The People Agenda

In this episode Chris and Cathy Acrotopulo welcome their special guest, Dr. Lucy Ryan, an Amazon best-selling author and founding director of Mindspring Consulting. Dr. Ryan's latest book, "Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Walk Out and What to Do About It," is the focal point of this podcast. Listen now to learn how you can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment for midlife prof...

In this episode Chris and LACEr Debbie Mitchell are joined by two guests, Charlotte Watmore the Inclusion and Diversity Project Manager at Wates Group and Charly Young, the CEO and co-founder of both the Girls Network and the Equilibrium Gender Collective. The episode focuses on the core topic of mentoring and the importance of creating an equitable work environment for all employees. Listen now t...

In this episode we delve into the intricate relationship between energy, culture, and productivity within organisations. The conversation explores how organisational culture and leadership play a crucial role in shaping energy levels and driving productivity at scale. Chris is joined by fellow LACEr Jess Herniman and returning guests from Dragonfish; Strategy and Research Director, Andree Gowar an...

We have recently launched our newest whitepaper, CPOs: From HR to Workforce Transformation. In this episode Chris is joined by two of the authors of our recent whitepaper, Julian Homes and Alice McCormack to discuss the challenges of terms such as ‘workforce transformation’ and its implications, and to also discuss the key themes. Listen now for the key takeaways from our latest workforce transfor...

In the latest episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris dives into the fascinating topic of storytelling and its important use case in HR. Joined by fellow LACEr Gemma Ryall and guest Karen Eber, author of "The Perfect Story", the discussion revolves around leveraging storytelling to enhance employee experience and communication and Karen shares some examples of impactful storytelling from...

What implications could AI have for the HR functions? Chris speaks to LACErs Tim Ringo and Charlie Frost as they delve into the world of AI and its impact on the future of work. Charlie is our AI lead here at LACE so direct any AI questions his way! Listen now to hear the full discussion about how the People function can leverage AI for informed decision making, boosting productivity and more.

In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris and Cathy Acratopulo introduce the co-founders of Engage Andy Brown and Sarah Jordan to discuss the evolution from descriptive engagement data to a more strategic, outcome-driven approach in the field of employee experience. Listen now to learn how data-driven insights contribute to a more nuanced understanding of your employee needs.

In this podcast, Kevin Green, Chief People Officer of First Bus, shares his HR transformation journey and some of the lessons learnt. First Bus is the second-largest bus company in the UK, with approximately 13,500 employees and is undergoing a significant transformation from an asset-driven to a service-oriented organisation. Hear Kevin talk about the changes he's made to First Bus's employee val...

In the latest HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris introduces guest Sharon Green from Chiara Consultancy Ltd. The focus of this episode is on communities and their significance, from an HR perspective. Sharon, an experienced HR professional, shares insights into the power of communities, emphasising their impact not only on HR but also on a business as a whole. Listen now for valuable insights into...

What challenges do organisations face in managing DEI – particularly when it comes to focusing more on inclusion than diversity? In the latest episode, Chris talks to Jig Ramji, senior human resources professional who has worked at some of the biggest brands including the London Stock Exchange Group, Bloomberg and Fujitsu. They look at questions like: - How do you create a sense of belonging for e...

How can HR and Marketing alignment help to deliver amazing employee experiences? In the latest podcast and as part of our Employee experience revolution campaign, we spoke ton Chief Marketing Officer Gonzalo Garcia Villanueva from Nielsen about the importance of having a closely aligned Marketing and HR function and the impact it can have on driving amazing employee experiences. Gonzalo spoke to C...

The Employee Experience Revolution: The importance of human interactions in delivering amazing experiences. OpenBlend Performance Enablement 2022: Full Academic Findings: https://www.openblend.com/performance-enablement-report-2022-academic-report Performance Enablement 2022: Webinar: https://www.openblend.com/performance-enablement-report-2022-webinar

In a recent HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Nelson Sivalingam, the CEO of HowNow, exploring the concept of the death of the LMS (learning management system) as presented in HowNow's latest whitepaper, and emphasising the necessity of making learning an integral and meaningful part of the work experience.

Chris and LACE Manager Georgina Sutton speak to guest Jocelynne Thompson, Director of People Strategy and Transformation at Virgin Media O2 to discuss a pressing issue within the HR field. The conversation centres around the perception of HR within the business world and addresses the challenge of enhancing HR’s branding and communication. Overall, this podcast episode delves into the challenges H...

In the latest HR On the Offensive podcast, Chris and LACE Director Pavan Bilkhoo speak with their guest, Michelle Gyimah, who is a keynote speaker and a consultant specialising in gender and ethnicity pay gaps. The discussion revolves around the challenges and strategies related to pay reporting. If you are considering pay transparency within your organisation, listen now to understand the challen...

The latest episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast has Chris joined by fellow LACEr Liz Bailey, to explore the concept of a "lull" at the end of the day in the context of remote and hybrid work. This podcast explores the dynamic nature of energy management, emphasising the need for self-awareness, open communication, and a supportive workplace culture. Listen now to learn how you can navigate t...

In this podcast Chris and LACE change management expert Liz Bailey speak with Dr. Marcia Goddard, a neuroscientist and Chief Culture Officer at The Contentment Foundation. They discuss various aspects of culture, psychological safety, and the impact of stress on individuals and organisations. Listen now for insights into how individuals and organisations can work to reduce the negative impact of s...

The latest HR on the Offensive podcast has Chris being joined by two fellow LACErs Simon Puryer and Chris Kirby to delve into the world of faster payments and earned wage access. In this podcast our in-house payroll experts discuss the evolving landscape of financial wellbeing and the role of payroll professionals in this context. Listen now, if you are considering earned wage access, for valuable...

In this podcast host, Chris along with Cathy Acrotopulo and Debbie Mitchell speak to guest Gethin Nadin, Chief Innovation Officer at Benefex. Listen now for a comprehensive exploration of the evolving landscape and its growing significance. As part of our wider EX Revolution campaign, we’ll be unpacking the core components of good employee experience, sign up on our website to receive updates as o...

This podcast is part of our broader employee experience revolution campaign that explores the significance of employee experience in the context of business culture and performance. Chris, Cathy Acratopulo and Kat Bernardes welcome on two guests from Dragonfish; Strategy and Research Director Andree Gowar and Managing Director Niall Cluley. They have come together to discuss Dragonfish's latest re...

Chris and Cathy Acratopulo welcome Simon Smith, Chief People Officer of Aston Martin, as their guest to discuss the crucial topic of employee experience and employee listening. Simon highlights the significance of employee listening, particularly in smaller organisations where understanding employee feedback is paramount. Listen now for valuable insights from Simon into the evolving landscape of e...

Chris welcomes on Barry Hoffman, an experienced non-executive director and former Chief People Officer (CPO) of major businesses, including LANSAC. Barry shares insights into his career journey and discusses the evolving role of the CPO. The conversation also delves into the importance of the digital employee experience in today's work environment. Listen now for Barry's perspective on the evolvin...

LACErs Chris Howard and Ed Sparks explore practical approaches to igniting creativity and imagination, emphasising the need to move beyond lip service. They define innovation as finding new ways to do things and highlight its alignment with an organisation's core values. The discussion includes examples of how innovation can engage and excite employees, drawing parallels with football manager Mike...

This latest podcast features Nancy Allen from the People and Workforce Analytics team here at LACE, discussing her recent attendance at the HR Analytics Summit. The conference gathered heads of people analytics and their teams, offering a platform for HR professionals to connect, share insights, and discuss common challenges. Listen now for a discussion showcasing the dynamic nature of HR analytic...

Chris invites on guest Katie Jacobs to shares her insights on a recent CIPD report called “The value of people expertise on corporate boards” exploring the evolving role of HR professionals in corporate leadership. Listen now for the latest insights into the increasing significance of HR expertise in corporate leadership, driven by evolving corporate governance and investor expectations. Discover...