Linda Low, Head of People and Culture at ESG, joins Felix and Louise to challenge how we think about hiring. From her unconventional journey from finance to HR, Linda shares why she asks candidates what they do for fun, how an ultimate frisbee charity helped land someone a job, and why hiring managers need to build teams of cultural adds rather than stormtroopers. Practical insights on assessing potential, building trust with hiring managers, and why the best candidates often don't fit the traditional mould.

James Edgar, Chief People Officer at Signature Discovery, joins Felix to discuss his unique dual remit leading both people and IT functions. From navigating cyber security threats to deploying AI in drug discovery, James shares candid insights on breaking down traditional silos, managing change fatigue in high-growth environments, and why the convergence of people strategy and technology infrastructure might just be the future of organisational leadership.

Felix and Louise host a special roundtable with five CIPD HR Essentials Explained authors: Rebecca Lee (Talent Acquisition), Kinsey Li (People Analytics), Prianka Jaidka (HR Essentials), Gemma Dale (Employee Relations and Wellbeing), and Shakil Butt (EDI). They explore the gap between HR qualifications and real-world practice, discuss why continuous learning matters more than ever, and share practical insights on everything from learning to say no to understanding AI without the overwhelm.Links to the book series on Amazon:People Analytics Explained - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/139862442X?ref=emc_s_m_5_i_atc Employee Engagement and Wellbeing Explained - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1398624500?ref=emc_s_m_5_i_atc Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Explained - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1398624543?ref=emc_s_m_5_i_atcHR Essentials Explained - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1398624349?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_92Z2AAGXXV7NBYVRV0J6&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_92Z2AAGXXV7NBYVRV0J6&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_92Z2AAGXXV7NBYVRV0J6&bestFormat=true Talent Acquisition and Attraction Explained - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1398624373?ref=emc_s_m_5_i_atc

Alistair Fenn, Global Chief of Staff at Tide, joins Felix to explore how he went from a People Manager to a Chief of Staff working alongside the C-suite in just five years - without following a traditional career path. From matrix organisations to letting work speak for itself, Alistair shares why the prescribed career ladder is evolving and what's replacing it: opportunity-driven progression, multiple managers for different reasons, and the power of being pragmatic about your own growth.

Paula Brockwell, occupational psychologist and founder of the Employee Experience Project, joins Felix and co-host Louise Fraser to tackle why culture change programmes so often fall flat. From avoiding the 'sunshine and pool tables' trap to understanding when your organisation actually has the conditions for meaningful transformation, Paula shares practical frameworks for driving culture change that sticks - without burning out your HR team in the process.

Natalie Sheils, founder and CEO of Talenaut, joins Felix to explore why recruitment is the hardest (not easiest) place to apply AI and what that means for the future of HR. From AI agents sitting in org charts to why every HR professional needs prompt engineering skills, Natalie shares a vision of the function in five years - and warns what happens if HR doesn't move fast enough.

Ruth Jackson, Chief People Officer at The Gym Group, joins Felix to explore why female-specific health programmes are transforming workplaces. From training 200+ staff on women's health issues to creating confidence in intimidating gym environments, Ruth shares how addressing barriers like time constraints and hormonal changes isn't just good for employees - it's smart business. Plus: why only 4% of medical research focuses on women and what that means for workplace wellbeing.

Jonathan Stanford, Head of Talent at Levy UK, joins Felix to challenge everything we think we know about workplace coaching. From 15-minute "micro coaching" sessions that happen in the moment to why the best conversations never happen over Teams, Jonathan shares how to build a coaching culture that actually drives performance. Plus: the tennis ball analogy that explains the difference between mentoring and coaching, and why AI coaching tools might be the future.

Chris Eastwood, CEO of Penfold, joins Felix to tackle the UK's pension crisis - where 91% of people aren't saving enough for a comfortable retirement. From why salary sacrifice could save your business thousands in National Insurance to making pensions actually engaging for your team, Chris reveals how smart employers are turning compliance boxes into competitive advantages and why your pension might be more important than you think.

Laura Kane, seasoned Chief HR Officer with over 25 years of experience, joins Felix to explore one of the trickiest decisions in today's job market - knowing when it's time to move on. From recognising when roles evolve beyond your fit to managing the fear of leaving something safe behind, Laura shares insights on preserving relationships, having honest conversations with your manager, and why "quitting and staying" is terrible for everyone involved.

Chris Lovett, leadership coach and author, joins Felix to challenge the toxic culture of busyness that's plaguing modern workplaces. From why a third of all meetings are useless to the science behind strategic napping, Chris shares practical ways to reclaim your time and boost performance through what he calls 'corporate minimalism' - proving that doing less might actually make you more successful.

Will Fraser, founder of 100 & First and former Saracens rugby player, joins Felix to explore why high-performing teams aren't built on talent alone. From the myths that kill performance to the power of shared understanding, Will shares insights from elite sport on creating systems that turn average players into champions - and why most organisations get it completely wrong.

Sharon Tattan, Head of Talent Learning & Development at Forsters, joins Felix to explore why coaching isn't a luxury for high performers - it's essential. From recognising confidence loss in your team to managing career transitions and the art of 10-minute coaching conversations, Sharon shares practical insights on creating space for people to think differently in our increasingly chaotic work environment.

Lucinda Chaplin, Legal Director at Shakespeare Martineau, joins Felix to break down the UK government's biggest shake-up of workers' rights in a generation. From day-one unfair dismissal rights to fire and rehire restrictions, Lucinda explains what's changing, when it's happening, and what businesses can do today to prepare for the Employment Rights Bill.

DISCLAIMER: This video reflects the legal position and information available at the time of recording. Since then, there may have been updates or developments. Please refer to the latest government or legal sources for the most current information.

Luke Bullen, VP UK at Wellhub, joins Felix to explore why traditional workplace wellbeing initiatives fall short and how to create sustainable programmes that actually change behaviour. From the ROI of wellness (136% for effective programmes) to why giving employees £50 a month doesn't work, Luke shares insights on building a culture of wellbeing that drives real business results.

James Hutt, founder of Paradigm Junction, joins Felix to explore how leaders can navigate the AI revolution without falling into common traps. From encouraging grassroots experimentation to developing the right mindset for constant change, James shares insights on moving from optimisation to transformation and why showing humanity as a leader has never been more important.

Heath Buck, Chief People Officer at Atmos Wealth, joins Felix to lift the hood on building HR tech stacks that genuinely transform how teams operate. From starting with recruitment automation to upskilling entire organisations on AI, Heath shares practical insights on choosing the right tools, avoiding admin overload, and preparing your workforce for an AI-enabled future.

Angela Wilkins-Green, founder of Green Path Coaching, joins Felix to tackle a topic that affects half the workforce yet remains taboo in most workplaces - menopause and perimenopause. From understanding the difference between the two to supporting women through career-defining symptoms, Angela shares practical insights for managers and teams navigating this crucial conversation.

A special live episode recorded at LinkedIn HQ to celebrate our 100th episode milestone. Felix is joined by an expert panel including Claire Williams (COO, Cipher), Tom Hollis (CPO, Zappi), Rachel Cox (CPO, LCCC), and Jess Morgan (CTO, Instant Impact) to explore the future shape of business in an AI-enabled world. From building AI culture to overcoming resistance, this conversation tackles the biggest questions facing people leaders today.

Bianca Errigo, founder and CEO of HumanOS, joins Felix to explore why workplace wellbeing initiatives fail and how to create sustainable high performance. From her personal journey through burnout to developing technology-enabled coaching for everyone, Bianca shares insights on proactive vs reactive strategies, the role of leadership in wellbeing, and why only 2% of top performers repeat their success year-on-year.