HR Insights

Hosted by Elliott Scott HR

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Episodes

135

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

HR Insights - The Podcast. Topical discussions with and for our global HR community.

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60 recent

August 5, 2026Episode 654 min

HR Insights: Talent, culture and leadership, getting India right

In this episode of the HR Insights podcast, Stuart Elliott is joined by Keith Pritchard , Chief People Officer and transformation leader, to explore what global organisations need to understand about working, leading and building teams in India. Drawing on more than three years living and working in Hyderabad, alongside over two decades of international leadership experience, Keith shares his perspective on how India has evolved from a traditional outsourcing destination into one of the world's most important hubs for innovation, technology and business growth. Together, Stuart and Keith discuss the realities of India's talent market, the rapid rise of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and why organisations need to move beyond outdated perceptions of the country. From cultural differences in communication and decision-making to leadership, talent attraction, employee retention and the pace of change across India's economy, this episode offers practical insights for HR and business leaders looking to build stronger relationships and more successful organisations in one of the world's fastest-growing markets. Key timestamps: 03:09 – Moving to India and leading within an Indian-headquartered organisation 07:26 – First impressions of India and the realities of living and working there 11:41 – Why Hyderabad has become a major technology and Global Capability Centre hub 14:00 – India's evolution from cost arbitrage to capability, innovation and strategic value 18:56 – Common misconceptions about India's talent market and leadership pipeline 21:46 – Cultural differences in communication, hierarchy and decision-making 26:36 – Diversity, gender representation and changing workplace dynamics 29:18 – Navigating cultural differences in hiring and recruitment 33:28 – Building psychological safety and encouraging open communication 38:16 – The continued growth of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) 43:41 – Attrition, employee retention and the rise of boomerang hiring 49:58 – Leadership lessons Keith brought back from India to the UK 51:39 – Comparing workplace culture and work ethic between India and the UK Click here for transcript . You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

July 22, 2026Episode 553 min

HR Insights: Inspired, not retired | The future of longer careers

As people live longer, work longer and redefine what later life looks like, businesses are facing a challenge that many have yet to fully recognise. While organisations continue to invest heavily in attracting early-career talent, many are overlooking one of the fastest-growing and most experienced talent pools available: workers over 50. In this episode of HR Insights: The Podcast, Stuart Elliott is joined by Lyndsey Simpson, Founder and CEO of 55/Redefined and author of the Sunday Times bestselling book The Age Rebellion . One of the leading voices on age intelligence, Lyndsey works with organisations around the world to rethink how they attract, retain and develop over-50s talent, helping businesses turn demographic change into a competitive advantage. Together, Stuart and Lyndsey explore why the traditional view of retirement is rapidly becoming outdated, what the "100-year life" means for employers and employees alike, and why many of the assumptions organisations still hold about older workers simply don't stand up to the data. From the myths surrounding ambition and technology to the commercial case for age strategy, the conversation challenges businesses to rethink how they view experience, careers and workforce planning. The discussion also looks at the rise of multi-generational workforces, the importance of intentionally creating intergenerational teams, and why age should be viewed as a strategic business issue rather than simply another diversity initiative. Whether you're an HR leader, business leader or someone thinking about your own career, this episode offers practical insights into one of the biggest workforce shifts of our time. Key timestamps 00:30 – What the "100-year life" means and why it changes everything 05:50 – Debunking the biggest myths surrounding older workers 12:05 – Why our perception of age and work needs to evolve 17:59 – How ambition, purpose and motivation change later in life 24:01 – Why "overqualified" is one of the most damaging labels in recruitment 26:04 – Why organisations focus on younger generations and what they're missing 27:28 – The commercial value older workers bring to today's businesses 29:47 – Why age has become the overlooked element of DE&I strategies 30:54 – How demographic change is reshaping the workforce 33:37 – The realities of managing a multi-generational workforce 37:32 – Building intergenerational teams that drive better performance 40:19 – Why storytelling helps bridge generational divides at work 43:40 – Where businesses should start when developing an age strategy View Transcript here You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

July 8, 2026Episode 452 min

HR Insights: From snowflakes to strategy: Understanding Gen Z at work

In this episode of the HR Insights Podcast, Stuart Elliott is joined by Alex Atherton , leadership coach, speaker and author of The Snowflake Myth: Explaining Gen Z in the Workplace and Beyond , to explore the realities of managing an increasingly multigenerational workforce. The conversation challenges some of the most common misconceptions surrounding Gen Z, from assumptions around resilience and work ethic to changing expectations around feedback, career development and workplace culture. Alex shares why understanding the experiences that have shaped younger generations is essential for organisations looking to attract, engage and retain the best talent. From age diversity and authentic employer branding to social collaboration, leadership and the arrival of Gen Alpha, this episode offers practical insight for HR and business leaders navigating a workforce where four, and soon five, generations are working side by side. Key timestamps: 00:22 – Introduction to career and background 03:10 – Generational perspectives on work 05:57 – Misconceptions about younger generations 10:11 – The changing landscape of business 12:48 – Managing multi-generational workforces 16:11 – Attracting and retaining Gen Z talent 18:55 – Feedback and performance management 21:11 – Social collaboration in the workplace 24:32 – Future generations and trends in HR You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

May 27, 2026Episode 350 min

HR Insights: AI, trust and the future of human-centred work

In this episode of the HR Insights Podcast, Stuart Elliott is joined by Marc Ramos , Chief Learning Officer, Harvard Learning Innovation Lab Fellow and MIT-trained AI strategist, to explore how organisations can approach AI adoption without losing sight of the people behind the technology. The conversation looks at the growing tension between AI-driven efficiency and employee trust, why some businesses may be moving too quickly into implementation, and how leadership communication can shape whether employees feel included or threatened by change. From trust and transparency to cognitive overload, workplace culture and the future of human connection, this episode offers practical insight for HR, talent and learning leaders navigating AI transformation inside their organisations. Key timestamps: 01:06 - Introduction to AI and Learning Development 03:58 - The Current State of AI in Business 07:02 - Leadership and AI Implementation 09:49 - The Spectrum of AI Adoption 13:08 - Risk and Reward in AI Investments 15:55 - Communication Strategies for AI Adoption 18:56 - Change Management and AI 22:00 - The Role of Trust in AI Acceptance 25:34 - Trust and Society's Insular State 29:19 - The Leadership Gap in Trust 33:10 - Human Agency and Cognitive Traps 37:27 - AI's Impact on Human Connection 42:41 - A Human-Centric AI Strategy You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

May 13, 2026Episode 247 min

HR Insights: From perks to protection: Rethinking reward and benefits

In this episode of the HR Insights Podcast, Stuart Elliott is joined by Will Spencer , Founder & CEO of Rest Easier , and Chris Laughlin , Global Reward Director at Croda , to explore how reward and benefits strategies are evolving beyond traditional perks and toward something far more meaningful: protection, financial wellbeing, and long-term employee support. The conversation looks at why financial wellbeing has historically lagged behind physical and mental wellbeing, how employee expectations around benefits are changing, and why a one-size-fits-all approach no longer works across today’s multigenerational workforce. From personalised benefits to the hidden risks of cost-cutting, this episode offers practical insight for HR leaders rethinking how reward strategies can better support employees in today’s workplace. Key timestamps: 07:18 — How employee benefits have evolved 12:48 — Why financial wellbeing is often overlooked 16:47 — Understanding what employees actually value 21:40 — The rise of personalised benefits 32:49 — Inside the Rest Easier platform 34:01 — Estate planning, inheritance & protecting families 39:05 — Financial stress and workplace performance 42:37 — The hidden risks of cutting benefits You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

April 29, 2026Episode 144 min

HR Insights: The truth about emloyee engagement

Employee engagement continues to be one of the most talked-about topics in HR, but also one of the most misunderstood. While many organisations measure it, far fewer truly understand what drives it or how to improve it in a meaningful way. In this episode of the HR Insights Podcast, Stuart Elliott sits down with industry experts Paul Knight, Group Chief People Officer at PA Media, and Rebecca Saunders Jones, Managing Director of Loopin, to explore what employee engagement really looks like today, why it may be stalling in many organisations, and what HR and business leaders can do differently. From leadership accountability to real-time data and shifting workforce expectations, the conversation offers a practical and honest view of where engagement stands today, and where it needs to go next. Key timestamps 03:52 – What does employee engagement actually mean? 05:20 – Where is engagement today? 08:05 – What’s ‘job hugging’? 10:29 – Why traditional engagement surveys fall short 16:36 – Who really owns engagement? 24:42 – Transparency vs psychological safety 28:28 – The biggest risk to engagement 35:12 – Can you over-measure engagement? 41:43 – Embedding engagement into culture You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

January 13, 2026Episode 1525 min

HR Insights: That's a wrap on 2025

First and foremost, happy new year! We’re excited for you to see what we have in store for 2026. To start the year, we wanted to wrap up 2025 by showcasing the amazing guests and topics we had throughout the year with a special episode, and this time, our guest is a familiar voice and our usual host, Stuart Elliott . After a season packed with conversations on AI, resilience, global hiring, and leadership, today's host and our Marketing Intern, Lola Ojuri reflects with Stuart on the moments that stood out, the ideas that challenged him, and what these discussions reveal about the HR market right now. Across the season, one theme has been clear: HR is evolving faster than ever. Leaders are balancing transformation with wellbeing, skills with strategy, and technology with human connection. This episode brings those insights together, a look back at the conversations shaping HR today and the challenges that will define the year ahead. Key timestamps: 01:39 - Surprising conversations 02:50 - Interesting topics 04:30 - Episodes that challenged thoughts 06:41 - Trends of 2025 08:37 - Evolution of HR 09:53 - The market now 11:39 - Evolution of recruitment 13:10 - Trends of HR looking forward 15:18 - Favourite chats 17:17 - Themes into 2026 19: 26 - Hopes of improvement in HR 22:31 - Looking after ourselves in 2026 You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

December 11, 2025Episode 1451 min

HR Insights: The truth about workplace wellbeing

As the pace of work accelerates, wellbeing continues to decline across industries, making conversations about sustainable performance more important than ever. In this episode, our CEO and Host, Stuart Elliott , is joined by Bianca Errigo , global speaker, wellbeing expert, and founder of HumanOS , a platform redefining how organisations approach resilience and high performance. Off of the back of our Global HR resilience report , Bianca and Stuart discuss the state of workplace wellbeing today, why so many high performers are still burning out, how organisations can close the gap between wellbeing programmes and real wellbeing outcomes, and what it means to build a culture that supports both performance and recovery. Who is Bianca Errigo? Bianca Errigo is a global speaker, wellbeing expert, and Founder of HumanOS, a platform advancing sustainable high performance in the workplace. With a BSc in Psychology, a background in corporate sales, and over 13,000 hours of coaching with clients ranging from global CEOs to elite athletes, she blends science, strategy and lived experience to drive meaningful behaviour change. Named one of Startups Magazine’s 24 Most Influential Women of 2024 and recognised as American Express’s Top External Speaker, Bianca specialises in resilience, emotional intelligence, burnout prevention, and the future of work. She has delivered keynotes and workshops for organisations including American Express, Cisco, Barclays, Dell, Diageo, The NHS, Canva and the University of Cambridge. Known for her warm presence and practical approach, Bianca challenges outdated ideas of “wellbeing”, empowering leaders and teams to perform at a high level, sustainably. If you’d like to explore how HumanOS can help your team build resilience and sustainable performance, you can learn more [here]. Key time stamps: 1:36 - Introduction to Bianca Errigo 3:37 - About HumanOS 12:14 - Competitiveness fuels resilience 19:00 – The current state of wellbeing 22:00 - Sleep disappearing under pressure and stress 30:00 - Tracking and monitoring health 33:40 - Gender differences and the impact on HR’s resilience 37:45 - Advice to companies for their HR team 42:00 - Psychological safety 46:45 - Advice for leaders of HR teams You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

November 18, 2025Episode 131 hr 8 min

HR Insights: The real state of HR resilience

In this episode of HR Insights: The Podcast, our CEO Stuart Elliott sits down with Thierry Moschetti , Managing Partner at the Resilience Institute , to unpack the findings of the Global HR Resilience Report 2025, the first global diagnostic snapshot of how HR professionals are really doing. Together, they explore what resilience truly means in the HR context and how the profession is holding up amidst constant transformation, complexity, and pressure. With only 32% of HR professionals categorised as resilient and just 1% thriving, the results of the report are a wake-up call. “Bounce”, the ability to recover from stress, emerged as the weakest of the three resilience categories, highlighting just how much HR is being stretched. In this conversation, Thierry shares practical insights and draws on the Resilience Institute’s work with organisations like Google, Shell, and PwC. He and Stuart dive into why self-awareness isn’t enough, the warning signs HR teams need to recognise, and how leaders can build more sustainable ways to perform under pressure. Key Timestamps 02:58 - Introduction to Thierry Moschetti and Resilience Institute 17:10 - What is the global resilience survey and why did we run it? 21.50 - Key findings: The resilience spiral 26.28 - Unpacking the key findings 31:30 - Are HR leaders unsupported? 33.30 - The vulnerabilities of HR 37.00 - What needs to change? 42:26 - Gender gaps in resilience 47.40 - Age gaps in resilience 52.40 - Aiding burnout 56.40 - Advice for leaders wanting to strengthen their HR teams resilience You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

November 13, 2025Episode 1249 min

HR Insights: EOR - The smarter way to go global

Welcome back to another episode of HR Insights: The Podcast. Today, our CEO and Host, Stuart Elliott , is joined by Tony Davies , Director of Global Partners at Acumen International , to explore the rapidly growing world of global employment and the role of Employer of Record (EOR) in enabling organisations to scale across borders with confidence. Together, they discuss the evolution of Tony’s career, from military engineering to building high-performing recruitment businesses, to leading global partnership networks and advising organisations on compliant international workforce expansion. Tony breaks down what the EOR model really is, why demand is rising across regions such as the Middle East, Latin America, and India, and the common pitfalls organisations must avoid when hiring internationally. We hope you gain practical insights into when and how to use an EOR solution, how to mitigate risk in global hiring, and why choosing the right partner can determine both compliance and commercial success. About Tony Davies: Tony Davies is the Director of Global Partners at Acumen International, where he leads the development and execution of global partnership strategies to expand market presence and support business growth. With more than 25 years of experience in international recruitment and workforce solutions, Tony specialises in building strategic alliances, scaling operations across borders, and enabling organisations to globalise efficiently through Acumen’s extensive Global EOR network. Passionate about empowering organisations to unlock new market opportunities, Tony focuses on strategic collaboration, operational scalability, and sustainable growth in competitive, fast-changing environments. Key Timestamps: 00:16 – About Tony’s Career path: military → engineering → recruitment 01:03 – Building and selling a recruitment firm 06:20 – Belcan UK turnaround to $60m and 35-country footprint 09:04 – With James Caan: building global partner networks 10:43 – Joining Acumen International: partnership vs referral models 12:08 – What is EOR/PEO and why companies use it 18:45 – Demand hotspots: Middle East, Northern LatAm, India 21:50 – Pitfalls: “cheapest” ≠ safest; misclassification; penalties on global turnover 26:56 – Before using EOR: three checks to run 30:30 – When EOR is the right tool (SMBs, market tests, entity rationalisation) 41:53 – Advice for HR & leaders: build a trusted EOR partnership You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!