HR Leader Podcast Network

As Australia emerges from COVID-19 lockdowns, some organisations might be regrouping and considering redundancies. Michael Byrnes, partner at Swaab, spoke with The HR Leader about redundancies, some of the areas to watch out for in terms of potential discrimination, and why it’s helpful to to have legal professionals work alongside HR on redundancies. Mr Byrnes reminded listeners that, “businesses need to remember … redundancy is about the position, not the person.” Note from the editor This podcast was recorded in June 2022.

How workspaces impact employee psychology, dealing with corporate psychopaths, and moving people on from a business – The HR Leader discussed all of these issues with workplace relations specialist, Paul O’Halloran. Mr O’Halloran is a partner at Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers. He kindly shared insights with The HR Leader to help listeners think wisely about how they manage their physical workspaces, what they might want to do if they find themselves working with a corporate psychopath, and some considerations when exiting people from a business. During the discussion, Mr O’Halloran referenced the below: Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, Dr Paul Babiak and Dr. Robert D. Hare

What’s the difference between leadership and management? How can Buddhist principles apply to leadership? What can the 12-step principles teach leaders? The HR Leader explored these questions with talent and capability development expert, Meredith Collins. Ms Collins is passionate about “human” skills, and she shared her understanding of Buddhist principles and the 12 steps as they relate to leadership skills. Delving into ideas like delusion and greed, and why leaders need to be aware of these issues in the workplace, Ms Collins brings an interesting lens to leadership, challenging what being a leader means and the hurdles leaders face. 

Organisations need to be smarter than ever about how they attract and consider talent. The candidate market might be tight, but there are solutions for businesses who are willing to think deeper and work harder. Stuart Freeman, head recruitment coach, and Jessica Currey, executive search consultant at the Kennedy Reid Group, were guests on HR Leader to share their insights about what they’re seeing in the recruitment market right now. Mr Freeman and Ms Currey explained why employers need to think beyond just considering a skills’ fit for new employees, as well as discussing what candidates are looking for. This episode is a must-listen for those looking to recruit in the current market.

HR has a lot on their agenda following the COVID-19 lockdowns. From working from home and four-day work weeks to building resilience, the issues that HR needs to be on top of are plenty and varied. Just Global HR Services’ managing director, Jayne Morgan, shared her thoughts on current HR topics, including considerations that need to be kept in mind when staff are working from home, the value of outsourced HR, and tips on building resilience. As Ms Morgan concluded: “We’re always learning. We just put that learning into perspective and in place and we’ll all be good.” Just Global HR Services is based in the UK but is open to working with customers in Australia. 

Creating meaningful change when it comes to diversity and inclusion requires a multi-faceted approach. Training, using data insights and facilitating employee participation can all help to shift the dial in a positive direction. Herbert Smith Freehills’ (HSF) global director of culture and inclusion, Danielle Kelly, had a conversation with HR Leader about the D&I initiatives in place at HSF, including the creation of a “people forum”. Providing insights to help others who aspire to a D&I program like HSF’s, Ms Kelly said: “When clients come to me and say, ‘We want to start on our D&I journey, can you help us?’ My first question is: what does your data look like?” Learn more by listening to the podcast below.