HR Unlocked with Lisa Oakley

What does it take to scale a New Zealand technology company into a truly global organisation? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Rachael Satherley, Chief People Officer at Serko, to explore the realities of global growth, leadership across cultures, and building organisations that can scale without losing their identity. Drawing on experience from Expedia Group and now Serk...

Why are burnout rates still so high years after COVID, and what can leaders actually do about it? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Professor Jarrod Haar, one of New Zealand’s leading workplace researchers, to explore burnout, workplace loneliness, leadership, wellbeing, and the future of work. Drawing on decades of research and data collected across New Zealand work...

How do leaders support mental health at work without becoming therapists, and what role does the workplace environment really play in wellbeing? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Nikki Leske, Chief People & Culture Officer at Comvita, to explore mental health, psychosocial risk, leadership, and the foundations of a healthy workplace. With extensive global experience le...

What does it take to lead people, strategy, and transformation in an environment of constant change? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Cath Lomax , Chief People & Strategy Officer at Southern Cross, to explore the intersection of strategy, leadership, workforce capability, and organisational transformation. With responsibility spanning people and culture, strategy, and...

What happens when a serious workplace issue lands on your desk and everyone is looking to you for answers? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with employment lawyer Matthew Dearing to unpack what effective leadership, decision-making, and risk management actually look like when organisations are navigating high-pressure employment relations situations. With experience spanning s...

What if culture doesn’t eat strategy for breakfast after all? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with organisational culture expert and corporate anthropologist Michael Henderson to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in business: culture. With more than 40 years’ experience and over 300 culture transformation projects completed across four continents, Mich...

What does effective leadership and HR business partnering actually look like in practice? In this episode of  HR Unlocked , Lisa Oakley sits down with Jill Coyle, an experienced Chief People Officer known for her pragmatic, commercial, and authentic leadership style. With a career spanning local government, corporates, and her own consultancy, Jill shares real-world insight into leading throu...

What actually happens behind the scenes when workplace conflict escalates into investigations, mediation, or litigation? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with leading employment lawyer Daniel Erickson to unpack the realities of employment relations, workplace disputes, serious misconduct, and legal risk in New Zealand organisations. With decades of experience advising employer...

What happens when organisations stop treating unions as opponents and start treating them as strategic partners? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Phil Doak, General Manager People & Legal at Ports of Auckland, to explore high-performance, high-engagement workplaces, industrial relations, organisational transformation, and the role trust plays in driving business succe...

AI isn’t just changing how we work — it’s changing how we think, behave, and relate to each other. In this episode of  HR Unlocked , Lisa Oakley is joined by Melissa Crawford, futurist and Director of Tech with Heart, to explore the human side of technological change. With a rare combination of deep technology expertise and psychological insight, Melissa brings a fresh persp...

What does good people practice really look like in complex, human-centred environments? In this episode of HR Unlocked , Lisa Oakley is joined by Gil Sewell, Chief People & Culture Officer at Ember Korowai Takitini. With over 30 years’ experience across the UK, Europe, and Aotearoa New Zealand, Gil brings a grounded, practical perspective on leadership, culture, and organisational effect...

How do you handle complex workplace issues without escalating risk, cost, or conflict? In this episode of HR Unlocked , Lisa Oakley sits down with Aston Moss — a highly experienced HR and employment relations expert with over 30 years’ experience across New Zealand and Australia. From major organisations like Briscoe Group, Fonterra, SkyCity, NZ Post, MIT and Woolworths, to now leading...

What does it actually mean to thrive at work — and what gets in the way? In this episode of HR Unlocked , Lisa Oakley sits down with Carly Orr, Chief People Officer at Tower Insurance, to explore leadership, authenticity, and what it takes to create environments where people can genuinely do their best work. With a non-traditional career spanning television, communications, and HR, Carly bri...

HR Unlocked with Lisa Oakley is a leadership conversation series where thoughtful HR and business leaders share lived experience on people, risk, culture, and compliance. It is designed for business owners, senior leaders, and HR professionals across Australasia to learn from real decisions and leadership judgment. The show is a platform to honour the contribution of leaders willing to share their...