Explore every episode of the podcast TALK HR UK powered by Alexander Lloyd HR Recruitment

Talk HR UK is a Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd.

Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the South East of the UK about their professional and personal experiences.Our discussions will detail HR initiatives and industry topics. We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors, and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation.

In episode 19, Simon Geere talks to Amelia Dowty, Talent Acquisition Director for UK and Ireland at WTW.We titled this episode, “The Challenges of Being a Transformative TA leader”In the podcast we discuss :o Amelia's career journey from agency to Early Careers to leading the recruitment function for a blue-chip company.o How Early Careers recruitment shaped Amelia's approach to leadership within recruitment.o The strategies Amelia has developed to overcome obstacles, both personally and professionally.o How to cope with redundancy, and advice to others facing similar circumstances in the current market.o Exciting initiatives that Amelia is you’re working on around diversity, inclusion, and evolving recruitment strategieso Mentoring and guiding the next generation of recruitment professionals.www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Talk HR UK is a Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd.

Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the South East of the UK about their professional and personal experiences. Our discussions will detail HR initiatives and industry topics. We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors, and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation. In episode 18, Simon Geere talks to Luke Smith, Talent Acquisition and Experience Specialist at Toyota GB. We titled this episode, “Perfecting Candidate Experience in the Modern Talent Acquisition Process” In the podcast we discuss : o Key strategies implemented to enhance the recruitment process for both experienced hires and early careers candidates o How the approach to candidate experience differs when recruiting for experienced professionals versus early careers employees o How Toyota GB gathers feedback from candidates during recruitment campaigns, and how that feedback informed changes to talent acquisition methods o How to ensure that the Toyota brand and values are maintained throughout the recruitment process, and that candidates have a consistent experience o Innovations and changes in the way we engage with candidates and work with external partners www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Talk HR UK is a Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd.

Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the Southeast of the UK about their professional and personal experiences.

 

Our discussions will detail HR initiatives and industry topics.

We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation.

 

In episode 17, Simon Geere talks to Terri Bailey, HR Consultant, Interim CPO and previously HR Director of Virgin Holidays

 

We titled this episode, “Creating High Performing Teams at C-Suite Level"

 

In the podcast we discuss :

 

o Strategies to foster collaboration among C-Suite Executives

o Identifying and addressing potential conflicts between C-Suite members to maintain cohesion

o The role of emotional intelligence in building a strong leadership team

o Ensuring alignment between C-Suite members, and company goals during times of change

o Indicators and metrics that can assess performance and effectiveness

 

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Talk HR UK is a Video Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd. Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the South East of the UK about their professional and personal experiences. Our discussions will detail HR initiatives and industry topics. We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors, and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation. In episode 16, Simon Geere talks to Bertie Tonks from Collinson, the most influential HR practitioner in 2023 according to HR Magazine. We titled this episode, “HR THE REINVENTION - SHAKING UP THE PROFESSION!” In this mini journey through HR as we know it, we discuss : o Reinventing the HR Operating Model o How we organise ourselves and grow the right capability in order to deliver something new o Strategic People Planning – translating the capabilities o How we get the right weight of leadership standing by our side to deliver change and difference. www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Talk HR UK is a Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd. Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the South East of the UK about their professional and personal experiences. Our discussions will detail HR initiatives and industry topics. We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors, and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation. In episode 15, Simon Geere talks to Gavin Russell, Founder of Pepper Moth, an online coaching academy and membership club that enables leaders to master their culture. This podcast is a recording of an in-person event we ran in 2023.......for those who couldn't make it on the day, or those who are just interested in the principles of successful culture transformation....welcome to Culture Timebomb…..five pragmatic steps to lead your Leadership Team to culture heaven, before they reach culture hell! www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 14, Simon Geere talks to James Gordanifar, Global Head of Early Careers Talent Acquisition at WTW about how early careers recruitment and development has changed since the pandemic. In the podcast we discuss : • Pre-pandemic, how we traditionally attracted Early Careers talent to the organisation • The challenges and obstacles that COVID put in the way • The tools now being utilised in Early Careers Recruitment • How students have responded to these new methods – successes and failures • Now that things are returning to a degree of normality what pressure is there in this area to resume face to face recruitment activity? • Further changes and improvements to predict for the future of Early Careers

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 13, Simon Geere talks to Steve Woodhouse, HR Director at Marsh UK and Ireland about the increasing the capability of managers.  

In the podcast we discuss :  

◼ How the role of the manager and the required skills of a leader have changed with hybrid working over the last 18 months. 

◼ New initiatives or processes that Marsh are trying out to help support managers, and the successes so far. 

◼ How managers are reacting to the renewed focus. 

◼ The changes to the culture at Marsh we are seeing as a result of remote working. 

◼ The successes in keeping people connected.

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

This episode follows on as a companion piece to episode 9 recorded with Gavin Russell (why culture and engagement isn't working). 

In this second part, Simon Geere asks Gavin Russell (Founder of Peppermoth), Ben Foulkes (Business Psychologist) and Imogen March (HR Director, Executive Coach & NED) a series of questions posed by YOU, the subscribers to Talk HR UK.  

Gavin, Ben and Imogen discuss:  

◼ If HR focusses on upskilling leaders, does culture take care of itself?  

◼ How do you enable culture and engagement to work in our new hybrid world? 

◼ How does HR get everyone to understand what culture is, and what it takes to get it to deliver real value?

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 11, Simon Geere talks to Sam Geis, VP and People Partner at KBR about the concept of becoming a values based organisation.  In the podcast we discuss :  

◼ What is a values based organisation? 

◼ What organisations are doing in order to behave like a values based organisation. 

◼ How HR can help an organisation moved to a values based culture. 

◼ The challenges facing organisations trying to create this kind of cultural transformation. 

◼ How to bring values to life on a daily basis. 

◼ Why it is so important for organisations to have a clear, relatable purpose. 

◼ The changes we're seeing to the concept of Employee Value Proposition as new generations enter the workforce.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 10, Simon Geere talks to Carrie Kebble, Employee Experience, Wellbeing and Inclusion Partner at Thales about increasing the visibility of mental health first aid and wellbeing in a hybrid environment.  

In the podcast we discuss:  

• What led Carrie to this newly created role 

• How did the strategy for this project come about  

• How Carrie pulled the Mental Health First Aid team together to improve cohesion 

• How the role and responsibilities of MHFAs has changed over the last 2 years 

• The outcomes of the discovery workshops 

• How these new initiatives are being implemented at Thales

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes.

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 9, Simon Geere talks to Gavin Russell, Founder of Peppermoth about why our current culture and engagement approach isn’t working & what to do about it!   

In the podcast we discuss :  

◼ Why Gavin thinks that current efforts to transform culture and engagement aren't working 

◼ The positive impact of HR on culture 

◼ How can Chief People Officers and HR Directors influence organisational culture - 6 key actions 

◼Employee experience vs. employee engagement 

◼ How HR Leaders can change their approach to improve employee engagement 

◼ Fixing burnt out leadership teams to enable culture change  

Thanks for listening! This time, we'd like to hear your questions about the challenges to HR of changing culture and improving employee engagement.   

We're conscious that you may or may not agree with all the points that Gavin makes in this conversation, and he has agreed (with a panel) to answer any questions that you have about culture and engagement.  

We plan to record a second part to this podcast that answers these questions in the near future!  

Please send your questions to sge@alexanderlloyd.co.uk and Simon will be in touch!  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

The Alexander Lloyd HR Recruitment team are delighted to partner again with Andy Knorpel, a Consultant at Synchrony Law, to bring you the first of our webinars in 2022.

On Wednesday 23rd March 2022, Andy will be looking at what he considers to be the most important cases for HR practitioners over the last few months, then provide a short update on the implications of the Government’s recent announcement that all remaining COVID-related legal restrictions are to be lifted.

This virtual event will be hosted by Simon Geere and the HR Recruitment team. 

Check out the HR Talk UK podcast on our YouTube channel :  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN2FHWn5R3ePidJFif0PBaw

In episode 8, Simon Geere talks to Natalie Rogers, Chief People Officer and Susan Sanderson, Senior Manager Corporate Sustainability and CSR from Unum about how to become a more responsible organisation and employer.

In the podcast we discuss :

◼ What is a responsible business? 

◼ What customers expect from organisations in terms of both responsibility and sustainability? 

◼ The impact of the regulators on financial services organisations in this area. 

◼ Steps that organisations can take to become a responsible business and employer.

◼ How to engage employees in the drive to become a responsible organisation. 

◼ Successfully delivered CSR and sustainability initiatives.

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes.

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 7, Simon Geere talks to Louise Davies, CEO from The Vegan Society about how to handle veganism in the workplace. 

In the podcast we discuss :  

• What it actually means to be vegan. 

• Why veganism has become so popular. 

• How well UK employers whose products have no obvious direct link to veganism understand the importance of the shift towards plant-based choices. 

• The impact of veganism becoming a protected characteristic in the UK. 

• Changes in practice employers can make regarding the treatment of ethical vegans employed at their organisations. 

• How  HR professionals can tailor their Employee Value Proposition and Employer Brand to increase employee engagement and possibly wellbeing? 

• Corporate initiatives that support vegan thinking and promote healthy-living or inclusivity.  

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes. 

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk 

www.vegansociety.com

Alexander Lloyd’s HR Recruitment Team & Andrew Knorpel from Synchrony Law are pleased to invite you to a webinar on 4th November 2021 at 12pm hosted by Simon Geere.

Once again, Andy will focus on non-pandemic-related aspects of employment practice, including recent Government proposals for new legislation relating to carer’s leave, flexible working and sexual harassment. He will also provide an update on data protection developments affecting employee data, including a number of initiatives and decisions from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

This virtual event will be hosted by Simon Geere and the HR Recruitment team. Please click the Register link above to let us know that you are interested in attending the event.

Check out the HR Talk UK podcast on our YouTube channel :  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN2FHWn5R3ePidJFif0PBaw

In episode 6, Simon Geere talks to Carla Henson from Toyota GB about how she helped the organisation to develop an improved employee experience strategy. 

In the podcast we discuss :  

▪️What is Employee Experience? 

▪️How Carla and the HR function started the improvement process 

▪️How to involve stakeholders in the business with designing and delivering the concept, and how to launch the initiative 

▪️Explaining what differences employees now see between the pre-EX Toyota and what has been created now 

▪️How to help line managers engage with this initiative  

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes. We hope to see you next week.

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Alexander Lloyd’s HR Recruitment Team & Andrew Knorpel from Synchrony Law are pleased to invite you to a webinar on 24th June 2021 at 12pm hosted by Simon Geere.  

In addition to major cases relating to employment status (which we won’t be covering this time), the tribunals and courts have continued to give their judgments throughout lockdown.   

Andrew will therefore be focussing on what he considers to be the most important cases for HR practitioners so far in 2021. He’ll also provide a short update on any legal changes as we exit lockdown hopefully in July.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk  

Check out the HR Talk UK podcast on our YouTube channel :  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN2FHWn5R3ePidJFif0PBaw

In episode 5, Simon Geere talks to James Hubbard, EMEA Talent Acquisition Leader at Kimberly-Clark about how to weave diversity & inclusion into your talent acquisition strategy. 

In the podcast we discuss: 

▪️How has D & I influenced the recruitment strategy at Kimberly-Clark 

▪️How to encourage leaders to have diversity of thought 

▪️How to break D & I into manageable chunks 

▪️How to support managers to understand the career journeys and transferable skills of candidates 

▪️What the long term benefits of D & I are to an organisation 

▪️The effect of COVID-19 on D & I 

▪️Recommendations for organisations looking to overhaul their D & I strategy  

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes. We hope to see you next week.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 4 Simon Geere talks to Tom Holmwood and Sophie Thornton from the Recruitment team at Surrey County Council about how positively the team responded to the challenges of 2020, driving the team to improve the employer brand and candidate experience.  

Tom & Sophie discuss:  

• How the recruitment team adjusted to remote working; how processes were changed, and what was learnt   
• How the onboarding process was improved  
• The team's commitment to continuous improvement   
• How Tom and Sophie pushed the agile working agenda  
• The challenges and new initiatives brought to the forefront by COVID-19  
• Success stories  

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes. We hope to see you next week.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 3 Simon Geere talks to Craig Pattison, Chief People & Technology Officer from Air Partner, a global aviation services organisation. In 2020, Craig made the decision to roll out Implicit Bias training to Air Partner employees. In the podcast, Craig tells Simon:

• Why Air Partner decided to deliver implicit bias training 
• Responding to claims that implicit/unconscious bias training doesn't work
• Feedback and learning from the training 
• Future diversity & inclusion initiatives that HR can deliver

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes. We hope to see you next week.

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

In episode 2 Simon Geere talks to Martin Mason, founder of Unleashed, a Talent and Inclusion consultancy. 

Martin discusses:  

• What’s wrong with the 9 box grid method we’ve all been using.
• How organisations can reduce subjectivity in the Talent Management process. 
• How Talent Management processes can become more inclusive across an organisation. 
• Why is the next natural succession plan for any high-potential their boss’s job?  
• When looking at recruiting external talent, how organisations can link the on-boarding process to the talent management process. 
• How organisations can encourage “learner-led” initiatives to ensure that any future skills-gaps are addressed proactively.  

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to hear about all future episodes. We hope to see you next week.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Rich Holgate from Student Beans, a fast growing Marketing & Technology business who work with Google, Dominos & McDonalds to name a few, joins Damien Barnett to discuss...  

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘙 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 & 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 (𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥) 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘵!  

• It is easy to fall into the trap of managing policies and procedures, and when a wider business see an HR Ops role in that light...then we have to find a way of working differently. 
• How does Data help, Business Partnering and a collaborative approach influence a positive outcome?

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Simon Geere from Alexander Lloyd’s HR Recruitment Team & Rebecca Thornley-Gibson from DMH are pleased to invite you to a webinar on 25th March 2021 at 12pm

Restrictive covenants divide opinion on whether they are necessary and enforceable in employment contracts, but many employers see significant value in using them to protect their business interests.

The debate is about to get more interesting as a government consultation on the use of restrictive covenants is now underway; in this webinar, we discuss how you can use restrictive covenants for business benefit, and what possible changes may arise as a result of the current consultation.

As always there is a steady stream of new employment law that we all need to keep up to date with so we’ll be selecting some of the most important 2020 and 2021 case law and legislative developments to share with you.

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

Check out the HR Talk UK podcast on our YouTube channel : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjg0sknUa97odO-B5eSh3KjD1DVZirBb3

In this episode, Simon Geere talks to Simon Brown, an Interim HR Projects Director and HR Transformation Expert about his experiences in designing and delivering global HR Shared Services Centres.  

In the podcast we discuss:  

How HR Services / Operations functions will evolve as we start to emerge from the COVID-19 era.  

Planning and delivering a global HR Shared Services centre, and overcoming the challenges associated with transformation.  

Simon's opinions on the features and benefits of the large HR tech platforms, and what factors influence the decision making process.  

Managing knowledge transfer and training when setting up global HR Shared Services.  

What are the best ways for employees to engage with an HR Shared Service Centre.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeer..

In this episode, Simon Geere talks to Debbie Sanders, an Employee Relations, Industrial Relations, Change and Transformation Consultant. 

Debbie has recently set up her own Employee Relations consultancy after a successful career in Employee and Industrial Relations in a number of well-known organisations.  

In the podcast we cover: 

1. The increase in demand for Employee Relations skills.  

2. Why Employee Relations is not the most popular specialism in HR.   

3. What attracted Debbie to Employee Relations.  

4. What Employee Relations  challenges organisations will face over the short and medium term.  

5. What HR/ER should do to support organisations and face these challenges.  

6. How to improve the relationship with the trade unions.   

7. What are the key Employee Relations skills that all HR professionals should develop.  

8. How can HR professionals improve their skills in conflict resolution.  

9. How does it feel when organisations have a positive employee relations environment.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

In this episode, Simon Geere talks to Sarah Scannella, a career coach, change professional and executive coach about her career change from HR Director to starting her own coaching business, and the benefits of coaching at an individual and organisational level.

In the podcast we cover:

Why Sarah switched from HR to coaching.

What skills are required for a successful coach – how Sarah made the transition.

How coaching has become even more useful and relevant in 2020/21.

The areas of HR that coaching can support. 

Examples of the work carried out so far – the benefits to the individuals / organisations.

How coaching can help people to navigate change.

How organisations need to adapt to encourage a coaching culture.

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

As the New Year brings new challenges with another lockdown, we bring you the first in a new series of HR webinars.  

In our first webinar, we partner with Andy Knorpel, a Consultant at Synchrony Law, and Wendy Ladd, an occupational health specialist practitioner with AWL Occupational Health, who has a particular interest in mental health.  

Even before the most recent lockdown was announced, many employers had decided that their staff would be unlikely to return to the workplace for a number of months.  It now seems highly unlikely that office life will return to any kind of normality (whatever that may be) before Easter 2021.  Some staff have been happy to work from home, but others have greatly missed their previous interactions with colleagues. 

Simon Geere, Andy and Wendy will be looking at employee mental health and related issues arising out of the pandemic and lockdown.  They will discuss what problems are likely to arise and focus on how employers should deal with them.  

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk  

Check out the HR Talk UK podcast on our YouTube channel : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjg0sknUa97odO-B5eSh3KjD1DVZirBb3

In this episode, Simon Geere talks to David Shimkus, a Learning & Development professional and Organisational Development Project Manager  about the importance of identifying the most suitable L&D framework for your organisation, and the best way to embed the framework.

In the podcast we cover:

·  What is a Learning & Development framework?

·  What would a Learning & Development framework achieve that a ‘training plan’ would not?

·  How do you identify the right Learning & Development framework?

·  How to you embed the framework to make it culturally normal?

·  What tips do you have for winning over a business into using the framework?

·  What happens when you don’t have a framework in place?

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

In this episode, Simon Geere talks to David Hodges, a Head of HR at Thales. David has recently been working on a cross-functional project at Thales that aims to change mindset at an organisational level in the area of experience vs. potential when hiring both internally or externally.

In the podcast we cover: 

What David has learnt about how "experience" is used in candidate selection 

Why David became interested in challenging the overriding use of experience as criteria in candidate assessment 

How hiring managers can improve their skills in candidate selection  

Which individuals may gain advantage via their experience rather than their ability 

Why experience is no longer a valid indicator of future performance in the VUCA landscape 

Which criteria outside of experience will grow in relevance in the coming years 

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Jenny Davidson, professional pension trustee and Reward Director at various global organisations including Three, Virgin Atlantic and Dixons Carphone. Jenny has recently become a Trustee Executive, and discusses why she made this move, alongside a number of key issues affecting company pension schemes in the current landscape. In the podcast we cover: Why Jenny became a Trustee Why organisations should consider appointing a trustee to help manage their pension scheme Changes in pensions governance How to keep employees engaged with their company pension scheme What is the role of a pension scheme in environmental change, and how organisations need to adapt to make sure their pension offering appeals to a values-driven, younger generations What organisations need to know about master trust pension schemes Recommendations for 2021 www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Sally Desborough, a Mental Health First Aid England Instructor, Consultant and Speaker.

Simon first met Sally when assisting her with her search for a new HR role in 2016. Sally made the decision at the end of 2019 to reboot her career in one of her true areas of passion, Mental Health and Wellbeing. Sally has now set out as a specialist consultant in this interesting and key area.

In the podcast we cover:

• Sally's personal journey from HR to Mental Health & Wellbeing Consultant
• What should HR be doing to address wellbeing during the pandemic?
• The impact of awareness days
• The impact of working from home, and a lack of human connection
• How performance can be affected by remote working
• The effects of the pandemic on different generations 
• Recommendations to the HR profession for 2021 from a wellbeing perspective 

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Gavin Russell, the founder of Pepper Moth; the HR Change and Innovation Partner, and the author of Transformation Timebomb.

Gavin, a regular on Talk HR UK joined me mid-US presidential election, and he and I discussed the historical view of Talent Acquisition and its requirement to transform, begging the question, "Is it time to redesign recruitment?"

In the podcast we cover:

• Is the recruitment model broken?
• Changes to the modern business environment affecting Talent Acquisition 
• What the Talent Acquisition function needs to focus on
• What questions should recruitment professionals be asking themselves?
• How to rebuild the Talent Acquisition operating model
• What skillsets and mindsets do Talent Acquisition professionals need to evolve?

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Michelle Clark, Executive Director of Diversity and Talent at The Children’s Society. Michelle joined The Children’s Society in this new role in April 2020 from Govia Thameslink Railway, where she held a number of senior HR roles including Head of Employee Experience and Engagement, and Head of Organisational Development.

Michelle and I discussed a number of topics, including the content of her new role, and how she has found moving from the commercial sector to a charity.

In the podcast we cover:

• Michelle’s new role at The Children’s Society
• Ensuring that organisations focus equally on their internal employees and their external customers
• How Michelle is approaching Diversity and Inclusion at The Children’s Society by listening to the employees
• How HR professionals can raise their game and improve Diversity and Inclusion initiatives in their own organisations
• Key HR challenges for 2020 and 2021
• HR roles of the future

www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Steph South, Global HR Business Partner at HSBC. Steph is an ICAgile Certified Professional for Agility in HR, and I wanted to understand what she has learnt and implemented as a result of this popular approach.


Steph and I discussed a number of topics, including describing the successes that she’s had using Agile at HSBC with the Technology population globally, through to recommending how an organisation takes its first steps towards implementing Agile HR.

In the podcast we cover: ·  Steph’s role at HSBC, and how Agile has formed part of this
·  Successes using Agile at HSBC with the global technology population
·  How to you sell the benefits of agile to stakeholders in the business
·  What does agile HR look like, and how you can begin to embed this in an organisation
·  How to structure an agile HR function
·  Common mistakes that can be made when moving towards Agile HR
·  Recommendations for an organisation looking to take its first step towards an agile HR function
www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

Talk HR UK is a Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd. Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the South East of the UK about their professional and personal experiences during 2020. 

Our discussions will detail what HR professionals are seeking in the industry going forward post COVID-19. We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors, and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation.

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Frances Marlow, HR Director at H & T, one of the leading and oldest pawnbrokers in the UK.

Frances and I cover a number of topics, from how a multi-site national retailer handles the challenges of 2020, through to identifying what the HR skills of the future need to be in this post-pandemic era.

In the podcast we cover:

Key HR challenges for H & T for the remainder of 2020?
What skills do HR professionals need to hone and develop for life post-COVID?
How HR is seen at H & T, and how it will evolve.
The difference between Frances' current role  at H & T and her previous role at AXA Partners.
What keeps Frances in the HR industry – why she loves it.
How can businesses survive post CO-VID19?
How CO-VID19 has positively influenced the people agenda at H&T?

Powered by Alexander Lloyd

Talk HR UK is a Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd. Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the South East of the UK about their professional and personal experiences during 2020. 

Our discussions will detail what HR professionals are seeking in the industry going forward post COVID-19.We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors, and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation.

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Gavin Russell, the founder of Pepper Moth. an HR change and innovation partner, and the author of Transformation Timebomb.

Gavin has some interesting opinions about the HR industry in today’s challenging business landscape, and I was keen to talk to him about his views on why HR needs to become a leader before it can become a partner.

In the podcast we cover:

• What’s wrong with HR?
• Why the HR Business Partner model doesn’t always work
• The HR doom loop
• How can HR structure itself to offer the best support to the business?
• HR must redefine its role at board level
• What mindset is missing from some HR professionals?
• How HR must justify the expense of automation
• Is Agile HR the way forward?

You can connect with Gavin on LinkedIn here

You can connect with Simon on LinkedIn here

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Talk HR UK is a Video Podcast powered by Alexander Lloyd. Members of the HR Recruitment team will be talking to HR Leaders based in the South East of the UK about their professional and personal experiences during 2020. We will share ideas and concepts that are currently being delivered in a variety of sectors, and aim to allow HR Leaders to showcase how HR challenges differ from organisation to organisation.

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Ed Johnson, the CEO of Pushfar Limited.

Ed set up Pushfar as an organisation in 2018 as a direct response to the challenges that he faced in trying to secure a mentor to support his own personal development. A keen advocate of mentoring, Ed has driven Pushfar as an organisation to offer an open mentoring platform for individuals with nearly 30,000 members. Additionally Pushfar offers a licensed, corporate platform providing organisational mentoring solutions.

We talk to Ed about

• His career journey before Pushfar
• The benefits of mentoring
• The genesis of Pushfar as an organisation, and how it works
• His views on who should mentor, and how you match mentors to mentees
• Why mentoring is more vital than ever in the current climate
• What goes wrong with mentoring schemes, and how to avoid it
• The future

You can connect with Ed on LinkedIn here

You can connect with Simon on LinkedIn here

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In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Hannah Mitchell, the HR Director for Fittleworth Medical Ltd. who offer a medical products home dispensing and clinical advice service across the UK.

Hannah joined Fittleworth as an HR Advisor in 2012, and has worked hard to develop her career internally, leading to her appointment in her dream role of HR Director in 2018.

We talk to Hannah about the great work that the HR function and the leadership team at Fittleworth have put in across a challenging 2020 to maintain and improve employee engagement, whilst ensuring a consistent approach to internal communications.

The unique and positive culture at Fittleworth features heavily in this podcast, as we discuss:

• The Fittleworth Medical organisation
• Hannah’s 8 year career journey at Fittleworth Medical
• Great business results
• Employee engagement scores
• Improving offerings to both customers and employees
• Operation Apollo
• Wellbeing training for leaders
• Employer brand and attracting talent
• Leadership development
• Wellness check-ins
• The future of HR

You can connect with Hannah on LinkedIn here

You can connect with Simon on LinkedIn here

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In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Peter Waller, the HR Director for Air Navigation Solutions. ANS deliver air traffic control services at some of the world’s busiest airports. Peter joined ANSL as HR Director in July 2018, not long after ANSL had won the air traffic control services contract at Gatwick Airport. We take an in-depth look at what happens when Peter joined a relatively new organisation that had just won an important contract in one of the world’s most regulated and high-profile industries. The beginning of Peter’s HR career at ANSL is explored, as we discuss Winning the contracts at Gatwick and Edinburgh Setting up the infrastructure for a multi-site organisation Why Peter was attracted to the role at ANSL Cultural challenges at ANSL Launching and developing HR at ANSL The relationship between managers and employees Building trust with the Trade Unions COVID-19 and the impact on the aviation industry What’s next for ANSL The future of HR The best view of Edinburg airport You can connect with Peter on LinkedIn here You can connect with Simon on LinkedIn here Powered by Alexander Lloyd

In this episode, Simon Geere speaks to Simon Rickatson, the Group Corporate Services Director for Nelsons, the UK's largest manufacturer of natural healthcare products. 

Simon Rickatson has progressed from an HR Director specialism into a Group role, which is still not commonplace. Simon's HR career journey is explored, alongside the following areas:  

• Maintaining a strong position in the market.  
• The importance of valuing family life in a family-owned business.  
• The relationship between HR and IT.  
• Integrating corporate services into an organisation.  
• Using your HR skills in a non-HR role.  
• Future HR initiatives, including managing remotely, creating a culture, performance management and corporate social responsibility.

You can connect with Simon Rickatson at https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-rickatson-5667111/

You can connect with Simon Geere at https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

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In this episode of HR Talk UK I catch up with Peter Hogg, Director of Talent Acquisition for Middle East and Africa at Schneider Electric.

I’ve always enjoyed talking to Peter; he’s a very driven leader in the Talent Acquisition arena, and his career ascension demonstrates that moving from a successful “agency recruiter” to a high profile “in-house" Talent Acquisiton Director is achievable if you work hard, grab hold of career opportunities and set your mind to developing a strong internal and external network.

In this podcast we cover:

       ✶       The unique skills of Talent Acquisition professionals

       ✶       Moving from agency to in-house recruitment

       ✶       The value of Employer Branding

       ✶       Relocating to Dubai

       ✶       Career advice

       ✶       The importance of networking

       ✶       Adopting a mindset to achieve

       ✶       Open Talent Market (a new initiative from Schneider Electric

       ✶       Proud career moments

You can connect with Peter at https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterhogg1/

You can connect with Simon at https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

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In this podcast, Catherine Hooper talks to us about coping with lockdown whilst stepping up to a new internal HR Director role at G4S.

Catherine discusses:

• Keeping the organisation running as lockdown lands
• Unifying an entire business unit at G4S and keeping key workers engaged
• Conducting a global employee survey 
• Increasing the spotlight on employee wellbeing 
• The ongoing challenges of remote working and how organisations need to adjust

You can connect with Catherine at https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-hooper-0b037a40/

You can connect with Simon at https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

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In this podcast, Fiona Potter talks to us about getting to grips with a new HR Director role in a key-worker organisation providing ambulance transportation for patients to and from a healthcare setting.  

Fiona discusses:

• keeping the organisation running as lockdown lands
• winning a new contract during lockdown and having to recruit 60 staff
• inductions for new starters on the front line whilst complying with social-distancing guidelines
• Employee engagement, and setting up a Learning Academy to provide industry-recognised qualifications

You can connect with Fiona at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-potter-15082345/ 

You can connect with Simon at https://www.linkedin.com/in/simongeerehrrecruitment/

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