Future of Work Hub Podcast Series

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s Peer-to-Peer podcast, Julia Paulding is joined by Ewen MacPherson, Group Chief People Officer at Havas. They discuss the evolving role of HR as a strategic force – from designing holistic, human-centred employee experiences to building skills-based organisations that prepare people for an AI-enabled future.

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub's ‘In Conversation’ podcast, Lucy Lewis is joined by Professor Binna Kandola, co-founder and senior partner at Pearn Kandola. With over 40 years’ experience researching bias, organisational culture and leadership, Binna shares insights on the current state of psychological safety and what this means for workplace culture. They discuss how to create ps...

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub's ‘In Conversation’ podcast, Lucy Lewis is joined by Stephen Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Institute of Student Employers (ISE). With over two decades’ experience at the forefront of graduate recruitment and early-careers strategy, Stephen shares insights on the current state of the graduate and early careers market and what this means for employe...

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub's In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis sits down with Professor Gina Neff, Professor of Responsible AI at Queen Mary University of London and Executive Director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy at the University of Cambridge - an independent research centre that aims to make digital technologies work for people, society and the pla...

 In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis sits down with Barry Schwartz, emeritus Professor of Psychology at Swarthmore College and Visiting Professor at the Haas School of Business at Berkeley. Barry draws on 50 years of research at the intersection of psychology, behavioural economics and business to explore what motivates people at work. They discuss how f...

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s Peer-to-Peer podcast, Julia Paulding is joined by Richard Vanner, Human Resources Director at WTW. They discuss the importance of sustaining a strong, consistent culture through rapid growth and transformation and how technology and AI are reshaping workforce design and skills, emphasising that how change is delivered matters just as much as what is impl...

In this final episode, Lucy and Julia reflect on the insights shared across our “In Conversation” and “Peer-to-Peer” podcast series. Together, they draw out the key themes that defined 2025 and consider what employers should be prioritising to build resilience and momentum in the years ahead. Across the conversations, a consistent message has emerged: people strategy is business strategy. The real...

In our latest Peer-to-Peer podcast, Julia speaks with Jenny Shiers, Chief People Officer at Unily, about crafting truly personalised employee experiences, reducing digital friction to unlock focus, and creating the organisational velocity needed to pivot quickly and deliver on strategy.

Human skills, agility and proactive workforce planning In our launch episode, Julia Paulding, Chief People Officer at Lewis Silkin, sits down with Rob Worrall, Head of People at BDO UK, to explore the future of work - and it’s looking optimistic. They discuss how organisations can stay ahead by investing in human skills , embracing flexible working models , and engaging future talent from day one....

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s Peer-to-Peer podcast, Julia Paulding, Chief People Officer at Lewis Silkin, sits down with Cathy Temple, Head of HR, EMEA at Salesforce. They discuss HR’s evolving role in AI-driven workplace transformation, emphasising the need for trust, transparent communication, human-centric leadership and continuous upskilling to build agile, future-ready organisat...

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis is joined by Professor Alan Felstead, Emeritus Professor at Cardiff University and a leading expert on work, skills and employment. Alan shares insights from the landmark Skills and Employment Survey 2024 , exploring how the world of work in the UK is evolving, what workers value, and the challenges and opportunities f...

In this special episode of our In Conversation podcast recorded live at our Managing an International Workforce  Conference. James Davies, Partner at Lewis Silkin is joined by Ius Laboris colleagues from Canada, Italy and Poland  to discuss the rapidly evolving global landscape, from intensifying trade wars and shifting alliances to the rise of  populist politics and regional unrest. As the forces...

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis speaks with Till Leopold, Head of Work Wages and Job Creation, at the World Economic Forum's Centre for the New Economy and Society. Till shares key insights from the latest Future of Jobs report examining the five major trends that are expected to transform the world of work by 2030. They discuss the nuanced impa...

Creating inclusive workplaces: diversity, ageing populations, and socioeconomic equity In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis speaks with Dr. Grace Lordan, Founding Director of the Inclusion Initiative.  Lucy and Grace discuss whether DE&I is good for business and why, amidst political shifts, employers are reframing their efforts to focus more broadly...

Shaping the future workplace: insights on people, AI, leadership and flexibility In the latest episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2025, Lucy Lewis speaks with Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD. Lucy and Peter revisit their 2021 conversation, exploring how the workplace focus has evolved since the pandemic. They discuss the importance of people in organisations, evolving e...

Strategic Workforce Priorities for 2025 and Beyond – What matters most? In the first episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2025, Lucy delves into the findings of our recent survey and report, "Strategic Workforce Priorities – What Matters Most?". Lucy explores the major shifts shaping workforce planning and HR strategy, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges bu...

Over the course of this year, we’ve hosted conversations with leading experts and thinkers to explore their perspectives on the future of work and consider the opportunities and challenges ahead for employers and their people as the world of work continues to evolve rapidly. In this final episode of 2024, our podcast host, Lucy Lewis, Employment Partner at Lewis Silkin, reflects on the conversatio...

Welcome to this month’s podcast, where we reflect on the impact of recent global elections on the future of workplace regulation. Join Lucy and partners James Davies and David Hopper as they explore emerging global trends and their implications for the UK. Discover how political shifts are reshaping the employer-employee relationships and union influence in an increasingly volatile and uncertain l...

In the latest episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy speaks with Dr Vivienne Ming, a theoretical neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Socos Labs, a company dedicated to leveraging AI-driven research to maximise human potential. In this conversation, Lucy and Vivienne explore the evolving relationship between AI and the workforce, discussing how technology can en...

In the seventh episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy speaks to Simon Roberts, anthropologist, author and co-founder of Stripe Partners, a consultancy firm which incorporates social and data science to give companies a deep understanding of the world, their customers and their organisation. In this conversation, Lucy and Simon discuss anthropology and why, in a tech and da...

In the sixth episode of our “In Conversation..” podcast series for 2024, Lucy speaks to Giles Gibbons, co-founder and CEO of Good Business, a strategy consultancy firm with almost 30 years of experience advising organisations on purpose, behaviour change, sustainability and responsible business strategies. While many organisations are taking positive steps to manage their social and environmental...

In this fifth episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy is joined by fellow Lewis Silkin partners and co-heads of the Data, Privacy and Cyber Group, Alexander Milner-Smith and Bryony Long.  In this fascinating conversation, Alex and Bryony discuss a variety of emerging technologies, their use cases in the workplace and the potential legal and people-related risks that might a...

In this fourth episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy revisits a fascinating conversation she had on navigating and managing workplace conflict with David Liddle, founder and CEO of TCM Group.  Recorded in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, this conversation from 2022 resonates with many of the challenges businesses are experiencing today. Growing societal divisions...

In the third episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2024 Lucy is joined by Ben Willmott, Head of Public Policy in the CIPD.  The relationship between employer and employee is changing and the “social contract” is evolving. There’s a growing focus on ethical behaviour, on people’s individual needs and on “good work”. In this episode, Lucy and Ben explore what “good work” is and w...

In the second episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2024 Lucy is joined by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of 20-first, one of the world's leading global consultancies focused on balancing gender, generations and culture. Lucy and Avivah discuss some of the key demographic shifts impacting the labour market and explore why generational balance needs to be a business priority. A...