What If?

If the traditional unstructured interview is about as useful at predicting on-the-job success as astrology and graphology, and many employers still rely heavily on this, should we just dispense with the whole process altogether, and recruit at random? Academic Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and recruitment firm CEO Cynthia V Davis discuss the state of play currently, and how to make hiring...

What would we all do all day if there were no jobs? And how likely is this to come to pass? Academic Daniel Susskind argues it is only a matter of time before mass society-wide unemployment becomes a reality, while NHS Confederation chief executive and political thinker Matthew Taylor says there will always be work – we just need to ensure it is good. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...

You can already watch a concert, buy designer goods or bid for virtual artwork in the metaverse... And if you work at Accenture, or one of a handful of other employers experimenting here, you can onboard yourself, undergo training and hold meetings there too. Accenture's Allison Horn explains why the possibilities are endless, while academic Phil Reed warns of a darker side. Hosted on Acast. See a...

It has been seven years since Ram Charan wrote his controversial article ‘It’s time to blow up HR and build something new’, and hopefully the profession has more than proved its value over the last few years. But what criticisms still get levelled at it? And are some organisations really managing well without a people function? Academic Wendy Hirsh and the CIPD's chief executive Peter Cheese discu...

Radical honesty is an increasingly popular concept, particularly among Silicon Valley firms – as is the idea of speaking truth to power. But are we all ready to hear the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Academics Megan Reitz and Erin Meyer – who has worked with Netflix and written about their culture of radical candour – advise how to make this actually work. Hosted on Acast. See...

Episode 5Nobody doubts there’s a serious problem with lack of representation in the workplace. But are centrally organised initiatives really the best way to deal with it? Inclusion experts Bernadette Thompson and Rene Carayol give their experienced perspectives on one of the most fundamental debates in business Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4To some, it sounds like a dream to work in a business with no bosses. But as philosopher Julian Baggini points out, if you think hierarchy is so imperfect, ask for the most junior surgeon possible to perform your next operation. He goes head to head with Rob Pierre, founder of highly democratised digital marketing firm Jellyfish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3Advances in artificial intelligence are accelerating so rapidly it’s no longer quite so far-fetched to think an algorithm could take the CEO’s job. But do we really understand the implications of AI for the way we run our companies? Join Deloitte’s Hilary Richters and technologist David Weinberger to discuss the ethics of the rise of the machines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Episode 2The coronavirus pandemic saw a forced exodus of knowledge workers from the office. But employers are divided on whether they want them back full time, part time – or not at all. Financial Times columnist Pilita Clark and Aviva chief people officer Danny Harmer explore the rights and wrongs of life on Zoom Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1Employees like the idea of knowing what their colleagues earn – but that also means sharing their own salary details. Academics Emma Parry and Todd Zenger who take opposing views on whether pay transparency will help increase fairness inside organisations or lead to serious disgruntlement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.