Is This Room Free?: Recent Episodes
Martin Drake
Welcome to Is This Room Free? In this podcast I will be talking to HR professionals and listening to the stories of their careers. I will be finding out about the journeys they have taken and what they learnt along the way. The purpose is to help others in the profession identify and understand the various paths available and take inspiration from my guest speakers. Whether you are someone who is looking to get that first step on the HR career ladder or an aspiring HR Director, I hope you get value from these conversations.
My guest on this episode is Jess Gray who has recently joined a solicitors as part of their outsourced HR team. However, we cover off so many interesting aspects and situations within this episode.
Jess found her way into HR and Training after university and gained her Level 5 CIPD. It was always the plan to do some travelling though so she took a break in her fledgling HR career to go overseas and taught English in Thailand.
When she returned home she found it incredibly challenging to secure a new entry level HR job, despite having adequate experience and the qualification under her belt.
She then joined an organisation and experienced a reduction in the HR team, a change in leadership, investment and growth of the team once again. Jess explains what it was like working through this turbulence and how the priorities changed for the HR function at various stages.
Her next company was an Academy Trust which presented a whole new set of challenges. She was now operating in environments where there had barely been a HR presence before and Jess explains how her much of her work had an emphasis of building and nurturing relationships to get those building blocks in place for her to make an impact.
Very recently her career has taken another twist by moving into outsourced HR. Jess shares what it has been like adapting to this version of HR delivery but what she has found inredibly enjoyable about it too.
This is a highly fascinating conversation shedding light on some aspects of HR that many wouldn't be aware of. I hope you enjoy listening.
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We have a first for the podcast - it's the very first time that I've had two guests feature on one episode.
I'm joined by Gemma Ellison and Lisa LLoyd who are both returning guests from this series.
Since my recording with Gemma in October 2023, the pair have teamed up to create Leadership Labs which provide a truly unique approach to helping leaders tackle issues and drive change.
Both highly passionate about workplace culture they also recognised that the general formats for Leadership development simply didn't go far enough or were too generic. They knew that something better could be achieved.
What they have created are mechanisms for honesty, collaboration, and peer support and learning. At the same time, they are pushing the boundaries by encouraging leaders to tackle 'experiments' that are measured and assessed to help drive positive change in their businesses.
I absolutely love the concept and format they have come up with. Whilst not the traditional format for this podcast, it's still a compelling listen, especially for any HR folk tasked with supporting leadership development in their organisations or even HR leaders themselves.
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My guest this episode is Jane Ferre who is an expert in all things Talent Management.
Jane is such a fun and engaging individual who is prolific on LinkedIn so connect with her on there if you aren't already.
Like many she didn't know what she wanted to do after university but secured a job at Euro Disney in Paris soon after it opened resulting in her dancing in the parade as Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast and having the time of her life!
Eventually she moved to british Airways where she spent almost 20 years working in a range of roles within the HR department but it was Talent Management that she always enjoyed the most. After two redundancies in a short space of time she made the decision to go self-employed and help lots of different companies align their Talent Management strategies with the overall business goals to ensure they had the right people with the right capabilities to achieve those goals.
During the conversation we discuss the importance of building and maintaining your network. Jane effectively sums this up by saying you need to invest the time by developing your network so that it's there and in place for when you need it.
This was an incredibly enjoyable conversation and I'm sure you'll get as much pleasure from listening as I did recording it.
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My guest this episode is Lisa LLoyd who could be considered an unconventional guest for me to have on.
Whilst Lisa hasn't worked in HR per se, the work she does feeds into the HR ecosystem. In the spirit of bring as broad a variety of people from the HR world onto the show then her story definitely warrants a place here.
Lisa studied Psychology at University, not knowing exactly what she wanted to do but feeling it would be something that could help her in whatever vocation she did ultimately choose.
Her career then actually began as a Primary School Teacher but it was through her wanting to help those kids most in need of support that made her leave the profession. However, it took her to working directly with those families who needed help and getting them the support they required. This then led to her first position as a Psychologist but it's fascinating to hear how great Managers and Leaders impacted Lisa at this stage in her early career.
A chance conversation with a HR friend made Lisa see that the work she had been doing in school environments was equally as relative in the commercial world so she made the leap to working as a Consultant.
Where Lisa differs from so many other business coaches out there is that she uses her psychology background but also provides a bespoke, tailored solution to each company she works with. After all no two companies are the same!
Lisa is incredibly engaging and has a unique ability to simply issues, identify the true objective with her clients, and then help them develop plans to reach that destination.
For anybody frustrated at feeling the burden is on them as the HR person to drive organisational culture matters then this is an absolute must listen.
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I'm joined in this episode by Julie Spicher who is Head of People & Culture for energy company Leep Utilities in Manchester.
I've know Julie about 8 years when she was a HR Administrator and have watched her career flourish at quite a rapid rate over that time. Even back then she was someone who stood out so it's not surprising that her career has rocketed.
I wanted to get Julie on to share her story so we could try and discover what it is about her that has enabled such fast-tracked career progression.
Julie is originally from Holland but, at only 17 years old, decided that she wanted to push herself and go off and see the world. She moved to the UK and worked as an au pair before deciding on a career in HR and going to university to study Human Resource Management.
She did a placement year working at Honda and then worked in the Shared Service Centre for Marks & Spencers, so left university with two years HR experience already under her belt. This already indicates some of the characteristics that have made her so successful.
Julie then worked for a tech business before joining Leep Utilities. This provided Julie with the chance to set up a HR function and all the systems and procedures, which again is quite a task for someone with only a few years experience.
Julie was taught early in her career about the importance of asking the 'why' whenever embarking upon an activity or project. This is something that underpins how she operates but she is also someone who has a plan but pushes herself outside her comfort zone.
There are so many discussion points within this episode and it's absolute gold for anyone starting out in their career who wants to understand how to excel and propel their career forward.
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My guest for this episode is Steven Ingram who worked for the bulk of his HR career doing consultancy before launching his own business, Neurodiversity Together, in the summer of 2023.
Steven has ADHD, autism, and a stammer. What I absolutely love about him and what you'll realise from this conversation is that he approaches discussions on neurodiverity in a different way. It's a more holistic and inclusive way for all concerned rather than focussing simply on any singular individual.
Having gone straight into the world of HR Consultancy from university he lifts the lid on that world as I think, for many, it's not a pathway that is considered at the entry level. However, Steven explains how, like in any role, you learn from those around you until you have the tools and knowledge to take on further responsibility so there's absolutely no barriers of entry for those starting off in their careers.
Steven explains why he ultimately set up his own business and we learn how his approach to supporting individuals and organisations regarding neurodiversity puts just as much onus on the person as it does any adjustments that need to be made to assist them.
I find Steven such a refreshing and insightful individual and talking to him raises many lightbulb and 'a-ha' moments. I'm sure you'll enjoy this and gets lots of 'a-ha' moments for yourself too.
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I've often referenced the HR Bingo sheet through various podcast episodes. That's the list of everything you can do in the HR spectrum and ticking off as many as you can.
Well I think this episodes guest is the first person I've ever met who can probably stand up and shout "HR BINGO!"
I was incredibly thrilled to be joined by Simon Shumann-Davies for this 101st episode.
I would class Simon as being in the top percentile of HR professionals, simply based on what his market rate would be if he were looking for permanent work. However, this isn't someone who has had it easy... quite the opposite in fact.
Simon began his HR career in the RAF, which in itself is quite unique. Upon leaving the Forces he then struggled to get a HR job in the private sector as his experience in such a different type of organisation wasn't deemed relevant.
However, despite overcoming that initial difficulty he has gone on to accumulate one of the most comprehensive profiles I've ever come across.
Whilst he says his is an employment law and change specialist, I struggle to think of anything he hasn't done in the HR space. This is combined with him working across an incredible amount of sectors and industries as well as companies from start-up to global giants.
Taking another unique turn, Simon now works as a fractional HR Director and he explains what exactly this type of work entails.
This is THE episode that you cannot miss!
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This is a landmark episode as it's our 100th!!
Therefore a landmark episode requires a guest of equal stature and I'm delighted to be joined by Annette Andrews.
Annette has an incredibly fascinating career story to share. From growing up and moving countries ( and schools) reguarly due to her Dad's job, she strongly considered joining the Army but a significant sporting injury meant that was no longer an option.
Unsure of what she then wanted to do with her life, some summer work at a local hospital put her under the tutelage of the HR Director. He encouraged Annette to apply for HR graduate schemes which led to her joining Ford where she stayed for the next 18 years, gaining an MBA along the way.
She then joined Lloyds Bank right before the global financial crash in 2008 and was on the actual trading floor the day the markets crashed. This led to supporting the huge transition project of bringing together Lloyds and Bank of Scotland as one new banking group.
Annette moved to the US in a Head of HR role for Lloyds but she explains how various things going on in her personal life meant she needed something different from her career during this period and a role that demanded less from her. This is common to so many during their careers and it's encouraging to hear someone with such a stellar career recognise that there may be a time when we need to take our foot of the gas for a while and seek out something more condusive with our personal lives.
Then when she was ready to tackle a larger role and a big challenge once again she moved to Lloyds of London as Chief People Officer.
Annette now has a portfolio career doing HR Consultancy, Coaching, working as a Non-Exec Director, and doing Speaking events.
This is an incredible episode that covers so much, especially about how Annette has pulled on the experiences throughout her life to aid her career but how life also impacts the decisions we make at times too.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Joining me on this episode is Beth Orford who is the Head of People for a FinTech business called Everything Financial.
Beth is an incredible guest as she changes the perspective on how we should look at not only our careers but HR as a function. She is someone who has learnt to understand what type of work she is suited to and therefore, just as importantly, what types of roles and environments she wouldn't be a good fit for. This has been something she has discovered over time but now she has clarity it is the lynchpin to how she determines if a role will be suitable or not, and she explains how this impacts her reading of an advert, and the questions she asks through an interview process.
Beth also challenges the evolution of HR beyond the current notion of becoming 'People' functions to something even broader and presents the concept of 'Capability' being what her purpose and remit is all about.
Beth began her career in L&D but realised to have a greater impact she needed to broaden her own toolkit and, working for Virgin Money, had the opportunity to move across a few different areas within HR to develop her knowledge.
Whilst she has remained within the Financial Services sector in various guises this is just an incredibly fascinating conversation to hear how someone has found what works best for them and then the ripple effect of understanding what type of roles and environments she suits and can deliver the most value in.
It's a great listen so I hope you enjoy it.
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Joining me on this epsiode is Caroline Oxley who works as Head of People & Culture for a property investment company and is based in Greater Manchester.
In her early HR career, Caroline worked in Facilities Management. What I found interesting was that people in HR always talk about delivering bad news, such as redundancies in the right way and being empathetic, however, Caroline shared a further nuance where in industries where there are high levels of TUPE transfers, such as outsourced service delivery, and contracts changing hands every few years then it's even more important to 'do it right' as it can impact business development and there's a liklihood of your encountering people you've had tough conversations with further down the line.
Caroline is someone who has experience of doing large scale TUPE (one company went from 6 people to circa 1400 in the space of a few months!) and she talks us through what is involved, how to successfully navigate it, but also what type of person might be better suited to it. Therefore, it's incredibly helpful to listen to Caroline explain it all if you're someone who has never done it but is curious about it.
As with many of my guests, Caroline is also a Mum, and she talks about having to leave a job she loved due to the amount of travel required and her feeling like she wasn't being the best Mother she should be but then torn about not being the best working professional she should be too.
However, this change was significant for Caroline as it re-positioned her as a HR professional who moved from having worked for large companies to getting experience of working in much smaller operations which required a different type of HR.
This is a wonderful journey, understanding what HR can be like in organisations of different sizes and ownership. There's a lot to take away so I hope you enjoy it!
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I'm delighted to be joined by Hayley Duckworth on this latest episode of the podcast.
Hayley is someone I've known in a loose sense for a long time and have watched her career flourish. Like many, she began in recruitment but didn't enjoy the sales aspect to it so made the logic move into HR.
Hayley has had some amazing opportunities to get exposure to some of the less-common HR activties such as mergers, TUPE transfers, and change/transformations. This leads us to discussing the HR Bingo Card (as I've defined it) and the benefits of either coincidentally joining organisations who are going through changes where you get exposure to some of these less common HR activities or seeking out roles that can give you exposure to them for your development.
We also learn how Hayley did a degree whilst working full-time and then topped that by not only working full-time and studying for a Masters but then having her first child midway through the course too.
Hayley currently works a four day week and one of the things that drew her to applying for her current role as Head of People at Marsden Building Society was how family friendly their advert read and the fact they were open to part-time as well as full-time applicants.
As a recruiter I'm highly aware of the lack of part-time opportunities in the professional and qualified space yet the high number of people who would prefer part-time hours that would accommodate the demands of family life. It's a topic we discuss in some depth and how employers could benefit in their hiring strategies by simply being more open minded.
This is a wonderful conversation and there's plenty to get from all the topics we cover so I hope you enjoy listening.
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This is the final episode of 2023 and I'm joined by Jo Mountney, who has spent the entirety of her career so far within hospitality and tourism, working for the largest theme park in the UK for 20 years.
Jo initially began in operations before moving into L&D and then ultimately HR. She believes that her background in operations has been one of the most useful aspects for her career, as it has enabled her to understand the position of her stakeholders better.
It becomes apparent that Jo has put herself into situations that have been way outside her comfort zone. From studying in France for four months, where all lectures were delivered in French, to making the move firstly into L&D and then into HR. However, she recognises that one of the ways we grow best and develop is by stretching ourselves in such a way.... and it's a concept she's taken into managing teams but as an enabler for her own teams to grow and develop too.
Behind all of this, Jo is naturally someone who lacks confidence in herself. It was others who pushed her to apply for roles (that she never thought she'd have a chance of securing) but it was her ability to solve problems, have the vision, and lead that helped her. Overarching it all is that Jo places people at the centre of everything she does and driving every decision she makes.
We manage to squeeze quite a lot of different topics into this episode (a Christmas cracker, you could say!) and I hope you enjoy listening.
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The guest this episode is Jane Ayrton who has been working in the L&D space for over 30 years.
Her career has incorporated being in both self-employed and employed roles. In her most recent role, Jane was Head of L&D in a financial services business and worked with what she describes as 'the best team she had ever had the pleasure of leading'.
Within that same organisation, they introduced Insights Discovery Profiling and Jane shares the principles of what that is but then explains the amazing results they achieved by using it. The key, as with any learning initiatives, was their focus on embedding what was learned, how the information was being used day-to-day, and then measuring the results. The business were able to see marked improvements in all aspects following the roll-out of this across the organisation from how people communicated with each other to projects delivered quicker and more efficiently.
Jane takes great pleasure from watching others grow and succeed and we talk through some principles of how to get the best from your teams.
We also discuss the topic of confidence as this is something that Jane coached when self-employed having struggled with confidence herself in her early career. She shares some really useful tips to help boost your confidence when you really need it.
I've known Jane a number of years so always knew trhis was going to be a great conversation. However, I also learned a lot through the various topics we explored too.
I hope you enjoy it!
career outplacement, career consulting,
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My guest this episode is Daniel Balshaw who has built a HR career combining his two interests - technology and people.
Dan was working in his local Sainsbury's store when he was approached by the HR team (personnel back then) to help with letter formatting, as simple as that now sounds, due to his IT skills. This was the early days of computers in the workplace so having the ability to work his way around a PC became advantageous.
Sainsburys were one of the first large organisations in the UK to open a Shared Service Centre and Dan was one of the first employees to start there. This was the catalyst to his career taking the direction it has.
Dan has run large scale technical and systems implementation but he believes it's vitally important in getting the part right of taking people through that journey, to ensure the tech lands successfully. It's effectively change management and we delve into the factors that ensure change and transformation projects go as smoothly as possible.
We also tackle the concept of AI and how it might impact the world of HR in the future.
Dan clearly loves what he does and has found a niche within the HR universe that enables him to get a buzz out of what he does each day but also what the future might have in store for all of us through the use of technology in the workplace.
I loved chatting with Dan and hope you enjoy listening as much.
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My guest this episode is Natalie Ellis who is the founder of Rebox HR, a multi-award winning HR Consultancy business based in Daventry, Northhamptonshire.
Natalie has spent over 17 years in the world of HR, working her way through the corporate world before deciding to start her own business in 2020.
Originally starting her career in the travel industry, Natalie believes it was those lessons she learnt about tailoring the service to the needs of each customer that gave her the foundations for how her business operates so successfully.
Although Natalie is essentially an outsourced service provider, there are lessons in how she partners with each customer. She wants to learn and understand the intricacies of their culture, identity, and ways of working. The same approach can be applied for internal HR teams as your 'customers' are the internal stakeholders you support so it's about understanding their needs and adapting your delivery accoridngly to achieve the best results.
Natalie's first HR role was with Woolworths during the period they went into administration, and she explains what a baptism of fire it was to the world of HR going through such a process. She then joined a little start-up called ASOS to set up their HR function.
A couple of years ago, right before launching the business, Natalie suffered with a breakdown due to burning herself out. She is very open and honest about this period of her life and is a huge advocate for HR for HR to try and ensure others don't succumb to what she endoured.
On top of all this we also address the question "Is it the responsibility of HR to change the way they are perceived in businesses?"
Natalie has been there, done it, and got the t-shirt through her career and this is a great conversation covering so many of the burning topics in HR right now.
I hope you enjoy listening.
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This episode I'm joined by Alex Rose who is Group Recruitment & Media Manager for a cake manufacturer called BBF based in Blackburn.
I wanted to invite Alex on as a guest as I helped recruit him into this position and it was an interesting brief that his HR Director wanted from the role. Over the past couple of years I've followed what he has been doing and, more importantly, the impact and results the business have benefitted from.
Alex started out as an agency recruiter before moving internally. We discuss the key differences from the two sides of the recruitment fence and the transition needed from a sales mindset to a service one when moving internally.
It was when working for an organisation in the construction industry who had a fantastic brand that he first became aware of benefits a strong brand (and the subsequent employer brand) had on their recruitment and talent attraction.
Alex now works for a company who manufacture cakes on behalf of supermarkets. They aren't able to put their name against any of the products they manufacture as the supermarkets own the product and any licensing. Therefore, this had historically made recruitment very challenging. However, a significant part of Alex's job is to create various content and marketing strategies to enhance the brand as well as shining a spotlight on what it's like to work in the company. After two years of consistently creating content the results speak for themselves in how beneficial this has been to their direct hiring.
I personally believe there has been a real morphing between the role of a recruiter and a marketer in recent years and this episode highlights how significant and relevant this concept is.
If you have any responsibility for recruitment in your company then this is absolutely an episode you don't want to miss.
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Joining me on this episode is Wendy Macartney who is not only a Senior HRBP but also a coaching Psychologist.
This is a fabulous conversation as we really go off-script and barely touch upon Wendy's actual career journey. However, what we do uncover is far more insightful as Wendy is such a fascinating individual.
She gave up a position on a fast-track leadership programme, despite incredible pressure from her friends and family all saying she was crazy, because she believed deep down that it wasn't truly the right direction for her. It was a pivotal moment for her as it took her down a path of self-discovery and Wendy states she's had these inflection moments about 4/5 times through her career, where she has had a realisation she's on the wrong path and pivoted against the recommendation of others.
Wendy was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult and around that time she was having to make redundancies. Wendy recognised that the majority of these individuals had psychologic disorders or were experiencing hormonal changes, which were affecting their performance. This led to her decising to retrain as a Psychologist.
Wendy works for an organisation who have embraced that everyone is different and they use her psychology expertise to coach line managers into understanding how to get the very best out of people as we're not simply round pegs fitting into round holes. However, in most organisations this isn't the case so Wendy shares ways you can influence business leaders to also look at adopting the principles of individuality but through performance maximisation.
She also has a strong interest in bullying and harrassment, why it happens, but how to educate people in how their behaviour is affecting others as well as explaining some tools to deflect these actions if you're on the receiving end.
As you can tell there's a heck of a lot that gets unwrapped and debated on within this episode but we have lots of laughs along the way too (there's even a spot of teaching me meditation techniques), so I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
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My guest for this episode is Alison Allen who, following a successful career in internal HR, set up her own HR Consultancy in March 2023.
Alison's real passion through her career has been about developing people, so as well as providing generalist HR support to her clients, she also works as a coach and a mentor, an Insights practitioner, she is a trained and accredited mediator, and offers bespoke line management development programmes.
Not wanting to stop at just that, Alison is also a qualified Menopause Workplace Trainer.
Originally intending to be a Teacher, Alison realised that wasn't for her and embarked upon a period in L&D before moving into generalist HR. Her first HR role was a standalone position for a multi-site, national business and we discuss how you succeed in a role despite never having worked in it before and, therefore, with very limited knowledge and expertise. She then moved her career forward with a mindset of plugging the gaps in her own skills base to ensure she had as complete a tool kit as she possibly could.
There's a pattern within Alison's journey of going back to former employer's but in a new role that aligns with her own wants, needs, and development goals and we discuss how and why sometimes you need to leave a company if opportunities aren't available but why there's also no reason you can't return in the future if circumstances change.
When she decided to go self-employed, Alison knew that she wanted to become a specialist in menopause awareness and we talk through why this is such a critical topic.
75% of people going through the menopause have symptoms and, of those, 1 in 4 has serious symptoms. 100 years ago the average age of menopause was 57 and your life expectancy age was 59. Whereas now menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45-55 and average life expectancy is 83. Therefore, where is now appears in life is with women who are in the prime of their careers and often in influential and significant roles.
25% of women are considering leaving their employers due to lack of support and this is why it's so important we recognise the impact the menopause can have and employers do all they can to help.
There are so many wonderful aspects we cover in this conversation beyond the menopause but this is certainly a hot topic that needs more awareness and education around so I hope you enjoy listening.
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How do you get to the top of your game? What should you be doing, and more importantly not doing, to be a HR professional who is taken seriously and has a track record of success and impact?
Well this is the episode that uncovers all that.
I'm joined once again by Rachel Wilson Rugelsjoen who has worked for some of the most high profile, multinational corporations.
Rachel was my guest towards the end of Season 3 and we didn't manage to get through all we wanted to that time so the plan was always to bring her back to dive deeper into some of the parts we weren't able to cover off last time.
In this episode Rachel explains what it was like returning to Norway the second time, but on this occasion with solid HR career already behind her rather than trying to launch a career as was the case ten years previous. She tells how Norway had changed and become more multicultural and inclusive but how for any person relocating internationally can be a challenge as you leave your reputation behind and almost have to start from scratch.
However, my favourite part of our conversation is where we delve into what measures you need to be taking if you want to become a HR professional who is contributing to the strategy and truly adding value and impact.
This will be a game-changer episode for many people and make them look at their careers in a critical manner but in a way to ensure they are on the right track for whichever destination they ultimately want to get to.
I hope you enjoy listening as much I enjoyed the conversation with Rachel.
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My guest for this episode is Gemma Ellison who currently works as a Senior Talent & Leadership Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support.
However, Gemma didn't start her career within HR. She had studied Law at university and went on to become a solicitor. An opportunity presented itself when she spoke up about the culture within the law firm she was working at where she was told to 'do something about it'. Gemma subsequently wrote a three year strategy to drive the changes she felt were required.
Interestingly, Gemma had always had an interest in Culture, Leadership, and the improving workplaces so this sliding doors moment presented her with an opportunity to follow her passion and she has been helping various businesses since.
This is a very candid and fascinating conversation. Gemma shares pivotal periods in her life that contributed to her working career and some of the challenges and obstacles she has had to endure and overcome.
I really want to thank Gemma for being so honest during our recording as it enabled some deep conversations that make for a riveting listen. I hope you enjoy it.
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I'm so excited to share this episode as my guest is Nicola Coull who is a Managing Director. What is unique is that Nicola made that move from a HR background, which it seems very rarely occurs. Hence, I asked Nicola if she'd join me as a guest to not only share her story but also to discuss why so few HR professionals make that transition into a business leader role.
Nicola has a HR Management degree but through her studies and over the course of her career there has always been a mindfulness of the bigger picture and not just staying in her 'HR lane'. She has always had an appreciation of an organisation in its entirity and the impact each function has.
You might assume that you'd need to be 100% career focussed to do this. However, Nicola has two children and even had a 3.5 year career break when her children were both very young and we discuss what it was like when she ultimately did return to work after such a long break.
One of the key aspects that is picked up from Nicola's career journey is that she identified it was in SME's where she believes you are generally able to have greater operational focus and influence than you can in larger corporates.
Nicola also tells us what she feels makes an effective HR leader and how to have an impact at that level. It leads us to discussing 'your own personal brand' and what type of HR practitioner you want to be through your 'flavour' of HR.
Finally I hit Nicola with the questions around "why don't more HR professionals become business leaders" and "is there a lack of respect given to HR people in believing they have the capability to make the move". So sit back and enjoy the chat to find out what Nicola's replies were.
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This week's guest is Dan Wilbeck who currently works as a HR Manager for a US Tech Tourism business, based in Liverpool (UK) and covering the UK and Europe in a standalone capacity.
Both of Dan's parents are dyslexic and is the youngest of six brothers but none of his siblings were diagnosed with the condition. Dan had struggled with reading and writing but hid it and he himself didn't realise was also dyslexic until a university lecturer suspected it and made a suggestion of reading from green, not white, paper.
Dan's initial career journey surprisingly began with him working in a Funeral Director's. Opening up a drawer and seeing the lack of documentation for each employee alarmed him and changed his trajectory to becoming a HR practitioner.
Dan has a very clear perspective on what he thinks HR should be and we discuss how he has become quite a prolific poster of HR content on LinkedIn and the benefits of doing so.
Working primarily in manufacturing through the early stages of his HR life, Dan then chose to become a HR Consultant to gain diversification and further breadth of experience. He now works in a standalone role supporting the UK and Europe region for a US tech business and Dan shares with us how he has grown and adapted in this role.
This is a great episode where we discuss and debate over a range of topics so there's plenty included for anyone no matter the stage of your HR career.
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In this episode I'm joined by Roisin Williams who has been in HR for over 30 years and has been a freelancer for the past 3 years.
Roisin's career is a fascinating one as one of her first roles was as Equality and Diversity Adviser for Cheshire Constabulary. This was the late 90's where equality and diversity wasn't as broad a topic and was more about improving equality for women in the workplace.
Apart from a degree in Women Studies, Roisin admits she had no practical skills or experience to do a job like this, however, she 'took a punt' and submitted an application and ultimately got the job. That approach of 'taking a punt' is one which she applied throughout her career and it's a concept we discuss and why more people should adopt it.
As well as working in senior in-house HR roles, Roisin has also worked for some large, well-known outsourced HR providers and we discuss the pros and cons of working in outsourced HR. We also cover what life is like as a freelancer, good and bad, for anyone who might be interested in their career taking that route.
On top of all that we talk about the amazing work of a charity called Smart Works, where Roisin does some volunteering. They provide work outfits for disadvantaged women for interviews and Roisin offers coaching for CV's and interviews. It's a phenomenal charity and this part of our chat alone is worth listening to raise awareness of the amazing work they do.
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My guest on this episode is Rebekah Ross, someone I've known for two years after we connected whilst she was looking to move from a career as a nurse to HR.
I'm delighted Rebekah was able to join me as a guest as we had to squeeze the recording in whilst her baby was asleep and before my children got home from school. I mention that because within this conversation we highlight how life isn't always plain sailing and often life gets in the way.
Rebekah shares her story of why she decided to leave the nursing profession but how she looked at what she enjoyed within her role and researched what other professions she could leverage on those skills to transition into. A career in HR struck a chord but she then had the task of showing the rest of the world why anyone should consider her for a job in their HR team.
Rebekah explains how she started studying her Masters in HR to show her commitment and intent to this career change, as well as re-positioning her CV to evidence the transferable skills she had. She took a leap of faith and accepted a short term contract role as a Recruitment Advisor which acted as a perfect springboard into her current position as a HR Assistant.
However, through this journey over the past two years Rebekah has also moved house, got married, and had a baby!
This is a superb episode with lots of learnings and insights for anyone looking to change career and move into the world of HR. I hope you enjoy listening.
We're taking a slightly different route with this episode and my guest is Janet Hadley - the very first non-HR guest!
However, the work that Janet does is incredibly relevant to the HR profession and so the justification to have her as a guest was a no-brainer.
Janet is the Founder of Choose Sunrise, a business that she launched in May 2022 to raise awareness about alcohol in the workplace, remove the stigma of alcoholism, and work with organisations to develop bespoke solutions to promote alcohol-safe workplaces.
This is a really open and honest conversation where both Janet and myself share our own relationships with alcohol, but there are also plenty of listeners who will be able to identify with the various topics we discuss. There was even a lightbulb moment for myself when I identified with some institutionalised practices regarding alcohol that I've adopted into my own business.
This is a must-listen for any HR professional to help understand the issue that alcohol has within our society and ultimately the workplace. For example, did you know:
5% of all workplace absence is alcohol related
32% of employees have attended work with a hangover in the past month
20% of workers have drunk more than they wanted to due to pressure from colleagues
40% of all industrial accidents are linked to substance abuse
50% of all sexual harassment claims involve alcohol
On 3rd May 2023, Janet is hosting a Teetotal Tasting Event in Leeds, England where guests will leave with a new favourite alcohol-free drink and some tips you can put in place to help you create an alcohol-safe work place, without killing the buzz!
Here is the link for anyone who wants to attend - https://choosesunrise.co.uk/register
For anyone who would like to connect or follow Janet / Choose Sunrise then here are the links:
Connect with me on Linked In
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/choosesunrise
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/choose_sunrise/
Listen to the Podcast - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/choose-sunrise
My guest this episode is Rachel Wilson Rugelsjøen who is the Founder
and MD of Level Up HR, a HR consultancy helping businesses and HR
functions to level up and get results through people who thrive.
However, Rachel's back story is a truly fascinating one.
Having done a Psychology degree and then a Masters in HRM, Rachel did a
one-year study internship at Copenhagen Business School. Here she met
her now husband and decided to try and get her first HR role in Norway
rather than returning to the UK. However, this was significantly more
challenging than she had anticipated but ultimately she got there.
Eventually Rachel and her husband did relocate back to the UK and she
was headhunted for a Senior HR role with Merrill Lynch whilst still
relatively early in her career. From there Rachel has gone on to work
for some huge, global organisations such as Barclays Capital, Cognizant
and The Norwegian Oil Fund.
Rachel shares some incredible insights during our conversation and she
is a truly inspirational HR professional. This one isn't to be missed!
Joining me as my guest this episode is Gemma Isherwood who currently works as Global Head of HR for a business unit in a large, international organisation. Gemma is originally from the UK but, interestingly, has never worked in HR there.
Having studied Biomedical Science at university she didn't fancy life working in a lab and found her way into recruitment. However, her degree did turn out to be beneficial as Gemma specialised in Healthcare and Life Sciences. An opportunity came up to move to internal recruitment but it meant a big life choice for her and her partner as it was based in Holland.
Eventually Gemma transitioned over to HR and has worked in a number of international roles, all for the same company. Wanting to move again, now as a family, they moved to Philadelphia in the US in Jan 2020.
Within our conversation Gemma shares what it's been like not only to work internationally (and all the ups and downs that has with it) but the personal side of living in different countries too.
This is such an interesting and fascinating conversation and really helps you understand what a global HR career can look like. Gemma is such a fun and down to Earth individual which made it a thoroughly enjoyable chat. I hope you enjoy it.
After a long wait, I've finally managed to get someone from the Talent Acquisition / Internal Recruitment space onto the podcast. And what a guest in Trish Young I have for you!
Trish is originally from Northern Ireland but went to university in England and decided to stay once she'd graduated. Having done a Business Management degree she wasn't sure what would come next but learnt about a career in recruitment at a Jobs Fair. Trish admits it was a bit of a car crash and that she wasn't quite suited to life in a staffing/recruitment agency.
However, it wasn't recruitment itself that she didn't enjoy more the sales aspect. So a conversation with a former client led her to a Talent Acquisition role and then the ultimate move to in-house.
For anyone wondering what exactly life looks like for an Internal Recruiter then this is a must-listen episode. Trish shares just how many facets there are to the job, what it takes to become successful in this type of role, and how she's learnt the importance of using data as a tool.
Trish was great fun to talk to and we really lift the lid on the world of internal recruitment so I hope you enjoy listening.
On this episode I'm joined by Justin Dorsey who currently works as a Lead HR Consultant for an outsourced HR provider in Dallas, Texas.
I've been connected with Justin for a while on LinkedIn and he is someone who posts really interesting and thought provoking ideas so he naturally caught my attention and someone I was very keen to get onto the podcast.
Justin has a very interesting introduction into HR. He was working in the Finance Team for a cell phone retail business when the HR Director left and Justin put his hand up and offered himself up for the vacant role..... with absolutely no previous HR experience. Want to find out how that worked out? Well you'll have to listen to the episode to find out, of course. However, Justin is still in HR so it can't be all bad.
Throughout our conversation, Justin shares his view on HR and how he believes we should always be re-assessing our ways of working to ensure we're always raising the bar and pushing ourselves further.
In his current role, Justin has gone from in-house HR to working for an outsourced Consultancy, meaning he now works with a range of businesses on an ever wider range of HR topics. It's something he absolutely loves so we explore the difference between the two (internal and outsourced) for anyone else keen to understand that side of things.
Justin is an inspirational HR leader who is always pushing the status quo and an hour probably didn't do justice to the further insights we could have gotten from him. However, this is still a fantastic episode so I hope you enjoy listening.
My guest for this episode is Jenn Wells, People Operations Lead for a cyber security business, based in Dallas, Texas.
Jenn's story will be familiar to so many people. Not being overly academic, she went straight into employment after school but wasn't sure what she wanted to do for a career. Like a lot of people she went into administration and found that she got a bit comfy and stayed in some roles longer than maybe she should have.
Her first insight into the world of HR came when a colleague was going on maternity leave so Jenn offered to cover her HR role. However, it wasn't until later in her career, working for a nation-wide US business, that she built up a relationship with the HR Director and got on so well that she asked if she could be part of the HR team. This was when Jenn's career really kicked off.
Jenn is very active on LinkedIn and it's clear to see how much passion she has for HR. Despite not having worked in HR for her whole career, Jenn's superpower is being able to bring a breadth of experience from the operational side of a business. Her approach to her HR career is essentially a motto for life - treat others the way you'd want to be treated yourself.
I loved talking with Jenn and she's really easy to get on with, something I anticipate comes across when you listen to our conversation. So.... I hope you enjoy it!
On this I'm joined by Jenny Cook, People Director at a specialist fleet company in the UK. I've known Jenny a long time and we've been trying to set up this recording for almost two years so I'm really pleased we've managed to get her on as a guest at last.
Jenny is someone who hasn't been pigeon-holed to one specific industry but has worked for a real breadth of companies in a variety of sectors. This is actually one of the topics we discuss, why some organisations insist on previous sector experience when they are recruiting but does it really matter? We also talk about thinking outside of the box when trying to recruit into certain roles in your organisation and looking for transferable skills rather than a like-for-like, and how this can open up a wider talent pool for you.
Jenny is someone who has energy in abundance (or Jenergy as she has rebranded it)! She is passionate about ensuring that the teams she leads understand the importance of being approachable and engaging, especially in an organisation where employees are spread around the country and might not have a lot of interaction with the HR team.
Jenny has a fantastic reputation amongst her network and it's clear to understand why. This is a fantastic episode and we have a few giggles along the way so I hope you enjoy listening.
The guest on this episode is Mike Shaw who has spent the past six years working in Learning & Development. However, prior to that he has spent two decades working in the Education sector as a teacher and then in various Senior Management/Leadership positions.
In this episode we find out why Mike decided to make the transition, the challenges he faced, but how the power of building up a network ultimately led to successfully securing a position as a Head of L&D in a large corporate business.
We talk about how important it is when you come from somewhere like a non-traditionally corporate background to reframe your CV to overcome prejudice and lack of understanding by recruiters and hiring managers but what benefits someone who is doing a career change can bring.
Mike's career has been built on the rule of 'do the job until you've feel you've done it as well as you can or you feel you've outlived the whatever you were brought in to do'. We take this concept and explore how businesses, HR, and line managers should be doing more to have open and honest conversations with employees to address those factors that can potentially lead to someone leaving.
Mike is a fascinating individual who has been able to identify what he enjoys doing most and keep that as a 'core' through his career, whilst taking some interesting twists and turns with the decisions he has made. I hope you enjoy listening as I loved doing the recording.
Joining me this week is Rebekah Zetts, a HR Director living in Dallas.
Rebekah's journey is a fascinating one as she has only worked in HR for a couple of years. However, in that short space of time she has progressed to HRD and I was curious to find out how.
Rebekah has a background unlike most. She spent a year in France before taking International Studies and French at university. After graduating she moved to South Korea and taught English for a few years. After returning to the US and continuing her teaching career, Rebekah questioned whether this was the right vocation for her. She wrote down all the skills she had acquired and realised they matched those required in HR, so she went back to university to gain the theoretical knowledge needed to support a career transition.
Whilst studying, Rebekah started networking and found this was hugely beneficial. She combined attending events with developing her LinkedIn network, sending messages and introducing herself to others in the profession. All this networking led to her securing her first HR role and she hasn't looked back since.
A combination having a unique non-traditional perspective on HR, being able to leverage on the knowledge of her wider network, having the opportunity to get some amazing exposure to strategic projects early on, and absolute hard work have all been ingredients to helping Rebekah accelerate her HR career from first job to HR Director in such a short space of time.
I had such a great time chatting with Rebekah about her whole career journey and there are some amazing insights shared. I hope you enjoy listening!
Joining me on this episode is Alison Dixon who is based in Austin, Texas and working as Global Head of People Operations for a tech business.
The more of these conversations I have, the more common it seems that my guests have all entered HR via an unorthodox route. Alison is another prime example of this. Having entered the job market in the middle of the global recession in 2008, there were literally no jobs.
Alison did eventually secure a job, working in Fundraising for a local high school. She continued down this career path for a number of years before having the opportunity to do a Masters degree in Organisational Design. This gave Alison exposure to the world of HR and she was fascinated by it. Her perception of HR until then had been one of the 'morality police' and she was now seeing it in a very different manner, and she was hooked!
Alison has gone on to have what I would class as an accelerated HR career, progressing to a leadership role in only five years. Getting under the skin of how she has managed to do this it can partly be attributed to her approach to HR. Because she had no preconceptions about how she should act as a HR professional, Alison was both vulnerable and authentic. She was honest when she didn't know the answer to something and built trust by being imperfect and authentic. She was also inquisitive asked questions to get under the skin of the business in order to understand what was really going on in the teams she supported, therefore enabling her to better assist them.
Alison is really refreshing and honest in this conversation and I believe there are some reflections we can all have by listening to her thoughts on the delivery of modern HR practices. I hope you enjoy listening!
My guest this week is Samantha Purdy who has built up a career in Learning & Development and then the broader, over-arching Organisational Development.
Like many, Samantha felt a bit lost after College and wasn't sure about which direction to take. Despite considering to do a Social Care degree, she also looked at other options and applied for some Apprenticeships too. One was for a Business Administrator in local government and just happened to be in their Organisational Development team.
As Samantha's skills and capability developed she was asked by her Manager if she wanted to start delivering some training. So as a 19 year old, she wrote and delivered her first training programme. Pretty scary stuff for someone so young and Samantha admits to struggling with imposter syndrome even now.
As her career progressed it took her out of public service and into the private sector.... and back again. Along the way she has picked up line management responsibility and Samantha talks about how it was easy to start in a new role as a line manager than transitioning into that type of position from within a team. She also talks about where in one Management role she oversaw a large team and her realisation that she really missed being 'hands-on' so left for something that was a good blend between leading a team but still being involved in daily activities herself.
This is a fantastic conversation for anyone who has wondered about the world of L&D and OD, and considered if this would be a good career as an alternative to HR. I hope you enjoy listening.
In this episode I'm joined by Katrina Reader who currently works as a HR Associate for one of the Big Four accountancy firms in the UK.
I was absolutely blown away and utterly impressed with Katrina. Her story is a perfect case study in how to give yourself the best chance of securing employment post-university.
Katrina did a BA in Human Resource Management but was very conscious that it would be highly advantageous to get some practical experience on her CV. So not only did she choose an undergraduate course that had a one-year vocational placement as part of the programme but Katrina also maximised her chances by doing some volunteering work.
Her first role was to volunteer at a charity and she gained some basic administration skills. This was followed by a period of work for a recruitment agency, doing Right To Work checks, placing adverts, and screening applications. Both of these helped her secure a job with Bentley Motors for her placement year, beating all the competition to work for this highly respected brand.
By the time Katrina graduated from university, not only did she have a First Class HR degree to her name, but she also had two years worth of practical work experience on her CV. This put her in the top 10% of graduates who entered the job market and ensured she got offered a permanent role - again with a highly revered organisation.
This an absolute MUST Listen for anyone currently in university! I hope you enjoy listening.
My guest this week is Christina Cantu who managed to secure her first HR job at the start of 2022. After a whirlwind 12 months, seeing her nominated as Emerging HR Professional of the Year, Christina has learnt a heck of a lot and kindly shares her story and experiences with me.
Christina is the first person in her family to attend University and since she can remember she has had a plan of achieving her Bachelors degree, then a Masters, and finally a PhD. Having secured a BA in Psychology, she is about to complete her MA in Public Administration.
HR came on to her radar after her Mother first suggested it but at that time Christina's perception of HR was that of most - the department that just hires and fires people. However, it was through a module within the Masters study course that she learnt about the wider remit and impact that great HR can have.
As she entered the job market Christina found it extremely tough. She was applying for entry level HR roles but consistently found that she wasn't getting any form of response or feedback from any applications. Christina is very candid and open about just how difficult a period this was and how she started to doubt herself and have a lot of negative thoughts, wondering if she was being overlooked because of her age or because of career choices she had made.
However, Christina finally secured an Internship and grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Coming to the end of her first year in HR she explains what she has learnt and how she has developed her skills and knowledge.
This is a superbly helpful discussion for anyone looking to enter the HR profession covering the highs and the lows! I hope you enjoy listening.
My guest this week is Sarah Burton who has been primarily working in the Tech industry for the past twenty years.
I found this conversation with Sarah a really interesting and insightful one as it became apparent as we spoke just how tactical she had been with her career. She explained how working in the public sector had given her a really solid foundation in 'what good looks like' but she left after a relatively short period to move into an SME. Sarah was conscious of the broader exposure she would get in that type of environment and how much it would benefit her development.
Sarah explains how she believes one of the most important skills to have in your locker is stakeholder management, and how effective communication builds trust and credibility. She also talks about what it's like working in the Tech sector, so really useful for anyone who has been curious about that space for your HR career.
Sarah also shares what it's like to step up and move into a strategic or leadership role, providing fantastic insights for anyone who has aspirations to climb the career ladder.
This is a superb conversation with plenty of lessons to be learned. I hope you enjoy listening.
Have you ever wondered what the mindset or approach is needed to become a HR leader? Well then what an episode we have this week, where I'm joined by Michele Haugh.
Having done a business degree at university, Michele decided that a HR career path was for her but upon entering the job market found she had no practical experience. What Michele then did was strategically map out a route via recruitment, then training, that ultimately led to her fulfilling her career goals.
Michele has tackled numerous relocations, due to her husband's job, and taking an extended career break whilst living in Thailand and raising their children. However, she has applied a key fundamental in her HR approach that has enabled her to reach the top of her game. It's the understanding that to be truly effective, you need to adopt a complete business partnering methodology. This means that you get to understand the business and it's issues first then look at the HR initiatives and strategies you can implement to add the maximum value. A simple concept, yet not one applied by everyone.
Michele now runs a HR Consultancy, along with her business partner, where they provide HR support and Engagement initiatives to early or growth stage businesses.
Listening to Michele talk, it's easy to understand how she has created such a successful HR career and there are some great takeaways and advice she delivers during our talk.
I hope you enjoy listening.
earlyHRSolutions - https://www.earlyhrsolutions.com/
earlyEngage - https://www.earlyengage.com/
Joining me on this episode is Mags Kerns. She has been in HR since graduating from university but after climbing the career ladder and having worked as a HR leader in her last few positions, Mags decided to set up as a coach in October 2021.
Throughout her career, Mags had seen how challenging it could be as a profession and often you have to deal with some really emotional aspects. It got her thinking 'where is the HR for HR?' and she wanted to do something about that.
She initially set up a Facebook group called The HR Sanctuary and that then led her to start coaching and Mags is now a qualified Breakthrough Coach who specialises in helping HR professionals who are currently feeling burned out and overwhelmed, or perhaps lacking the self-belief to fulfil their true potential.
We talk about how Mags progressed through her career and how she was exposed to and tasked with leading on some pretty large projects whilst still in the early days of her HR journey, and how she ultimately handled those situations and learnt how to do HR. Later in her career, Mags joined a start-up and she explains how you tackle a situation like that where there is literally nothing in place.
The coaching work that Mags now with HR people is amazing. She tailors each programme to the individual and it's easy to understand why she is getting interest from HR people around the world who need some support.
This is a fantastic conversation that I thoroughly enjoyed so I hope you get some benefit from listening.
https://www.magskernscoaching.com/
The HR Sanctuary group on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/547127873015680/)
My guest this week is Tim Roberts, a seasoned Learning & Development professional who has been running his own business, Enthuse, for the past four years where he focuses on the application of emotional intelligence in our workplaces and how we interact with colleagues.
Tim explains that when we understand what our own values are and how these affect the way we communicate with others, then it provides a platform for cohesiveness, improved relationships, and overarching culture.
He has also written a book (Break The Mould) that highlights the importance of not feeling the need to fit within a preconceived stereotype, but by being your true, authentic self, you are then able to be the best version of yourself.... and when you are the best version of you you can be then good things tend to happen!
Tim had a few roles before finding his way into Training and L&D. By participating in a Leadership Development programme at the company he worked, Tim saw a whole new way of thinking about how to be an effective leader and he was 'sold'. It was a moment that changed his career trajectory and he hasn't looked back since.
Whether you're in HR, Training, L&D, or any sort of management/leadership role, there are plenty of thought-provoking and inspirational elements that pop up in our conversation.
If you'd like to find out more about the work Tim does or make contact with him then follow these links:
www.enthusecoaching.com
tim.roberts@enthusecoaching.com
On the fifth episode of season 3, my guest is Kate Maddison-Greenwell. As well as having had a successful HR career, Kate now has her own consultancy business (People Efficient) providing transformational or change support but through the application of an Agile mindset, your more traditional HR transactional support, and leadership courses that focus on topics such as conflict resolution and psychological safety.
On top of that she currently works alongside a business in a long-term project capacity, supporting the CEO and leadership team through a large acquisition, ensuring the culture is maintained through the integration process. However, it doesn't stop there. Kate also hosts the HR Director's Cut podcast with two other former guests, Victoria Bond and Lisa Tomlinson.
Kate is a force to be reckoned with... in a good way! When you are spinning so many plates, you'd anticipate that managing your time can be a huge challenge. Kate explains how one of the keys to success is to be transparent and communicative with all stakeholders (skills that are both highly critical to be truly effective in your HR career).
Kate is an absolute fountain of knowledge and there are a tonne of tips and insights to benefit from before we even get into the story of Kate's career. What I really enjoyed about Kate was her honesty. We talked about being comfortable at making mistakes and accepting that sometimes you'll drop the ball, and that you can't know everything in any given situation.
There are aspects within this episode that anyone at any level in their HR career can benefit from so I hope you enjoy listening.
The guest for this episode is Kyle Warner who is a HR Generalist III, and has recently joined Samsung in Dallas, TX.
I met Kyle in the summer when we connected after his contract was coming to an end and he wanted support in finding a new role. As we spoke it quickly became apparent how Kyle stood out a someone who could be considered a 'fixer' or a 'change enabler'. What I mean by that is he gave me example after example of how he had gone into a role, became aware of legacy issues and problems, and although they weren't necessarily 'his' problems to fix, he appreciated that the whole HR function would operate more effectively and provide a better service is these problems were corrected. Therefore, that's what he did.... he took matters into his own hands and resolved them.
Kyle would describe his own superpower as being someone who can create order from chaos and this is a perfect case study in how you can be someone who turns up 9-5 and just wants a job, or you can be someone who creates a strong personal brand and is recognised for constantly going above beyond and exceeding expectations. The benefit of the latter is that your stakeholders appreciate you more and the results you deliver.
Kyle attitude and approach to work is a benchmark for anyone at the early stages of their HR career and wants to know how to get their career moving forward. I hope you enjoy listening.
I'm thrilled to bring Jane Murphy back as a guest. We finished the last season with Jane talking through her career of working for some of the world's biggest and most recognised brands, and this time we're uncovering what it's like to operate as a HR Business Partner with international responsibility.
Whilst Jane worked at Cadbury's they were involved in one of the most public acquisitions that has happened in the UK. The takeover by Kraft made headline news all over the media but I was curious to learn from Jane what it was like to work in the HR team through such a challenging period. Explaining how she had to try and put her own concerns to the back of her mind and focus on the task in hand, Jane also talks about how the skills needed to do the job changed.
Whilst at Kraft, but more so in her current role, Jane has also had remit to deliver HR support across international regions. We discuss how it's not always as glamourous as people may perceive and what to do if you make a mistake when trying to navigate unfamiliar local legislation.
As always, Jane is a fountain of information, insights, and anecdotes so this is a must listen for anyone who aspires or is curious about working in an international role or how to get through a challenging acquisition.
If you would like to contact Jane or have any questions, then please feel free to email her on jane.murphy@alexander-dennis.com
I'm thrilled to be joined on this episode by Andrew Bartlow who has an outstanding pedigree in HR, spanning 25 years.
During his career, Andrew worked for some of the largest organisations in the US and globally, such as PepsiCo, Wells Fargo, and General Electric. However, as well as crafting his trade in Fortune 50 organisations he also has experience at the opposite end of the spectrum with much smaller start-ups.
In 2018, Andrew was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to exit his last permanent employed role with a golden handshake. However, retirement at such a young age left him without a sense of purpose. So, he found new purpose....... in the last few years Andrew wrote a book (Scaling For Success), became a consultant and advisor for PE platforms and tech businesses looking to scale quickly, mentors other HR Leaders, as well as creating the world's best development programme for HR leaders at high-growth tech companies.
Andrew is one of the most impressive guests that I've had the pleasure of speaking to on Is This Room Free? Some of the advice that he shares during our conversation is invaluable for anyone who wants to forge a successful career in HR, and is both pragmatic and insightful. Andrew has been fortunate to learn from some amazing individuals throughout his own career and he is now able to pass on that knowledge and learned experiences to others.
This is an ABSOLUTE MUST LISTEN TO episode and I am confident that you'll finish having taken something that will help you with your own career.
For more information, here are some useful links:
Andrew Bartlow - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartlow/
People Leader Accelerator website - https://www.peopleleaderaccelerator.com/
Link for his book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scaling-Success-Priorities-High-Growth-Organizations/dp/0231194447
We're back for a third series of the podcast and I can't think of a better guest to kick of this series than Lindsey Kucharski.
Lindsey identified a career in HR as the route for her professional career following a chance meeting with someone when she worked at a holiday resort post-university. Someone identified that she has the right characteristics and personality to succeed in HR, and a natural platform to build upon her Psychology degree.
Starting her career in a headhunting agency for the Legal sector, Lindsey was able to get exposure to HR activities that, once she had moved to internal recruitment, enabled her to also make the further leap into broader HR. After ten years in the Legal sector, she saw long-term opportunities of being in the Tech sector and joined a start-up. Here, Lindsey realised how beneficial working in a smaller company was to her commercial development by virtue of being exposed to more situations due to it being a smaller organisation, enabling her to get a better understanding of finances, operations, marketing... and simply how a business works.
As Lindsey's career progressed to becoming a HR Leader, she explains how using data to back up your proposals can really help you influence and gain confidence when working with C Suite level colleagues.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my chat with Lindsey and some of the insights she shared are absolutely gold. We had a blast recording this so I hope you enjoy listening too.
I'm thrilled to be joined on this episode by Jane Murphy as she's someone I've been wanting to get on for over a year.
When I became aware of all the large, global brands that Jane has worked for then I knew listeners would love to hear her story, what it was like working for companies like Kraft, Cadburys, Unilever, and Rolls Royce, and how she moved her career forward.
Interestingly, Jane shares how she actively pursued a career where she wanted to work for global brands on the assumption of how it would benefit her. Her most recent role was to cover the HR Director's maternity leave but how all the different experiences she had acquired over the years really set her up to succeed in a leadership role.
There was so much to discuss that we couldn't squeeze it all into just one episode so we'll be doing part 2 in a few weeks where we'll talk about life through an acquisition and operating on the global landscape.
However, there's an abundance of insights to take from this episode alone so I hope you enjoy it!
If you'd like to contact Jane with any questions or want any advice then here is her email - jane.murphy@alexander-dennis.com
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I was absolutely thrilled to have Wayne Singleton join me on this week's episode of the podcast.
Wayne and I have been aware of each other for a few years but hadn't actually spoken until recently. I knew of him as a HR Consultant who did interim work but over the past few months so a variety of posts on LinkedIn promoting some of the other work activities he does. When we chatted and I learnt more about his situation I knew I had to get him on here as a guest.
Wayne has had an amazing HR career working for some monolithic organisations such as BAE and Siemens, and we discuss various insights he learned from working in these types of companies. However, following a redundancy Wayne took some inspiration from a friend who said you should try and do what you love as often as you can. This resonated with Wayne and, combined with his Dad suffering a stroke, made him want to do more outdoor and endurance events and really embrace life doing what he really wanted. From that point onwards he has combined HR Consultancy and Freelancing with his other passions to have what he describes as a 'portfolio career' - basically doing lots of different things.
For me, Wayne's story and journey is an absolute beacon for anyone who wants more out of life than the usual 9-5. He has been able to leverage on his HR career to secure various interim and consultancy work, which primarily pays the bills, whilst using the rest of his time to follow his heart and do things that put a smile on his face.
I cannot state how enjoyable it was speaking with Wayne. I absolutely believe that anyone, not matter their vocation, could take some inspiration from this episode so I hope you enjoy it.
I'm absolutely thrilled to be joined by Julie Furnival on this episode.
Julie started working in Operations at Nando's and became exposed to HR through her role as a General Manager. Nando's were a fantastic organisation with robust and comprehensive training but Julie explains how truly people centric they were. What she learnt working there has stuck with her and she has applied the principles in every role and organisation since.
Julie has been lucky to work for some amazing companies across a range of industries, but hospitality has always remained close to her heart. We discuss how she has been able to translate her principles to leaders and managers across each business, whilst never compromising the need for upmost integrity.
I could have chatted with Julie for hours about her brand of HR and I believe that anyone would benefit from listening to what she has learnt through her career. I hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed chatting.
On this episode I welcome Mia Finley as my guest.
Mia is very much at the start of her HR career and began an apprenticeship in Aug 2021. However, she was recently credited with the accolade of 'Business & Law Apprentice of the Year' so I wanted to get to know more about her story, why an apprenticeship was the best route for her, and what she did to receive the award.
Mia shares her feelings of being almost dismissed by her College for not choosing to go to university, but why it was 100% the right decision for her. The conversation is also full of useful tips and advice for anyone looking to make themselves more employable, as well as how to get an apprenticeship.
I thoroughly loved chatting with her and for someone so young she has a very mature and advanced outlook. I'm sure Mia is going to have a fantastic career ahead of her.
In this episode my guest is Sakara Jones, currently working as a standalone HR Officer for an international company who operate in the supply chain for the FMCG sector.
I first met Sakara last summer and was impressed by her maturity and pragmatism. She is someone who is at the early stages of her HR career but has already experienced some ups and downs. However, each 'down' has helped her learn and develop and been treated as a learning experience which is an amazing outlook and attitude to take.
She started her HR career in an outsourced HR company, dealing with high volume ER casework. Her next move was an unusual one as she then left HR and worked as an Administrator for an engineering business, yet Sakara believes this was one of the best moves she has done in her career. However, as much as she enjoyed this role she knew that HR was her calling and she moved on. After completing a maternity cover contract, she secured her current position 8 months ago.
We discuss how working outside of HR can benefit you as a HR practitioner, as well as it being OK to leave a company after a short period if it's just not right for you.
Sakara's journey is an honest one as life doesn't always go smoothly but there are some great insights that we can learn from how she has approached the ups and the downs.
Joining me on this episode is Kathryn Guy, whom I think is a perfect case study for anyone wanting to change career and move into HR.
Kathryn had previously had a successful career in the Retail industry, operating as a Store Manager. Feeling that she wanted a change she looked at what she enjoyed within her role and realised it was the HR and People aspects that most engaged her. So she self-funded her CIPD Level 5 qualification, sacrificing all her spare time to studying.
However, hearing horror stories of others who had passed the course and still couldn't secure any interviews made her doubt herself. Indeed, it wasn't until Kathryn re-framed her CV, to really showpiece her HR experience, and became more focussed on what type of positions to apply for that things started to change for her too.
Kathryn accepted that she'd need to take a step backwards in terms of salary and seniority. But in less than a year she has managed to secure her first HR role, change jobs and get promoted, meaning she is now virtually back to the same level she was at before she changed career - a truly remarkable achievement. All testament to her attitude, work ethic and capability.
Kathryn's story will both resonate with and benefit so many others out there. It's a fantastic journey so I hope you enjoy listening.
My guest this week is Ellen Richardson who works as a People Data Analyst.
Ellen wanted to join me to share the world of HR Analytics as it's not a career path many people would naturally think of. Her own journey was that of someone who did a Criminology and Sociology degree which involved research and data analysis. From her she joined Lancashire Constabulary and ended up working with their HR function. Ellen enjoys the uniqueness of HR and People data and the role it plays in supporting the employee journey and experience in an organisation. So she decided to share her story and insights with you all!
This is a fascinating listen and there's value in even HR generalists learning about the role data analysis can play in a HR function. I hope you enjoy all that we talk about!
On this episode I'm joined by Emma Knight who works as Head of People and Culture. The reason for inviting Emma on as a guest is that she went from her first HR role to 'Head of' in only 6 years.... highly impressive!
I wanted to try and find out how someone manages to progress their career at such a rapid trajectory, and Emma provides lots of insights and reflection regarding her journey.
She started her career working in large, complex organisations before wanting to transition to an SME where decisions were made quicker and she could drive change and improvements faster. Along the way she benefitted from support from senior HR colleagues but also stretched herself to push her own development.
Emma was a fantastic guest and this is definitely a 'must listen' for any aspiring HR professional.
Happy New Year and welcome to 2022!
I'm absolutely thrilled for the first episode of this new year to be joined by Philippa Lucarz who is HR Director at Myerscough College in Lancashire.
Philippa started her working life via an apprenticeship before deciding upon a career in HR after speaking with family members who were in the profession. She has spent a large chunk of her career in the public sector, but also took the bold move to run her own HR Consultancy business for a year, before returning to employment in a Head of HR role for an organisation in the private sector.
We discuss working in local authorities and the stigma that can be associated with people who have spent time in this sector. We also debate what it can be like running your own business and the challenges people might not be aware of when thinking of pursuing such a route.
However, the cherry on top within this episode is listening to Philippa explain how she developed as a HR professional. She identified the need to constantly develop her own learning and awareness of the most current HR theories in order to best be able to influence business leaders and add the most value.
I honestly believe that this is an episode that could help shape the thinking of almost all HR practitioners out there so I really hope you enjoy our discussion.
Welcome to the final episode of 2021 and what a year it's been. The podcast has surpassed 6,250 downloads across 57 countries. I've had messages of how it the advice and stories from all our guests have helped people and one guest was even offered a new job as a result of someone hearing them on here!
On this episode I'm joined by Rita Burke who operates as a standalone HR Manager for The Roy Castle Foundation. Rita recently came to my attention after I saw her win HR Professional of the Year at the NWEEG Awards in the North West. I contacted to her to find out more and she agreed to join me on here.
Rita won the Award based on her crisis management of the impact from COVID upon the organisation - a Not-For-Profit who generate funds primarily through the running of charity shops, and who were obviously significantly impacted throughout the multiple lockdowns.
Rita explains the importance and significance of the role the Leadership Team played in ensuring the organisation collectively navigated the ever changing landscape, maintaining high levels of engagement with their employees and volunteers. We also discuss life as a standalone HR Manager and what that can be like.
I hope you enjoy listening and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2022!
I'm absolutely thrilled to have Scott Simpson as my guest this week. I've known Scott around 12 months after we connected and I supported his move from Contact Centre Team Manager to HR Advisor. We said at the time that I'd have him as a guest one day so it's fantastic that we've been able to get this accomplished now he is 8 months into a HR Advisor position.
Scott's story isn't just useful for anyone who has worked in an operational role and wants to learn how to make that transition to HR. His whole methodology regarding the pursuit of his dream job is a perfect case study for anyone who is going to embark on the search for a new job.
Scott forensically amended his CV to ensure it was the best document it could be to ensure his applications became more successful. He utilised LinkedIn, built up his network and engaged with his contacts to raise his profile and seek advice. He learnt from the HR team where he was employed and constantly asked questions to develop his knowledge. He joined his local CIPD branch and became a CIPD Ambassador, again building his network. He connected with recruiters, HR Directors, Consultants, anyone who he felt could offer value to his ambition of securing a HR job.
Ultimately the prize at the end of all this was that Scott landed his dream job. He didn't need to take a salary drop and start from an entry level role. His hard work, dedication, and commitment ensured he achieved his goal.... and he fully deserved it!
I hope you all enjoy listening to this episode as it's a cracker! (no xmas pun intended)
In this week's episode my guest is Georgina Grice who is currently operating as a HR Business Partner.
Georgina had a colourful and varied background before fully diving in to a HR career. However, it was the lessons she learnt and the experiences she was exposed to in these other jobs that were some of the building blocks for how she approaches HR.
Georgina learnt about having a good work ethic at a young age, then early in her professional career she operated in an environment that taught her the importance of holding yourself to a higher standard in terms of the work you do. More recently this has developed into an understanding and appreciation of your own personal brand and how you are perceived amongst your peers.
This is a really honest conversation and there are some great insights that anyone would benefit from, no matter what stage you are at in your HR career.
What a guest and discussion I have in store for you this week!
I'm joined by Elizabeth Willetts who started her career in recruitment but left the agency world as she didn't feel it was conducive to starting a family. Instead she wanted a job that would offer flexibility and could fit in around life and the demands of having young children.
Unfortunately things didn't go to plan and Liz and her husband struggled to conceive. Ironically her new career ended up becoming more of a burden than a help with people constantly questioning when she would be having kids, unbeknownst to them how much they were compounding the pressure she felt to fall pregnant.
Liz returned to the fast-paced world of recruitment and ended up in an internal role. Thankfully they welcomed their two children into the world during this period and she was also able to transition to part-time working. However, during COVID her position was made redundant and Liz faced constant frustration and discrimination when trying to find another role that would offer part-time hours or flexibility.
Feeling like she had nowhere to turn, Liz took matters into her own hands and launched a job board (www.investinginwomen.co.uk) which focuses exclusively on vacancies offering flexible and part-time working. She also runs a Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/386475498981570) and regularly hosts LinkedIn Live sessions covering a range of topics with expert guest speakers.
Liz is absolutely leading the charge when it comes to the views on mums, female worker rights, flexible working, and the benefits that organisations can gain when being more open minded in attitudes to working arrangements.
I loved having her as a guest and am 100% on-board with everything she is doing. I hope you enjoy listening to our discussion.
Joining me on this week's episode is Mark Scott.
Having originally studied Engineering at University, like most, Mark hadn't intended to pursue a career in HR but ultimately found his way to it. Mark has worked for large, international corporates as well as smaller SME's where he's set up a HR function in a standalone capacity.
Along the way he has amassed an impressive breadth of experience yet he confesses, like a lot of people, to struggling with imposter syndrome. Mark is really open and honest about this during our chat and talks about identifying it in others and how he offers support to them.
Mark is a highly accomplished HRBP and there's plenty of learnings that can be had from our conversation. I hope you enjoy it!
This week's guest is Lizzie Petty and we cover a range of topics through our discussion.
Lizzie currently works as a HR Business Partner in the Care sector. She's one of the most passionate individuals I've met in terms of both the work she does but also in regards to the work they do as an organisation.
Lizzie's route to becoming a HRBP is a fascinating one. She left university after only 3 months and jumped from job to job before finding herself doing bookkeeping and payroll - something she believes has been advantageous to helping her career development. When she did transition into HR, working at Johnson & Johnson, she set herself the difficult target of becoming a Business Partner by the age of 30.... something she ultimately achieved!
Lizzie's passion for doing her job well had always been there but it wasn't until she joined her current employer that she fully realised just how important it is to also work in a company that you believe in and are passionate about the work they do. She now feels this is a key component that many of us overlook but shouldn't.
I absolutely loved chatting with Lizzie and hope you enjoy listening to what we discuss.
Joining me on the podcast this week is Michelle Smalley who has been operating as a HR Advisor for the past two and a half years.
Michelle started her career as an apprentice and she talks about the benefits of taking this route and how doing so in an SME gave her really good exposure and development. However, once she wanted to step up to HR Advisor level the challenge was that she struggled due to the lack of experience in Employee Relations in a leading role.
Michelle eventually got the break she needed and hasn't looked back. She's now an experienced HR Advisor and shares with us her secret recipe to what makes a great HR Advisor.
This is an amazing episode for anyone wanting to reach the HR Advisor level. I hope you enjoy listening.
We're back and joined once again by Amy Doram. There was so much to cover that Amy has become our first returning guest, and there's heaps more insights and learnings that can be taken away from this episode.
Amy talks about securing her dream job but then that being taken away and how it impacted her. She also talks about into her first HR leader role and how she put forward a bespoke application to ensure she landed it.
Finally, we discuss how Amy has ripped up the rule book to create Guidance Documents that are really people-centric, and how implementing these has helped the business attract and retain the very best talent.
This is such a good episode and Amy has so many nuggets of wisdom to share that I'm sure you'll enjoy listening.
This weeks guest is the amazing Amy Doram who spent 20 years in L&D before moving into a broader HR leadership role. How did she do it? Well we can't give it all away, you'll have to download and listen to find out.
However, myself and Amy get so carried away that we're going to have to name this episode as Amy Part 1 as we need to finish off with a second episode.
Amy has had a phenomenal career with some very interesting twists and turns along the way. We talk about failures, getting a cat to prevent burnout, and how HR is like parenting!
Honestly, this is such a good episode and there is heaps to take away from our discussion. I'm already looking forward to recording the second episode!
Joining me this week is Neve Trinder who graduated last summer (2020) with a Masters in Human Resource Management.
This episode is so helpful for anyone who is currently studying or recently graduated and wanting to know not only how to get into HR but what to expect from your first role. Neve is extremely candid about her expectations, the reality of entering the job market once she graduated and how she came down to earth with a bang.
Neve is an extremely smart and astute individual though and she learnt, adapted herself and sought out how to turn negatives into positives.
There's absolutely tonnes of value and learnings that will help many listeners of this episode so I hope you enjoy listening.... and that it does help you get your own career started in the very best way!
This weeks guest is Tracey Murphy, someone who has a distinguished career in HR both in-house and as an external consultant.
Tracey has a colourful past and came into HR from a project management support route. Through our discussion you can clearly see how that project management mindset has benefitted her during her career and some of the roles she's had.
As with many other of my guests, Tracey highlights the importance of having mentors and stretching yourself to develop your career.
More recently, following some personal issues of her own, Tracey is trying to raise the importance of awareness around emotional health and how previous trauma can impact individuals in the workplace. It's right there at the forefront of how HR is operating but clearly an important issue and I'm so pleased Tracey joined me as a guest to talk about the work she's doing.
To find further information on this or to sign up to her email list go to https://wisdom-springs.com/
Welcome back. We're now on episode 41, which is crazy for me to think personally. In this episode I'm continuing the mini series of speaking with people who are at the very start of their HR careers, with the purpose of helping the current graduates in their own job searches,
This week's guest is an absolute gem. I'm joined by Cara Reston who pursued an almost benchmark methodology to work throughout her studies. She gained that ever so valuable work experience and succeeded on obtaining a graduate scheme role at the end of it.
Cara also shares some superb tips and insights that will really help others secure that first HR role. I loved chatting through her story with her so hope you enjoy listening.
Today's guest is Lily Chick who is right at the very start of her HR career, having only begun her first role back in April.
The reason for wanting to bring Lily on as a guest is that we're coming to the time of the year when many students are finishing university and about to enter the job market. Lily has completed both a Bachelors and Masters and been through that journey of finishing her studies, applying for jobs, and ultimately securing one. She's had the ups and the downs, the frustrations of the process, learnt the lessons of how to deliver a great interview, and the reality versus the false expectations that her university told her was possible.
This is such an insightful discussion that anyone about to start looking for their first position after university will benefit from.
Hello everyone and thanks for tuning in to another episode. Well what a great guest I have for you today. I'm joined by Lisa Tomlinson who recently started her own HR consultancy and is a joint founder of the Happi HR Facebook group.
Lisa did a lot of varied roles before starting in HR. However, she went from her first HR role to HR Business Partner in only a couple of years. Lisa progressed all the way to Head of People and created an award-winning HR function before deciding to set up by herself at the end of last year.
We explore loads of topics in this episode and Lisa is someone who has very strong opinions about the role of HR. She's also passionate about supporting HR professionals and equipping them with the tools to become more resilient, as well as training to become an Executive coach
I know you'll love listening to everything we discuss and it's jam-packed with insights for people at all levels in the HR profession.
Well come back once again. So on this week's episode I have Eleanor Minshall who is quite literally the gift that keeps on giving. The reason I say that is because she has multiple situations through her career which by themselves could be reasons to have her as a guest on the podcast.
Firstly, Eleanor is someone who entered the world of HR from the route of being a Recruitment Consultant. Then she experienced fast-tracked progression through her HR career going from HR Advisor to HR Business Partner in only 4 years. For the last 3 years of her HR career she led L&D and Talent and Development teams. Then this year, Eleanor took the decision to start her own HR Consultancy where she helps supports businesses with Organisational Design, creating People Strategies, as well as Coaching HR Teams and Leaders to become more effective.
There is absolutely heaps packed into this episode so I hope you enjoy listening.
On this episode I'm joined by Nathalie Somerset who has some fascinating insights around how getting more accustomed to using data within your role as a HR professional can really help you drive change and add value to the organisation you work for.
Nathalie operates as a HR generalist but she also has a real passion for data and uses it in almost every aspect of her day to day work. Let's be honest, not every enjoys Excel or being analytical. However, by hearing Nathalie talk about how she uses HR data you will be able to understand how even on a basic level you can use it to your benefit.
I hope you enjoy listening!
With today’s guest we branch out into the world of L&D and more specifically OD and Talent.
I’m joined by Richard Bell who has been operating in this space for over 20 years. Richard helps define what these three concepts are and how that translates into day to day work. So, if you’re someone who is interested in a career down this path, or you’d heard the terms but weren’t quite sure what they were, then this will be a really useful episode for you.
I’ll be honest we do go off on quite a few tangents in this episode but it’s definitely worth it.
As always, I hope you enjoy listening.
I love it when I can bring people who I class to be 'high achievers' to the podcast and my guest this week certainly falls into that category.
I'm joined by Molly Rooney who has gone from entering HR to HR Business Partner in only 3 years!!!
This is an absolutely fascinating conversation for anyone who is at the early stages of their career and has aspirations of progression. We really get under the skin of how Molly has been able to progress so quickly, how she operates as a HR professional, and what she does that makes her stand out from the crowd. As a result, there are loads of valuable insights and recommendations.
It was such an enjoyable conversation and I know you'll love listening. Enjoy.
Have you ever wanted to work abroad but wondered how your HR career could facilitate this?
Well this week's guest on Is This Room Free? is Wensdae Lucas who has a very different career journey than any other guest I've had on. That's because she has spent the past ten years working in different countries for some of the world's most luxury brands in hospitality, tourism and retail. Her journey has taken her to the US, Abu Dhabi, Australia, and on cruise ships.
We discuss not only Wensdae's personal career steps in HR but the pro's and con's of living and working overseas, the adventures you can have but what you also have to sacrifice.
This is such an interesting conversation and will be hugely beneficial to anyone who has wondered how a career in HR could also help them see the world.
I hope you enjoy listening.
This week's guest is Susan Harrison. I'm sure that you'll be fascinated to hear about Sue's story as her overview is of someone who went from her first HR role to HR Director in only ten years but she's then operated at the senior level for the past twenty years.
What we learn from this conversation is how Sue put herself outside her comfort zone and sought out additional responsibilities in order to develop her career quickly. However, she also explains how crucial it is to really get under the skin of the business you work for and truly partner with your stakeholders in order to be able to make an impact.
I'm really excited for this week's guest as I have Maxine Blake joining me. Maxine is someone who has been operating at the senior HR level for a number of years now, having originally come from an operations background in the hospitality industry.
Maxine is a great example of someone who has used that Ops experience and broader understanding of things like sales, finance, marketing to make her a very rounded, commercially astute HR professional. She's also someone who wasn't highly academic at school but has more than made up for that in later life and holds a Bachelors degree, an MBA and a HR Masters.
Trust me that this really isn't an episode to be missed. I hope you all enjoy listening.
This week I'm delighted to be joined by Maria Hawley on Is This Room Free?
I've become a bit of a fan of Maria having seen many of her posts on LinkedIn and asked her if she'd kindly like to come on the show. Thankfully, she said she'd be pleased to and here we are.
Maria is a HR Director but is someone who believes passionately about HR's role in ensuring how an organisation treats their employees. This has led to some amazing initiatives that she kindly shares during our conversation. She has worked in both the public and private sectors, honing her skills as a HR practitioner and learning best practice along the way.
It was an absolute pleasure chatting to Maria so I hope you enjoy listening.
What a fantastic episode I have for you today. This week's guest is Sophie Metcalf who currently works as a Head of HR.
The reason I think you'll enjoy this one in particular is that Sophie is someone who has actively changed the way HR is thought of in the organisations she's worked for. During our chat, she shares how she was given her first opportunity to work in HR but said she'd only accept if the Directors viewed HR more holistically and not as a compliance function. Since then she hasn't looked back and now has a track record in creating HR functions that add value to businesses.
This was such an insightful talk with Sophie and I could have kept picking her brain for hours as she has so much knowledge to offer. I hope you all enjoy listening.
Have you ever felt your career wasn't really going anywhere? Or maybe you're just not sure how to get it moving how you envisaged? Well today's guest is Kirsty Robinson and her story may be especially helpful for you.
Kirsty did a HR degree and was then unsuccessful with every graduate programme she applied for. She ended up accepting a general admin role in a recruitment business but there wasn't a huge requirement for HR. Slowly she got more exposure and experience but after three years there was no scope for the position to develop and she felt like her career had hit a bit of a wall.
So she looked for a new position and the next three years saw her get three promotions and she is now a People Operations Manager.
There's so much insight and value from this episode and Kirsty's story will resonate with so many listeners. So I hope you enjoy it.
On this episode I have Deborah Mowbray join me.
Deborah has been working at the Senior HR Business Partner level for the past four years. However, she has also spent her professional career working exclusively within major, global brands (Harrods, McDonalds, William Hill, Uniqlo, and Lacoste). I was therefore keen to not only understand how she operates as a Senior HRBP but what it's like working for organisations like this.
Deborah shares with us her story from getting on the graduate programme at Harrods to taking a role in a slightly more entrepreneurial environment that will help her take that next step to Head of HR. We talk through how learning a Gold Standard of HR early on gave her the discipline for the rest of her career but how it's important that you always stay authentic.
There's plenty of great learnings and takeaways from our chat so I hope you all enjoy listening.
Today's guest is Emily Bretnall and what a fun episode this one is.
Emily currently works as a HR Advisor for a company within the nuclear industry. I suspect her story will resonate with a lot of listeners. She's someone who wasn't sure which direction her life should go when she was young. She toyed with the idea of going into beauty, maybe working on the cruise ships. Even during university she was still feeling a bit lost. However, an internship with a really bad employer planted a seed which led her into HR.
Emily explains that by finding her vocation in her mid-twenties actually drove her to accelerate her career as best she could. Within two years of her first HR Assistant role she had managed to get promoted to HR Advisor. And last year she won the NSAN Business Apprentice of the Year!
We had such a good time during this recording so I hope you all enjoy listening.
This week's guest is Oliver Hill who is currently working as a HR Business Partner at Solent University in Southampton. Ollie was originally working in a kind of graduate management programme at Waitrose and then leveraged on the transferable skills he'd learned when he moved into HR.
Ollie talks about how he managed to make the transition from a HR Advisor to HR Business Partner and what it's actually like to work as a HRBP. He also speaks about moving to a bigger organisation because he knew there would be better opportunities for him to fulfil his own personal ambitions, and speaks passionately about working for an organisation that stood for something positive and helped people.
Ollie was an absolute pleasure to talk to so I hope you all enjoy listening.
Today, my guest is Alison Rothwell. To say that Alison took a very scenic route to the world of HR would be an understatement. She spent the first 20 years of her career working in Forensics before a chance role doing admin in a hospice led her to get involved in HR. Since then she has worked in two standalone positions, setting up a HR function from scratch on both occasions.
She talks about what life was like as a standalone HR Manager, reporting into a Finance Director, and how to build relationships in an organisation where HR hadn't previously existed.
There are some great points raised during our conversation which would be helpful to anyone operating in HR so I hope you all enjoy listening to this one.
Can you imagine trying to be the HR function for multiple companies? Well my guest this week is Jenny Heyes and that's exactly what she does.
Jenny works for a legal firm in the North West as the Head of their outsourced HR service. This means that her and her team work with a wide variety of companies across the area, supporting them with a wide range of HR issues, from simple enquiries through to large scale people projects.
Prior to that Jenny had worked within a family business and stepped into the world of HR as that company grew and needed someone to focus on it. However, it wasn't a walk in the park as they didn't see the true value of HR to begin with.
She also explains how by being exposed to such a diverse range of issues in a multitude of organisations it has accelerated her own knowledge and development.
Are you a graduate who is trying to get that first HR job? Then this is the podcast episode for you!
On today's episode I'm joined by Lauren Bentley who graduated with a HR degree in the summer of 2019.
Lauren felt pushed down the graduate scheme route by her university but her gut instinct told her that wasn't the route she should take. Instead, she did something very different and put up a post on LinkedIn asking for help. You know what, it worked and she had an interview a few days later and was successful. She's now been working as a HR Administrator at for 18 months.
Lauren talks about not only her job search but also what life is like as a HR Administrator and what skills are needed to be successful in that type of role.
This is a great episode for someone currently studying or looking to secure that first HR role as Lauren shares plenty of insights that will be useful. I hope you enjoy listening.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to emigrate, and if you could successfully continue your career abroad? Well this week I'm joined by Ben Rainforth-Gott who moved and spent 7 years living in New Zealand, where he not only continued his career but managed to progress it up from HRBP to HR Director.
Ben's career journey is an interesting one, given his stint overseas, but he also shares his principles and beliefs about the role HR has to play and how he has become such a respected HR professional and someone who delivers results in each organisation he has worked in.
Ben is a fascinating individual with absolute oodles of knowledge so I hope you enjoy listening.
On today's episode my guest is Kat Reid who spent ten years working in recruitment before two successive redundancies and the prospect of having to enter the job market during COVID made her think about her career options.
Having been someone who has suffered with anxiety and mental health, a conversation with her friend, and now business partner, sparked the idea of turning a negative situation into a positive one, and so Throman Reid was created. A HR and Wellbeing consultancy based in Manchester that works with businesses to equip them with the tools to focus on prevention and not simply intervention.
Kat is very candid and honest about her own mental health struggles and it is inspiring to hear her talk about how this amazing business has been created to not only create better workplaces but educate business owners that improved wellbeing has a directly positive impact on the bottom line.
I hope you all enjoy this really insightful chat with Kat.
Here we are with the first episode of 2021. Joining me on this episode is Katy Connon, someone that I've know for four years now. Katy is 29 and already a HR Business Partner, a possibly misleading job title as she actually leads the HR function for a training and apprenticeships provider in Blackburn, owned by the University of Central Lancashire.
The reason for asking Katy to talk through her career is that she's someone who I would categorise as being ahead of the curve in terms of where she is at in her career versus her age. You shouldn't define anyone by their age but when we look at society as a whole you can generally plot where most of us are at with our careers at certain stages of our life. And, for me, Katy is in the top bracket of high performers.
So I hope you enjoy listening to our discussion and can get some real insights and takeaways from listening to Katy share her story and how she operates.
Today’s guest is Katy Walton who has spent over 25 years in and around L&D. She has primarily worked across the Tourism and Financial Services sectors but worked for some huge brands during her career.
Within all that, Katy has also become a mum of two and we talk about the influence that had on her career and the choices she made. She also took a career break to care for her terminally ill mother and on the same day as she finished work, her husband lost his job, so they had gone from two incomes to none overnight.
Katy has always made career choices based on her values and principles however made a wrong career choice on the one occasion she neglected to do so.
Most recently she has gone self-employed and set up her own consultancy business, Make Real Progress, wanting to have the freedom and autonomy to operate the way she wants. This has also led her to creating a Facebook Group (The Progress Club) to try and offer wider help and support to people.
I thoroughly loved my chat with Katy and could have gone on for hours. I managed to keep it to just over one but really hope you enjoy listening to everything we discuss.
Joining me this week is Jo Menon. Jo is a seasoned Interim Senior HR project delivery specialist who has spent all her career operating in global roles. Along the way she has worked for some household names including Dyson, Regus, and Primark.
Jo has two children but had huge complications during the pregnancy of her first child, and she admits to struggling physically and emotionally afterwards. However, she was honest about this when she returned to the job market and found that it was OK to be honest and talk openly about her experiences.
She is a candid and focussed individual who, as you will see from our conversation, has gained immense knowledge on cultural differences and the impact of globalisation in work.
Jo shares many insights that I certainly benefited from so I hope you do too.
On this week's show I'm joined by Victoria Bond and I am so pleased to have her as a guest.
Victoria progressed her career to HR Director and along the way she has worked for start-ups as well as large corporations. However, we talked through more than just her career and there are insights from our chat that can help anyone at any level. We discussed the importance of having mentors, how you need to plan your day effectively, and what you need to do to help move your career forward.
On a personal basis, Victoria and her partner have been through IVF treatment and now two young children. Victoria finished her maternity leave earlier this year and it was during that time off that she had the brainchild of starting up her own HR Consultancy, specialising in Employee Engagement.
This really was an amazing discussion with so many insights so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The guest on this episode is Jade Greenwood.
I've known Jade for a couple of years and she kindly offered to come on and share her story as her career hasn't been the easiest of paths to date. As Jade discusses in the show, some people seem to leap from role to role and their careers progress somewhat effortlessly. Others, in Jade's words, take a more scenic route.
Jade entered the job market without a clue as to what she wanted to do, or what was even out there for her to do. She started out as an Administrator before becoming interested in HR but had to work hard to make that transition.
She has made huge sacrifices to get to where she has and she was kind enough to talk openly and candidly about how tough it has been to build a career, whilst being a mum of two and having to study her CIPD on top of it all to reach her goals.
It was an absolute pleasure talking with Jade so I hope you enjoy listening.
On this episode we have Annabel Bass who is someone that made the transition from Recruitment Consultant to HR Advisor. I’ve spoken with lots of people over the years who are in recruitment but don’t enjoy the sales and want to know how they can leverage on the skills they have to move into HR. Therefore, I hope Annabel’s story will be a useful one to listen to.
Annabel was a Psychology graduate who had planned on getting into HR straight after university but was unsuccessful in securing a role on a graduate scheme. However, she tactically applied for alternative recruitment-orientated roles that would help her but, after a few years, felt she’d left it too long before making the transition. A chance opportunity presenting itself combined with her being vocal about her desire to get into HR meant that she ultimately made that leap.
We also chew the fat a bit on the recruitment industry itself but to be honest, we could have probably done a whole podcast altogether on us talking about that topic itself. Maybe one for another day, eh?
On today’s show I have Geoff Cawley join me.
Geoff and I connected a few months ago when he asked me to support his search for a new HR role. I asked him if he’d come on and talk about his career as Geoff has operated as a very senior level and, for me, is in the top percentile bracket of HR practitioners in the UK – although he will probably disagree with me.
Therefore I think anyone with aspirations of career progression can take insights away from hearing Geoff talk about his career.
He actually started out in banking before transitioning into HR whilst working for the Royal Bank of Scotland. He has since worked as a Global HR Business Partner for Astra Zeneca, and most recently as Associate HR Director for Arup, including a secondment as their European HR Director.
It's a long episode as there was so much to cover and I felt as though we still only scratched the surface. However, there are plenty of lessons that can be taken away from listening to Geoff that will hopefully help you with your own career goals.
Today’s guest is Sarah Powell, someone I’ve known for a couple of years since she was working as a Store Manager at Sports Direct and wanted my help in transitioning to a HR career. She’s now two years into a HR career and absolutely flying.
So I specifically asked Sarah if she’d be a guest as I get approached by a lot of people who are working in an operational role, maybe in retail or contact centres or in hospitality, and I know that by listening to Sarah’s story of how she successfully made the move, it will help them do the same.
There’s lots of great tips about reworking your CV, how to be tenacious and never give up, but how taking a leap of faith can also pay off in the long run. It certainly wasn’t an easy process and Sarah talks about the lows and how she wondered if she had really made the right decision. However, she stuck with her conviction and it really paid off in the end.
Today my guest is Sarah Marrow. Sarah asked if she could come on and share her story as she’s currently in a position that none of my previous guests have been as Sarah recently started her own HR Consultancy business.
Originally having studied a Law degree, Sarah chose a different vocation but went into HR via a very different route. Her career took another turn when she decided to follow her heart and for a couple of years working in HR contract roles over the summer months and at ski resorts over the winter.
Sarah has worked for some high profile businesses, including KPMG, Barclays Bank, Rolls Royce and Thomas Cook. Equipped with all the experience she has gained along the way, she launched her own business earlier this year providing strategic HR consulting, outsourced HR and coaching interventions to a wide range of organisations.
Sarah’s is a very unorthodox HR career story but I know many of you will find it a fascinating one to hear.
Today I welcome Dominique Appleton on to the show. I met Dom earlier this year when I was recruiting a HR Assistant position. Now she is settled into her role I asked if she’d come on to share her story as I feel it’s of real benefit for those who are trying to get into a HR as a career.
Dom has huge likability factor. However, what stands out most is her mindset to attack difficult circumstances head on as she knows that although they will take her outside of her comfort zone, the experience and development she will get will be invaluable. She is an absolute superstar and I believe that anyone currently trying to get that first HR position can take some insights away from hearing Dom tell her tale.
I absolutely loved our chat so hope you do too.
On this episode I talk to Steven Taylor. We connected on LinkedIn and he asked if he could come on to the podcast to tell his story.
When he was younger Steven had dreams of working in Social Care or as a Primary School teacher but whilst in further education realised those weren’t careers he actually wanted to pursue. He found his way into HR and now works for Merseyrail as an Employee Experience Advisor. Not only do we discuss this unique role but how Steven has ultimately found a role that he is passionate about but also fulfils those ambitions to help people and give something back to society.
I was so fascinated learning about Steven’s job and know that anyone in HR can take away some insights into Health, Wellbeing and Diversity that you could implement into your organisation.
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.
The guest for today is Adila Butt who works as a Senior HR Business Partner.
Adila is probably the profile you would be after is you were looking for the most orthodox HR CV. She is unique to most in that she didn’t stumble into HR like many but found her interest in it whilst at Sixth Form. She went on to study Human Resource Management at uni and also did a placement year which she explains was so beneficial.
Adila has worked across different sectors and industries, and worked for small organisations and big corporates along the way. It was fascinating to hear how she has benefited from having good mentors all through her career but how she has always stretched herself outside her comfort zone in order to develop.
There’s tonnes of valuable insights from this chat so I hope you enjoy listening.
On this episode I talk to Vicki Ivory.
Vicki has been operating as a standalone HR Manager/Head of HR for the past five years. She is not only someone I think very highly of but I thought you guys might like to hear her story as she’s works in a part-time and we learn how she has managed to deliver an effective HR service whilst not being physically present every day.
Vicki describes what it was like moving to a standalone role and suddenly having to be the person with all the answers. She also shares how she has developed as a HR professional and gives some insights that others could also benefit from. Vicki is someone who has been able to succeed in becoming a senior HR professional who now sits as part of a Leadership Team so I’m sure you’ll all find this one a fascinating discussion.
On this episode my guest is Emily Edge. She is someone who I first made contact with about four years ago when I started doing HR recruitment. At that time, Emily had just had come out of running a food business with her partner where she had also undertaken all HR responsibilities.
Since then Emily has used that experience of setting up a HR function in each of her positions thereafter so I felt she was a great guest to have on. She is someone who has always worked in standalone HR roles, which can be quite challenging but you also have complete control over decision making.
This is a great insight into what life is like operating in a standalone role. I absolutely talking to Emily about her HR journey so hope you enjoy it to.
On this episode of the podcast my guest is Charlotte Humphries.
The reason for asking Charlotte to join me is that earlier this year she made the transition from HR Assistant to HR Advisor. However, we can then throw into the mix the fact that she started her new role, which was with a new company, only a week before lockdown occurred.
Charlotte shares with us not only her story of how she made that step up to Advisor but what the past six months have been like for someone adapting to a new role whilst doing so from their kitchen table. It certainly makes for a really interesting situation so I hope you enjoy listening.
On this episode we have Amisha Parmar.
Amisha and I met last year when she was looking to change her career and move from teaching to HR. I was able to give her some advice and guidance and we worked on her CV to ensure it helped her make that transition. It’s been great to watch how she has developed and progressed over the past year and successfully become a HR Advisor.
The story of how she made that transition, was pragmatic in her expectations, but how she worked proactively to make this happen is a really valuable insight for anyone else who is looking to make that career change. Hearing how she built up her LinkedIn network, engaged with recruitment agencies and worked on the front foot to make things happen is inspiring.
I hope you enjoy the listen!
On this episode we have Rachel Ward. Rachel graduated last summer and is now 11 months into her first HR Admin job.
I'm conscious there are a lot of graduates entering the job market right now and a lot of them are uncertain about how to secure that first HR role. Therefore, I really wanted to get Rachel on as I was keen to speak to someone who is at the start of their HR career and could give some great insight into what her experience was like applying for jobs, how she secured that first HR position and what she's learnt over the past year.
Rachel is extremely honest about how difficult it was for her, how she felt like a failure when she couldn’t get on a Graduate Programme, but how she eventually found success through an alternative route, using her network.
This is a great listen for any graduate to hear the story of someone who is a year further down the line than them and I hope you enjoy it!
Here we are again…. we’ve gone from a sequel to a trilogy with our third instalment of the podcast.
In this episode I talk with Heather Mitchell. I’ve known Heather since we were on the same CIPD course six years ago. I wanted to get her onto the podcast as her current situation is quite unique and I thought you guys might find it interesting. So what’s she doing? Well Heather is currently a UK expat working in Bangkok for a Thai-based technology business.
Heather tells us how she went from a Graduate Management Trainee to HR Business Partner at Dyson before her now-hubby applied for a job in Bangkok that took them both unexpectedly overseas. Heather had an initial wobble but now she is absolutely loving life over there and the move has enabled her to gain experience in a global role.
This one is an absolute cracker so I hope you enjoy the listen!
On the second episode we have Angela Chidley. I was really keen to get Angela on as I thought listeners would benefit from hearing this journey of someone who was originally in Operations and made an unconscious transition to HR after working for a global pharmaceutical company. Whilst part of a project implementation team, Angela realised that the absence of L&D was hindering the success of the project, as there were no tools in place to support stakeholders through the change phase. She created the necessary training courses and documentation and hasn’t looked back since.
Angela tells us how she tactically went into the interim market to broaden her HR skill-set, and how this ended up with her being offered a permanent role in her last company. She joined them at a time of real turbulence, with the company going through a change in ownership, the creation of a Trade Union, and no real HR function.
Listening to Angela talk about this period of her career was fascinating as it sounded like the perfect storm for a disaster. However, she lived to tell the tale and I hope you enjoy listening.
Welcome to this first episode of 'Is This Room Free?'
In this first episode, my guest is Donna Whittaker. Donna is the UK Head of HR for a large chemical manufacturing company.
We hear how in her early career, Donna got some great exposure that really helped catapult her development. Along the way she has benefited from great mentors and leadership, and has had to operate in some challenging circumstances.
We also learn how Donna believes the route to best HR delivery is through embedding herself in an organisation to learn about the problems that need solving, forging strong working partnerships along the way, rather than going in with a prescriptive approach.
I hope you enjoy listening!