HR Leader Podcast Network

"Nothing sharpens the mind," a leading barrister says, like the threat of serious financial penalties or imprisonment. Under the newly legislated wage theft laws, businesses need to ensure their payroll and other administrative processes meet the requisite standard. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Sydney-based barrister Ian Neil SC to discuss why emplo...

Donald Trump's presidency has already begun reshaping the corporate and political landscape in the US, with executive orders rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and clean energy efforts. What impact does this have on organisational culture globally? In this episode of the Relative Return Unplugged Podcast – produced by the wealth portfolio at HR Leader's parent company,...

The year 2024 was eventful for industrial relations (IR) disputes, with major Australian organisations facing off against disgruntled workers and unions in standoffs that caused a media frenzy. Here, one IR expert breaks down these major disputes and offers an outlook on why employers can't afford to ignore the 2025 IR wave. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Kace O'Neill speaks with W...

While "hustle culture" has been celebrated in the mainstream in recent years, one business leader is advocating for the more targeted, deliberated approach of "focus culture" – through which, she says, workers can be passionate about their work without having it become their identity. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with INFIX founder and chief executive Niam...

Here, a senior corporate lawyer reflects on the three-year career break she took to be a full-time carer and what businesses need to do to ensure that the idiosyncratic family needs of workers are accounted for. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with ANZ senior procurement lawyer Porscia Lam about her legal career and decision to take a three-year break to care...

In the face of myriad market changes, not only do HR professionals need to work differently – they also need to be perceived differently in the workplace. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Ignite Purpose founder and chief executive Christina Foxwell about the key takeaways and lessons for HR professionals from 2024 and what the implications are for such pr...

With more and more employees wanting access to mentoring, it is essential that businesses get it right, says one investment banker turned executive coach and consultant. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with MentorKey and Serendis founder Maud Lindley about her career journey, the increased demand for mentoring in the workplace, how and why businesses are not...

In December, the High Court of Australia overturned a 115-year-old precedent and determined that "sham" terminations can cause psychiatric injury. Here, we unpack the implications of this decision for businesses nationwide. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Pinsent Masons partner and head of employment law and reward (APAC) Aaron Goonrey about the expansiv...

Across the board, Australian businesses can and must be better at utilising the unique perspectives and experiences of their more senior employees – particularly in a market defined by rapid workplace and technological change. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Taking it Forward founder and chief executive and human resources executive Lana Johnston about t...

The year 2024 provided numerous examples of underpayment and wage theft violations, with a number of employers facing repercussions. Yet in 2025, the consequences for these indiscretions will be much harsher – with jail time not off the table. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Smart WFM founder and chief executive Jarrod McGrath about what the new wage the...

A "tsunami" of wellness workplace issues could be coming for Australian businesses, highlighting the importance of redesigning environmental structures to better ensure optimal outcomes for staff and team objectives. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Elemental Coaching and Psychology chief mental health adviser Kate Connors about how well Australian workpl...

While human resources professionals have always had to navigate workplace issues that are inherently ethical, the tension and discomfort that arise from the navigation of such issues is an element that – particularly in the current climate – demands greater attention. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership program director...

Australia's workers' compensation landscape, given the almost dozen separate schemes nationwide, is "a bit of a fractured mess". Having a national scheme, one workplace risk director argues, will go a long way in addressing pervasive issues. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Aon workplace risk director Gary McMullen about the current state of affairs with...

Bronwen Bock and Lucy Bradlow are blazing a trail as Australia's first job-share political candidates, seeking a Senate seat in Victoria. Parliament, they say, "should be like any other workplace" and not be limited to those who can be available 24/7 for the job, as this diminishes who can represent their communities. Our political climate, the pair argues, is poorer for it. In this episode of The...

Recent allegations of workplace bullying in parliamentary offices are a stark reminder that, in high-pressure professional environments, "bullying cannot be normalised or excused, and the wellbeing of staff must remain a priority", says one senior human rights and discrimination lawyer. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Elevate Consulting Partners founde...

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Safeguard Global country manager for ANZ, Jonathan Perumal, about how best HR teams can manage their international workforces and stay on top of pertinent operational matters. Perumal reflects on the "huge amount of risk" inherent in companies not effectively managing the hiring of workers inside and outside of Aus...

The type of leader one has been in 2024 may not necessarily be suitable for 2025 market conditions. Here, we unpack how leaders and HR teams can adapt to a changing environment to better support their workplaces. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with DifferenThinking founder and chief executive Dr Zivit Inbar about the market conditions dictating a need to re-...

HR professionals, Dr Tiffany Slater says, are more cognisant of the fact that traditional human resources duties have evolved and that box-ticking no longer applies. Service to the team and the broader business, she notes, is the surest way to mitigate issues. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Missouri-based Dr Tiffany Slater, the founder and chief execut...

A few months ago, Joseph Catanzariti AM turned 65 and thus had to retire from his position as vice president of the Fair Work Commission (FWC). His search for work in the months since, he says, has been more fraught than anticipated. Here, he reflects on the biases against professionals who are willing and able to undertake full-time work, the wellness impacts of such ageism, and how he has looked...

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Cornerstone and Pinpoint HRM, we dive deep into the pressing concerns surrounding workforce readiness. Join us as we explore practical strategies that businesses can adopt to remain agile and adaptable in today's rapidly changing environment. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Paul Broughton, Cornerstone's APJ Group Vice...

New research suggests that Australians value autonomy and agency and have an egalitarian ethos in the workplace. With that in mind, how do we feel about new workplace arrangements, support for wellness, and other initiatives? In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Unispace senior principal for strategy Emma Davenport about the recently released  From Restrictio...

Research shows that, in recent years, there has been a huge uptick in the number of women professionals leaving their roles in the face of myriad employer shortcomings, both to address idiosyncratic needs and in light of certain unconscious biases. Employers must address such concerns better if they are to retain top female talent. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy sp...

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, a sleep wellness manager unpacks the pros and cons that working from home (WFH) can have on our sleeping routines and the role that employers have when it comes to ensuring that their employees are getting adequate sleep. First-time host Kace O'Neill speaks with Rachel Beard, a sleep wellness manager at AH Beard Sleep Wellness Centre, about her work and in...

Here, the head of people and culture at a Sydney-based law firm unpacks the headline hurdles facing human resources departments in professional services businesses, and how HR can and should manage those issues. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Swaab head of people and culture Angela Sharpe about her work at the mid-sized Sydney-based firm, what motivates her about working in the HR space, naviga...

There exists, Ilona Charles says, an "ongoing issue" with how human resources is perceived as a business function. Understanding why this is the case and taking the requisite practical steps to address it is the best way for such professionals to meaningfully contribute to the business. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Shilo chief executive and co-founder...