HR Data stories

James tells us Unilever’s data story, starting around seven years ago when the HR function was globalised. With a new HR operating framework, and a single system in place for all 104 countries, it was important that they also had global definitions and people metrics. As James explains, doing this put them in a very strong position – it ‘opened up the power of information’. 

James tells us about the 78 core HR metrics that Unilever collects about every employee, and then about additional data such as talent management information, and people survey data. They’ve got to the stage where ‘doubting of the data is off the agenda’, and people no longer challenge HR figures and information:

‘To be able to know what’s happening where, anywhere in the world in Unilever, with three or four years of history on our systems, is quite amazing.


HR Data stories: James Stringer, Unilever

Leigh tells us about the closed talent system at Enterprise – 99% of promotions are from within the organisation – and explains that this means that the company needs to know a lot about its talent. The HR team ‘use the data to tell a story’ about why people are attracted to work at the company, and where they’ve come from, while being transparent about the collection and use of data in the organisation:  

‘It’s about knowing what we’re doing, and what’s important to the business. It’s  about telling people why the data is important, and what that means to the business.’ 


HR Data stories: Leigh Lafever-Ayer, Enterprise Rent-a-car

In this episode, Workplace Relations Commission Director General Audrey Cahill explains how the WRC supports people professionals in fostering fair and equitable workplaces. 

From advisory services and conciliation to mediation and adjudication, she highlights how people practitioners can proactively engage with the WRC as a resource – not just a last resort. 

Cahill also tackles common misconceptions about adjudication, the reality behind case reporting, and the high success rates of mediation. Plus, we highlight the WRC’s self-audit tools as a game-changer for compliance and best practice.

CIPD Ireland Podcast - How the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) supports people practitioners

Times are tough; is there an alternative to headcount reductions and hiring freezes? With redundancy intentions at their highest level in a decade, how can HR professionals manage the mental load of implementing redundancies and can there ever be a ‘best’ way to deliver news about job losses? Finally, is there such a thing as a ‘mini-retirement’?

In this episode CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Mel Steel, former HR director and interim people and transformation leader; and David Blackburn, Managing Director of David R. Blackburn Consulting.

Recorded: 21 February 2025

---

CIPD HR30 Nominations

Time to recognise excellence in HR! The CIPD HR30 celebrates the top 30 HR leaders driving innovation, shaping workplace culture and making real impact. Do you know someone who’s making a difference, leading change and driving the profession forward? This is your chance to highlight their achievements and contribution. Visit cipdhr30.co.uk before 26 March to find out more and submit your nomination.

HR People Pod – Ep 18: Labour Market Outlook | Managing redundancy | Mini-retirement

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: Selfish to be selfless - Why people professionals must prioritise their wellbeing

With plans to introduce a ‘right to switch off’ facing the axe in the UK, do we need formal legislation, or could boundaries be better managed by employers? What role should people professionals play in shifting the culture of toxic workplaces? How can we maintain that curiosity and hunger for learning? Finally, how big of an issue is ‘career catfishing’?

In this episode, CIPD People and Transformation Director Amanda Arrowsmith is joined by three recent CIPD People Management Outstanding Student award winners: Jamila Lecky, People Transformation and Change Manager at Group M; Victoria Keith, Global Talent, Learning and Development Manager at Total Marketing Support Limited; and Rose Watkins-Jones, People Partner at Impression Digital.

Recorded: 7 March 2025

---

Keep up to date with latest amends to the Employment Rights Bill and developments to the government's Make Work Pay plan:

https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/employment-law/proposed-changes-under-labour-government/

HR People Pod – Ep 19: Curiosity to learn | Right to switch off | Toxic cultures | Career catfishing

In this episode, your host Meg Dunphy dives into neurodiversity in the workplace with guests Shane O'Brien Senior HRBP Mongo DB and Bronagh Eaton an Independent Neurodivergent Coach and Global Neuroinclusion Specialist with DHL Supply Chain, two people practitioners who are themselves neurodivergent. 

As part of Neurodiversity Awareness Week, we want to shine a light on what inclusion really looks like—bringing the conversation back to individuals and keeping it simple. Our guests share their lived experiences, offering valuable guidance on how employees can advocate for themselves and how managers can create a more inclusive environment. Whether you’re a people professional or a line manager, this episode is a great starting point to build awareness and gain actionable tips on making the workplace more conducive to neurodivergent talent. 

Join the conversation using #NeuroInclusionInWorkplace.

CIPD Ireland Podcast - Neurodiversity at Work: Celebrating Differences, Creating Inclusion

Five years after the first UK Covid-19 lockdown, many employers are still adapting to the knock-on effects of the pandemic but what has been the lasting impact on the HR profession? Meanwhile, how can you best manage the internal narrative in the face of public and media scrutiny? Can a ‘coachbot’ really offer mentorship? And what do our panel think of the concept of gentle leadership? 

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Group People and Culture Director at KYN, Emma Jayne, and Head of HR at Crimson Hotels Limited, Gareth Neale.

Recorded: 21 March 2025

HR People Pod – Ep 20:  Lockdown: five years on | Media scrutiny | ‘Coachbots’ | Gentle leadership

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. 

---

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

Change and uncertainty seem inevitable. As organisations navigate global tariffs imposed by the US president, what other priorities should the C-suite address? How might an overreliance on AI affect career progression? Is it time to rethink effective workplace communication? And should we consider adopting body doubling to boost productivity?

CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Chief People Officer at One Advanced, Katie Obi, and Head of People and Culture at Hastings Hotels Group, Rob Rees.

Recorded: 04 April 2025


HR People Pod – Ep 21: Juggling core priorities | AI and progression | Communication | Body doubling

In this month’s CIPD in Ireland podcast, we spotlight artificial intelligence (AI) – a key theme at our upcoming Annual Conference on 15 May at the RDS. We revisit a standout moment from our Employment Law Conference with Ruth Kennedy, one of Ireland’s Revenue Commissioners, who shares a compelling case study on how AI is already delivering value in the public sector. Ruth explores the practical application of AI within Revenue – from driving efficiencies to enhancing the quality of service delivered to the public. She challenges listeners to rethink their approach to transformation, leaving us with a powerful takeaway: transformation isn’t about doing things faster, it’s about doing them better. So, how would you design what you do now if AI was there to support you?

Explore this year's CIPD Annual conference in Ireland 2025 programme and secure your place: 
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/cipd-annual-conference-in-ireland-2025-tickets-1095257818619

CIPD Ireland Podcast - AI in Action: A Case Study from the Revenue Commissioners

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’

We’re the CIPD — the professional body for HR and people development. We are the voice of a worldwide community of more than 150,000 members committed to championing better work and working lives.

HR Data stories: Leigh Lafever-Ayer, Enterprise Rent-a-car

CIPD

Related tracks