In this episode, Alice Stone shares her journey from HR apprentice and young mum to People Director and why a truly human-centred approach beats rigid rules. We unpack the real difference between legal flexible working and lived flexibility, how to kill presenteeism, and the systems that create safety, trust and performance.
You’ll learn:
Legal vs lived flexibility and what high-trust cultures actually do
How to measure impact (pulse checks, outcomes over hours, retention signals)
The manager shift: from micromanaging time to coaching for results
Practical playbook: job-sharing, hybrid done well, “Level 10” meetings, employee voice
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Chapters:
00:00:00 — Plan or Chance? Alice’s Start
00:00:20 — From Midwife Dreams to HR
00:02:21 — Apprenticeships, Not One Path
00:03:18 — Becoming a Mum Changed HR
00:04:19 — Kind vs Nice at Work
00:05:12 — Flexibility: Law vs Reality
00:06:20 — Job-Sharing, Hybrid, Wellness Days
00:07:58 — What Flexible Cultures Feel Like
00:09:57 — Trust Adults, Measure Outcomes
00:11:45 — Productivity Gains, Not Presenteeism
00:13:52 — Winning Stakeholders: Speak Their Language
00:15:54 — Presenteeism & Sick-While-Working Trap
00:17:11 — Outcomes Over Hours, Anywhere Work
00:18:52 — Safety First: “If You’re Ill, Rest”
00:20:58 — Spot Burnout: Pulse & Training
00:22:44 — Define Flex Here: What We Celebrate
00:23:54 — Employer Brand: Compete on People
00:25:34 — Retention Proof & Real Support
00:27:28 — Building Safety: Ways-of-Working Labs
00:30:11 — What Is a Level 10 Meeting?
00:31:30 — From ‘How Do We…?’ to ‘We Will’
00:33:42 — Advice to My Younger Self
