The Plumm Pod

If half your workforce will face it, why is it still taboo?Today Margaret Wood, a menopausal transition facilitator, dismantles the myths, explains the brain science, and shows leaders how to stop losing brilliant women at their peak.You’ll hear how menopause actually shows up (it’s not just hot flushes), why men must be in the conversation, and the simple, practical moves any company can make this quarter. We also talk about “menopause concealment”, early menopause, and the surprising upside: the post-menopausal “upgrade”.In this episode:What menopause is (and isn’t). Symptoms differ wildly, from heat to feeling coldThe brain changes: why mood, memory and confidence can dip, and how to respondCulture over policy: moving beyond desk fans to real psychological safetyThe business case: retention, reputation and productivity you can’t ignoreBringing men in: how mixed-group education shifts behaviour fastPost-menopause power: why many women hit a new gear and how to harness itIf this helped you lead better, subscribe and share with a manager who needs it.Chapters:00:00:15 — Chance, Not a Plan01:08:00 — Inviting Men Into the Room02:59:00 — Menopause, Simply Explained04:35:00 — One Size Doesn’t Fit Anyone05:33:00 — Hot… Or Freezing?07:09:00 — Education Over Assumptions09:21:00 — The Cost of Getting It Wrong11:46:00 — Proactive, Not Performative13:15:00 — It’s the Brain, Not Just Heat15:06:00 — The Epiphany: Mixed Groups16:26:00 — Early Menopause Happens17:51:00 — IVF & Induced Menopause19:39:00 — Concealment & Confidence Dips21:16:00 — The Upgrade: Brain Renovation22:57:00 — From Chaos to Rewire24:56:00 — Support Now, Strength Later26:50:00 — When Joy Goes Missing28:02:00 — How to Start, Today29:55:00 — This Isn’t ‘Nice To Have’31:15:00 — The Career Jungle, Not Ladder

They’re not lazy. They’re anxious and misunderstood.In this powerful episode, Jessamine Ringer breaks down what every leader needs to know about Gen Z and the future of work. From why this generation values purpose over prestige to how managers can bridge the gap through empathy, clarity, and coaching, Jessamine exposes what’s really happening between generations in the workplace.You’ll learn:Why Gen Z behave differently and what shaped themHow to manage with empathy without lowering standardsThe three things every young employee actually wantsHow to build confidence, resilience, and innovation in your teamIf you lead people or plan to, this conversation will change how you see the next decade of work.Subscribe and share to help others lead better.Chapters00:00:00 — Was HR Ever the Plan?00:01:22 — Falling in Love with Coaching00:02:57 — Why Early Careers Need Coaching Now00:04:37 — The Power of Knowing Your Values00:05:34 — How Managers Can Really Help00:06:45 — Understanding Gen Z’s Context00:08:30 — Growing Up Online: Anxiety & Screens00:09:47 — Why “We Just Got On With It” Doesn’t Work00:11:14 — Building Inter-Generational Intelligence00:13:36 — How Curiosity Builds Better Managers00:15:49 — Coaching Early Careers to Push Back00:18:06 — Clarity, Confidence & Communication00:19:52 — Purpose, Wellbeing & Money: The Real Priorities00:23:36 — The Truth About Money Anxiety00:25:42 — Why Gen Z Care About Wellbeing00:27:55 — How Exhausted Leaders Lose Impact00:31:01 — The Iceberg Model of Self-Awareness00:32:43 — Managers Aren’t Trained to Manage People00:35:03 — Coaching the Future Workforce00:37:06 — Advice to My Younger Self

She lost everything, but refused to lose herself.After surviving domestic abuse, Chloe Wallace rebuilt her life from scratch, turning pain into purpose. Today she’s a trauma informed HR consultant specialising in preventing workplace sexual misconduct and her framework is transforming how companies protect their people.In this episode, Chloe opens up about:The truth about escaping abuse and finding independence through workWhy most organisations still get harassment prevention wrongHow her CEASE Framework® helps leaders create truly safe culturesThe rise of AI-driven misogyny and what HR must do nextThis is one of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever had on The Plumm Podcast.If it moved you, subscribe, share, and help us keep these stories seen and heard.Chapters00:00:00 — From Chemistry to HR: The Unexpected Start00:01:25 — Falling Into HR and Finding Purpose00:02:40 — A Secret Life of Survival00:04:50 — Escaping Abuse & Rebuilding Independence00:06:10 — Turning Trauma Into a Calling00:07:00 — Prevention vs Deterrence: The Big Misunderstanding00:08:40 — The Real Psychology of Misconduct00:10:00 — Why Bystander Training Matters00:11:30 — What Sexual Harassment Actually Looks Like00:13:55 — A Real Case That Bankrupted a Company00:15:40 — “It Doesn’t Happen Here” — The Dangerous Myth00:16:50 — Introducing the SEAS Framework00:18:30 — Call It Out. Educate. Assess. Strengthen.00:20:56 — What To Do When It’s a Third Party00:23:20 — How to Handle Disclosures with Care00:25:07 — Changing Mindsets Through Real Conversations00:26:50 — AI, Deepfakes & The New Age of Sexism00:28:15 — The Future of HR: Specialists Over Generalists00:30:00 — Why NDAs Are Ending—and Why It Matters00:31:50 — Choosing Purpose Over Fear00:33:50 — Education, Empathy & Real Change00:34:28 — Advice to My Younger Self

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 doHow to measure impact (pulse checks, outcomes over hours, retention signals)The manager shift: from micromanaging time to coaching for resultsPractical playbook: job-sharing, hybrid done well, “Level 10” meetings, employee voiceIf this gave you something useful, subscribe and share it with a leader who needs to hear it.Chapters:00:00:00 — Plan or Chance? Alice’s Start00:00:20 — From Midwife Dreams to HR00:02:21 — Apprenticeships, Not One Path00:03:18 — Becoming a Mum Changed HR00:04:19 — Kind vs Nice at Work00:05:12 — Flexibility: Law vs Reality00:06:20 — Job-Sharing, Hybrid, Wellness Days00:07:58 — What Flexible Cultures Feel Like00:09:57 — Trust Adults, Measure Outcomes00:11:45 — Productivity Gains, Not Presenteeism00:13:52 — Winning Stakeholders: Speak Their Language00:15:54 — Presenteeism & Sick-While-Working Trap00:17:11 — Outcomes Over Hours, Anywhere Work00:18:52 — Safety First: “If You’re Ill, Rest”00:20:58 — Spot Burnout: Pulse & Training00:22:44 — Define Flex Here: What We Celebrate00:23:54 — Employer Brand: Compete on People00:25:34 — Retention Proof & Real Support00:27:28 — Building Safety: Ways-of-Working Labs00:30:11 — What Is a Level 10 Meeting?00:31:30 — From ‘How Do We…?’ to ‘We Will’00:33:42 — Advice to My Younger Self

Working parents aren’t the exception, they’re half your workforce.In this episode, Becki Nazareth (L&D leader, turned working parent & carer specialist) shares what really breaks and fixes the experience for parents at work, from policy basics to culture, flexibility and line manager reality.You’ll learn:Why policy is just the foundation and what proactive support really looks likeHow to educate “accidental managers” and build inclusive, flexible teams that performThe return to work gap: identity shifts, re-induction, and using the SCARF model for certaintyWhat data leaders need (and how to get it) to win the case for flexibilityIf this helped you, subscribe and share it with a leader who needs to hear it.Chapters (Timestamps)00:00:00 — People Work: Plan or Chance?00:00:36 — From Teaching to L&D to HR00:02:23 — Why Becki Backed Working Parents00:04:10 — Who Counts: Parents and Carers00:05:36 — Policy Shifts & Systemic Gaps00:07:20 — Start With Policy, Don’t Stop There00:09:03 — The Manager Mindset Shift00:11:12 — Beyond One-Off Workshops00:12:40 — Spaces That Actually Help (ERGs, Talks)00:14:05 — What “Doing It Well” Looks Like00:16:00 — The Identity Shock of Return00:17:35 — SCARF & Creating Certainty00:19:42 — Reactive vs Proactive HR00:21:10 — Re-Induction: Onboarding… Again00:23:22 — Hybrid, Mandates & Real Flexibility00:25:24 — Win Leaders With Data00:27:28 — Measure What Happens After Return00:29:28 — New Stages: School & Holidays00:30:51 — One Piece of Career Advice00:31:37 — Know Your Values, Decide Faster00:32:20 — Closing Thanks

A career in HR isn’t about formal training, it’s about skills you already have.In today’s episode, Rosalinda Buttice shares her remarkable journey from barista to Head of People Operations at Pension B. She talks about how the skills she developed in hospitality have shaped her approach to leadership and people management in the world of HR.Key Takeaways:The power of interpersonal skills in leadership, from hospitality to HRHow leadership is the most transferable skill for success, and why it’s key to building trust within teamsWhy adaptability is crucial in the fast-paced world of HR, and how you can start practicing it todayThe importance of prioritisation in both hospitality and HR to stay ahead in a constantly changing environmentIf you’re ready to take your career to the next level, subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs to hear Rosalinda’s inspiring journey!Chapters:00:00:00 From Barista to HR00:01:59 The Importance of Mentorship00:04:03 What are Transferable Skills?00:06:22 Top Skills from Hospitality to HR00:08:07 Building Human Connections in HR00:09:33 The Power of Leadership00:11:43 Creating a Circle of Safety00:13:33 Leadership Skills Beyond the Workplace00:16:59 Skills Needed for the Future of HR00:18:12 How to Be More Adaptable in HR00:19:12 The Art of Prioritization00:23:20 Building Bridges Between Teams00:25:01 How to Influence Senior Stakeholders00:26:33 The Importance of Being Yourself00:29:01 The One Skill to Focus On Today00:30:50 Advice to My Younger Self00:32:05 Closing ThoughtsSubscribe, share and stay tuned for more insights.

We say we’re “people first”, but candidates can tell when we’re not. This conversation is a reality check for how hiring actually feels in 2025.In this episode, Marie Chaproniere reveals how she fell into HR from performing arts and why great Talent Acquisition is far more than filling roles. We unpack what a real candidate experience looks like today, the mess, the honesty, and why transparency beats polish every time.You’ll learn:The difference between recruitment and true TA and why strategy wins over speedWhat “good” candidate experience looks like now (and the red flags to kill immediately)How to stay human with ATS and AI, you can’t automate empathyPractical inclusion: accommodations, the “cafeteria” model, and why truth-telling attracts the right peopleIf this helped you hire better or get hired better subscribe and share this with someone who needs it.Chapters00:00:00 — From Dance Studio to HR00:00:29 — Falling Into TA by Accident00:02:57 — TA vs Recruitment: The Real Difference00:04:11 — What “Good” Candidate Experience Means in 202500:05:39 — Tech’s Limits: You Can’t Automate Empathy00:07:16 — Public Call-Outs & Why Brand Behaviour Matters00:08:34 — Small Wins in Hypergrowth Hiring00:09:56 — Radical Transparency in Job Ads00:11:43 — Attracting for Fit, Not Volume00:13:28 — Truth-Telling Cultures Beat Perfect Stories00:14:43 — Inclusion by Default: Real Accommodations00:16:41 — The “Cafeteria” Model for Interviews00:19:30 — Where to Communicate Adjustments (Beyond JDs)00:21:33 — What Great Looks Like: Real Examples00:24:33 — Start With an Audit: Language, Process, Data00:26:38 — Map the Bad to Design the Good00:27:17 — Sharing Interview Questions Ahead of Time00:28:44 — Safe to Fail: Culture That Grows People00:30:36 — Using AI Well (Without Losing Yourself)00:31:15 — Metaview, Notes & Better Feedback Loops00:32:39 — Advice to My Younger Self00:33:58 — Choosing Authenticity (Even When Scary)

What if it all works out?In this episode, we chat with Abigail Cooper, People Partner, who shares invaluable insights on scaling teams and HR strategy. Abigail Cooper's journey from admin roles to shaping internal communication and succession planning provides a powerful blueprint for businesses navigating the future of work.You’ll learn:The core principles of internal comms that will keep your team engaged and aligned.Why managers are key to successful HR communication (and how to train them).How to create clarity and reduce overwhelm with a simple, scalable communication framework.The key to creating psychological safety and a resilient leadership culture.If you’re ready to rethink your internal comms and team strategies, subscribe for more impactful HR insights.Chapters:00:00:00 — From Admin to HR Strategy00:02:30 — Confidence in the Chaos00:04:02 — Internal Comms: A New Era00:06:56 — The HR Role Shift00:09:55 — Internal Comms Framework00:12:25 — Connecting with Managers00:14:18 — Overcoming the Overwhelm00:16:58 — Communication Cadence00:18:53 — The One Source of Truth00:21:40 — Understanding Your Team’s Needs00:23:10 — Planning for Success00:25:40 — Storytelling for HR00:27:39 — Scaling for the Future00:29:12 — What’s Missing in Your Strategy?00:31:10 — Overcoming Imposter Syndrome00:34:18 — What If It All Works Out?

In this episode, Claire shares her journey from HR to well-being strategist, revealing why setting boundaries is key to both personal and professional success. Claire talks about the challenges of overcommitting and how finding balance in the workplace is more crucial than ever, especially after the pandemic.You'll learn:Why well-being should be prioritised in the workplace to boost productivityHow to set and maintain boundaries without feeling guiltyWhy internal comms play a huge role in employee satisfaction and engagementThe importance of knowing your worth and advocating for your needsDon't miss this insightful conversation, subscribe for more episodes and share with a leader who needs a plan, not a panic!Chapters:00:00:00 — The Road to HR00:02:30 — Why HR Wasn’t What I Expected00:04:02 — Internal Comms: The Emotional Infrastructure00:06:56 — HR’s Evolving Role in Well-Being00:09:55 — Why Well-Being Comes First00:12:25 — The Shift from Hustle to Sustainable Work00:14:18 — Creating Micro Boundaries for Maximum Impact00:16:58 — How Stress Impacts Productivity00:18:53 — Fighting the People-Pleasing Cycle00:21:40 — Advocating for Yourself at Work00:23:10 — Leading with Vulnerability00:25:40 — Boundary Setting Without Guilt00:27:39 — Why Everyone Needs Boundaries00:29:12 — How to Build Healthy Work Relationships00:31:10 — What I Wish I Knew About Boundaries Earlier00:33:40 — The Power of Saying ‘No’

When 42% of leaders leave without warning, most companies panic. Amanda, finance turned HR strategist and chartered manager, explains how to future-proof your team before the vacancy hits.In this episode, we unpack practical, data-driven succession planning, why “accidental managers” are costing you growth, and how HR earns a real seat at the table by thinking like a business owner.You’ll learn:What succession planning really is (and isn’t) and how to start it in a weekThe data, dashboards and conversations HR must run to stop talent gapsHow to develop managers who can actually lead (not just do the job)Why cross-generational hiring (T-Levels, grads) keeps you relevant in an AI worldThe underrated skills: mediation, communication, reflection, resilienceIf this helped, subscribe for more episodes and share with a leader who needs a plan, not a panic.Chapters 00:00:00 — Chance, Not Plan: Amanda’s HR Origin00:02:18 — Thrown In: Studying While Doing the Job00:04:50 — Succession Defined: Your People Contingency Plan00:06:56 — Scaling Playbook: Building Talent “Our Way”00:07:58 — From Gut to Data: Decisions That Stick00:09:55 — HR at the Table: Think Like an Owner00:12:25 — Why Most Succession Fails (And Who’s Missing)00:14:18 — Planning in Uncertainty: Hire the Future In00:16:58 — Maintain vs. Hyper-Scale: Knowing Your Path00:18:53 — Career Moats: Learning, Credentials, Confidence00:19:50 — Reflection as Strategy: Walk, Think, Improve00:23:10 — Accidental Managers: The Hidden Cost00:27:00 — Next-Gen Leadership: Firm, Human, Resilient00:29:12 — Post-COVID Reality: Psychological Safety Pays00:31:10 — Hard Talks, Soft Skills: Mediate & Communicate00:34:18 — One Thing I’d Tell My Younger Self