Heart at Work with Trina Sunday

Hosted by Trina Sunday

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Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-AU

About the show

Heart at Work with Trina Sunday is a podcast for HR leaders and change-makers who believe there is a braver way to lead work and feel energised to step into it. Hosted by human-first leadership strategist and creator of the HEART Work™ model, Trina Sunday draws on more than 25 years of experience across Australia, Asia, and global leadership communities to explore what it truly takes to build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. This is not about policy updates or buzzwords. It is about the conversations that matter: influence, culture under pressure, leadership courage, and the behaviours that shape how work actually feels. At the heart of it all is one relentless question: What are the real conditions for people to experience happiness at work? Through honest reflections and global perspectives, Trina helps HR move from compliance to courageous influence, because there is no profit without a pulse. If you are ready to lead with clarity, courage, and compassion, you are in the right place. Because HR has a new future. And it leads with heart.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 14, 2026Episode 6114 min

61. Over-Intellectualism is Ruining Our Workplaces

Have workplaces become so focused on sounding intelligent that they’ve forgotten how to truly connect?In this solo episode, I talk about why over-intellectualism is quietly damaging workplace culture. From endless frameworks and performative professionalism to over-analysis and emotionally detached leadership, I challenge why many organisations are losing the human connection people need to thrive. I question the growing obsession with credentials, why intelligence alone does not create trust, and how many workplaces reward people who sound smart instead of people who create healthy cultures. I also share why relational intelligence, emotional courage and grounded leadership may become the real competitive advantage in the age of AI. If you’ve ever felt exhausted by workplace jargon, frustrated by disconnected leadership, or hungry for more honest conversations at work, this episode will challenge your thinking in the best possible way.What do you think workplaces need more of right now, intelligence or humanity? I’d love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation with you on LinkedIn SHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

May 31, 2026Episode 6015 min

60. Better Rooms. Why HR Need Community More Than Ever

What if the thing sustaining great HR leaders isn’t resilience, but community?In this solo episode, I talk about why so many HR and people leaders feel emotionally isolated despite being constantly surrounded by people, meetings and professional networks. I talk about the hidden weight of people work, the science behind contribution and connection, and why genuine support systems matter more than ever in leadership.I also share why I believe the future of HR will be shaped less by bigger stages and more by better rooms. The kind of spaces where people stop performing, start connecting, and support each other through the real challenges of leadership. If you’ve ever felt exhausted trying to hold people and performance together at the same time, this conversation is for you. What kind of support system do you have around you right now? And are you building the kind of community that helps people thrive, not just survive?I’d love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation with you on LinkedIn SHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/ Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

May 17, 2026Episode 5916 min

59. The Moment HR Stops Being Safe. A Story We Need to Sit With

What happens when someone does exactly what the system tells them to do, and the system still fails them?In this episode, I unpack Susan Fowler’s experience inside Uber and the leadership decisions that turned a report of sexual harassment into a full-scale culture and governance crisis. This is not just a conversation about one organisation. It’s a conversation about power, accountability, leadership and the moments where culture is shaped in real time.I talk about what happens when HR processes prioritise high performers over psychological safety, how language like “choice” can disguise unfair systems, and why small moments of inaction eventually become enterprise risk. If you lead people, influence culture or work in HR, this episode will challenge you to think differently about courage, responsibility and what human-first leadership looks like under pressure.What would you do if someone walked into your office with evidence and trusted you to act? Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know your thoughts on this conversationSHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/ Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

May 3, 2026Episode 5813 min

58. What Happens When Work Wants More and Gives Less?

Are you feeling like you’re giving more at work but getting less back?Something has shifted at work. You can feel it, I can too. And in this episode, I unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface. This isn’t just burnout. It’s something deeper. A quiet change in the deal between people and organisations that no one has clearly named. I walk through what the research is saying and what it means in real life. From rising expectations and shrinking support, to the growing pressure around AI and relevance. More importantly, I explore why people aren’t just tired, they’re starting to feel let down.If you’re an HR leader trying to make sense of the tension between performance and people, this will help you see it more clearly. And more importantly, decide what needs to change next.I’d love to hear your take. Are you seeing this shift too? What does the “deal” feel like in your organisation right now? Connect with me here on LinkedIn SHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

April 19, 2026Episode 5738 min

57. Change Makers - Why Are We So Afraid to Be One?

When was the last time you called yourself a change maker, and meant it?I’ve just come back from time at the United Nations and on the ground in Cambodia, and it left me sitting with one question. Why are we so hesitant to call ourselves change makers, especially when our work already shapes people’s lives every day?In this episode, I share what I witnessed in Cambodia. Real people doing real work in complex conditions. Not waiting for permission or chasing the perfect timing. Just showing up and staying with it. I talk about what that means for HR and business leaders in Australia, and why so many of our workplace solutions are still missing the point.If you’ve ever felt stuck between people and performance, or questioned whether you’re making a difference, this conversation will challenge you. I’ll walk you through practical ways to rethink leadership, capability, culture and what real change looks like in your organisation.What’s one practical step you could take this week to start? I’d love to hear your reflections. Come and connect with me on LinkedIn SHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

April 5, 2026Episode 5612 min

56. HR in a Volatile World: What Leaders Need to Understand About Risk, Power & Reality

What happens when the world feels unpredictable, and even showing up as yourself starts to feel risky?I’ve just come out of a week inside the United Nations, and what stayed with me wasn’t just the conversations on gender equality. It was something more personal. A moment where I questioned how safe it really is to fully show up, even in environments we assume are stable. In this episode, I talk about how global uncertainty is shaping psychological safety at work. Why geopolitics is no longer separate from the workplace, and what it means when people start editing themselves just to feel safe. This isn’t theory, this is already happening in our organisations.You’ll walk away with a sharper lens on power, safety, and leadership. I share the questions every HR leader should be asking right now. Because if we’re not paying attention to context, we’re leading in a version of reality that no longer exists.What does safety really look like in your organisation right now? Where might people be holding back more than you realise?I’d love to hear your thoughts. Connect with me on LinkedIn and continue the conversationSHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

March 22, 2026Episode 5517 min

55. Inside the United Nations: What CSW70 Reveals About Power, Progress and Pushback

What happens when progress on gender equality stops feeling guaranteed and starts feeling fragile?I’ve just stepped out of the room at CSW 70 at the United Nations, and this episode is my real-time reflection on what I saw, felt, and couldn’t ignore. This wasn’t business as usual. I take you inside the conversations shaping global gender equality, from access to justice to the growing pressure on human rights frameworks.I talk about what it means when an outcome document on women’s rights can’t reach consensus, and why that moment matters more than it might seem. I also share the impact of hearing voices like Malala Yousafzai, and the confronting reality of what “gender apartheid” signals for women and girls globally.If you’re an HR leader, this episode connects the dots between global systems and workplace systems. I discuss why leadership today requires more than good intent. It calls for structural courage, sharper thinking, and a willingness to question who our systems really serve.Where might your own systems be creating access or barriers? I’d love to hear your reflections. Let’s continue this conversation. Connect with me on LinkedIn.SHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/ Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

March 15, 2026Episode 5410 min

54. Good Intentions Don’t Change Culture: Head, Heart and Hands, Making Human Leadership Real

Have you ever sat in a leadership meeting where everyone agrees that people come first, until the pressure hits?In this episode, I talk about the uncomfortable gap between what leaders say they value and how they actually behave when urgency, performance pressure or competing priorities take over. Because knowing what good leadership looks like is one thing. Practising it under pressure is another.I tell you about my Head, Heart and Hands framework and share why integration is the real leadership challenge facing organisations today. This isn’t about theory, it’s about behaviour. It’s about what culture really looks like when decisions get hard. I also reflect on lessons from my work across Australia, Asia and Cambodia, and why human-first leadership is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.If you’re an HR leader who feels the tension between people and performance, this episode will help you build the clarity, courage and capability to lead differently. You’ll walk away with a practical lens to strengthen your influence and move from good intention to consistent leadership impact.Where does pressure quietly reshape leadership behaviour in your organisation? And what would change if you integrated head, heart and hands consistently?I’d love to hear your reflections. Connect with me on LinkedIn and continue the conversation.SHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

March 11, 2026Episode 5310 min

53. HEART Work™: the Philosophy HR is Missing

Are we thinking about HR all wrong? And what if the real shift isn’t capability, but philosophy?In this episode, I take you behind the curtain and talk about the thinking behind HEART Work™. After more than two decades in HR and organisational leadership, I’ve realised something confronting. HR doesn’t have a skills gap. It has an identity gap. We’ve outgrown the old definition of our role, yet many of us are still operating inside it. I share why “business has no profit without a pulse” and why the future of HR requires both courage and heart.I walk through the five pillars of the HEART Work™ philosophy and explain how they reposition HR from compliance support to a strategic force. We explore human-centred leadership, equity in action, adaptive strategy, resilient boundaries and trusted influence. I also introduce the Head, Heart and Hands framework and why belief alone doesn’t change organisations. Behaviour does.If you’re holding the tension between people and performance, this episode will help you find clarity, language and confidence. You’ll walk away with a new lens on your role and a practical way to translate philosophy into leadership impact.Are we brave enough to move from compliance to courage? I’d love to know your answers. Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me what resonated mostSHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/ Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/

March 8, 2026Episode 529 min

52. Game Player or Game Changer? HR’s Next Evolution

Are you still being seen as the compliance department with good intentions, when your organisation needs your influence?In this episode, I tackle HR’s identity crisis head on. I share why I believe HR’s biggest threat right now isn’t compliance failure, it’s irrelevance. After 25 plus years in HR leadership and consulting, I’ve seen brilliant HR professionals shrink themselves to fit outdated expectations. Reliable, responsive, diplomatic and often invisible at the executive table.I explore what it takes to shift from technical expert to strategic influencer. We talk about courage, commercial fluency, executive presence and the confidence to hold tension in the room rather than smooth it over. I talk about the difference between protecting the organisation and shaping its future and why influence, not hierarchy, is what will define the next era of HR.If you’re balancing restructures with culture, data with humanity, performance with psychological safety, this conversation will challenge and strengthen you. You’ll walk away clearer on your leadership stance and more willing to back your voice. Because compliance may protect organisations, but influence transforms them.Are you ready to stop playing the game and start changing it?If this episode resonated, connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me what tension you’re currently holding in your organisation.SHOW NOTES: https://trinasunday.com/get-inspired/Trina Sunday is a human-first leadership strategist, HR advisor and creator of the HEART Work™ model, helping HR leaders and People & Culture professionals build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side. With more than 25 years of experience across HR, organisational development and leadership advisory in Australia, Asia and global leadership communities, she works with HR leaders and executive teams to strengthen leadership capability, shape workplace culture and drive human-first organisational transformation. Through the Heart at Work with Trina Sunday podcast, leadership programs and advisory work, Trina is passionate about empowering HR professionals to move beyond compliance and lead the future of HR with courage, clarity and influence.Get Inspired Trina’s Website: https://trinasunday.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trinasundayofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinasundayofficial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trinasundayofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinasunday/Reimagine HR: https://reimaginehr.com.au/