The Brightmine Podcast (UK)

Stephen Chegwin , a partner in the Employment and Labour division at Eversheds Sutherland, joins Brightmine senior legal editor Laura Merrylees to discuss the practical implications of the new right of union access to the workplace, which came into effect on 30 October 2026. Resources Employment Rights Act 2025: Trade union statement and union access - your questions answered   Trade union access...

The Employment Rights Act 2025 has strengthened what employers have to do to protect workers from sexual harassment. Robin Somerville, a practising barrister, mediator and workplace investigator, joins the podcast to discuss the legislative changes and describe how to carry out a workplace investigation if an allegation is made, and how that changes in cases of alleged criminal conduct, sexual ass...

What do you do when a brilliant performer is also a difficult boss? Put up with the behaviour because they deliver results, or show them the door? Confidence coach Stephen Tolfree argues there·s a third way. He joins the podcast to explore the fine art of boss whispering and how difficult leaders can be helped to recognise their impact and change their approach. Listen now to discover what it take...

With unfair dismissal protection kicking in after just six months from January 2027, probation is about to matter more than ever.   Organisations are already reviewing, and often shortening, their probationary processes in response to the Employment Rights Act 2025. Deborah Kent, HR manager at the Money Advice Trust, joins the podcast to explore how success profiles can strengthen onboarding and i...

Burnout is a growing workplace challenge, driven by economic uncertainty, rapid change and the impact of AI. In this episode, Nicola Turner, founder of BodyMindBrain , explores why tackling the body's stress response, through regulation and recovery, may be the missing piece in preventing burnout and sustaining performance. Resources From wellbeing washing to proactive prevention: How HR can tackl...

India's employment law framework is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation. As four new Labour Codes reshape everything  from wages and contract labour to leave and workplace grievances , employers are facing a host of new challenges and opportunities.  Robert Shore speaks to Trilegal partner  Swarnima about the reforms, the rise in workplace complaints, and why UK HR professionals shoul...

There have been many significant legislative shifts in relation to flexible working in recent years, of course, and under the Employment Rights Act 2025 we are promised further changes. Charlotte Wiseman joins the podcast to look at the way flexible working is transforming employee expectations and workplace culture, and to offer some ideas about what best practice looks like in this new era. Reso...

Brightmine legal editor Lilia Dangi joins the podcast to talk through recent and upcoming trade union-related reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025. She discusses how these changes are modernising industrial relations and rebalancing the relationship between employers and unions, and looks in particular at: the new duty to inform workers of their right to join a union; unions' right of acce...

Some major changes are coming to the harassment laws in October. Global inequalities specialist – and licensed skipper – Georgie Williams joins the podcast to talk about what it's like to draw up an anti-harassment policy on a ship. What does it mean when you can't "clock off" and go home in the way you can with land-based office jobs? How does this change dynamics? What challenges does this raise...

Organisation design expert and  From-To  founder   Lilian Duckart joins Brightmine HR strategy and practice editor Laura Kimpton to discuss how HR departments can use organisation design to meet the changing needs of their business - and how AI can help. Resources Leading practice guide - organisation design: What is it? How to lead HR planning for the Employment Rights Act 2025 On your radar - Em...

Research suggests that AI is making a nonsense of the traditional equivalence between output and productivity and creating a new category of worker: the person who is thriving themselves into exhaustion. Jeremy Hollander joins the podcast to discuss how HR can tackle these issues by upgrading productivity measurements to distinguish sustainable high performance from intensity that is destined to e...

Pay gap reporting is about to get an important upgrade.  Michelle Gyimah, pay gap strategist and founder of  Equality Pays , joins the podcast to break down what the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes really mean - and how HR can get ahead of the likely next wave: ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting. Resources How to measure and report a gender pay gap How to lead HR planning for the Employ...

With early pay awards showing signs of growth, Sheila Attwood joins the podcast to dig into what the data tells us about pay award plans for the year ahead, and how employers can navigate the growing tension between affordability and employee expectations. Related resources Pay trends March 2026: Pay awards edge up in early 2026 but outlook remains cautious Pay award forecasts for 2026 On your rad...

The Employment Rights Act 2025 marks a major shift in unfair dismissal law. From January 2027, the qualifying period will drop from two years to six months - applying retrospectively to employees hired from July 2026 - and the cap on compensatory awards will be removed altogether. Stephen Simpson, principal editor at Brightmine, joins the podcast to break down the changes and share practical steps...

Caroline Green , author of  The Career Confidence Toolkit for Women , joins the podcast to discuss measures in the Government's Employment Rights Act 2025 - harassment and flexible working reforms, menopause action plans - and set out ways in which employers and employees alike can benefit from the forthcoming legislative changes. Read the transcript Related resources HR for HR: The Employment Rig...

Neurodiversity. Menopause. Men's health. What are organisations doing and what should they be doing to truly support the wellbeing of their people?  Brightmine HR data insight analysts Hannah Mason and Vernujaa Nagandiram join the podcast to reveal surprising trends and share their latest research insights.  Tune in now and discover what your organisation could be doing better - starting today. Re...

What's on the horizon for HR and reward professionals in 2026? In this episode, Brightmine experts Bar Huberman and Sheila Attwood break down the latest research and reveal the top priorities shaping the year ahead. Plus, CEO Scott Walker joins the conversation to explore one of the most transformative trends of recent years - AI in the workplace. Tune in for actionable insights, expert analysis,...

Join the Brightmine team as they guide listeners through the Employment Rights Bill's bumpy journey through Parliament and offer practical advice on how HR professionals can prepare for the legislative changes expected to come into force in early 2024. Stay ahead of the curve as our experts break down what's changing - from trade union rules and sick pay to family leave and whistleblowing protecti...

With the Employment Rights Bill nearing the end of its journey through Parliament, Laura Merrylees, senior legal editor at Brightmine, is joined by Nick Chronias, a partner at DAC Beachcroft, to discuss the Bill's many trade union-related changes and provide a phase-by-phase guide to how HR departments can prepare for their implementation. Read the transcript Related resources Employment Rights Bi...

Does your organisation provide fair and equal leave and pay for all new parents? The Government has launched a full 18-month review of family-related leave and the Employment Rights Bill is set to introduce some changes in this area. In the meantime higher expectations among the workforce appear to be prompting organisations to take matters into their own hands and to develop ambitious new policie...

Ro Carracedo Lopez, senior International legal editor at Brightmine, discusses the EU Pay Transparency Directive, how member states are adopting its provisions into national law and · not least · its implications for UK organisations with Wouter Heere, Associate at Littler Netherlands, and Rui Rego Soares, Associate lawyer at Littler Portugal. Related resources Global EU pay transparency directive...

Darren Newman joins us to unpack the complexities of the Employment Rights Bill, soon to become the Employment Rights Act. We explore the bill's sweeping scope and discuss the practical implications for UK businesses. Listeners will gain expert insight into what's coming, what remains uncertain and how HR teams can prepare for the most significant overhaul of employment law in decades. Related res...

UK employment law is evolving - are you prepared? In our latest podcast, Susie Munro, senior legal editor at Brightmine, looks at three recent tribunal cases relating to probationary periods, and discusses the upcoming introduction of a day-one right to claim unfair dismissal.  We share actionable insights, real tribunal stories and practical steps to help your organisation stay compliant and comp...

This episode of the Brightmine podcast features Shantha David, Head of Legal Services at UNISON, in conversation with Robert Shore and Laura Kimpton.   We dive into how the Bill is reshaping UK employment law, and explore the implications for HR.  Shantha has won landmark victories in the Supreme Court that have reshaped the legal landscape. Her work champions equity, dignity and justice for worke...

Join us on the podcast as Jeya Thiruchelvam, Internal Communications and Engagement Lead at Brightmine, shares powerful insights on how organisations can truly harness the full potential of their people. Discover how employees can grow, thrive, and elevate their careers · all without changing employers. It's a conversation about talent, transformation, and the future of work you won't want to miss...