Workplace Confidence Podcast - Leading HR with people, not policy with Maria Hawley. Maria Hawley didn’t plan to stay at Fisher German for long. But more than a decade later, she’s still there - now Director of People - having helped lead the business through major growth and cultural change. In this episode, Maria talks about what it takes to build a people function from scratch and support more than 850 employees across a growing UK-wide property consultancy. When she joined, there ...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - How HR can gain influence at board level with Carolyn Cole. In this episode of the Workplace Confidence Podcast, Penny Haslam talks to Carolyn Cole about how HR leaders can secure a seat at the boardroom table and influence top-level decisions. Carolyn, a seasoned Chief People Officer with private equity experience, explains why HR is often an afterthought in growing businesses and why it shouldn’t be. She shares practical tips on stepping up to board leve...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Inclusive recruitment, why two unconscious biases are better than one at BPP with Jen Hulme. In this episode, Penny Haslam talks with Jen Hulme, a passionate talent acquisition leader at BPP, a leading UK provider of professional education in law, business, finance and healthcare. Jen shares her fresh approach to recruitment, focusing on the art of recruiting rather than specialising in a single industry. She believes that by mastering recruitment skil...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Empowering leaders at the College of Policing with Becs Riley.In this episode, Becs Riley, Senior Leaders Hub Manager at the College of Policing, shares her unique journey from working as a forensic shoe print specialist to leading initiatives that support senior leaders.Becs explores the challenges of empowering leaders in policing, particularly the difficulty of shifting mindsets from focusing solely on operational tasks to taking on broader leadership roles.S...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Global HR challenges: the People At Work survey 2024 with Annabel Jones. In this episode, we sit down with Annabel Jones, Senior HR Director for International Sales & Marketing at ADP a global payroll and HR services provider. Annabel brings a wealth of experience from her diverse people career journey, including roles in the music industry, visual effects for blockbuster films and leading HR for a travel start-up during the dot-com boom. Now at ADP, An...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Tackling the gender pay gap and promoting well-being at the NFU with Catherine Cooper. In this episode, we chat with Catherine Cooper, Director of People at the National Farmers Union, who is on a mission to foster inclusivity and tackle the gender pay gap at NFU. Catherine brings her passion for people and culture to the forefront, sharing her strategies for supporting employees and members through challenging times like Brexit, COVID-19, and the war in Uk...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Building a legacy, leading with empathy and purpose at Property Tectonics with Esther Brady. In this episode, Penny Haslam is in conversation with Esther Brady, Managing Director of Property Tectonics, a property and construction consultancy known for blending professional services with innovative software solutions. Esther shares her journey from working on reception to leading the company, highlighting how her unconventional path and commitment to servant...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - How to lead smart people at Signature Discovery with James Edgar. In this episode, Penny Haslam chats with James Edgar, Chief People Officer at Signature Discovery, an outsourced provider of early-stage drug discovery services for biotech and pharma companies. James brings a unique perspective to the role with a background in media, advertising, investment banking and even private prisons. Now at Signature Discovery, he’s driving growth in a rapi...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Redefining success for women in law and leadership with Jane Ayaduray.In this episode, Penny Haslam is joined by Jane Ayaduray, Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion at a global law firm. Jane shares her unconventional journey into the world of diversity and inclusion, a path she stumbled upon by accident when she mistakenly applied for a job she didn’t realise was in D&I. From this unexpected start, Jane has forged a successful career championing diver...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Building people centric businesses at P3 People Management with Charlotte Dean. In this episode, Penny Haslam talks with Charlotte Dean, founder of P3 People Management, about her journey from the corporate world to supporting small and medium-sized businesses with their people strategies. Charlotte shares how she started P3 with a passion for working with companies that truly value their people and how her approach has evolved to focus on those who see the...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - What is ESG? People, planet, purpose at Davies with Gillie Fairbrother. In this episode, Penny Haslam chats with Gillie Fairbrother, Global Responsible Business Officer at Davies a professional services and technology company. Gillie shares her unconventional journey from media and wellness into the corporate world, now leading ESG initiatives with a focus on making businesses more viable and sustainable.Gillie describes her role as being an "air traffic co...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Disrupting higher education and empowering people at UA92 with Ian Turner.In this episode, Penny Haslam speaks with Ian Turner, Chief of People and Place at UA92 (University Academy 92). Ian shares how UA92, co-founded by Gary Neville and the Class of 92 footballers alongside Lancaster University, is revolutionising higher education by focusing on social mobility and accessibility. With initiatives like the Make It For Real campaign, UA92 helps remove financial ...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Public sector recruitment, a passion for shaping talent in Greater Manchester with Anna Foster-Ressel.In this episode, we chat with Anna Foster-Ressel, the energetic Senior Talent and Resources Manager and Strategic People Business Partner at Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Anna shares her passion for the public sector and how she's on a mission to build diverse, inclusive teams that truly reflect the community.Anna talks about wearing two hats - leading ...

Workplace Confidence Podcast - Coming up. In this special sample episode, I'm excited to give you a sneak peek into the fantastic conversations lined up for you. Here’s a taste of what’s coming:James Edgar, Chief People Officer at Signature Discovery, discusses adapting leadership strategies to connect with a team of PhD-level experts.Gillie Fairbrother, Global Responsible Business Officer at Davies Group, offers a practical approach to integrating culture and corporate values.Ian Turner, Chi...

Welcome to the Workplace Confidence Podcast with Penny Haslam - the podcast where people professionals share the great work they do. Each episode is your chance to hear directly from experts and leaders from HR, L&D, D&I and more. They’re here to share their insights, best practices, and practical tips that you can use to make a real difference in your workplace.We cover the topics that are on your mind - whether it’s finding new ways to align HR strategies across global teams or...