The Plumm Pod

What does it really take to lead a successful HR team in today’s fast-changing world?In this episode of The Plumm Pod, Georgia sits down with Lauren McDonagh, Head of People at Soho House, to reveal the realities of building high-performing HR teams. From creating psychological safety to managing burnout and leading with authenticity, Lauren shares practical insights and personal lessons every HR professional needs to hear.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why HR leaders must lead by example (and why most don’t)How to create a culture of trust and psychological safety within your teamThe power of diversity of thought in driving real innovationWhy personal development and getting uncomfortable are non-negotiable for growthIf you want to be a better leader or build a team that thrives, this conversation is a must-watch.👉 Subscribe for more conversations on HR, leadership, and mental health.Chapters00:00:00 – Welcome to The Plumm Pod00:02:26 – Was HR Always the Plan?00:04:55 – The Reality of HR Careers00:07:01 – How Hospitality Changed My Leadership Style00:08:45 – Inside Soho House’s People Team00:09:56 – Leading by Example as an HR Leader00:11:32 – How We Invest in Our HR Team00:14:37 – What I Look for When Hiring HR Talent00:17:53 – Why Discomfort Is the Key to Growth00:19:56 – Managing Change & Building Trust00:21:27 – The Biggest Shift in My Leadership Style00:23:06 – Creating Psychological Safety for Teams00:24:53 – Balancing Business Goals & People Needs00:28:30 – Protecting HR Teams from Burnout00:32:44 – The Truth About Being ‘Busy’ vs ‘Productive’00:36:18 – Managing Different Personalities Effectively00:38:55 – The Untold Emotional Load of HR00:41:14 – Advice to My Younger Self

Every failed strategy starts with one blind spot: the lack of curiosity.In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the power of curiosity as the foundation of successful people strategy. This isn’t just about business, it’s about the decisions that define us as leaders.Our guest Kenny Temowo shares a piercing insight: if you’re not asking why, you’re already behind. Through a candid conversation, we unravel why making hard choices in leadership starts with understanding what makes your organisation different and why most get it wrong.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why curiosity is the non-negotiable starting point of all great strategyHow leaders should approach hard decisions through contextual insightThe overlooked “Z” that makes or breaks your business directionWhy saying no is more important than saying yes in strategyIf you’ve ever questioned your strategic decisions or want to lead with greater intention, this is the episode to start with.Subscribe for more episodes that challenge the way you think.🔔 Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.Chapters:00:00:00 – The Hidden Power of CuriosityWhy every strategy starts with asking the right questions00:01:02 – Strategy Is About Saying NoUnderstanding the difficult trade-offs behind every big decision00:02:10 – What’s Your ‘Z’?The one overlooked factor that defines your entire approach00:03:20 – Getting Strategy Right Starts HereHow self-awareness and context build winning strategies

She didn’t fit the mould, so she became the blueprint.Keeran Gunnoo is a powerhouse in personal and corporate employer branding, shaping narratives for some of the world’s most recognisable companies, including LinkedIn, Unilever and Flow. In this raw and empowering conversation, she shares how she built a career that broke every rule and why it worked.From being headhunted by LinkedIn before people knew what LinkedIn was, to being complimented by Barack Obama on her Louboutins, Keeran’s story is as inspiring as it is unconventional.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why squiggly careers aren’t chaotic, they’re strategicHow your reputation is your brand (especially when you're not in the room)The uncomfortable truths about diversity, employer branding and internal commsHow to build a career and life that align with your values, not societal norms✨ Subscribe to The Plumm Pod for more honest conversations about HR, wellbeing and careers that don’t follow the script.⏱️ Chapters 00:00:00 – Intro: She Became the Blueprint00:01:04 – HR was never the plan00:02:10 – From cold calls to leadership: the Essex charisma advantage00:03:27 – Getting headhunted by LinkedIn before it was big00:04:58 – Meeting Obama & the power of great shoes00:06:04 – Unilever hired her without an interview00:07:19 – Becoming a Strategic Career Architect00:08:31 – Reporting to Chanel’s future CEO00:10:33 – The importance of working for brands you believe in00:11:51 – Flow, reproductive health, and brand affinity00:13:00 – What a squiggly career really means00:14:44 – Breaking ceilings: race, gender & neurodiversity00:17:20 – Ditching the fairytale career path00:20:20 – Culture add, not culture fit00:21:51 – Why Gen Z are changing career norms00:23:01 – Internal bias, ATSs, and being mistaken for a man00:24:58 – Writing job ads that actually speak to humans00:26:17 – Helping companies overcome DEI friction00:27:59 – The truth behind Glassdoor reviews00:29:49 – Who owns comms: HR vs. Marketing00:33:42 – Creating Unilever’s first editorial team00:35:11 – Data, communication, and internal trust00:37:47 – Taking Unilever from #24 to #7 on Glassdoor00:39:07 – EVP: What’s in it for me?00:40:35 – Stuck? Give yourself a performance review00:41:39 – Self-belief and your personal brand00:42:50 – Audit your energy—don’t stay where you can’t shine00:43:59 – Final message: If they’re not advocating for you, go

What if HR wasn’t just support... but your biggest brand asset?In today’s episode, we sit down with Jessie, People Director at one of the UK’s most innovative creative agencies, to uncover how HR can redefine brand strategy from the inside out.Jessie shares her journey from hairdressing to HR leadership, and how she’s tearing up the traditional rulebook to build a people-first workplace rooted in trust, creativity, and culture.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why onboarding is your most powerful brand momentHow to turn your team into your greatest advocatesThe secret to getting buy-in from senior leadershipWhy Gen Z are changing everything about workplace cultureThis isn’t compliance. This is creativity. This is culture.And it’s time HR took its seat at the table.👉 If this inspired you, share it with someone who needs to hear it and don’t forget to subscribe.Chapters 00:00:00 – The Hairdresser Who Became HR00:01:45 – Learning the Hard Way in the NHS00:04:10 – HR IS Brand Strategy00:05:00 – Bringing Company Values to Life00:07:35 – Listening: The Most Underrated Strategy00:09:05 – Building a Culture That Retains00:11:20 – Why Only 31% Align With Company Values00:13:00 – Recognition That Actually Works00:14:45 – From Team Members to Brand Ambassadors00:16:10 – Designing Culture for Gen Z00:18:40 – Human-First HR Strategy00:20:40 – How to Start Thinking Creatively00:22:00 – The Power of Diverse Teams00:24:00 – Why Candidates Choose You00:26:40 – What Gen Z Really Want at Work00:28:30 – Managers Are the Secret Weapon00:30:00 – Getting Senior Leadership Buy-In00:32:40 – What I’d Tell My Younger Self

They’re the most powerful people in your company… and the most overlooked. In this episode, we sit down with Chelsea, Head of People at Tomorrow, whose approach to middle management has transformed team performance and culture. From scaling challenges to personal breakthroughs, Chelsea reveals what most leaders get wrong about middle managers and what to do about it. Here’s what you’ll learn Why middle managers shape your company culture more than your CEO The real reason managers burn out (and how to stop it) How Tomorrow built one of the UK’s top workplaces by focusing on its “squeezed middle” The three powerful qualities Chelsea looks for when identifying future leaders This isn’t theory. It’s a masterclass in the people strategy most companies ignore, until it’s too late. 👉 Subscribe for more honest, unfiltered conversations with the people rewriting the rules of work. Chapters 00:00:00 – From Retail Floors to Head of People00:03:16 – Learning Business From the Inside Out00:05:13 – Why Middle Managers Hold the Power00:07:10 – The Hidden Cost of Neglecting Managers00:09:01 – Embedding Culture Through the Squeezed Middle00:10:32 – From High Turnover to Top 10 Workplace00:12:18 – The Mistakes We Made Scaling00:13:51 – The Power of Monthly Reflection00:15:36 – Fixing Feedback and Growth Conversations00:16:55 – Why Radical HR Experiments Sometimes Fail00:18:53 – Becoming a Manager is a Career Change00:20:41 – No Training for Micro-Moments00:22:33 – Avoiding Burnout Through Small Wins00:24:25 – Building Great Leaders from Within00:26:09 – The Three C’s of Great Management00:27:44 – Creating Paths Beyond Management00:29:35 – Essential Skills, Not Soft Skills00:31:00 – Growth Plans That Actually Grow People00:33:03 – Making Purpose Tangible00:34:43 – The Manager’s Impact on Retention00:36:33 – Advice to Her Younger Self

In this episode, we sit down with Christine, Head of Talent & People at a pioneering quantum computing start up, to explore her unexpected journey from studying psychology during a global recession to leading people strategy in one of tech's most innovative sectors. Christine shares what it means to bridge the gap between talent acquisition and HR, the challenges of scaling a team from 12 to 100, and why retention is just as strategic as hiring.We dive into:Why HR wasn’t the original plan and how Christine found her way back to itThe real differences between recruitment and talent acquisitionHow people teams can (and should) collaborate to improve onboarding and retentionConducting painful but powerful audits to build HR foundationsMental resilience, imposter syndrome, and defining your leadership philosophyThis episode is packed with candid insights for anyone navigating the intersection of recruitment, people ops, and start up growth. Whether you're an aspiring HR leader or just wondering how to grow your career in people roles, Christine’s story will inspire and ground you.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background02:12 Journey into HR and Talent Acquisition05:16 Understanding the Role of Head of Talent and People08:46 The Shift from Recruitment to Talent Development10:54 Collaboration Between Talent Acquisition and HR13:21 Navigating Imposter Syndrome in HR15:36 Continuous Learning in the People Space17:08 Challenges in Transitioning Roles20:03 Balancing Energy and Empathy in HR22:39 Team Dynamics and People Operations25:35 Conducting Audits for Operational Efficiency28:44 The Importance of Employee Feedback30:19 Advice for Transitioning Between Roles36:41 Final Reflections and Advice for the Future

Kayleigh Davies, a senior people leader with a knack for transforming HR in the AI sector, shares her journey from ancient history to people strategy. She discusses the evolution of HR from compliance to outcome-focused experiences. Kayleigh emphasizes the importance of aligning HR with business goals and the need for data-driven insights over traditional perks. She challenges HR leaders to engage with sharper commercial questions and adopt measurable impacts, especially in startups navigating post-COVID realities.

Unlock the secrets of neuroinclusion and build a workplace where every neurodivergent employee can thrive. In this episode of the Plumm Pod, host Georgia Dixon, sits down with Lucy Wilson (Neurodiversity Inclusion Specialist & Founder, Mindshift Empowerment) to explore practical strategies for embedding diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B) across the entire employee life cycle from inclusive recruitment and onboarding to performance feedback, advancement and ERG programmes.Highlights you’ll learn:Why inclusive job descriptions and skills-based hiring widen your talent pool and boost innovationHow transparent, streamlined interview processes reduce anxiety for autistic and ADHD candidatesSimple onboarding tweaks that cut first-week stress and improve employee retentionThe power of structured, bias-free feedback for managers and leadersFunding and supporting employee resource groups (ERGs) to drive real cultural changeWhether you’re an HR leader, people manager, or business owner, this conversation is packed with actionable tips to create a truly neuro-inclusive workplace and strengthen your overall employee experience.

Jag Gill, a People Operations Leader with a unique background in photography, shares transformative insights into the evolving landscape of HR. He distinguishes People Operations from traditional HR, highlighting the importance of agility and transparency. Jag discusses his journey and offers practical advice on embracing a holistic, data-driven approach to enhance employee retention and engagement. He emphasizes the critical role of communication and stakeholder relationships in navigating modern workplace challenges.

When the world went remote, many organisations thrived, yet some are still wrestling with return-to-office mandates. In this episode of The Plumm Pod, host Georgia, sits down with remote-work specialist Grace Nichols to unpack the myths and mindsets behind location-flexible work.Grace shares her unexpected journey from would-be barrister to HR leader, the burnout that pushed her to redesign her work life, and why autonomy over time is the new currency of success. Together they explore:The real drivers of productivity (hint: it isn’t presenteeism).Remote-first vs remote-friendly, why the difference matters for culture, communication and career growth.Common missteps companies make when demanding a full office return and what HR can do instead.Practical ways to build intentional in-person moments, mentor programmes and environments people want to work in.How trust, transparent “why” messaging and the right workspace can turn hybrid into a competitive advantage.Whether you’re an HR professional rethinking policy, a leader worried about performance, or a team member craving flexibility, this conversation offers fresh insights and actionable advice to help you design work that works for everyone.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Remote Work and HR02:59 The Journey into HR and Remote Work Expertise06:02 Benefits of Remote Work08:48 Challenges and Resistance to Remote Work11:56 The Importance of Communication and Intent in Hybrid Work14:56 Remote-First vs. Remote-Friendly Companies18:02 Creating a Productive Work Environment20:49 Trust and Visibility in Remote Work23:53 Advice for Young Professionals in HR