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.

Podcast 173: Embracing and leading organisational change

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.

Podcast 176: Recruitment In the social media age

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.

Podcast 181: Evidence-Based L&D - Measuring Learning Transfer

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.

Podcast 185 - What value does HR bring to today's organisations

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/

Podcast 186: What do you do with broken trust?

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.

Podcast 190: Evidence-based L&D - The power of reflection

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.

Podcast 77:  Analytics: How HR can influence strategy through data

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.

Podcast 195: Is your organisation ready for the ChatGPT of things?

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.

Podcast 200: Has working remotely killed organisational culture?

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.

Learn more about current practice, future models and successful transformations with our latest article series on HR operating models:
www.cipd.org/en/views-and-insights/thought-leadership/insight/hr-models/

Podcast 207: HR's next top operating model

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.

Podcast 210: Driving performance with people analytics

HR professionals play a unique role within organisations but often find themselves in morally challenging or conflicting situations. These challenges may include balancing business needs—such as managing large-scale redundancies—while also supporting individuals through deeply personal difficulties and absorbing the emotional weight that entails. Over time, this toll can increase the risk of exhaustion, ultimately leading to burnout.

Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests—Amy McKeown, an award-winning health, mental health, and wellbeing strategist and consultant, and Rachel Suff, Senior Policy and Practice Adviser for Employee Relations at the CIPD—as we explore the often-hidden emotional burden of working in HR and why setting boundaries is essential for maintaining wellbeing in the profession.

Podcast 216: Why and how people professionals should prioritise their wellbeing

People with past criminal convictions are a proven source of loyal, capable employees. Yet despite clear benefits, stigma – within business and society – continues to prevent many from finding meaningful work. Our research shows only 17% of prison leavers can secure a job within a year of release.  So, what can employers do to offer a second chance and bring more prison leavers safely into our workplaces?

Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests—Jacob Hill, Managing Director and Founder of Offploy; Alison Bell, People and Communications Director at Project Leaders Ltd; and Sally Eley, Head of CIPD Trust—as we explore how employers can rethink recruitment, reduce bias, and focus on skills and potential over past mistakes. 

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Download the CIPD Trust guide to hiring people with convictions:
cipdtrust.org/recruiting-employing-and-retaining-people-with-convictions/

Asses your organisation's current readiness to employ individuals with criminal convictions with Offploy's quiz for employers:
www.offploy.org/employ


Podcast 217: Willing and able: Unlocking opportunities for prison leavers

As we look ahead to some of the key themes for International HR Day 2025, this episode — recorded at the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition 2024 — explores what organisations need to be doing in practical terms to ensure AI becomes a force for good. How are skill requirements expected to evolve over the medium to long term? What role should the profession play in helping organisations navigate change? And finally, is ‘pleasanteeism’ really a thing?

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Roisin Walsh, Head of Workforce Capability and Inclusion at Civil Service in Ireland, Radha Barj, Co-Founder and CEO at Rythmik, David Ducheyne, Vice President of European Association for People Management (EAPM).

Recorded: CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, 7 November 2024

HR People Pod – Ep 22: Ethical AI | Future skill requirements | Supporting change | ‘Pleasenteeism’

L&D and OD often operate in silos – one focused on individual learning, the other on strategic and cultural change. But is this separation intentional, and can they truly be effective apart if they share the same goals for organisational growth and adaptation?

Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests—Natal Dank, Author of Agile L&D and Executive Director and Principal Consultant at PXO Culture; Jaimini Lakhani, Director at Lumiere; and Steve George, Head of Learning at CIPD — as we explore how greater alignment between L&D and OD can enhance collaboration and help future-proof workforce capabilities. 


Podcast 218: Bridging learning and organisational development

A third of organisations are already using some form of AI or machine learning in recruitment and onboarding. As employers increasingly make use of AI to craft job specifications, screen candidates and streamline processes, what about job seekers? Is it unreasonable for job seekers to use the same technology to improve their chances?

Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests—Katie Noble, Talent Strategy Director at Omni RMS; Natalie Sheils, Founder and CEO at Talenaut; and Katie Obi, Chief People Officer at One Advanced — as we explore whether the growing number of organisations banning AI use by candidates are right to do so, or whether there is a more nuanced approach to consider?

Podcast 219: Dealing with AI use in recruitment and job applications

Bringing you more highlights from one of our most talked-about sessions at the CIPD Ireland Annual Conference – The CEO View on the people agenda for the future.

In this powerful panel conversation chaired by Professor Gina Quin, President National College of Ireland; Gillian Chamberlain (MD, Capita), Bernard Gloster (CEO, HSE), and Eamonn Crowley (CEO, PTSB) share honest insights on what it takes to lead organisations through rapid transformation, disruption, and opportunity.

From the fast pace of AI and tech adoption to the importance of trust, transparency, and adaptability, our panellists unpack the evolving role of leaders and the workforce in shaping a future-ready, mission-driven culture. With 160,000 employees under his remit, Bernard Gloster highlights the importance of clear communication and the impact of tech as an enabler – not a threat. Gillian Chamberlain calls for a mindset shift and openness to change, while Eamonn Crowley emphasises the direct link between employee engagement, trust and customer experience.

Tune in to hear this interesting dialogue of business leaders.

CIPD Ireland Podcast - The CEO View on the people agenda for the future

The Get Britain Working white paper outlines a bold vision to tackle economic inactivity and raise the UK employment rate to 80 per cent. But what does this mean for the people profession? In this episode of the HR People Pod, we put key questions from the CIPD Community to Alison McGovern, Minister for Employment. We explore the UK government's plans to transform Jobcentres, support people on long-term sick leave to return to work and deliver on the promise of a new ‘youth guarantee’.

CIPD Director of Profession, David D’Souza, is joined by Alison McGovern, Minister for Employment.

Recorded at CIPD Festival of Work: 12 June 2025

HR People Pod – Ep 26: Getting Britain working - UK Employment Minister Alison McGovern

What is the ideal ‘span of control’ for a manager and are there obvious warning signs that they might be overstretched? Also in this episode, we discuss results from a new CIPD survey revealing the current perceptions of and the challenges within the people profession, as well as what practitioners have said about their career development prospects. 

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza, is joined by Janet Campbell, Director at Restoration & Renewal Delivery Authority, and David Blackburn, Managing Director of David R. Blackburn Consulting.

Recorded: 27 June 2025

HR People Pod – Ep 27: Management span | People profession: perceptions, challenges, career prospects

Is it chicken or egg – does leadership shape culture, or does culture shape leadership? The relationship between the two is complex and either one could be the critical ingredient in organisational success. But to what extent can leaders truly set the culture they want or will culture ultimately shape the kind of leadership an organisation produces.
 
Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Beth Samson, People Director at Investors in People; and thought leader, entrepreneur and leadership adviser, Andy Ayim – as we investigate how leadership and culture relate to one another and what organisations can and should do to cultivate the best of both.


Podcast 220: Do leaders establish culture, or are they a product of it?

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. 


Podcast 103: Aligning L&D With Business Objectives and emerging practices

When is the right time to communicate organisational change, and how can we strengthen people’s resilience to change? Can a better understanding of neuroscience help manage and implement the change process more effectively? 

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza, is joined by author, international speaker, and consultant in the field of neuroscience and change management, Hilary Scarlett. 

HR People Pod – Ep 28: Hilary Scarlett special – Neuroscience for organisational change

Would capping the qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection at six months be a reasonable compromise for employers? With hybrid working perceived to have a negative impact on managers’ ability to lead teams effectively, what could organisations be doing differently? And what impact is AI having on the prospects of the latest wave of graduates entering the labour market for the first time?

CIPD's Amy Crutchfield, is joined by Beth Samson, People Director at Investors in People; Garin Rouch, OD Consultant at Distinction Business Consulting; and Alison Hodgson, Market Director – CIPD Ireland.

Recorded: 25 July 2025

HR People Pod – Ep 29: Unfair dismissal | Hybrid working | Graduate jobs

The psychological contract – those unwritten expectations between employer and employee, so fundamental to building trust and engagement at work – has dramatically shifted. Once based on the promises of security and long-term service, employees now expect the contract to more closely reflect their values, offer flexibility, and align with a deeper sense of purpose. 

Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Trish Hewitt, Founder and Managing Director at Haylo HR, and Nelli Rowsell, People Manager at Advantage Smollan – as we explore what happens when these evolving expectations go unmet, and how a breach, whether real or perceived, impacts employee engagement. 

Podcast 221: Employee engagement and the evolving psychological contract

What are the enablers and barriers to high performance working? What factors should individuals and teams consider to improve and achieve better performance outcomes? In the first of two episodes exploring these questions, CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza investigates with best-selling author and broadcaster Matthew Syed the type of mindset that needs to be embraced and the kind of culture that supports people on that journey.

HR People Pod – Ep 30: Enabling high performance working: A growth mindset – with Matthew Syed

We take you behind the scenes of the CIPD Middle East People Awards — the region’s most prestigious platform celebrating excellence in people management. Launched in 2019 in response to growing demand from HR professionals, the awards have grown rapidly: doubling in categories, tripling in entries, and attracting a diverse judging panel of experts who ensure fairness and rigour throughout the judging process. 

The awards not only recognise outstanding HR initiatives — from AI and digital transformation to nationalisation efforts — but also create a lasting legacy through case studies, insights, and knowledge-sharing that fuel the future of work across the Middle East.

CIPD Middle East People Awards

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.

Podcast 136: Unconscious Bias

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.

Podcast 148: Evidence-Based Practice for HR

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.

Podcast 149: Creating Ethical Workplaces

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.

Podcast 150: Workforce Planning

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.

Podcast 154: Critical Thinking

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.

Podcast 160: Shifting the perception of workplace conflict

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.

Podcast 169: Evidence-based L&D - why does evidence matter?

The CIPD Podcast and episodes of the HR People Pod are now hosted on Acast.

Be sure to subscribe to The CIPD Podcast on your preferred platform so you never miss an episode. Alternatively, you can listen via the CIPD website: https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/podcasts/

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