From Athlete to Global HR Leader: The Power of Community with David Hughes

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The Plumm Pod

Plumm

44 episodes

2 days ago

🎧 Hit play and take something practical with you. Here’s what you can expect: – Real talk on workplace wellbeing and HR – Practical advice for how to navigate the HR space – Lessons from HR professionals and who’ve seen it all – Honest stories about what it’s really like behind the scenes at work New here? Meet Plumm. We’re an all-in-one HR and wellbeing platform built to help teams thrive. From payroll and learning tools to mental health support and our AI assistant, Emma, we help HR teams take care of people and processes, without the usual hassle. Explore more at www.heyplum

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From Athlete to Global HR Leader: The Power of Community with David Hughes

The Plumm Pod

32 minutes 21 seconds

2 months ago

From Athlete to Global HR Leader: The Power of Community with David Hughes

What if the key to retention, engagement, and authentic leadership isn’t perks or pay but community?

In today’s episode, I sit down with David Hughes, Global Head of Talent at Costa Coffee, whose journey took him from competing for Great Britain in athletics to leading people, purpose, and community in one of the world’s most recognisable brands.

We explore:

How sport shaped his leadership philosophy and resilience.

Why community is the most overlooked driver of engagement and retention.

The rising influence of Gen Z and their demand for authenticity.

How brands can avoid “whitewashing” and build trust through meaningful action.

This is a masterclass in understanding why authenticity, purpose, and connection will decide the future of work.

👉 If you found this conversation valuable, subscribe for more episodes and share this with someone who needs to hear it.

Chapters

00:00:29 – HR: Planned or by chance?

00:01:27 – From GB athlete to HR leader

00:02:19 – How sport shaped leadership

00:04:04 – Leaving athletics & finding purpose

00:05:51 – From recruitment to Boots & HR

00:07:03 – What community really means

00:09:55 – The data: community reduces turnover by 50%

00:11:23 – Why Gen Z changed everything

00:12:45 – Community, charity & the HR function

00:14:42 – Building local impact: the SEN school project

00:16:24 – Skills vs. qualifications: the future of work

00:18:38 – The four pillars of talent at Costa

00:20:11 – What EVP really means (and why most get it wrong)

00:23:09 – Authenticity vs. whitewashing in employer branding

00:24:59 – Gen Z: why they can’t be fooled

00:27:03 – The real cost of ignoring community

00:29:47 – A life-changing trip to Colombia

00:31:54 – How to convince senior stakeholders

00:33:02 – Advice to my younger self: mistakes & fourth gear

00:34:55 – Why slowing down creates better work

00:36:10 – Closing reflections on purpose and belonging