HR Talk with HRLocker

CIPD's Annual report on Ireland’s HR Practices offers an in-depth look at the issues and trends shaping the world of work across the country. The 2024 survey captures the experiences and challenges faced by HR professionals in a diverse range of industries, focusing on key areas such as workforce expectations, leadership gaps, and the evolving role of AI in the workplace. In this episode, we’re joined by Mary Connaughton, Director of CIPD Ireland, to discuss the latest findings. Mary will share her insights on how organisations can address growing demands for employee wellbeing, flexible working, and financial support, as well as strategies for closing leadership and skills gaps. We’ll also explore the impact of AI on HR practices and discuss practical approaches for SMEs to enhance their HR capabilities without breaking the bank. Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2024? Click here to get in touch today!

Welcome to this episode of the HRLocker Podcast, specially tailored for HR managers and business owners keen on advancing their workplace environments. Today, we will discuss essential strategies for nurturing psychological safety and enhancing communication in your organisation. Our focus will include practical methods for creating a supportive environment where staff feel comfortable expressing themselves, effective, respectful communication, preventative approaches to conflict, maximising Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), and ensuring communication makes employees feel valued and understood.   We are delighted to have Elaine Ryan with us, an HR Consultant with a vast background in people management, culture enhancement, and change management. Elaine also brings her expertise as an Executive and Business Coach, Life Coach, and NLP Practitioner. She is committed to prioritising psychological safety and refining communication to boost staff retention and engagement. With Elaine’s expertise, we’ll explore how to apply these strategies effectively to create a supportive and successful company culture.   We hope you enjoy it. Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2024? Click here to get in touch today!

Welcome to the HRLocker Podcast, your go-to source for insightful discussions on the latest HR developments. Today, we delve into the realm of corporate responsibility and ESG, with a particular focus on the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and its implications for companies across Ireland. Joining us is Patrick Meskell from the Skillnet Climate Ready Academy—an authority in guiding companies of varying sizes through the intricacies of strategic sustainability. Patrick, an ESG practitioner, is deeply committed to enabling organisations to harness the advantages of early ESG integration. In this episode, we'll dissect the timelines and mandates of the CSRD, provide guidance on impending ESG reporting deadlines, and delve into available financial support and funding to facilitate the transition towards formulating an ESG framework. Furthermore, we'll spotlight proactive measures your company can implement to align with ESG standards sooner rather than later, ensuring readiness to meet compliance expectations. Whether you're seeking to stay ahead of the curve or simply aiming to navigate the evolving landscape, this episode is brimming with invaluable insights you won't want to overlook. We trust you'll find it enriching. Patrick Meskell brings a wealth of experience as a sustainability practitioner with the Skillnet Climate Ready Academy, specialising in devising and delivering training to businesses of all scales on strategic sustainability matters. He's dedicated to assisting organisations in recognizing the value and opportunities associated with early adoption and planning across all aspects of ESG. Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2024? Click here to get in touch today!

Welcome to the HRLocker Podcast, we are joined by Sinead McNamara from the National Menopause Summit. In this episode, we dive into menopause, a subject that impacts many yet remains under-discussed in professional circles.  Sinead shares details of the upcoming National Menopause Summit at the Aviva Stadium on April 11th and 12th. Emphasising that the event isn't exclusively for women in midlife, but open to anyone interested in understanding peri-menopause and menopause. With her extensive background in media and event management, she sheds light on her own personal menopause journey and the motivation behind creating the summit. We'll explore how menopause can affect women at work and why businesses need to acknowledge and support their employees through this stage. Expect a candid conversation filled with actionable insights, aimed at enhancing,  understanding and support for menopausal women in the workplace. We really hope you enjoy! Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2024? Click here to get in touch today!

Welcome to HRLocker Podcast, where we bring you conversations with experts in their field. To highlight International Women's Day we were delighted to have Caroline O'Driscoll, partner with Deloitte and co-founder of iWish as our most recent guest. In this podcast, we had an amazing conversation about women in leadership, the importance of gender diversity in teams and how to increase female representation in the more male-dominated roles. Throughout her career, Caroline had recognised a ‘leaky pipeline’ of young women coming up the ranks in high-ranking jobs. This led her to become one of the iWish community's founding members, an initiative to motivate teenage girls to embark on STEM careers. Throughout the podcast, Caroline shares the critical challenges and opportunities in increasing female representation in STEM fields, which feeds into creating more gender-diverse teams in organisations.   She emphasises the significance of mentorship, the impact of role models, and the essential role that education plays in those formative years. She discusses some recent initiatives she has been involved in, particularly the "180 days to make a difference" mentorship program, which underscores the commitment to empowering the next generation of female leaders. This podcast episode offers an in-depth look into Caroline O'Driscoll's professional journey and her influential role in promoting diversity and inclusion within the STEM landscape. Her insights provide valuable perspectives on creating a supportive environment for women in technology and related fields.   We really hope you enjoy! Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2024? Click here to get in touch today!

The Government of Ireland has introduced domestic violence leave under the Work-Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. On Monday, 27 November 2023, it became a legal requirement for employers to offer up to five days of paid leave over 12 months to employees affected by domestic violence. It is recommended that employers embed support measures with an organisational response to domestic abuse.  In this episode,  we are joined by Sarah Benson, CEO of Women's Aid.  We will explore the legislation around the new Domestic Violence Leave Policy and the significant role that Women’s Aid played in shaping it.  Join us as we dive into this important topic where Sarah will discuss the signs to look for, resources available, and practical strategies to help victims,  and learn how HR professionals can make a difference in the lives of their employees.  Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2023? Click here to get in touch today!

On this podcast episode, we are joined by Terence Morgan, Director of Business Development and Ruairi Guckian, Owner of GHR Consulting.  We run through the new legislation updates in Ireland, focusing on the new unpaid leave entitlements under the work-life balance Act 2023. During this show, we mention and discuss unpaid leave for Medical Appointments and Caregiving, extended Breastfeeding Entitlements, anticipated measures for Domestic Violence leave, the right to request Remote or Flexible Working and more. GHR Consulting helps SMEs save on their HR and Recruitment costs by providing policy documents, recruitment and advice. Find out more about what employers need to know about this new legislation, what challenges employers may face, what it means for your organisation and updating policies and handbooks. Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2023? Click here to get in touch today!

In this podcast episode, we speak with Siobhan Sweeney, Senior Global Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Element. We explore the key challenges that companies face when embarking on DEI initiatives and discuss effective strategies to overcome them. As well, we approach the role of the senior management in driving cultural change and fostering an inclusive environment that resonates throughout the organisation. For your company to thrive in the world of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion it is important to incorporate DEI initiatives into all aspects of the employee experience, from recruitment and hiring to training and development. Unfortunately, misconceptions about DEI persist. We tackle some of the most common myths surrounding this crucial area and discuss how organizations can actively work to dispel them Siobhan has a proven track record for delivery of best practice DEI Programmes, Culture Transformation, Engagement and Well-being, in major corporations, from strategy to implementation. Element is a global provider of Testing, Inspection and Certification services for a diverse range of materials and products in sectors where failure in service is not an option. This is a podcast for any company that really wants to make some meaningful changes to the organisational structure. We really hope you enjoy it! Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2023? Click here to get in touch today!

In this episode, we are joined by Shane Conneely to discuss remote, hybrid and flexible working, the return to the office full-time, recent layoffs and how management styles may have to change due to the ever-changing workforce. Shane Conneely is the Director of Policy and Communications at Chambers Ireland, Ireland's largest business lobbying organisation representing business interests locally, regionally and nationally. Their mission is to represent the views of businesses and understand their concerns.  Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2023? Click here to get in touch today!

In this ever-changing world, the experience that your employees have during their employee lifecycle in your organisation has never been more important.  Great employee experience is built on trust, support, and collaboration and most of all, communication, in a meaningful, productive way. We asked Belinda Gannaway from Fathom XP, an award-winning employee experience and culture activation agency to talk us through the best way to implement an EX strategy in any organisation. Belinda’s expertise includes design thinking, learning design, team coaching and facilitation. She co-authored a book called ‘ EX by Design‘ in  2021 and she speaks regularly at international HR, culture and design-thinking events. If you are interested in reading more, check out her book Employee Experience by Design here. Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2023? Click here to get in touch today!

Latest news reports can be daunting, budget cuts, recession and cost savings are at the fore. Many companies are looking for innovative ways of making cost savings and increasing productivity in their businesses. Sometimes, by taking a look at current processes within your company, you can save time and money by planning effectively, and it doesn't always have to be an additional cost.   On today's show, we talk to Gareth Purdy, a leader in the field of Project Management. Gareth is an experienced project management leader who has successfully designed and delivered several project management improvement programmes. His skills lie in recovering failing projects and mentoring teams from sub-par to high-performance levels. Accredited by APM, he has managed single projects as large as £30m, programmes of up to £130m and portfolios greater than £200m. We ask Gareth to run us through the fundamentals of what good project management looks like, When businesses should start implementing project management into their daily processes and what kind of outlay (if any) you need to consider when implementing Project Management. He gives us some great insights into the role of a PM, the skillsets required and some excellent tips on how you can roll out successful projects on time and on budget. Are you interested in implementing project management in your business? Check out our webinar on HRLocker's latest feature update: https://info.hrlocker.com/project-management-new-feature-update

Recruitment can lie within the HR dept in many companies and can often be a time-consuming and costly process. Finding potential candidates is only the beginning of the journey. The next step? The Interview. But how do you hire for success and is there a process that can help you fill that position with the best candidate possible?  On today’s show, we have our very own Adam Colman, CEO of HRLocker.   As a CEO of a scaling company that has tripled in size over the last 2 years, recruitment has been high on the agenda in HRLocker. Adam talks us through the finer points of Interviewing, from the process our company uses to identify potential candidates, the importance of interview guides and why he always insists that every potential candidate should accompany their CV with a cover letter.  We also ask Adam what are the ‘right’ questions to ask in an interview, how do you get started in building an interview guide for managers within your company and who is the best person placed in the company to create an interview guide?  If you are in the process of recruiting or selecting your next hire, this podcast is not to be missed, we hope you enjoy it.

On today’s show, we have Phil Byrne, Managing Partner at Enable ISO,  a company that specialises in consulting for organisations working toward ISO certification. We ask Phil on the show to talk about all things compliance, in particular, GDPR. GDPR often falls under the remit of HR in companies. We ask Phil what he thinks are the most common GDPR misconceptions in HR, what exactly is the role of the Data Protection Officer (DPO) and does this responsibility sit with HR? We also talk about the new Whistleblower legislation, who it affects and how do you go about dealing with a complaint. If you are in HR and these areas fall under your remit, this is the pod for you. We really hope you enjoy it! If you would like to guest on the HRLocker podcast, get in touch with us :marketing@hrlocker.com

Approx. 600,000 women in Ireland are affected by menopause and other women’s health related issues at any one time.  These issues can undermine women’s confidence, and recent surveys show, that up to 8% of women affected, exit the workforce as a result of womens health related issues.  Research shows that companies that are taking affirmative action by having supports in place, help greatly with recruitment & retention as employees feel supported in their workplace.  Katie give us some great insights into what companies should do, how to promote awareness and create an environment where women can feel safe to have open conversations about these issues, and what policies progressive companies should put in place in order to see the benefits of supporting their female employees. 

On this week's show, we have Andrew Bartlow,  managing partner of Series B Consulting.    Over the course of his career, Andrew has participated in 6 significant scale-ups, as well as multiple IPOs, and has been a part of several successful private equity exits.  He has advised dozens of C-level executives and learned from the very best during his formative years at Pepsi and General Electric.   His book scaling for success is a definitive guide for leaders of high-growth organizations seeking to understand the people-management principles that are essential to continued success.   In today's show, we draw on Andrew's experience and ask him about the importance of the Employer Value Proposition or EVP. How to create a compelling EVP, the mistakes that some companies make when defining one and the part an EVP plays in recruitment and retention.  Andrew also gives us some great takeaway tips on how to get started.

About the pod We chat with Jim Frawley, founder of Bellwether, a company that helps organisations adapt to change and build resiliency in not only their company but in their people.  In the podcast, we ask Jim about the steps companies should take in the midst of constant change, how important is learning and development in a competitive employee marketplace and what are the biggest mistakes organisations make when implementing learning & development plans.  Jim also gives us 5 top tips to consider when implementing a learning and development plan. Click on the link, it's a great listen!  

With many calling it a life-work revolution, covid inadvertently brought about a huge work experiment, where people have had to juggle home and work life and boundaries became less defined. As a result, employees are now choosing to work for companies that are willing to offer a more flexible working arrangement. The Wanderlust Group has operated on a 4-day workweek over the last 18 months,  and since shifting to that model has grown revenue by 100% year over year. We invited Meghan Keany Anderson, CMO of the wanderlust Group on the podcast to ask her how smaller businesses can compete for talent in an employee-driven marketplace. We ask Meghan about the practicalities of implementing a 4 day work week, does it help with employer branding when trying to source and attract new talent and what insights she can give us about the benefits and pitfalls (if any) from a company that has been walking the walk for the last 18 months.

With 2022 just over the horizon, closing out the end of the year can often be a daunting task for many HR or office managers.  One of those tasks is completing end of year reviews to make sure each department have hit their goals, KPI’s and OKR’s for the year.  In today's podcast, we asked CEO of HRLocker, Adam Coleman the importance of performance reviews, how necessary they are for managing remote teams, how often they should take place and what should managers measure to ensure productivity from teams.  If you have any topics that you would like us to cover, contact us at podcast@hrlocker.com  We look forward to bringing you some great content in 2022.     

On today’s show, we welcome back Katie Ridge, head of employer relations at Adare Human resource management.  With changes in restrictions underway and many people returning to the workplace, we ask Katie some topical questions around remote and flexible working such as  contracts of employment, do you need to update them if you are facilitating flexible working? And – do employers have the right to refuse full-time remote working?   Also up today, we have seen some reports of companies talking about reducing salaries of full-time remote workers, Katie gives us the legal perspective of where employers stand. And lastly, the great resignation – Katie talks to us about the recent result of the barometer report and how we are currently living in an employee market.   As usual, Katie brings us up to date on the legal standpoints on these current HR questions…. 

On today's show, we have Elizabeth Bolger, Director of People & Programmes at The Wheel - the National association of charities, community & voluntary organisations & social enterprises.  In this show,  we ask Elizabeth if non-profits face different challenges to their public sector counterparts, and if so, what can they do to attract talent.  The importance of employer branding, and the benefits of working with non-profits. We also discuss the topic of burnout and stress, and what impact the ‘great resignation’  has had on the sector. Why having a sense of purpose, values, mission and a clear vision, is so vitally important when you are working within the nonprofit sector.