Totara Talks Talent

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Feb 2026

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About the show

In this series we’ll be talking to learning and development and HR professionals from organisations all over the world. We’ll dig into what they’re doing in their own organisations to drive performance in an ever changing landscape. We’ll ask questions like how can you best skill up your workforce, keep them motivated and allow your teams to thrive? We’ll look at what works and what doesn’t and we’ll try and do this with as much of a human element as possible. Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. You can learn more at https://www.totara.com/ or join the Totara.Community to share and collaborate.

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14 recent

February 2, 202636 min

From programmes to practice: Developing managers at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Trust

From Programmes to Practice: Developing Managers at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS TrustIn this episode of Totara Talks Talent, Matt is joined by Stephen Melville from Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to explore how one of the UK’s largest and most complex healthcare organisations is developing its managers at scale.Stephen shares how the Learning & Development team at Guy’s & St Thomas’ designed and evolved their People Manager Programme, supporting over 5,000 managers across a workforce of 25,000 staff.The conversation covers how the programme blends e-learning, facilitated workshops, social reflection, and data-driven insight, how Totara supports delivery at scale.What you’ll learn in this episodeWhy Guy’s & St Thomas’ created a dedicated People Manager ProgrammeHow the programme is structured across seven core people principlesHow to design management development that feels useful, not theoreticalWhat it really takes to scale leadership development to thousands of managersHow Totara and Power BI support smarter reporting and insightMeasuring impact without becoming obsessed with ROIHow reflection, social commitment, and storytelling support behaviour changePractical advice for organisations building management programmes from scratchAbout the guestStephen Melville is a Learning & Development Manager at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, where he co-develops leadership and management programmes that support performance, culture, and patient care across one of the UK’s most complex healthcare environments.Related resources & links▶️ Watch the webinar: Developing Managers at Scale at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Trust📘 Book: How People Learn – Nick Shackleton-Jones📘 Book: Map It / Action Mapping – Cathy Moore🌍<a...

July 9, 202551 min

Beyond launch: Strategies to drive LMS engagement

Struggling with LMS adoption? You’re not alone. One of the biggest challenges in L&D today is getting learners to engage with their organisation’s LMS and its content. Too often, platforms are launched without a clear strategy to embed them into the business or drive learner adoption. In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we’re tackling this challenge head-on with Laura Caveney, Head of Marketing at BuildEmpire. We’ll explore the LMS marketing strategies that can turn your learning platform from an afterthought into a must-use resource for employees. Join us as we discuss: Why LMS adoption struggles are so common How to position your LMS as a key tool in your organisation The marketing strategies that can drive learner engagement How to make learning a core part of company culture Practical tips to increase uptake and keep learners coming back If you’re responsible for learning and development and want to increase engagement with your LMS, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to help. 

April 29, 202523 min

Compliance Champions in action: How Arriva drove 99% completion across borders

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we explore how Arriva has built a compliance training programme that not only meets strict regulatory requirements but also drives engagement, accountability, and high completion rates across multiple countries and languages. I’m joined by: Marta Rakszewska, Group Compliance Business Partner at Arriva Group Samy Menad, Compliance Training Specialist Together, we discuss: The role of compliance champions in reinforcing training across the organisation How to combine human accountability with automation and technology to drive compliance The strategies that helped Arriva achieve a 99% completion rate across their workforce The impact of multi-language learning and personalised training for a diverse employee base The balance between global compliance requirements and local business needs Arriva’s compliance learning programme is powered by Totara and supported by Hubken Group, a trusted Totara Partner. Hubken’s work with Arriva was recently recognised with a Silver award at the 2024 Brandon Hall Excellence in Awards, celebrating their best-in-class compliance training technology. If you're looking to build a high-impact, scalable, and effective compliance training programme, this episode is packed with insights to help you get there.  

March 14, 202531 min

Sales training without borders: Building an extended enterprise

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we dive into the world of extended enterprise learning—how organisations can train not just their own employees, but also partners, retailers, and other external stakeholders to drive business success. The guests for this epsiode are Nicola Griffin, Group Training Manager - Retail at BSH, and Mark Parrish, Managing Director at Cortexa, who share their expertise on designing and delivering effective sales training at scale. We explore: What an extended enterprise is and why it’s crucial for modern businesses The key ingredients of a successful sales training programme How to keep external teams up to date with product knowledge The biggest challenges of training a large and diverse audience Strategies to engage learners and drive adoption The impact of technology and data on scaling learning programmes Advice for companies looking to build or improve their extended enterprise L&D strategy If you're in L&D, sales training, or responsible for educating external partners, this episode is packed with insights to help you scale learning beyond your organisation.

November 28, 202423 min

Change matters: The secret to LMS implementation success

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we dive into the critical yet often overlooked topic of change management in learning and development (L&D). As organisations continue to evolve, the role of L&D has shifted beyond simply delivering training. It’s now about fostering behavioural change, solving performance challenges, and aligning development with organisational goals.Our guest, Paul Ferguson, Organisational Development Business Partner at West College Scotland, shares his insights on how to effectively navigate change. With years of experience leading transformational projects, Paul provides practical strategies and frameworks for overcoming resistance, fostering buy-in, and empowering employees to become champions of change.Key takeaways from this episode include:Why people—not just systems—are the most important element of change.The importance of engaging early adopters and using their momentum to inspire others.Practical tips for ensuring long-term success through reinforcement and ongoing support.A deep dive into the Prosci ADKAR model and how it can guide organisations through the change journey.The role of managers in facilitating change through the CLARC framework.Paul also explains how to handle scepticism, bring people along for the ride, and avoid common pitfalls like underestimating the time change requires.Whether you’re implementing a new system, teaching new skills, or driving cultural change, this episode is packed with actionable insights for L&D and HR professionals.Key Resources Mentioned:Prosci ADKAR Model: A practical framework for managing change, focusing on Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. Learn more about how this model can help your organisation drive successful change initiatives.CLARC Framework: A framework highlighting the roles of managers in change. CLARC stands for Communicator, Liaison, Advocate, Resistance Manager, and Coach. This model emphasises how managers can guide their teams and bridge the gap between leadership and employees.West College Scotland use Totara and their Partner is Think Learning.

October 22, 202436 min

Learning without limits: Ensuring accessibility in digital learning

Host: Matt LinakerGuests:David Dent, Learning & Development Business Partner, Blind Veterans UKMaia Miller, Managing Director, Aleph AccessibilitySteve Barnett, Front-End Developer, IntopiaPaul Clark, Head of Experience Design, TotaraEpisode Overview:In this insightful episode, we dive into the topic of digital accessibility in learning and development. Our guests—David Dent from Blind Veterans UK, Maia Miller of Aleph Accessibility, and Steve Barnett, a front-end developer specialising in accessibility—explore how to create more inclusive digital learning experiences. From practical steps to improve accessibility to larger philosophical discussions on inclusion, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about making digital learning accessible to all.We also get a behind-the-scenes update from Paul Clark, Head of Experience Design at Totara, who discusses exciting accessibility initiatives Totara is implementing to enhance user experiences.Key Topics:What accessibility in digital learning really meansCommon barriers learners face and how to address themThe importance of "baking in" accessibility from the start rather than as an afterthoughtPractical advice for making content more inclusive, even under time pressureThe future of accessibility and dynamic content adaptation, including AI and user feedbackHow accessibility applies to compliance training and assessment methodsEncouraging continuous feedback on accessibility from learnersKey Quotes:"Is it really engaging content if people can't engage with it?" — Maia Miller"If you display it, say it." — David Dent"Accessibility is a people problem, not a technology problem." — Steve Barnett"Progress, not perfection. Focus on small improvements and keep moving forward." — Maia MillerResources Mentioned:Aleph AccessibilityMicrosoft Inclusive DesignAccessibility Insights by MicrosoftWebAIMTPGI ResourcesDequeAbout Totara:Totara develops talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of learning professionals at totara.community to share ideas and collaborate.

July 29, 202447 min

Mastering Skills Mapping

In this episode, we're joined by Brendan Kilshaw, Performance Consultant at the Met Office, and Malcolm Taylor, Head of Capability at the UK Health Security Agency.We delve into the significance of skills frameworks, sharing insights into the process of skills mapping and its importance in measuring competencies. Brendan and Malcolm guide us through the initial steps of setting up a skills framework, including identifying key competencies for various roles, and the importance of customising these frameworks to meet specific industry needs.We explore the challenges they faced, strategies for successful stakeholder involvement, and how they integrated skills frameworks into their training programs. They also highlight the metrics used to measure skill improvements, the role of technology in tracking progress, and the real-world impact on organisational performance.You can learn more about the Met Office's case study here and their Totara Partner Catalyst IT here.

June 27, 202431 min

Recognising skills with Open Badges

In this episode of Totara Talks Talent, we speaks with Dr. Doug Belshaw, a global advocate for Open Badges. We delve into the history, evolution, and future of Open Badges, discussing their significant role in professional development and lifelong learning. Doug shares practical advice on implementing Open Badges, whether starting from scratch or enhancing an existing strategy, and highlights how they can effectively engage teams and recognise skills and achievements. Tune in to discover how Open Badges are transforming the way we value and acknowledge professional growth.If you'd like to take a free course on how to use Open Badges in your Totara platform you can access a course in the Totara Community.

May 30, 202436 min

Narrative Learning: Crafting courses through storytelling

Storytelling can transform the learning experience, making it more engaging and memorable. This episode covers how to effectively integrate stories into learning design and the impact they have on learner engagement and retention.Today's Guests:Cathy Gillespie: Director and Learning Consultant at Like-Minded Learning LimitedMiranda Verswijvelen: Senior Learning Designer at Learningworld Design and PhD ResearcherSami Chan: Learning Designer at Learning NexusJoin us as we chat with Cathy, Miranda, and Sami about the importance of storytelling in learning and development. We'll explore when and where storytelling is most effective, how to craft compelling stories for educational purposes, and ways to measure their impact.In the episode, Cathy mentions a resource from Chris Banks on storytelling which you can access here. Totara creates talent development software to create lasting employee success. Learn more at Totara.com or join our community of L&D and HR professionals.Stay up to date with the latest Totara news, product updates, resources and events by signing up to our newsletter.

April 29, 202434 min

Onboarding reinvented: Lessons from the frontlines Part 2

In this episode we're reflecting on how to build out an engaging onboarding experience for all your new starters. First we hear from Harpal Sandhu, a Consultant at Deloitte UK as we learn all about how they collaborated with Totara Platinum Partner Deloitte Belgium to create their Major Programmes onboarding journey.You can learn more about the project in the Totara Community here. Then we hear from Sam Taylor and Anna Bishop about how Catalyst It have designed an engaging onboarding program for all their new starters. Catalyst is a founding Totara Partner, specialising in developing, designing and supporting enterprise-grade open source solutions. You can learn more about Totara at Totara.com

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