The HR Big Meet Podcast

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil is joined by LaShawn Davis for a conversation that proves the challenges facing women in HR don't stop at borders. LaShawn is a faith and work strategist, founder of The HR Plug and creator of The UNPLUG Experience. With a background in labour relations and workplace strategy, she helps organisations transform their cultures while supporting...

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, which was recorded at our live event in May 2026, Emma Djemil sits down with Laura Morton to explore what happens when your life looks successful on paper, but something inside you knows that something needs to change. Laura was a trusted and highly regarded Head of People, working in a role she loved, with people she respected and a business she believe...

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil sits down with Gemma Bryan to talk about confidence, self-worth and what happens when one person's opinion makes you question everything you thought you knew about yourself. After spending nearly two years building an HR function, securing Great Place to Work accreditation and being publicly recognised for her contribution, Gemma found hersel...

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil sits down with Kirsty Baggs-Morgan to talk about confidence, identity, authenticity and what happens when the career you've built your life around suddenly disappears. After more than a decade with the same organisation, Kirsty was unexpectedly let go from her role as Head of HR. What followed was a period of self-doubt, rebuilding and ultima...

What happens when you spend years helping everyone else find their voice, while slowly losing touch with your own? In this episode, listen to Emma Djemil speak with Kate Jenkinson , former HR Director, executive coach, performance poet and founder of the Association of Business Poets, to explore creativity, self-expression and why so many people in HR end up disconnected from who they really are....

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil is joined by psychologist, culture strategist and professional disruptor Paula Brockwell for a conversation about confidence, credibility, influence and the stories that keep us stuck. Paula shares why she believes HR professionals have accepted far too many limitations about what they can contribute, why waiting for a seat at the table is th...

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil sits down with Michelle Hartley to talk about burnout, identity, leadership and what happens when you slowly disconnect from yourself in the pursuit of credibility at work. Michelle shares her experience of “beiging herself out of existence” in corporate HR, navigating burnout after the sudden illness and death of a CEO she worked closely wit...

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil sits down with leadership development specialist, coach and facilitator Katy Walton to talk about courage, confidence and what happens when you stop living on autopilot. Together, they explore the French phrase "Métro, Boulot, Dodo" - commute, work, sleep, repeat - and how easy it is to become so caught up in the mechanics of life that you lo...

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil sits down with Dr Adele Currie to talk about toxic workplaces, mental health, leadership and one of the hardest lessons many HR professionals ever have to learn: You cannot fix everything. Adele shares the story behind the breakdown she spoke about at the very first HR Big Meet, what recovery looked like afterwards, and why so many HR profess...

In the very first episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil shares her own story and the experiences that shaped the work she does today. From wanting to work in HR as a teenager, to being bullied in a senior leadership role, navigating IVF, leaving jobs without another role to go to, and eventually walking away from a corporate career during a global pandemic to start her own business, this...