In this episode, Alice Stone shares her journey from HR apprentice and young mum to People Director and why a truly human-centred approach beats rigid rules. We unpack the real difference between legal flexible working and lived flexibility, how to kill presenteeism, and the systems that create safety, trust and performance.

You’ll learn:

Legal vs lived flexibility and what high-trust cultures actually do
How to measure impact (pulse checks, outcomes over hours, retention signals)
The manager shift: from micromanaging time to coaching for results
Practical playbook: job-sharing, hybrid done well, “Level 10” meetings, employee voice

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Chapters:

00:00:00 — Plan or Chance? Alice’s Start

00:00:20 — From Midwife Dreams to HR

00:02:21 — Apprenticeships, Not One Path

00:03:18 — Becoming a Mum Changed HR

00:04:19 — Kind vs Nice at Work

00:05:12 — Flexibility: Law vs Reality

00:06:20 — Job-Sharing, Hybrid, Wellness Days

00:07:58 — What Flexible Cultures Feel Like

00:09:57 — Trust Adults, Measure Outcomes

00:11:45 — Productivity Gains, Not Presenteeism

00:13:52 — Winning Stakeholders: Speak Their Language

00:15:54 — Presenteeism & Sick-While-Working Trap

00:17:11 — Outcomes Over Hours, Anywhere Work

00:18:52 — Safety First: “If You’re Ill, Rest”

00:20:58 — Spot Burnout: Pulse & Training

00:22:44 — Define Flex Here: What We Celebrate

00:23:54 — Employer Brand: Compete on People

00:25:34 — Retention Proof & Real Support

00:27:28 — Building Safety: Ways-of-Working Labs

00:30:11 — What Is a Level 10 Meeting?

00:31:30 — From ‘How Do We…?’ to ‘We Will’

00:33:42 — Advice to My Younger Self

Stop Managing Hours. Start Managing Outcomes.