederation of British Industry) about how the employment landscape is changing in general and why it is important to consider the impact of EU migrant workers as part of this changing landscape. We go on to discuss what EU migrants bring to the workforce in terms of skills and values and the effect this is having on young people in particular.

In this podcast Sandy Pepper, Professor of Management Practice at LSE, Deborah Hargreaves, Director of the High Pay Centre and Mark Childs, Managing Director of Total Reward Group, discuss the issues and questions about executive pay.

While your business is small, the founder can personally interact with the employees and convey the core vision that they have for the organisation. As the organisation expands, this is increasingly difficult, and the founder has to rely on others to ‘sell the dream’. In this episode, we speak to Alex Saint, co-founder and CEO of Secret Escapes, about the process of ‘stepping back’ as his company has expanded and opened offices abroad. We also speak to Ksenia Zheltoukhova, Research Associate at the CIPD, who discusses recent CIPD research findings , which highlight the importance of finding a way to formalise your values as your business grows. To hear how DUO have formalised their values with the help of employees from across the business, we speak to Claire Alexander, HR and Talent Development Manager at DUO. We also speak to Ben Saunders, Head of HR at IMarEST, the professional body for marine professionals, about the vision and values challenges faced by a membership body, and

In this podcast we speak to Pensions Minister Steve Webb about how the pensions landscape has been changing, with the implementation of auto-enrolment, and recent changes to the state pension and to annuities.

In this podcast we explore the work of Professor Eugene Sadler-Smith, who researches and writes on insight, intuition and creativity.

Most people have a story of a poor or badly-organised introduction to a workplace. As the beginning of an employee’s relationship with their new employer, however, getting the induction process right is really important, and an unmissable opportunity to explain what the company’s all about. On a mission to find out how to do induction differently, we spoke to three companies from a range of sectors who have all recently revolutionised their induction processes. Coffee company UCC send a ‘culture pack’ to new hires, and establish a strong connection with employees before they even begin. BBC Worldwide have worked with communication company One Fish Two Fish to develop a truly multimedia approach to induction that introduces employees to their content and brand. Meanwhile, global HR consultancy Mercer have worked with Big Picture Learning to create a visual representation of their company and strategy, which helps new starters to see where their roles fit in the context of the organisation. All of these companies have moved away from a traditional ‘broadcast’ approach, which sees lots of information transmitted to bewildered new starters, to a process that is far more two-way, and that involves interaction, discovery, and conversation. Author and academic Paul Turner discusses the importance of this, and of aligning the induction with the brand and values of the company. He also describes how companies can measure the success of a new approach. Share your induction experiences, or let us know what you thought of this episode, using the hashtag #CIPDpodcasts Paul Turner, author and academic Naomi Godwin, HR Advisor, UCC Anna Charleston, Head of HR Operations, BBC Worldwide Nicole Black, UK Market Manager, Mercer

This month we’re looking at how organisations increasingly need to formulate a strategic response to an age-diverse workforce, as working lives get longer and the younger end of the workforce also becomes a focus. This is about going beyond the legal necessities in terms of age discrimination and equal opportunities, and looking at the issue strategically. The CIPD’s Dianah Worman gives us a picture of the age profile of UK workers, and also talks through some of the results from recent CIPD research. We speak to Judy Greevy from HMRC about the organisation’s award-winning approach to age diversity, including workshops that address common misconceptions about younger and older workers. We also speak to Marcus Lee from Santander about the bank’s impressive endeavours to offer opportunities to young people, and also their focus on ‘re-careerers’ who might consider a move into banking later in life.

Recent CIPD research has revealed that although £3.2 billion is annually invested in training for managers across the UK, 72% of organisations report a deficit of management and leadership skills. In this round table podcast recording, we’ll be discussing why this is the case, and what to do about it. What are the barriers to effective leadership in modern organisations, and how can we overcome them? We will discuss some of the findings from the research with CIPD’s Ksenia Zheltoukhova, while Kirstin Furber, People Director, BBC Worldwide, Louise Fisher, HR Director, Xerox and Andy Lancaster, formerly Learning and Development Manager, Hanover Housing and now Head of L&D at the CIPD, outline their personal experiences of organisational structures and leadership capability.

The CIPD’s Chief Economist kicks off the first CIPD podcast of 2014, with a cautiously optimistic note for the next 12 months. Mark Beatson tells us that employment growth may well continue, but that with average earnings still falling in real terms, it’s the productivity deficit that employers really need to tackle. We also look ahead with Peter Cheese, who discusses how he believes that the improved economic outlook gives HR professionals the space to think more strategically. Peter also rounds up some of the CIPD’s key priorities for 2014, including the ‘Valuing your Talent’ project, aiming to provide a framework for human capital measurement, and the CIPD’s commitment to providing clearer membership propositions for people management professionals at all stages of their career.

With new CIPD survey results showing prevailing uncertainty that social media has any role to play in the workplace, we discuss ways in which social and digital technologies can and increasingly will have a real impact on the world of work. We discuss how employers can exploit the potential of a more networked workforce, and talk about the altered power dynamics that can result from a more ‘social business’. HRD and prolific tweeter Gemma Reucroft (@HR_Gem) speaks about how she’s used social media to network and learn, and how her company is now building social technologies into its communications framework. DPG’s Head of Customer Experience Mike Collins (@MikeCollins007) talks about a networked approach to L&D. We also probe the findings with report author Jonny Gifford (@jonnygiff), who argues that the question is no longer ‘whether’ but ‘how’ you are going to use social media. The episode also includes the legal perspective from solicitor Ron Kane, including his suggestions for collaboratively developing a workable social media policy.

In this podcast Martin Clarkson, Co-founder and Chairman, The Storytellers, Vilma Nikolaidou, Head of OD, Tate Galleries and Wilson Wong, Senior Researcher, OD Insight and Practice, discuss organisation development from the perspective of involving stakeholders in the design and development process, and examine the best ways to communicate OD throughout the organisation.

In this podcast Neal Blackshire, Benefits and Compensation Manager, McDonald’s, Kendra Osenton, Pensions Policy Manager, BT, and Andy Seed, Director of Tax and Pensions, KPMG discuss pension auto-enrolment for SMES.

For this podcast we travelled to a careers fair in north London to speak to some students who are exploring their career options. We also speak to some of the people involved in the project, including CIPD’s Kelly Duncan and Katerina Rudiger, and Nick Chambers, Director of the Education and Employers Taskforce. They discuss the importance of tackling the mismatch between young people and employers at the recruitment stage and explain how volunteer HR professionals can help by delivering CV and interview guidance.

In this podcast Simon Lloyd, HR Director of Santander, Simon Thompson, Chief Executive of the Chartered Banker Institute, Andrea Eccles of the City HR Association and CIPD Head of Public Policy Ben Wilmot discuss the need to change the culture of the financial sector to repair the trust in it that has been lost.

Coaching has become the generic solution to a plethora of HR development needs but is it always the right approach and are we using it effectively? John McGurk, CIPD Adviser, Learning & Talent, Peter Hawkins, Professor of Leadership, Henley Business School, Heather Townsend, Director, Excedia Group, and Neil Morrison, Group HR Director, Random House, discuss.

In this podcast two women, Naomi Timperley, Co Director of Enterprise Lab and Director of Social Media Boom and Claire Mason, Founder and Managing Director of Man Bites Dog, share how they started up their own businesses and Claire McCartney, CIPD Adviser, Resourcing & Talent Planning, discusses what her research has highlighted.

In this podcast Katerina Rudiger, CIPD's Skills Policy Adviser, Jane Daly, Head of Learning and Development at Marks and Spencer and Elizabeth Eddy, Head of Skills for NHS employers, discuss the problem of youth unemployment and what employers should be doing to play their part in boosting work opportunities for young people.

In this podcast CIPD's Chief Executive Peter Cheese. Robert Bolton, Partner, Leader of Global HR Transformation Centre of Excellence, KPMG and Hayley Brown, Talent Intelligence Analyst, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), for AVON Cosmetics, discuss the results of a survey and how HR needs to be able to use analytics to prove its own value to the business.

In this podcast Lesley Cotton, HR Director, P&O Ferries, Clive Hutchinson, Company Leader, Cougar Automation, Hazel Stimpson, HR Manager, Harrod UK and CIPD Advisor, Jill Miller discuss research on how SMEs can grow and maintain employee engagement at various tipping points as they get bigger. Includes case studies.

The Government is discussing changes to the flexible working policy which are likely to take place in 2014. Ben Wilmott, Senior Public Policy Adviser, CIPD, explains the changes and why they are happening. Our other speakers will give legal advice and practical suggestions’ they are Angela Williams, HR Director, British Gas, Audrey Williams, Head of Discrimination, Eversheds LLP. Janet Davies, Chief Executive, Women’s Pioneer Housing and Samantha Clark, Field HR and Employee Relations Lead, Accenture.

In uncertain times, everyone is keen to know what lies ahead for the new year. Philippa Lamb interviews Gary Hamel, author academic and speaker, Peter Cheese, Chief Executive, CIPD, Tim Munden, Vice President, Human Resources, UK and Ireland at Unilever and Michael Davis, Chief Executive from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

In this podcast, Dianah Worman, Public Adviser on Diversity and Inclusion at CIPD, Jo Swinson joint Minister for Women and Equalities (DCMS) and Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs (BIS), Margot King - Head of Corporate Responsibility and Diversity for Eversheds LLP , Mark Harrison - Diversity Strategy Manager - Metropolitan and Judith Nelson - Personnel Director for UK and ROI, Tesco discuss Think, Act, Report a voluntary system the Government devised in 2011 that encourages transparency around equal pay and equality of opportunity for promotion.

In this podcast Angela Baron, lecturer in HRM at Croydon College, Kate Holt, KPMG, Lesley Ballantyne, Head of Performance Management, John Lewis Partnership, Anna Vasconcelos, Nomura and Simon Nas, Human Resources Director of Carey Olsen, look at the development and characteristics of good performance management and, through case studies, what it looks like in today's workplace.

This podcast is an interview with Stephen Dando about his career progression and the interesting challenges that faced him. Currently at Thomson Reuters, Stephen is about to join Bain Capital in America. However, Stephen's career started in training at United Distillers, a part of Guinness which proved to be a perfect beginning and fitted in with Stephen's ideal role - people development

From October 1st, larger companies will need to comply with pensions auto-enrolment legislation. Dermot Courtier, Group Head of Pensions at Kingfisher, a global company employing 38,000 people, explains what it has meant for their payroll, pensions and systems departments. Charles Counsell, Executive Director for Employer Compliance, at The Pensions Regulator explains the ‘staging dates’ and the law. Andy Seed, Director Tax and Pensions, KPMG puts his view from working with employers to set up auto-enrolment.

The controversial Beecroft Report commissioned by David Cameron proposed a radical overhaul of employment law and included a raft of measures intended to shift the balance of power governing the relationship between employers and their employees. Norman Lamb MP, Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, Stephen Levenson, a senior lawyer at RadcliffesLeBrasseur, David Liddle, Director of the TCM Group and Leatham Green, Assistant Director of Personnel and Training, East Sussex County Council, discuss the changes suggested.

In business, innovation is the catalyst to growth, so what can HR do to grow and sustain a culture that genuinely encourages fresh thinking? CIPD’s John McGurk explains why innovation is critical for companies intent on surviving the move to a global economy and Hayley Wojcik from Groupon, Carole Teacher from Mott MacDonald engineering and Callum Petrie from Phillips Electronics share their experiences.

Is learning and development mostly about science or is it more of a strategic business discipline? Three experts with differing perspectives discuss: Dr Itiel Dror, Principal Consultant, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Bill Parsons, VP for HR at ARM Holdings UK, and Vice President L & D at the CIPD and Martyn Sloman , L&TD academic, consultant and practitioner

Since the 1990s corporate responsibility has become firmly rooted in all sorts of businesses but now we’re in leaner years and there's a crisis of trust in business. So where does that leave corporate responsibility and what does a more responsible approach to business actually look like these days? Joining in the debate are industry experts Marcus Jamieson-Pond, director of Three Legged Stool and Founder of the Convergence Network; Mark Wakefield, Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs Manager at IBM UK; and Marie Sigsworth, Group CR Director at Aviva.

This podcast is about how CIPD and Job Centre Plus are collaborating on a mentoring pilot to help young people back to work. Stephanie Bird, CIPD’s Director of Capability, explains the CIPD’s involvement with the scheme and how it works along with Karen Warren HR Manager at Warwick District Council. Julie Lindsay, District Operations Manager Mercia North, Department for Work and Pensions, has been overseeing the pilot scheme. We also hear from John Linden a 23 year old jobseeker with a degree in English Literature who has signed up to the scheme, Tanith Dodge, Marks and Spencer’s Director of Human Resources, who explains the M&S work experience programme and a mentor John Stacey, Executive Director, Project HR

In this podcast Chris Roebuck, visiting professor of transformational leadership at Cass Business School, Gill Rider President of CIPD and former Civil Service head of HR, Robert Booker, HR Director at BG Group plc, a global gas organisation, Michael Chivers, Corporate Vice President Human Resources at Sony Ericsson and Ed Griffin, Development Partner at D3 Partners and Interim HR Direct at Chime Marketing, take a controversial look at HR. They explain why they believe that far too many HR operations have scant insight into the organisation’s business goals

In this podcast John Philpott gives his new year forecast and Jean Tomlin, HR Director for The London 2012 Organising Committee, tells us about running the HR side of the Olympics.

This podcast examines trust in the workplace and in leadership generally: whether it has diminished and if so, how can it be rebuilt? Philippa Lamb talks to Vanessa Robinson, CIPD Head of HR Practice, Veronica Hope-Hailey - Associate Dean, MBA Programmes & Professor of Strategic Human Resource Management, Jane Beine, Head of Partner Development at John Lewis, Kirit Patel, CEO, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Plc and Carol-Ann Edwards, Director of Learning and Organisational Development, Norton Rose

More and more organisations are recognising the value of social media to their success. Neil Morrison, Group HR Director at Random House, Richard Sealey, Director at Foviance and Alison Chisnell of Informa share their experiences

In this podcast Philippa Lamb discusses pensions with Pensions Minister, Steve Webb , Charles Cotton, CIPD Public Policy Advisor, Reward, Steve Rumbles, Head of UK DC Pensions at BlackRock and Tim Taylor, Head of Reward and Recognition at TUI Travel UK and Ireland.

In this podcast some young people discuss their experiences on training schems along with Jennifer Oakley, recruitment Delivery Manager for Transport for London and Zarena Brown, HR Director, Hilton Hotels who both run youth employment programmes. Katrina Rudiger gives the CIPD perspective.

According to CIPD’s research Shaping the Future, the ability to be continually change-ready is one of the eight key factors that contribute to the most successful organisations and if leaders and followers can be permanently agile then the organisation has a greater chance of sustainable success. Agility is discussed with Dr Jill Miller, CIPD Research Adviser, Jonathan Cormack, Group Head of Organisation Development at Standard Chartered Bank, Dharmendra

In this podcast Claire McCartney, Adviser Resourcing and Talent Planning, CIPD, Charlotte Rayner, Professor of Human Resource Management at Portsmouth Business School, Anand Pillai, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Quality, Talent Transformation and Leadership Development, HCL Technologies, and Ian Mintram, Glaxo Smithkline-Senior Vice President, HR leadership of Emerging Markets, discuss how a shared sense of purpose is defined and what that translates into for the organisation and its employees.

How can organisations effectively deploy reward to achieve objectives in many different locations and how can they maintain equity and motivation and when market rates and conditions vary so much around the world? Charles Cotton, the CIPD’s Adviser on Reward, Peter Newhouse, Global Head of Reward at Unilever and Frances Richardson, Head of Reward at Oxfam, discuss.

In this podcast John Baker, former Development and HR Operations Director, Legal & General, Charles Elvin, Director, Centre of Professional Learning and Development, The Open University. Clive Hutchinson, Company Leader, Cougar Automation and John McGurk, Learning and Talent Adviser, CIPD discuss what impact social media is having on the world of work and how learning and development is becoming 'social'

In this podcast Lynne Featherstone, Lib-Dem minister for equalities, Julian Smith, Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon and Dianah Worman iCIPD’s Diversity Advisor discuss fairness at work, the Government's role in driving it and what is needed to ensure it happens.

In this podcast Georgina Kvassay, Senior Manager, Recruitment and Resourcing at KPMG meets with a group of second year university students to take a litmus test of undergraduate thoughts about HR. Sam Westwood, HR Officer, McDonalds and Esther O’Halloran - HR Director and Interim MD at Paul UK, the French artisan bakery chain, explain why they chose a career in HR.

In this podcast Max Blumberg, Research Fellow at Goldsmiths, University of London, Alison Hilton, Director of HR Service Delivery at Openreach BT, My-Linh Ngo, Associate Director, SRI Research at Henderson Global Investors and Angela Baron, CIPD Adviser OD and Engagement discuss how metrics can be used to drive the value organisations generate from their people.

In this podcast Jackie Orme, CEO CIPD, John Philpott, Chief Economist CIPD, Stephen Moir, Corporate Director: People, Policy and Law for Cambridgeshire County Council. and Alan Walters, VP HR, Unilever, give their insight of the challenges facing HR in 2011

This podcast looks at the key behaviours of successful HR leadership. Senior practitioners, Imelda Walsh, Sainsbury's Group HR Director from 2004 -2010, Lee Sears, Bridge Consultancy, Hayley Tatum, Tesco UK and Ireland Operations Personnel Director and Siobhan Sheridan, HR Director, Job Centre Plus, talk about their experience and career progression.

In this podcast Dianah Worman, diversity adviser, CIPD, Andrew Harrop, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Age UK and Dave Thomsett, chairman and non-executive director of RJD Technology discuss the business case in support of older workers.

In this podcast Angela Baron, CIPD Advisor, Hazel Stimpson, HR Manager at Harrod UK, Commander Iain Upton of the Royal Navy and Samantha Rich, Head of Group Attraction and Talent at AXA UK Plc discuss workforce planning and how a they are meeting the challenge of having the right people in place to deliver their short term and their long term objectives.

In this podcast Stephanie Bird CIPD's Director of Capability, Sue Swanborough from General Mills, a global food manufacturer; Jeremy Swain, CEO of Thames Reach, a homeless charity and Julia Clapham from

In this podcast Ed Griffin, Development Partner in the Breathe Partnership, Lee Sears, Director of OD consultancy, Bridge, Sati Khakh, Head of Organisation Development at the Civil Aviation Authority and Richard Atienza-Hawkes, Head of Organisational Development for Stoke-on-Trent City Council discuss how organisational development and HR fit together and what sort of skill sets and behaviours lead to really outstanding OD practice.

In this podcast Claire McCartney, Advisory on Resource and Talent Planning, Stewart Bromley, Head of People Experience at First Direct, Steve Radcliffe, leadership consultant, and Caroline Sharp, Director of HR and Workforce Strategy, Dumfriess and Galloway NHS Board discuss leadership not only from the top down but at all levels in an organisation - 'distributed leadership'.

In this podcast Dr John McGurk, CIPD Adviser on Learning, and Talent Development, Peter Butler, Director of Learning at BT, Nicky Taylor, Learning and Development at Ginsters and Alan Fletcher, Business Development Manager for KMI, discuss the latest trends in learning and development.

In this podcast Charles Cotton, Performance and Reward Advisor at the CIPD, Colin Miller, Reward Manager at Kent County Council, Misty Reich, Vice President of HR at KFC UK and Robert Wigmore, Compensation and Benefits Specialist at Munich Re UK Shared Services, discuss creative competitive approaches to reward and the way three very different organisations attract, motivate and retain their employees.

In this podcast Lord Young, Jonathan Djanogly and John Thurso, representatives from the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, discuss workplace policy, regulation and people management.

In this podcast Jackie Orme, Joe Dugdale, Sir Richard Needham and David Benson look ahead to the coming year and at how HR can prepare for the forthcoming challenges. Jackie is CIPD Chief Executive, Joe Dugdale is Director of the HR and Organisational Development in the UK Border Agency (UKBA), Sir Richard Needham is Director for International and Commercial Affairs at Dyson and David Benson is Head of Talent and Resourcing at Oxfam.

In this podcast Sarah Redshaw, Dean Royles, Perry Timms and Mark Adlestone, all of whom were speakers at CIPD’s Annual Conference and Exhibition at Manchester, discuss what employee engagement means to them, how far it has come in practice and what’s next. Sarah Redshaw is HR Director for the Global Hair Business, Dean Royles is Chair of the Board of CIPD, Perry Timms is Head of Organisational Development at the Big Lottery Fund and Mark Adlestone is Managing Director of Beaverbrooks the Jewellers.

In this high-level discussion about the future of HR Lee Sears, Jackie Orme, Gareth Jones and Kevin Brady talk about the challenges for the HR profession and focus on CIPD’s ground-breaking ‘Next generation’ research project. Lee Sears is Strategic Advisor to CIPD, Jackie Orme is CIPD Chief Executive, Gareth Jones is a founding partner of Creative Management Associates and Kevin Brady is HR Director for BT Operate.

In this podcast Stephanie Bird, Tanith Dodge, Siobhan Sheridan and Vanessa Robinson talk about the changing nature of the HR profession and what it means for HR careers. The focus is on the CIPD HR Profession Map and how some employers are using it to assess and increase capability in their organisations. Stephanie Bird is CIPD’s Director of HR Capability, Tanith Dodge is a member of the Executive Committee at Marks & Spencer, Siobhan Sheridan is HR Director for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Vanessa Robinson is CIPD’s Head of HR Practice Development.

In this podcast, members of CIPD’s Reward Panel Charles Cotton, CIPD's Reward and Performance Advisor, John Beadle, Global Head of Human Capital Performance at Standard Chartered Bank and Vice President Reward at the CIPD and Nicki Demby, Principal of Towers Perrin Executive Compensation and Reward Practice discuss issues in executive pay, in particular HR’s role in the debate.

This podcast was recorded at the CIPD Employment Law conference on 1 July 2009. Two legal experts, Dominic Regan and Ian Smith, answer listeners’ questions on employment legislation and its impact on HR practices.

In this month’s podcast we speak to management guru Gary Hamel on how to build leadership capability for change, so that organisations can thrive. He suggests how this can be achieved and talks about the setting up of MLab, sponsored by CIPD.

This podcast takes a more in-depth look at how CIPD case study organisations implemented a change process and the measures they took to achieve change. Victoria Woodison, Mandy Coalter, Valerie Raven-Hill and Louise Fisher describe their experiences of making change happen and Vanessa Robinson talks about whether the HR profession has taken on board the message about change as a continuum.

This podcast presents interviews with some speakers from CIPD’s recent HRD conference: Victoria Woodison, Robert Galavan, Edward Lawler, Nicola Riley, Chris Worley, Linda Holbeche, Mandy Coalter and Valerie Raven-Hill.

Lou Burrows explains how appreciation is shown to colleagues at ?What If!.

Philippa Lamb finds out about organisational development, the concept and how it can be put in place in different ways at different organisations. Her guests are: Linda Holbeche, Director of Research and Policy at CIPD. Christine Lloyd, Executive Director, People and Organisation Development, for Cancer Research UK. James Anderson-Dixon, who works in the Business Services Department of Nationwide, a building society. Martina Platts, who has worked on human capital with many companies including PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM Global Business Services.

Philippa Lamb is joined by Jackie Orme, Chief Executive of CIPD, John Philpott, CIPD Chief Economist, Liane Hornsey, Google’s EMEA HR & Staffing Director, Satish Pradhan - Executive Vice President Group HR Tata Sons, Alex Wilson - BT's Group Human Resources Director. They are discussing HR trends for 2009.

Some forecasts say we will see increased strike activity, possibly comparable to the ‘winter of discontent’. Philippa Lamb talks to three experts to try and get a balanced view and sounds out Mike Emmott, the CIPD’s advisor on Employee relations, who has just completed survey on this subject.

Philippa Lamb discusses performance management with Stephen Moir from Cambridgeshire County Council, Stephen Sidebottom from banking giant, Nomura and Michael Spiers from Sainsburys. The CIPD's, Adviser for Organisation and Resourcing, Angela Baron also provides useful guidance.

Talent management is a top challenge for HR professionals. Philippa Lamb discusses the issues with speakers from the recent CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition.

Jackie explains why she applied for the job as Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and lists some of the places where she worked before the CIPD. Jackie explains her impressions of her first 100 days.

In this podcast we consider the impact of the internet on HR. We hear how three very different organisations have used Web 2.0. The CIPD is doing some research on the impact of Social networking on HR.

In this podcast we look at the nature and the nurture of leadership, how they are changing and their importance for HR, particularly in these economically uncertain times.

A panel of senior HR professionals from round the world talk to Philippa Lamb. The starting point for the discussion is the Boston Consulting Group’s new global survey on the issues likely to affect HR in the coming decade. The four panellists are: Rainer Strack, Mr R Nanda, Andreas Gollan and Susan Meisinger.

In this podcast we discuss how learning and coaching add value and contribute to business performance, especially in the current economic climate. We also look at the latest annual CIPD Learning and Development survey.

Just what is employer brand? And how does HR go about building it? We visited one major DIY retailer to hear about their approach, and got an overview of the CIPD’s research on this burning issue. We speak to Deborah Fernon, CIPD organisation and resourcing adviser, who’s led the CIPD’s research on employer branding. We also hear from Nathan Clements and some of his colleagues at B&Q about how the project has been introduced into their company.

In this podcast we are focusing on reward; hearing from specialists in different sectors and organisations. We will also be getting an insight into the latest CIPD Reward survey.

Philippa Lamb asks Tom the contentious question: why is the US better than us? Tom gives three possible reasons why this might be the case. He also refers to an HBR study by Nohria, Joyce and Roberson of 160 companies looking at what management and leadership practices really work. Tom explains the four conclusions and how they are relevant to HR departments. He touches on what HR departments are not doing and has an amusing anecdote. Philippa wants to hear how Tom might use this information in a practical way to encourage team building. Tom illustrates his answer by referring to an article by Lynda Gratton and Tamara Erickson in November 2007, on project teams. Diverse, large teams need skilled management and Tom explains how this is done. You may find his ideas controversial. ‘How do you measure team performance?’ Philippa asks. Tom is honest enough to say he has no pat answer, but he does have some good tips. Lastly, Philippa wonders what HR could do better. Tom explains, using two headings: hygiene and equity. Listen to find out more.

In this episode we follow up on a CIPD research report which focuses on the way HR departments set about delivering organisational objectives and the changes they introduced to make this possible.

In this episode we look at research from the Boston Consulting Group in association with the European Association of Personnel Management and CIPD, 'The Future of HR in Europe: Key Challenges Through 2015'.

This podcast focuses on the highlights of the Conference and challenges for the profession and the professional, both for today and into the future.

In this episode speakers consider the effectiveness of learning activities and how to assess its value to the organisation.

This podcast looks at the employment law surrounding employee status, bonus schemes, harassment, age discrimination and pensions.

Greg Dyke, in conversation with Adam Kirtley, gives frank insights into what it means to be a leader and what is key. Greg explains how important the way people are managed is to the success of the business and wonders why this doesn’t always happen. He goes on to explain the qualities of a good leader and how to assess success, using a personal, nightmarish situation to illustrate the point. Selling change is key to employee engagement with the process. Experience at the NHS had an impact on how he achieved change at the BBC. Greg explains the cost- effective strategies he used to improve relationships, enabling him to get agreement on some tough decisions. Leadership training, Greg says, is a must for supporting managers in their jobs. He then tells us how he used ‘public money’ to build a more caring culture and describes the cost benefits of doing so, despite repeated media criticism. At LWT, big, unpleasant changes needed to be made to the company. This was done using a sensible long-term view and treating people properly. Greg tells Adam how he views the differing roles of line managers and HR managers and explains why HR was centralised at the BBC. We hear that encouraging a culture where risk and innovation are important and that getting information to everyone, especially in a big organisation like the BBC, is crucial. Adam asks Greg about his failures. Not following ‘rules’ has had mixed results in his career at the top. He also concedes that impatience is, to some extent, a weakness. Finally, hear Greg’s two top tips that listeners should follow to win at leadership.

This podcast examines the business case for diversity with HR managers who have already seen the benefits. Trevor Phillips, Chair of the new Commission of Equality and Human Rights, explains how better access to information and eventually new legislation, will take diversity and equal opportunity forward the UK.

Practitioners talk about the role of line managers in the learning and development field and the importance of L&D at a strategic level. You can also hear the conclusions of the latest CIPD survey.

Three practitioners explain how they have increased employee engagement and how these efforts have benefited their organisations. Mike Emmott, the CIPD’s adviser on Employee Relations, reveals the results of a recent survey of employee engagement.

Specialists and practitioners discuss pay strategy and its link to performance. The proper communication of reward plays an important role in how pay and benefits are perceived.

Experts and practitioners talk about their experience of talent management in this CIPD podcast, the last in a series of four.

Experts and practitioners talk about their experience of change management in this CIPD podcast, the third in a series of four.

This podcast, the second in an initial trial series of four, focuses on the subject of leadership.

This podcast, the first in a series of four, includes exclusive interviews with some of the top speakers at the CIPD’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Harrogate (October 2006).