The HR Room Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

As I’m sure we’ve all realised by now, remote working isn’t a simple black and white subject for employers and employees alike.

Yes, we have a code of practice, but the nuances, the contributing factors, the circumstances and even some case law still raise questions about how exactly all of this should operate.

Well to help us sift through this and hopefully give a clearer picture on what is a big challenge for HR teams everywhere, we’re delighted to be joined by Siobhra Rush, Partner and Head of Office at Lewis Silkin Ireland.

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

In recent years, the rise of far-right movements and political shifts have brought renewed scrutiny and resistance to DEI efforts. Studies show that nearly 70% of organisations worldwide are re-evaluating their DEI strategies due to changing political climates.

With a pivotal U.S. presidential election on the horizon, the ripple effects could be felt across boardrooms, influencing corporate culture and policies far beyond American borders.

In this episode, we explore what this means for HR professionals and organisations in Ireland, with Siobhan McKenna, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at Public Jobs.

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

As HR professionals, we know driving change is difficult. But we also know that driving change is essential – not just for organisations to grow and thrive, but most importantly for our people, of all backgrounds, abilities and characteristics to grow and thrive also. One thing that does make managing change easier however, is data. So where do we get it, and how do we properly use it? 

Well to talk to us about this today we’re delighted to be joined by a guiding light in this area, and a familiar face to many of you event goers, podcast listeners and the likes, the wonderful Siobhan McKenna, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at Public Jobs. 

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

A probation period, at a simple level is a period of time at the start of a permanent full-time or part-time employment relationship that gives the employer the opportunity to assess whether their new employee is capable, reliable and suitable for the job.

Simple in essence, but not so simple if not handled properly - with potentially both the employer and the employee left feeling frustrated if the key fundamentals and communication are missed. So, to talk to us about how to ensure performance management during probation is handled correctly, and to explain what can happen if it isn’t, we’re joined by Joe Thompson, HR Consultant here at Insight HR. 

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

Unfortunately, whether we like to admit it or not, we’ve all at some point felt that Sunday fear of having to return to work to a mountain of emails after a really nice long weekend or holiday. But what about people who are returning from a much longer period away from work? People trying to figure out how they’ll slot back in to working life after months or maybe even a year away from the office? For them, it’s a little bit different, to say the least!

So to talk us through this today, chatting about re-onboarding, what we should do, the support we should provide, and everything in between, we’re joined by recent winner of the Diversity & Inclusion Leader award at the PWC Image Awards 2024, Michelle O’ Keeffe, Co-Founder at Platform55.

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

In a 2023 study by Indeed, over half (53%) of respondents who identify as LGBTQ+ felt discriminated against at work. And although, of the 500 surveyed participants who identified as LGBTQIA+, 92% stated they were 'out' at work, only 34% were 'out' to everyone they worked with, while 57% disclosed this only to those they trusted at work. Something is wrong here. 

Although we see fantastic groups constantly pushing the inclusion agenda forward, and some employers doing good work in this area, it seems like there’s still so much more we need to understand, and so much more we need to do. 

So to talk to us about this today we’re delighted to be joined by someone who is a huge advocate for this, and someone who was recently awarded the 2024 Diversity Champion Award at the CIPD Ireland awards for his work on this and so much more, the brilliant Samuel Riggs,  Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail. 

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

Is your HR team struggling to balance your HR budget, while still trying to enhance employee wellbeing? While the latter is a driver for commercial success, the Return-On-Investment (ROI) of wellbeing initiatives often comes under scrutiny during challenging financial times.

The ROI of wellbeing is a critical area of interest at Top Employers Institute who are the global authority on recognising excellence in people practices.

So who better to speak to about this than Abigail Britnell, European Account Manager at Top Employers Institute!

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

Some of the challenges or topics we speak about on this podcast, or see in the headlines may not affect us all. There are however, a select few topics that will almost certainly land on the table of every single one of us – and one of those is retirement.

But despite the fact that this is a topic that is pretty much unavoidable, it’s not without its challenges and concerns for HR teams and employers.

So let’s dig a little deeper in to this, and share some very topical and practical advice, as today we welcome Aoife Newton, Head of Employment at KPMG Law.

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

Any of our more regular listeners will know that one thing has featured on this podcast more than anything else in recent months. No, I don’t mean me, I don’t mean Mary, I mean one thing that HR people everywhere will know all too well, it’s that ever-growing HR to-do list.

And from what we hear, you all know why this has come up so often - it’s been a busy couple of years for HR teams and organisations! So the good news is, if you have a big HR to-do list, you’re not alone.

But the even better news is, we’re joined today by someone who can help us finally tackle the big to-do list, Author, Agile Consultant, Life Design Coach and Founder, James Parnell.

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.

Ireland continues to grow and change. And in recent years, the workplace and organisations have certainly felt that growth and change with remote working, more progressive policies, diversity and inclusion, and so much more, along with the natural reflection from wider society too. As they say though, nothing worth having comes easy, and with progress comes challenges, and things we can do better.

So to talk to us about this today from a workplace level, national level, and a personal level, we’re delighted to be joined by Ivana Bacik, leader of the Labour Party and TD for Dublin Bay South. 

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is a series from Insight HR where we talk to business leaders from around Ireland and share advice on how to create the HR systems and workplace culture that's right for your business.

If you need any HR support in Ireland, get in touch with us at Insight HR.

Whether it's conducting a complex workplace investigation, filling a gap by providing you with a virtual or an onsite HR resource, or providing advice via our HR support line, as an expert HR consultancy in Ireland, we'll help you resolve whatever Human Resources challenge your business is facing.