Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Vibrant Workplace Podcast

Craig is joined by Chief Rebel and Founder of ‘Diary Detox’, Paul Holbrook.

Having spent 20-years in the City of London within financial services technology, Paul got fed up seeing managers struggle to find time for the most important part of their role – their people.

Paul founded Diary Detox with the goal to create a world of better-led people by enabling managers to find more time to lead with love, using innovative time management strategies.

Craig is joined on the show by departing Chief Exec of the Labour Relations Agency, Don Leeson, to talk about:

• The career that led him to the LRA
• How the work of the agency has evolved
• How the world of work in general has evolved
• What the LRA's place is in the current world of work
• What Don would like his legacy to be
• What's coming next for him
• And much more!!!

Mediation gets bad press, but does it actually have a role to play in helping to build a positive workplace culture? Craig was joined by Scott Alexander, certified member of the Mediator's Institute of Ireland and now founder of 'Mediation Plus' (having previously spent 16.5 years at Legal Island where he held the position of Head of L&D) to discuss this along with: - What mediation actually is?! - How it differs from other interventions - How it works and when it doesn't! - The pros/cons of internal vs external mediation - What skills a mediator needs For all this and much more, including some fascinating stories Scott was able to share from his extensive experience in the space, tune in and let us know what you think!

British Army veteran Gavin Hendrie, now COO of construction and procurement law specialists 'Quigg Golden', joins Craig on the show to talk about the value in an ex-military hire.

In the episode Gavin:

- Challenges some of the assumptions people have about those transitioning from a military background into business

- Reveals how a veteran hire can help businesses struggling with talent attraction and retention

- Offers advice, from experience, to those transitioning on what they can do to help themselves land their dream job

Craig is joined by 'Mr VOSA' Dimi Yar, Founder of VOSA Income Inequality Solutions to discuss the holy grail of employee engagement, whether it's realistic under current business models, and what is really needed to bring together a workforce united and giving their all for shared success.

Is a four day week the future of work? Craig sat down with founder of the Four Day Week Global, Charlotte Lockhart, to find out what they've been learning from their global pilots and studies.

• What is / isn't a four day week?
• Where does it work / not work?
• What are the learnings from the global pilots?
• How does it impact key business metrics like staff attrition?
• How do we make it work? What's the process?

For answers to these questions and many more, have a listen and let us know if you think a four day week is the future of work!

Craig is joined by Sunday Times Business Best Selling Authors of 'Workstyle' Lizzie Penny & Alex Hirst.

'Workstyle' is billed as a revolution for wellbeing, productivity and society and is characterised by working where you want, when you want, asynchronously.

Can that work in employment as well as self-employment? If so, how?! And is this the time for a working revolution?

Tune in to find out!

Craig is joined by Founder of Nederlia, the subscription based tech talent sourcers, and Co-Founder of talent acquisition conference hired!bcn, Claude Loeffen. Claude shares how tech recruitment has evolved since he first got involved, what he’s learnt along the way and his top tips for what organisations can do to attract passive jobseekers.

Craig is joined by Jordi Arcas (CEO of Barcelona based TalentUp) who scrape data from all over the globe about tech recruitment to help companies drive effective recruitment and retention strategies.

There's so much speculation about what people want from an employer, but a lot of it is agenda driven. Data knows the truth and Jordi joins us on the show to tell us what he and the team have been learning!

In this episode Craig is joined by Jon Franko, Partner Founder of St Louis based industrial marketing agency ‘Gorilla 76’, who has a mission to create one of the best workplaces in the US.

With an employee net promoter score that once sat between 10 - 15 but hit 89 this summer, Jon and the team have shown what a difference a focus on culture can make.

In this episode Jon talks about the journey he and the team have been on and the four key people metrics that have helped him gauge progress along the way.

Earlier this year 'That Recruitment Company' were one of the first to proactively choose to give employees a pay-rise to help with the cost of living crisis. This is "not something you need to thank me for" said Founder Chris Stringer, "it's due diligence that we as a business are looking after you properly."

Chris joins Craig on this episode to discuss:

- Why he chose to do this when most other companies weren't

- His beliefs around people, workplace culture and starting the company he never found

- What he and his team have learnt about the 'Great Resignation' from their interactions with jobseekers and employers

- And so much more!

Check it out and let us know what you think!

In this episode Craig is joined by Interview & Career Coach, Cara Quinn. 

After a 20-year career in recruitment in which Cara’s greatest pleasure was facilitating the “win-win” of a happy manager finding the best talent for their role and a delighted candidate, taking the next leap in their career – Cara founded Stellar Impact to demystify interviews and show that they are not events which should be feared.

Cara has interviewed thousands of candidates, designed numerous interviews and assessments, trained hundreds of diverse and global managers in interview skills and led recruitment teams. 

She joins us on the show to share tips on what companies can do to develop a stellar interview experience that helps them identify the best talent, and what jobseekers can do to give themselves the best possible chance of getting their dream job.

Craig is joined by founder of DiverseTalent.ai Jemma Simpson to talk about:

• Diversity in recruitment and creating inclusive workplaces
• Using AI and new generation sourcing tools
• Ethical AI and why it’s important
• DiverseTalent's mission is to bring better transparency into the recruitment process and empower jobseekers

DiverseTalent are winners of the 2023 Innovate UK Inclusive Technology Award and Enterprise Award from NatWest & The Princes Trust. They support Employers to enhance Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity across their recruitment processes.

Kukoon Rugs has become the largest independent retailer of rugs in the U.K. and Ireland with founders Paul & Clare Vallely having been on an amazing journey since starting out in their dad’s shed just over 15 years ago selling rugs on eBay.

Now they’re turning heads running a really vibrant business and were recently shortlisted in the category of 'Innovation & Leadership' at the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards!

In this episode Managing Director Paul shares with Craig what he's learnt so far on his leadership journey and in particular the impact of Values, 2 second lean and a people first culture on the business.

Hospitality was never designed to close. March 2020 hit and suddenly Galgorm Collection had to learn how to shut down their operations and switch off overnight...

In this episode Craig speaks with Group HR Manager Laura Millar about the challenges they've faced over the past couple of years and how the strength of their connection with their people helped them come through the pandemic.

In this episode Craig chats with Dr Jonny Bloomfield from Support to Perform about an unexpected benefit from the pandemic as it has helped push the discussion around employee wellbeing to the forefront of every discussion.

Barcelona based Nuvolar Works are a true example of an organisation with a leadership team who really care about their people. During the pandemic they made the decision to offer their workforce the opportunity to work remotely forever, but also kept an office in the city for those who would prefer to come into a shared workspace. In this episode Markéta Bártová, Nuvolar's HR Manager, shares with us what it's been like engaging a remote workforce.

The novel concept of working a four day week for the same pay has been in the media a lot in recent years - often talked about in theory rather than practicality. In our first episode Craig is joined by Michelle Murphy, Head of HR & Operations at JMK Solicitors & CRASH Services, as she shares their experience of introducing the concept.

Hi folks, this is the preview episode for our upcoming series - The Vibrant Workplace Podcast!

In it I'll share with you why I set the podcast up, and what I hope to achieve with it. I'll be inviting guests on to future episodes to share with us what they're doing to attract, retain and engage people in their businesses for better business performance.

Check it out and if you like the idea, hit the follow button so you're notified when I release future episodes!

Thanks,

Craig Thompson

Craig is joined by business psychologist William McKee who in his own words is “Not so keen on all of the pseudoscience and daft ideas permeating the worlds of L&D, OD, HR and people development…”

William has a particular distaste for the ‘dark arts’ of what he refers to as ‘phony psychometrics.’

We invited William onto the show to look at how and why these methods are being used and whether they have any credibility.

Craig is joined by Director of ‘Timely Careers’, Laura Dowie, for an enlightening conversation about the imperative need for flexible working arrangements, especially for women and parents. Laura is on a mission to heighten organisations' awareness of the impact of having a more dynamic and gender inclusive workforce. **Key Talking Points in this Episode:** 1. **Childcare Crisis and Inflexible Working** 2. **Measuring Output vs. Time Served** 3. **Impact on Productivity and Inclusion** 4. **Flexible Working for Seasoned Professionals** 5. **Job Sharing and Employer Education** 6. **Resources at Timely Careers** If you enjoy this episode please give it a like, share and follow the podcast to help us spread these messages and together we can build a better working world!

Craig is joined on the show by Jo Wright, bestselling author of the book “NO MORE SH*T MANAGERS: Seven Steps to a Coaching Culture” and co-founder of Coaching Culture Ltd.

Jo is a cultural change leader on a mission to inspire people to think differently through the power of coaching, and has helped thousands of people to develop the confidence and capability to have better conversations.

In this episode we discuss:

• The book and inspiration behind it
• Why we have so many sh*t managers...
• What we can do about it
• How a coaching culture can transform organisations
• The reasons most organisations don't have a coaching culture despite overwhelming evidence of the benefits it brings
• The steps to overcoming obstacles and resistance to introduce one
• And much, much more!!!

If you enjoy this episode please give it a like, share and follow the podcast to help us spread these messages and together we can build a better working world!

Craig is joined on the show by menopause specialist, advocate and certified women’s wellbeing coach Karina Todd who has recently taken up the position of Director of Client Services for Ireland with ‘Over the Bloody Moon’ an award-winning menopause agency that partners with organisations to create a menopause-inclusive environment. In the episode we discuss: - What menopause is and the associated symptoms - How it affects those who experience it and their careers - How managers and co-workers can better support their colleagues - What organisations can do to create a menopause-inclusive environment If you like this episode, please let us know and give it a share on social media so we can spread these messages and together make a better working world.

Cultural assassins, Frankenstein structures, why HR leaders struggle for role models, the 4 ‘STEP’ approach which can deliver the strategic focus your HR department needs - all this and MUCH more as Craig is joined by Steve Carpenter on the show! Steve’s held roles such as People & Culture Director - Krispy Kreme UK, Head of HR - Hotel Chocolat, HR Director - Carpetright, Head of HR - Game, Head of HR - Caffè Nero, HR Manager - PRET and he came on the show to share some of the learnings from a fabulous career to date. If you like this episode, please let us know and give it a share on social media so we can spread these messages and together make a better working world.

Craig is joined by MCS Group’s Head of Human Resources, Sales, Marketing & Legal Recruitment – Ryan Calvert to discuss recruiting trends in 2024, what jobseekers are looking for in an employer and how organisations can stand out to attract the top talent.

Radical Candor is the outstanding book exploring Kim Scott’s management philosophy for ‘getting what you want by saying what you mean’. That might sound simple, but unclear communication, or critical feedback remaining unsaid, causes mayhem in most businesses every day of the year!

Craig was joined by Kim’s co-founder, Jason Rosoff, to discuss why this happens along with:

- What Radical Candor is

- How the model was created

- In what scenarios it’s useful

- Why so many people struggle with having feedback conversations

- Whether it can help with giving feedback ‘up’

- How we can make giving and receiving feedback less scary

- How to cascade Radical Candor across a business

- Why it was renamed in the latest version of the book (and what to!!)

Plus so much more!!

Give the episode a listen and if you find it useful please share it with your network to help others who struggle with difficult conversations.

We hope you enjoy the episode and find it helpful!!

Craig is joined by keynote speaker and expert on the topic of ‘The Science of Happiness’, Richard Clarke.

Richard teaches happiness in the workplace: how to use the science of well-being to build better teams - teams that collaborate more effectively, innovate more, and stay together longer.

In this episode we explore:

• What workplace happiness is
• Whether happiness is the right KPI to drive success
• What the key differentials are that can boost happiness and as a result business performance

We hope you enjoy the episode, do let us know what you think!

This is a very special episode for two reasons - it's our first ever video episode and we're featuring another outstanding employer - the Verified Vibrant Workplace: Kukoon!

Verified Vibrant Workplaces have successfully completed our Vibrant Workplace Accelerator and *proven* through our employee experience platform mooqi® that their employees most often:

• Have a Good or Great day at work
• Are Engaged with the work they do
• Think others should work there too!

In this episode Craig interviews Simon Ward, Kukoon's Managing Director. They discuss Kukoon's journey:

• From Paul & Clare Vallely selling the first rugs online from their dad’s shed
• To becoming the largest independent retailer of rugs in the UK and Ireland
• Why a small business pays so much attention to culture
• What convinced Simon to follow a role with one of the world’s largest enterprises to a family business
• Where Kukoon’s 4 day week pilot came from and how it worked out
• And how they managed to SMASH the Vibrant Workplace accreditation standards!!!

Tune in and let us know what you think!

This is a VERY special episode as it’s the FIRST TIME we’re able to bring the spotlight on a Verified Vibrant Workplace – today we feature the INCREDIBLE employer: TruCorp!!

Verified Vibrant Workplaces have successfully completed our Vibrant Workplace Accelerator and *proven* through our employee experience platform mooqi® that their employees most often:

• Have a Good or Great day at work
• Are Engaged with the work they do
• Think others should work there too!

In this episode Craig interviews David Hutton, Operations Director at TruCorp, and Project Lead for their Vibrant Workplace journey. They discuss:

• TruCorp's impressive employee engagement scores
• The importance of organisational culture and how TruCorp’s has evolved to become one of the best in the world
• The innovative work TruCorp does in medical simulation and the importance of purposeful work

David shares insights on how culture is built from the team up and the significance of measuring employee experience.  

The conversation highlights the need for transparency in workplace culture and the role of leadership in fostering a positive environment.

In this special episode Craig is joined by Marc Vivas (CEO) and Markéta Bártová (HR Manager) as we explore life at a very special company – the very first company who ever took part in the Vibrant Workplace Accelerator, Nuvolar Works!

Being prepared to try things is a hallmark of a leader – and Nuvolar weren’t just trying something new – they were the first to do it. 

We explore why they were prepared to go first, what we learnt about their culture and what made Nuvolar Works the world’s first Verified Vibrant Workplace!

For Context: Verified Vibrant Workplaces have successfully completed our Vibrant Workplace Accelerator and *proven* through our employee experience platform mooqi® that their employees most often:

• Have a Good or Great day at work
• Are Engaged with the work they do
• Think others should join the company too!

Does Nuvolar Works sound like a Vibrant Workplace to you?

Tune in and let us know what you think!

In this episode, Craig Thompson engages in a deep conversation with renowned podcast, author, speaker and coach Seamus Fox about the importance of self-leadership, finding one's purpose, and the role of values in achieving fulfilment in life and work.

Seamus shares his personal journey of transformation,emphasizing the significance of understanding one's values and how they influence decisions and actions.

The discussion also touches on the challenges of motivationversus discipline, the impact of environment on personal growth, and the necessity of creating a purposeful workplace that aligns with individual values.

Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own lives, identify what truly matters to them, and take actionable steps towards a more fulfilling existence.

In this episode of The Vibrant Workplace Podcast, Craig satdown with executive coach and speaker Philip Brady - and we went deep.

 

We shared stories we don’t normally talk about.

 

And from that place, we asked the bigger questions:

 

• What happens when we pretend employer branding is culture?
• Are people really leaving bad managers - or are wescapegoating them to protect broken systems?
• Can coaching be therapeutic without being therapy?
• What would it look like if we fasted from chaos, urgency, and overconsumption?

 

You won’t get easy answers here.

 

But you will get an honest conversation about how the worldof work needs to evolve - and why it starts with us.

 

If this resonates with you, please drop a comment and let usknow what you think!

What if the biggest barrier to your organisation's growthis the mindset of its leaders?

In this episode, Craig is joined by 2022 IoD Director of the Year for Leadership & Innovation, author of The Inner Path of Leadership and founder of SpinState – David Maxwell.

Together they explore:

• Why so many successful leaders still feel stuck
• The difference between horizontal and vertical development
• The knowing-doing gap
• Leadership, ego and purpose
• Why mindset can become a bottleneck to business growth
• The link between inner development and organisational performance
• What leaders can do to begin the journey

David draws on decades of leadership experience, scalingbusinesses, raising investment, and helping leaders grow their organisations by growing themselves.

If you're a founder, director or senior leader looking tocreate greater impact, this conversation is for you.

🎙 Good Jobs, Better Business?

With Mark McAllister, Chief Executive of the Labour Relations Agency

The upcoming Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill is set to introduce significant changes to the employment landscape in Northern Ireland.

But how aware are employers of what’s coming?
What is actually changing?

And what could this mean in practice for businesses and employees alike?

In this episode, Craig sits down with Mark McAllister, Chief Executive of the Labour Relations Agency, for an open and honest conversation about:

• Where the Good Jobs Bill has come from - and why

• The LRA’s role in shaping and supporting its implementation

• What changes are likely to matter most to employers

• The union access and voice elements generating discussion

• How businesses can prepare

• And how confidence and trust can be strengthened in workplace relations

We also explore the broader question:
Can better jobs lead to better business?

This is a thoughtful discussion designed to bring clarity to a topic that is already generating strong opinions.

Whether you’re an business owner, HR leader, union representative, or simply interested in the future of work in Northern Ireland, this episode will help you understand what’s ahead as we assess it from the viewpoint of various stakeholder groups.

🎙 The Vibrant Workplace Podcast is hosted by Craig Thompson

It explores how we can build a better working world for both employers and employees with a key focus on leadership, culture, employee engagement and the future of work.

📲 Follow Craig on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/craig-thompson-4935795

🌐 Learn more: vibranttalent.co.uk

In this episode, Craig is joined by Mary McManus from Living Wage NI to explore the Real Living Wage through a commercial lens, not just a moral one.

They discuss why fair pay has become such a challenging issue for employers, the real pressures facing SMEs, and whether paying the Real Living Wage can genuinely make business sense when viewed through retention, recruitment, engagement, and long-term performance.

A balanced, thoughtful conversation for business owners and leaders who want to understand how pay levels impact business outcomes.

We hope you enjoy!

In this episode, Craig is joined by Barry Taylor, Managing Director of MEGA, to explore why manufacturing in Northern Ireland is far more than the old “dirty factory” stereotype.

Barry lifts the lid on a sector that is quietly driving innovation, providing long-term careers, and anchoring communities — yet still battling major talent and skills shortages.

Together, Craig and Barry unpack:

• How modern manufacturing has transformed into a hub of technology, precision and progression

• The hidden career opportunities most people never hear about

• Why the sector is struggling to attract talent — and what needs to change

• How culture, skills and employer brand will shape the future of manufacturing

• What other industries can learn from the sector’s approach to developing people

If you’re a leader thinking about the future of talent - or someone curious about what the manufacturing world really looks like today - this conversation will challenge assumptions, widen perspectives and showcase a sector full of untapped opportunity.

In this special episode Craig is joined by Niall Martindale (CEO) and Olga Pollock (HR Manager) as we explore life in the Verified Vibrant Workplace, Kinecx Energy!

Kinecx took part in the Vibrant Workplace Accelerator and we found that their people had 18.2 times more positive than negative days at work!

In fact, there were only 3.7% of days across the workforce that were rated negatively. That means for every 100 working days there are less than 4 bad ones!

How does work get that good, and what makes Kinecx such a close knit team with such a compelling culture?

Tune in to find out!

For Context: Verified Vibrant Workplaces have successfully completed our Vibrant Workplace Accelerator and proven through our employee experience platform mooqi® that their employees most often:

• Have a Good or Great day at work
• Are Engaged with the work they do
• Think others should join the company too!

Does Kinecx Energy sound like a Vibrant Workplace to you?

Let us know what you think!

Craig Thompson chats with Karen Maguire, Chairperson of Employee Ownership Ireland, about the growing movement of Employee Ownership Trusts:

• How they work
• Why business owners are embracing them
• And what they mean for employees, company culture and the future of work