CIPD
We’re the CIPD — the professional body for HR and people development. We are the voice of a worldwide community of more than 160,000 members committed to championing better work and working lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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HR People Pod – Ep 44: Crisis leadership | Impact of employee benefits | Friction-maxxing at work
<p>In a world of uncertainty and constant disruption, what does an effective and human response to crisis really look like? Are employee benefits creating real impact – or are too many organisations offering perks without a clear sense of what they’re for? And as technology promises ever-greater efficiency, are employees starting to resist the pressure to optimise everything in pursuit of something more meaningful?</p><br><p>CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Sasi Venables, HR Business Partner at the University of Worcester and founder of The HR Confidence Club and Rob Worrall, Chief People Office...
HR People Pod – Ep 43: Inside Davos – AI, work and the future of identity - with Allyn Bailey
<p>What really happens at the World Economic Forum in Davos? And what are global leaders saying about the future of work? Are organisations simply layering AI onto existing systems, or are they facing a fundamental re-engineering of work itself? If intelligence becomes infrastructure, what happens to how we define value and professional identity? And if entry-level roles decline, what does that mean for the strength of our future talent pipeline?</p><br><p>CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Allyn Bailey, Senior Director Corporate Narrative and Communications at SmartRecruiters.</p><p>Recorded: 20 February 2026</p><br><p>...
Podcast 227: How to make learning stick and drive performance
<p>Does sustained performance depend less on the learning event itself and more on the environment in which it is applied? In modern workplaces – shaped by inbox overload, operational pressures and competing demands for attention – employees often return from training motivated and well-intentioned, yet without the time, permission or support to put new skills into practice. Without the right conditions, learning quickly fades and performance remains unchanged.</p><br><p>Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests — Aglaia Economou, HR Learning Development & Change Manager at Hertfordshire County Council; Fergal Connolly, Learning Transfer Specialist and Founder of Multiply Transfer; and Steve Ge...
HR People Pod – Ep 42: Career moments | Organisational change readiness | ‘Peanut butter’ pay
<p>As volatility becomes the default rather than the exception, what does it really mean for organisations to be ready for change? When it comes to ‘peanut butter’ pay rises, does spreading reward evenly strengthen trust and fairness, or quietly undermine the idea that performance and capability matter? And just how decisive can small moments be — how have acts of trust, stretch or recognition shaped the careers of our guests? </p><p> </p><p>CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Alix Bolton, Chief People Officer, Europe at Smollan; and Alison Hodgson, Market Director – CIPD Ireland. </p><br><p>Recorded...
HR People Pod – Ep 41: Building foundations in a world chasing what’s next
<p>As new trends and demands accelerate, how can HR leaders ensure the profession’s foundations are robust enough to support effective and timely action? If AI is becoming part of everyday work, should organisations deliberately test how candidates think, reason and collaborate with AI as part of the recruitment process? And is the rise in temporary work a strategic shift in workforce strategy – or a symptom of wider uncertainty?</p><br><p>CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Mel Steel, Interim People, Change & Transformation Leader; and Martyn Dicker, Director of People at Unicef UK. </p><p > Hos...
Podcast 226: Closing skill gaps from within: the case for internal mobility
<p>In a tight labour market and amid rapid skills change, organisations face growing pressure to retain critical capability and reduce reliance on external hiring. Yet many employees still can’t see a future inside their organisation, and unclear progression continues to drive attrition. Could strengthening routes for internal mobility provide the strategic response needed to address these challenges?</p><p> </p><p>Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests — Laura Ibbotson, Interim Head of HR at The Green Spark Group; and Sarah Lardner, Director of Business Innovation & Senior Reward Principal at Innecto Reward Consulting. </p><br><p>In this episode we ex...
HR People Pod – Ep 40: Priorities for the People Profession in 2026
<p>2026 is set to be another challenging year for organisations and the people profession. As economic uncertainty continues and AI adoption accelerates, where should the profession focus its efforts? How can job design and management capability drive productivity without increasing burnout? And what skills do people professionals need to navigate the year ahead.</p><br><p>CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by a trio of leading HR podcasters, Fay Wallis, career and leadership coach and host of HR Coffee Time; Lucinda Carney, Chief Executive Officer at Actus Software, and host of HR Uprising podcast; and Bruce Da...
HR People Pod – Ep 39: Rewriting the rules on workplace conflict - with David Liddle
<p>Are traditional grievance and disciplinary processes really delivering fairness at work – or are they creating harm, cost and disengagement? With workplace conflict estimated to cost organisations billions each year, how can HR move beyond legacy, retributive systems towards a more people-centred and performance-focused approach to justice?</p><br><p>CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by David Liddle, Founder of The TCM Group and author of People and Culture, to explore how organisations can resolve conflict more effectively, and why justice, culture and leadership are inseparable from productivity and performance.</p><br><p>Recorded: 6 November 2025</p><p >...
Podcast 225: HR’s role in boosting workplace productivity
<p>Despite technology transforming — and often streamlining — how we work, its impact on productivity has been surprisingly limited. So is productivity misunderstood? We talk about boosting it, measuring it and even “unlocking” it, but what does it really mean in modern organisations, and what role should the people profession play in driving workplace productivity?</p><br><p>Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests — Sharon Benson, founding director of Colleague Central; Lu McKay, founder and lead consultant at Luminary Communications; and Bart van Ark, Managing Director at the Productivity Institute and Professor of Productivity Studies at Alliance Manchester Business School.</p><...
HR People Pod – Episode 38: UK Budget response | Hiring for potential | Opportunities in 2026
<p>Apprenticeship funding is up, and tax-free salary sacrifice on pensions will soon be capped. How have our panellists responded to the UK Government’s Autumn Budget and what does it mean for employers and the workforce? Has the pressure and drive for instant productivity squeezed out hiring for potential? Could organisations be doing more to create routes for internal mobility? And finally, crystal-ball gazing: what opportunities should the people profession lean into in the year ahead?</p><br><p>CIPD Trust Senior Programme Manager Leah De Silva is joined by Kerri O’Neill, Chief People Officer, UK & Ireland at Ipso...
