This episode features Chris Robinson, Senior L&D & Culture Manager at Octopus Electric Vehicles, part of the Octopus Energy Group. We focus on the state of play for UK skills, what businesses can do to ensure they are future skills ready; and which skills will be in greatest demand. Chris gives his tips and advice plus ways in which Octopus EV are tackling the skills shortfall. Guest: Chris Robinson, Senior L&D and Culture Manager, Octopus EV With over 7 years of experience across fa...
Jun 04, 2025•36 min•Ep. 72
In this podcast, we dive into what’s coming down the pipeline for employment law in 2025 and 2026. If you’re in HR and want to stay ahead of the game, this episode covers the key legal changes to watch out for—and how to get your team prepared without the stress. It’s your quick guide to staying compliant and confident. Guest: Maria Hoeritzauer, Partner, Crossland Employment Solicitors Maria provides practical and strategic advice on a wide range of day-to-day HR matters, including performance m...
May 08, 2025•27 min•Ep. 71
Political shifts in the US have prompted a swathe of multinational organisations to scale back their DEI initiatives, in some cases, scrapping policies altogether. Verity Gough is joined by guests Kul Mahay, founder of Ignite Your Inner Potential , and The Human-Centred Leadership Conference and host of the globally recognised Human-Centred Leadership Podcast, and Joanne Lockwood, Inclusion and Belonging specialist, founder of SEE Change Happen , an organisation that helps businesses create posi...
Mar 05, 2025•42 min•Ep. 70
In this episode, Verity Gough talks to Chief People Officer Trish Hewitt about the impending New Employment Rights Bill, why it's important, and key elements that HR needs to understand. With practical tips for preparing your organisation for the changes, Trish gives us the low-down on what HR needs to know. Guest: Trish Hewitt Trish Hewitt is a seasoned people professional with 20 years of experience. She is a Chief People Officer, runs her own HR consultancy and has a popular HR podcast, a You...
Jan 08, 2025•31 min•Ep. 69
In the latest episode of HR in Review , Amelia Brand sits down with Rob Cross, Senior Vice President of Research at i4cp and co-founder of the Connected Commons. Rob shares insights from i4cp's recent report on precision collaboration, discussing how intentional behaviours can elevate team effectiveness and reduce collaborative dysfunctions. He also identifies six key dysfunctions that hinder team performance and offers practical strategies for addressing them. Tune in to explore real-world case...
Oct 09, 2024•33 min•Ep. 68
In today's HR in Review episode, we explore why and how Gen Z is changing the norms in the workplace. We also explore the key things organisations should learn about this new approach to work. Guest: Isabel Berwick, host of the Financial Times Working It podcast Isabel Berwick is the host of the FT's Working It podcast about the workplace and writes the weekly Working It newsletter. She is the editorial lead for the FT Women in Business Forum, moderates and hosts FT and external events about the...
Jul 29, 2024•17 min•Ep. 67
In today's HR in Review episode, we discuss managing political disagreements in the workplace. With only a few weeks left to go until the election, political conversations in the office are becoming more prevalent and tensions could rise. So, who's responsibility is it to manage the differing interests and how should organisations be thinking about free speech in this context? Guest: Toby Hough , People and Culture Director, HiBob Toby Hough is driven by unlocking the business impact of strong o...
Jun 26, 2024•25 min•Ep. 66
In today's HR in Review episode, we talk about AI and HR in policing. Bill Banham's guest today is Andrew Thain , Head of HR - People Services at the Norfolk and Suffolk Police. Guest: Andrew Thain, Head of HR, Norfolk and Suffolk Police Andrew is a skilled People leader. He posses strong communication and collaborations skills. He has over 10 years in HR and 6 years being appart of the CIPD. Questions for Andrew include: Over the past few years, how has AI changed how HR is done? What is the fu...
May 22, 2024•22 min•Ep. 65
In this episode of the HR in Review show, we focus on the why and how of creating "human-centered cultures" and why it should be a priority for leaders and HR. Guest: Kul Mahay - Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Ignite Your Inner Potential Kul served for 32 years in the UK police service, of which two-thirds were spent at leadership level. During his time as a police leader, he has overseen complex and varied departments and commanded critical and major operational scenarios. He is regular...
May 15, 2024•18 min•Ep. 64
In this episode of the HR in Review Podcast, we cover two important employment law topics; we explore the Increases to civil penalties for employers engaging illegal workers and talk about the Statutory code of practice on ‘fire and rehire’ policies. Joining Amelia Brand today is Stephen Mutch a Director of Employment and HR and Michael McNally an Associate Partner of Employment and HR, both from Pannone Corporate LLP. Guest: Stephen Mutch, Director - Employment and HR, Pannone Corporate LLP Ste...
May 08, 2024•40 min•Ep. 63
In this episode of the HR in Review Podcast, we explore why companies are asking for their employees to return to the office and also discuss how organisations can encourage a better work-life balance. Kate also stresses the importance of ensuring all employees have equal opportunities for advancement, despite working a 4 or 5-day working week. Guest: Kate Palmer Is a thought leader in HR and employment law; and a Director of HR Advice and Consultancy at global employment law consultancy, Penins...
Feb 28, 2024•19 min•Ep. 62
In this episode of the HR in Review Podcast, host Amelia Brand is joined by Rachael Tate, HR Director for National Fostering Group. They dive into the crucial topic of developing fostering-friendly policies in the workplace! This episode not only sheds light on the possibilities of combining fostering and employment but also explores the significant impact that fostering-friendly HR policies can have on both employees and organisations. Kate speaks from her experience working for National Foster...
Jan 24, 2024•22 min•Ep. 61
In this episode of HR in Review, Bill Banham speak with James Hems, Head of HR, People and Culture at Bluewave Technology. They mostly talk about the hiring trends and motivations of Gen z vs Millennials when it comes to jobs. Guest: James Hems James is foremost a partner, parent and dog owner. He didn't start life in the People profession, instead, he forged his path as a manager and leader of people within various business functions. There, James developed and fine-tuned his approaches around ...
Jan 10, 2024•26 min•Ep. 60
In this episode of HR in Review, Amelia Brand welcomes financial wellbeing expert Ruth Handcock. They delve into the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on employers and employees, discussing salary hunting, potential solutions, and the role of managers in supporting financial wellbeing. The looming pensions crisis is explored, along with the taboo nature of discussing finances at work. Also, Ruth shares insights on creating a safe space for employees, particularly for remote workers. Join Ameli...
Dec 13, 2023•18 min•Ep. 59
In this episode of the HR in Review show, we look at what could change within management development in the next decade and how leaders can be more accountable for their professional development. Bill's guest this time is Tom Manning , Founder at The Pathway Academy. Guest: Tom Manning Tom founded The Pathway Academy in 2014; that equips managers and leaders with the tools they need to create a healthy, honest, candid, accountable culture that can thrive. He is also a Non Executive Director at P...
Dec 06, 2023•16 min•Ep. 58
In this HR in Review episode, our guest is Rashaad Hutchison Price , a seasoned people professional who has over 22 years of experience in the HR space specializing in Banking, Finance, and Fintech. Rashaad has worked extensively in Africa, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom. Rashaad is also a speaker at the upcoming DisruptHR Aberdeen summit happening on Oct 11. Guest: Rashaad Hutchison Price Having started his career as a generalist, Rashaad moved into a specialist space of Learning and T...
Oct 10, 2023•19 min•Ep. 57
In today's episode, we're delving into i4cp’s report "The Productivity Predicament." The report examines the challenges of maximising employee productivity without sacrificing empathy in the workplace. You can find the report here: https://hrreview.co.uk/white-papers/i4cp-and-hrreview-the-productivity-predicament/372098 Guest: Mollie Lombardi Mollie Lombardi is a top industry analyst, with extensive experience gathering and interpreting new data, but she also moves beyond the numbers, translatin...
Sep 27, 2023•16 min•Ep. 56
In this HR in Review episode, we look ahead to DisruptHR London and DisruptHR Birmingham . Bill's guest this time is Perry Timms , Adjunct Faculty at Hult International Business School and HR Magazine's #1 HR Thought Leader of 2022, and Founder at People and Transformational HR Limited. Guest: Perry Timms Perry is also the author of the book Transformational HR. He has been listed as one of the most influential HR executives by world-renowned organizations and is passionate about changing the wo...
Sep 21, 2023•21 min•Ep. 55
In this episode of the HR in Review podcast, we take a pulse of the current labour market and try to predict what the UK and EU economies can expect in the year ahead. Guest: Julius Probst Bill Banham's guest is Julius Probst , PhD, European Labor Economist at Appcast , and speaker at DisruptHR Cambridge on Oct 24. Julius was born in Germany but has mostly studied abroad. He did his High School in France and his Bachelors in the Netherlands. He graduated with a Masters in economics and a PhD in ...
Sep 13, 2023•22 min•Ep. 54
In this episode of the HR in Review podcast, Bill Banham talks with Naysan Firoozmand , Global Head of Coaching at Hult EF Corporate Education and speaker at DisruptHR London 18.0 happening September 25. Guest: Naysan Firoozmand Naysan has 20+ years of experience of working with senior leaders across a wide range of public and private sectors. He says he is inspired and intrigued by human behavior and the influencing factors around why people do things the way they do them within their specific ...
Aug 09, 2023•19 min•Ep. 53
In this episode of the HR in Review pod, we look at ways to increase productivity plus we consider why high EQ is important for effective leaders. Guest: Lena Thompson Bill Banham 's guest this time is Lena Thompson , founder and speaker at Lena Thompson International and former System Analyst at Morgan Stanley. Lena has 15+ years of experience in the corporate arena - consulting, training and designing systems for clients, including CBRE, Anglo-Irish Bank, Bank of Kuwait and others. In 2018, Le...
Jul 19, 2023•19 min•Ep. 52
In this episode of the HR in Review show, we hear from Christopher Bjorling , President at Fidello Inc , Associate Editor with me at HR Gazette, and co-host of the popular People and Performance Podcast . Guest: Christopher Bjorling For over 30 years Chris has led Fidello in creating unique talent management solutions. Through the products and services he and his team have created over the years, his organization has helped clients design, develop, and implement strategic, integrated talent mana...
Jul 05, 2023•28 min•Ep. 51
In this episode of the HR in Review show, Amelia Brand talks with Dr Lynda Folan, Doctor of Organisational Psychology, Managing Director and Author. Today they discuss workplace culture and why it's so important for organisations to get it right, especially in the new working world where hybrid work is on the rise. Guest: Dr Lynda Folan Dr Lynda Folan is a Leading Expert in Organisational Psychology and Organisational Development. With a highly successful track record of strategically developing...
Jun 28, 2023•20 min•Ep. 50
Managing HR when based in one country can be complicated but when you are looking to expand internationally, education and compliance are key. In this episode of the HR in Review podcast, we look at ways to close that gap. Guest: Michelle Forster Bill Banham 's guest this time is Michelle Forster , Managing Director at Tricord Solutions HR , a company helping businesses through complex M&A, TUPE, and redundancy processes to ensure fair and rigorous procedures are followed to help mitigate em...
Jun 14, 2023•20 min•Ep. 49
In this episode, we discuss building an HR tech stack and how AI will continue to move the needle. Bill Banham's guest is Jack Webb-Heller , CTO and co-founder of WorkSmarter , a leading HR platform that empowers over 7,000 UK-based SMEs to streamline their human resources processes and drive business success. Jack will be a speaker at DisruptHR Norwich in October 2023. Guest: Jack Webb-Heller Launching his career as a software developer at a B2B startup, Jack honed his technical skills for five...
Jun 07, 2023•23 min•Ep. 48
In this episode of the HR in Review show, Amelia Brand talks with Alicia Nagar about what employers should be doing to ensure they are supporting their employees mental health in the workplace. Guest: Alicia Nagar Head of People, Wellbeing & Equity at Mental Health First Aid England. Is also an Associate Member of the CIPD and has over 11 years broad HR experience, including extensive experience of managing the recruitment process and the life cycle of the employee. With knowledge of current...
May 24, 2023•13 min•Ep. 47
In this episode of the HR in Review show, Bill Banham talks with Jamie Keeling , Head of Solutions at My Staff Shop , a company specialising in creating tailored employee benefits and rewards & recognition via their Platform. Guest: Jamie Keeling Jamie Keeling, Head of Solutions, My Staff Shop and a member of the company’s Senior Management Team, Jamie’s remit encompasses all areas of strategic development, brand growth and awareness; offering a truly client-focused approach to employee bene...
Apr 05, 2023•29 min•Ep. 46
In this HR in review episode, Bill Banham is joined by Richard Lucas , CEO and co-founder at Govox , an online mental health wellbeing platform. Guest: Richard Lucas With 30 years of senior leadership experience, Richard has a unique take on mental health and wellbeing. A personal story led him, and a like-minded team, to create Govox. Having witnessed first-hand how technology and social media have fuelled mental health issues, Richard is now committed to using technology positively to enable c...
Mar 29, 2023•22 min•Ep. 45
In this episode of the HR in Review podcast, we talk about one of the most important lessons the COVID-19 pandemic taught businesses and HR leaders: the importance of authentic collaboration in the workplace. We consider six elements essential to collaboration in the post-Covid workplace and the tools and strategies to future-proof businesses so they can best manage future challenges. Guest: Barry Flack Bill Banham 's guest this time is Barry Flack , Workforce Strategist and a top 30 global infl...
Mar 15, 2023•26 min•Ep. 44
In this HR in review episode our guest is Deborah Hartung , a consultant, facilitator, writer, speaker, and Founder of Personify Change Ltd. Bill and Deborah dicuss redefining performance metrics aswell as a newperformance management framework. Guest: Deborah Hartung Proud to be described as proud to be called a “maverick” and a “force of nature”, Debs has been recognized among the top 40 global thought leaders in the fields of HR, Future of Work and Workplace Culture. Author of Talent Liberatio...
Mar 01, 2023•21 min•Ep. 43
