HR Leader Podcast Network

The reshaping of how people work raises myriad pertinent questions, including, and especially, how employers can and must use new technologies to elevate human potential rather than replace it. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Insight APAC people and culture director Elyse Philippi to discuss what it means to be a good and productive worker, how to view performance in the current climate, the inherent risks with mistaking productivity for capability, how to define capable workers, ensuring that the right skills and traits are being recognised in the age of AI, practical steps that HR must take, bringing the C-suite along for the ride, balance upskilling the workforce on new technologies against not losing sight of the need for capability, and why she's optimistic about employers' willingness to view performance as being tied to capability.

Here, an award-winning HR practitioner reflects on the headline trends that will impact the vocational direction of the human resources function in FY2026–27 and why it is so important to put one's self forward as a leader in the workplace. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Heritage Real Estate director of people and culture Hayley Adcock, who won the Innovator of the Year (HR Manager in a Large Business) category at the inaugural HR Innovation Awards, about her transition from being a registered psychologist to working in HR, the need for HR to step into leadership roles and why, the impact of new technologies in the market, honing soft skills, prioritising psychological safety, bringing the C-suite along for the ride, best practice in FY26–27, and why staff are the first clients.

According to this award-winning HR professional, the next frontier in workplace wellbeing is shaping up to be how well workplaces manage the breakdown of relationships. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with The Separation Guide chief executive and co-founder Angela Harbinson, whose business won the Innovator of the Year – Best ESG Program at the inaugural HR Innovation Awards, about the hidden wellbeing gap that employers haven't solved, why relationship stress is becoming an HR issue, the financial and social impact, what the data is telling us, the future of workplace wellbeing, lessons for HR leaders, and why this conversation matters.

Traditional designs for a business's HR function often lose sight of the problems they are trying to solve and fail to tie programs to commercial outcomes. Here, we explore the need to move towards more modern, holistic thinking about the role of HR and how best to succeed in FY2026–27 and beyond. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with We Are Charlotte founder and chief executive Jessica Trumble about what she likes about outsourced HR work as opposed to being in-house, unpacking the differences between older HR approaches and newer ones, the imperative of having a commercial mindset, taking advantage of environmental opportunities in the post-pandemic market, rethinking the function of HR, what constitutes being commercially minded, and getting business buy-in for a new approach.  

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Deel, the all-in-one payroll and HR platform for global teams, we unpack the imperative for Australian businesses to build global workforces and not be constrained by the domestic market. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Deel's Asia-Pacific mid-market director, Joji Kurosaki, about why businesses must be positioned for global expansion in the post-pandemic environment, structural challenges facing Australian businesses, tax, labour, and regulatory considerations, risk and compliance costs, managing idiosyncratic jurisdictional matters, what HR needs to do moving forward, working collaboratively with the C-suite, and the opportunities available for businesses that look beyond domestic borders. To learn more about Deel, click here.

In the post-pandemic workplace, when leaders appear more reactive and less inclined to challenge toxic employees, the costs to the business can be significant. To this end, culture must be a shared leadership responsibility. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Rise and Thrive Global founder Dr Catherine Plano about lessons from listening circles, key takeaways from recent research she's conducted, the dangers of being fearful of losing certain employees, the cost of toxic employees, broader workforce challenges post-pandemic, how HR can get leadership to better own culture questions, and the role of HR moving forward.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with ELMO, we reflect on the workplace shifts that must occur if business use of new technologies can meaningfully transition from experimental to foundational. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Inventium founder and organisational psychologist Dr Amantha Imber about how Australian workplaces are falling behind global counterparts on AI implementation and therefore failing to have a bigger impact, key findings from ELMO's HR Industry Benchmark Report and what it says about the state of affairs, why adoption isn't translating into impact, why HR needs clear metrics for AI transformations, prioritising outcomes over activity, and how ELMO's AI Maturity Assessment tool can assist workplaces in moving forward. To learn more about ELMO, click here.

In transforming a workplace's behaviours around technology and ultimately productivity and innovation, human resources teams have a real opportunity to partner with business leaders to help staff move out of the experimentation phase and make meaningful impacts. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Publicis Groupe ANZ and APAC chief talent officer Pauly Grant to discuss why such transformation is so essential in the new financial year, the need to explore how best to utilise new technologies and effectively roll them out, how she and Publicis Groupe approached the problem through its PL.AI Ground initiative, the need for community-led, collegiate dialogue around AI usage and implementation, the business's headline lessons and takeaways from its program, the role of HR in such initiatives, overcoming challenges, and what constitutes real confidence and adoption of AI in Australian workplaces.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Danny King Legal, we explore the increasing prevalence of employment disputes and how businesses must put culture, care, and communication at the centre of the employee experience. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Danny King Legal principal Danny King about her passion for employment law, the most common disputes being lodged at the moment, what gives rise to such disputes, avoiding black-and-white approaches to managing staff, building the right kind of culture, employer mistakes when terminating employment, the place for employee benefits, putting in place proper documentation, policies, and processes, and how best to optimise the employee benefits approach as part of broader considerations around workplace experience. To learn more about Danny King Legal, click here.

Ensuring workers can meaningfully engage with colleagues and understand how best to communicate under pressure is a critical but oft-overlooked skill that HR must be on top of. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with communications and leadership specialist Leah Mether about what constitutes high school-like behaviour or communication at work, how and why it occurs, whether the frequency of such conduct is increasing, the steps that HR must take to ensure professional, mature conduct across the workplace, and how best HR can manage such a priority amid myriad competing priorities in a tech-driven professional landscape.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with DLPA, we explore the fundamentals of building workplaces that are psychologically safe, cater to employees' holistic wellness needs, and understand that "if people don't want to be your employee, then the benefits [offered] are pretty meaningless". Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Dynamic Leadership Programs Australia (DLPA) chief executive Karlie Cremin about the work of DLPA across Australian businesses, the difference between proactivity and reactivity in embedding psychosocial risk prevention into everyday work practices, the role of leaders in better managing psychosocial risks, going beyond baseline initiatives, what workers expect from their employers right now, why it "starts with strategy", and how DLPA supports businesses in navigating such matters. To learn more about DLPA, click here.

With advocates pushing for reproductive health to have its own leave entitlements, businesses and their HR functions must consider both the benefits and trade-offs inherent with the potential introduction of such allowances for workers. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Probiotec Limited chief people officer Annalinde Nickisch about the push from unions and other stakeholders for the National Employment Standards to include leave entitlements for reproductive health, why this push is happening, the existing concerns and unintended consequences of such entitlements, the possibility for unconscious bias, the broader place for gender-based entitlements, how HR can interpret the current state of affairs and advise their workplaces accordingly, and broader best practice for HR on this issue.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Dynamic Leadership Programs Australia (DLPA), we explore the new and emerging risks and hazards for workplaces to contend with in times of technological change and what the HR function can do about them. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with DLPA chief executive Karlie Cremin about AI adoption-inspired psychosocial risks and what HR needs to observe, the extent to which businesses are on top of such issues right now and the need to be proactive, what regulators will be looking for, the nexus between these issues and burnout and overwork, best practice steps for HR and leadership to take, and opportunities for leaders and HR to step up in challenging times. To learn more about DLPA, click here.

Redesigning traditional workplace structures to better accommodate idiosyncratic worker needs is nuanced, with no one-size-fits-all solution available. However, in an evolving professional and technological landscape, HR has a real opportunity to make a difference and ensure workers can focus on what truly matters. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with GumGum director of people and culture, Emma Mani,about: Why she loves working with humans. What practical work design means. How certain trends have accelerated in recent years. Lingering issues to be addressed by resigned work practices, and cultural and economic hurdles to overcome. Implementing mindset shifts alongside structural changes. The place for microshifting. How HR can get started in redesigning work practices. Practical steps to take in enacting new measures, and bringing the business along for the ride.

Longer negotiations, harder lines, and a new arbitration pathway offering relief from prolonged industrial deadlock – but not without cost. Once a rarely used mechanism, intractable bargaining workplace determinations are now arising more frequently where enterprise bargaining stalls and agreement proves elusive, bringing protected industrial action to a halt while transferring control over the remaining contested issues to the Fair Work Commission. In this special episode of The Legal Brief, produced in partnership with Kingston Reid, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kingston Reid partner Lucy Shanahan about how intractable bargaining workplace determinations are reshaping enterprise bargaining strategy, and what organisations need to be thinking about to manage their exposure, right from the beginning. In an industrial relations landscape that is becoming more complex and contested, organisations that recognise the implications of these shifts and proactively manage bargaining risk before positions become entrenched will be better positioned to retain control over outcomes. Those that do not may find that the endgame is decided for them. To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

With nearly one in two workplace leaders experiencing severe stress week to week, there is an urgent need to build leaders' sense of self and have them embrace self-care, so they are better placed to identify and support workers who are struggling themselves. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with R U OK? founding director and author Graeme Cowan about what his career has taught him about leadership and wellness, the urgent need to improve leaders' health in the workplace, the prevalence of severe workplace stress, how difficult it is to be a manager right now, what leaders must be asking of themselves moving forward, what it means to care in the workplace, the three arms of care, and how HR teams can better support leaders' holistic wellbeing.

Ensuring the workforce is engaged does not simply bolster team culture; it also strengthens the collective focus on the business's objectives. Here, we unpack how to strike the right balance. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Ensign Laboratories head of human resources Grant Wyatt about his journey in the HR space, concerns around workforce engagement, whether engagement is harder to come by than ever before, what constitutes a strong workplace culture, navigating generational differences, what works and doesn't work in bolstering culture and a focus on objectives, meaningfully prioritising optimal culture in a time of voluminous change.

At a time when demands for productivity are greater than at any point in recent memory, human leadership is more important than ever. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Human Leadership Lab founder and chief executive May Samali about the evolving nature of leadership, leaders' cognisance of the need for human-centred approaches, whether workers retain the same reverence for leaders as in years gone by, the headline challenges facing leaders right now, the need to be more holistic in managing staff, balancing short-term issues against taking a longer-term approach to the business, and what HR's role is in all of this.

More claims. More complexity. Higher stakes. How AI and rising civil penalties are reshaping workplace litigation and what employers need to do to keep pace. In this special episode of The Legal Brief, produced in partnership with national law firm Kingston Reid, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kingston Reid partner James Parkinson about two emerging trends currently reshaping the conduct of workplace litigation in Australia. Artificial intelligence is increasingly being deployed in legal proceedings, and this trend shows no sign of abating. The rise of the "AI advocate" is driving a surge in rights-aware self-represented litigants, with generative AI capable of producing legally framed claims. While this presents a perceived expansion of access to justice, it also places significant pressure on courts, tribunals, and employers who are required to navigate AI-generated materials in order to respond to claims. The presenters explore how Australian jurisdictions are responding, through evolving guidance notes and procedural guardrails, and why a recalibration towards more traditional, oral advocacy may be on the horizon. Against this backdrop, our presenters also explore the growing prominence of collective employee claims. With significantly higher civil penalties and intensified regulatory scrutiny, the economics of enforcement have shifted. Resolution is no longer confined to employee remediation, and may increasingly involve consideration of payments to prosecuting parties, including unions. For employers, the implications of these developments are clear: compliance must be proactive, remediation swift, and litigation strategies rigorously stress-tested. In a system being rapidly reshaped in the wake of new technology, organisations that recognise these shifts and act early to address issues will be best placed to navigate a more complex and costly disputes landscape, whereas employers who fail to adapt risk being outpaced: procedurally, financially, and strategically. To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

Work is a social determinant of health – given how much time we spend in the workplace, it is one of the most consistent and powerful influences on our holistic wellbeing. To this end, how we view responsibility for our health and work can and should be reconsidered. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with organisational psychologist, researcher, and leadership adviser Dr Kat Page about her passion for supporting individual workers on the ground, how and why consideration of work goes beyond discussions of mental health and psychological safety, and why the volume of work undertaken means it must be considered a public health issue. Page also delves into the fact that we have less separation from work than ever before, the blurred lines between home and work that impact one's ability to disconnect, how old the idea of work being a public health issue and its resonance with key decision-makers, what the role of the HR function looks like when work is considered a public health issue, rethinking what HR looks like, and how it can bring the business along for the ride.

With more generations in the workforce than ever before and against the backdrop of myriad technological and sociocultural changes, hiring the right staff is more difficult than ever. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Blue Connections IT chief people and operations officer Cassandra Eastham about having pivoted her career from biochemistry to using people skills, the people challenges facing HR practitioners, adapting one's approach to working with staff, and striking the right balance between generations. Eastham also delves into the importance of having an open mind, onboarding tech while not ignoring the human aspect of work, ensuring staff feel comfortable, what best practice looks like in attracting and retaining talent right now, employing newer and more creative strategies, maintaining a competitive edge, what's worked and not worked in her experience, and looming opportunities to reinforce the importance of the HR function.  

In the age of AI, "it can be very hard to ascertain the person behind the CV". Here, one CEO outlines her four-step process to recruitment to help leaders and HR pivot in a shifting landscape. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Virtual Headquarters chief executive Emma Davison about her background as a physio, what she learnt from that vocation in becoming a C-suite executive, the recruitment challenges facing businesses right now, why it's harder to recruit now than ever before, and the lessons she's learnt over the years when hiring. Davison also delves into her four-step process for hiring new staff, why such a comprehensive approach is so beneficial, the differences she's noticed since starting the new system, the inherent challenges to be overcome, and what motivates her moving forward about recruitment into the future.

Oftentimes, HR doesn't understand what the change management function does. Better appreciating its purpose and working more collaboratively with that function will ultimately benefit the entire workplace. In this week's episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with 437 Consulting director and founder Sudesh Dahiya about her background as a programmer and what it taught her about empathy in the workplace, the differences between the HR and change management functions and why they're separate, the challenges that exist in the relationship between HR and change, and how pressing such differences are for HR to help address. Dahiya also delves into how HR and change are approaching transformation differently, the consequences of HR and change not working in sync, the questions HR needs to ask itself in order to bridge the divide and practical steps to implement, overcoming inherent challenges, and why such an improvement in the relationship will benefit all.

Here, Richie Poulton reflects on the need for better top-down approaches when it comes to managing workplace wellness, the importance of leading by example, and how HR departments and C-suite executives can show greater care and empathy for their staff, particularly in the current climate. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Instantia CEO Richie Poulton about his background as a nightclub owner in Europe and the other directions his vocational journey as taken, why he's so adamant about running a business that prioritises transparency, his experiences with burnout and what it has taught him, and how he benefited from working on himself. Poulton also delves into how he manages his role as a CEO, what he's learnt about good leadership, how workforces respond to his approach, the need for a new leadership approach from the C-suite, what HR must do moving forward, and what excites him about such top-down leadership.

Workplaces across the board can, at times, trigger fear responses from workers. Here, we reflect on how incorporating play into not only the processes but also the mindset of the workforce can both bolster and maintain optimal levels of psychological safety for staff. In today's episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Culture Hero founder Dara Simkin about how and why play in the workplace means something entirely different from having a ping-pong table on the floor, why the incorporation of play is so essential in the current climate, how high-stakes workplaces can trigger fear responses, and the consequences of this. Simkin also delves into the compounding effects of stress both inside and outside work, the impact of constantly feeling exhausted, how play can help, the problems to be overcome, how HR can better push for the incorporation of play, how HR can support team leaders in driving change, and the need to remain human in a shifting landscape.

This week on The HR Leader Podcast, in a special episode produced in partnership with LinkedIn, we explore how professionals and leaders can make sense of how working life is evolving and better support their staff in building skills, confidence, and agency in the age of AI. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with LinkedIn Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman about his varied and storied career, what LinkedIn is observing in the market right now that the HR function must be on top of, the need for HR to feel empowered about ongoing change rather than overwhelmed, and what it looks like for HR to strike the right balance between maintaining the human aspect of work while rolling with the punches in an AI-driven landscape. Raman also delves into HR's agency in driving change, the volume of skills that are shifting or becoming redundant and what that means for workers, taking a more skills-based approach to work, what businesses are getting right in AI adoption and utilisation, undervalued human skills, and how HR can better manage any sense of overwhelm. To learn more about LinkedIn, click here. To learn about LinkedIn's new book, Open to Work, click here.

In this week's The Legal Brief, a special episode produced in partnership with national workplace law firm Kingston Reid, we explore how psychosocial safety is now central to how Australian regulators assess organisational competence and leadership, and what this means specifically for those within the HR function. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kingston Reid partner Liam Fraser about how psychosocial safety has evolved into a core governance risk, with organisational restructures, change programs and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence now all considered high-risk psychosocial events. This evolution now brings to light the need for organisations, particularly HR, to be proactive about ongoing risk management in 2026 and beyond. Fraser also delves into what work health and safety (WHS) regulators are most heavily scrutinising, the key questions that HR professionals need to be asking in 2026 to keep up with best practice, and why businesses that properly embed psychosocial safety into governance frameworks will ultimately prove to be more resilient, trusted, and high performing in the long term. To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

People are the most important part of any business, and to that end, the HR function can and must play a role in driving value, in its myriad forms, for businesses. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with consultant Jane Edgar (who has served in senior HR roles in numerous major Australian businesses) about the importance of HR's role as an enterprise value driver, what has held HR back from fulfilling certain functions over the years, why the current climate provides a window for HR to showcase its worth, and the questions HR needs to ask of itself in being an enterprise value driver. Edgar also delves into the practical steps HR needs to implement to drive value, hurdles standing in the way of HR's success, navigating time constraints, lessons she's learnt from running a P&L, taking a holistic approach to creating value for the business, and what excites her about the prospect of HR being more of a value driver.

The Payday Super reforms are coming, but, troublingly, nearly half of Australian organisations are not properly aware of, or do not fully appreciate, how the new frameworks will impact them. Here, we unpack how HR can not only prepare their businesses for the looming changes but also implement practical strategies to ensure smooth processes moving forward. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Remote go-to-market lead in APAC Nick Martin about his background in the human resources and recruitment spaces, what the Payday Super changes are and why they are significant, the prospective impacts on businesses from those changes, and the extent to which Australian organisations are not yet across what's coming. Martin also delves into the potential penalties for non-compliance, the questions that businesses and HR teams must be asking right now, practical steps to be taken, the role of HR in implementing those steps, and how HR can better design new workflows, and his message to those organisations that still have their heads in the sand.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Deel, we explore the shifting hiring landscape in the age of AI, and how employers and HR professionals alike can find and implement efficiencies. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Deel head of talent acquisition Alan Price about how the recruitment landscape has evolved in the last year or so, the significance of such changes and how workplace processes for hiring have shifted, improvements to the candidate experience and aiming to eliminate biases in the hiring process. Price also delves into how recruiters can be empowered in the age of AI rather than being replaced, turning AI into a strategic and competitive advantage, ethical considerations around such platforms, what the future holds for recruitment and HR's role, and how best HR can grasp looming opportunities. To learn more about Deel, click here.

In this special episode of The Legal Brief, produced in partnership with Kingston Reid, we unpack the recent changes to the bargaining landscape, lessons learnt for employers, and what will constitute best practice in the ever-changing industrial relations environment in 2026. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kingston Reid partner Brad Popple about his background as a trade union official and why he loves the "problem-solving" aspect of industrial relations. With that lens, Brad talks through the extent of changes in enterprise bargaining over the last few years and their implications. Against this background, HR professionals must now look differently at the bargaining equation, taking into account recent case studies from the courts as well as broader environmental factors driving change. Brad also anticipates trends in bargaining on the horizon, offering best practice guidance for employers and HR functions in 2026 and beyond. To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

With entry-level roles and role redesign flooding the AI transformation discourse, one expert reflects on what the next few years could hold. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Carlos Tse speaks with Gartner advisory director Jonathan Tabah (pictured), who reflects on how the AI transformation is unrivalled among technological revolutions, why AI is losing on "human touch" but winning in creativity, and how the changing rates of entry-level hiring are reshaping organisational structures across the workforce. Tabah also delves into three potential horizons for the AI transformation, why many organisations will be picking the "low-hanging fruit" of AI in the next few years, why ignoring the "workforce within the machine" can lead to disaster, the implications of attitude in AI adoption, why there is no one size fits all for AI adoption, best practice for AI adoption, and why having a "zero-sum mentality" on AI will stop organisations from getting ahead.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with MoleMap, we unpack the prevalence of skin cancers among workers across the country and the duties incumbent upon employers to take a holistic approach to wellbeing. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with MoleMap chief business officer Jaime Schell about the work of the specialist provider, why it is so essential for Australians, the lack of dermatologists across the country, why employers have a duty to look after workers' skin health, how aware businesses are about such duties, and the barristers standing in the way of employers and HR teams offering better support. Schell also delves into the findings of MoleMap's recent report into skin cancer risks and corporate responsibility in the wake of its findings, the ROI of better looking after staff, the impact of a box-ticking approach rather than genuine duty of care, the necessary practical steps to be taken, the relevance of ESG in such conversations, and transitioning beyond mere compliance. To learn more about MoleMap, click here.

Often, team members will provide feedback to managers that the latter doesn't agree with, or vice versa. For the HR function, such disconnection provides an opportunity to turn conflict into connection. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with EMA Consulting principal consultant Ming-Lyn Hii about her work in implementing lawful and reasonable management action plans, the importance of ensuring more constructive interactions between managers and their teams, the drivers of such negative interactions, and what constitutes reasonable conduct. Hii also delves into the need to go beyond legal compliance and implement cultural transformation, and how HR teams and professionals can put their best foot forward in supporting individual staff members as well as business objectives.

In workplaces where staff are exposed to higher levels of emotional distress from clients, the pressures upon HR are amplified. Here, we unpack how to manage those pressures and better support the workforce. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Resolve Divorce human resources manager Rebecca Kennedy about what it's like to manage the HR function of a family law firm, her perception of the challenges facing HR in 2026, how the role will shift in these 12 months, what constitutes a high-emotion workplace, and how such environments can amplify the pressure on HR. Kennedy also delves into the issues that HR must grapple with in high-emotion workplaces, managing those issues alongside upskilling in new technologies and AI, taking a deliberate approach to such emotional workplaces, the need for proactivity, why proper management is so essential right now, practical steps that HR can and should take, and the need for a "bottom-up" approach, and what she's learnt about herself – personally and professionally – from managing a high-emotion workplace.

While employers absolutely have the right to manage the performance of staff members, more tailored approaches to the development of individuals that take into account idiosyncratic needs and skill sets are perhaps more fit for purpose in 2026 and beyond. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Electro Consulting chief executive and principal Shevonne Joyce about how paralysis and a neurological disorder have shaped her passion for inclusion and championing leaders with disabilities, how her personal experiences have informed her views on the workplace and worker experience, and why the concept of performance management is flawed. Joyce also delves into some of the broader issues with performance management, how employers are realising that performance management is no longer fit for purpose, the importance of leaning into workers' personal growth, how to practically pivot, and how HR can strike the right balance in accommodating staff needs while living up to the business's expectations.

Reshoring – the process of bringing manufacturing, production, or services back home – may well be critical in ensuring that Australia and its workforce are more resilient, skilled, and sustainable. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Steve Kuper, lead of Momentum Media's defence and aerospace brands, about his background as a government staffer and his career pivot to media, what reshoring is and the context driving the need for such a national pivot, and Australia's level of economic complexity relative to other nations. Kuper also discusses the broader economic and geopolitical arguments in favour of reshoring in particular industries and sectors, how and why younger workers have lost critical life and workplace skills as a result of the current technological landscape, what governments need to do to reshore the economy and workforce, and how businesses can respond to the current climate.

For many HR teams, the real challenges of the year emerge in January. In this special episode of The Legal Brief, produced in partnership with national workplace law firm Kingston Reid, we examine the workplace risks and legal pressures HR professionals are facing as they return from the summer break – and what this means for compliance, culture and decision making in 2026. Host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Kingston Reid partner Michael Mead, who reflects on the past 12 months in workplace relations and explains how issues often brought into sharp focus at the start of the year, from conduct and psychosocial hazards to grievances and workplace investigations, are reshaping best practice for HR. The conversation also explores how rising claims, shifting employee sentiment, and regulatory change are increasing scrutiny on employers, with predictions about the year ahead and what HR teams and professionals should prioritise to start 2026 on the front foot. A timely and practical discussion for all HR professionals navigating an increasingly complex workplace relations landscape in 2026. To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

Leadership transitions can be challenging, but also an opportunity for the C-suite and HR team to prioritise the maintenance of workplace culture, company values, and worker engagement. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraismy speaks with BDO Melbourne managing partner Jason de Boer to discuss his background in professional services, the workforce changes and leadership and cultural challenges that stood out to him in 2025, taking a more flexible approach to flexibility, and the lessons he's learnt about good leadership and maintaining the right kind of culture. De Boer also delves into the looming trends that big corporates like BDO will have to stay on top of when it comes to implementing good leadership and maintaining culture, what a good leadership transition looks like, what he's learnt about leadership from that transition, undertaking best practice, the role of HR in effective real change, how HR can meet the C-suite halfway, and what excites him about 2026 and beyond.

The year 2026 could well bring "an absolute schism" between old ways of working and new approaches for human resources, one professional says, while arguing that HR needs to find new and better ways to have a real impact moving forward. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back author and middle management expert Rebecca Houghton to discuss what a car accident taught her about the place and importance (or otherwise) of middle management, her key takeaways for HR from the past 12 months, how HR teams are feeling about the rapid pace of change in the market, and what it means to have a real impact in HR. Houghton also delves into the questions that HR needs to ask of itself to take the right steps in the new year, the key skills and traits that HR professionals need to demonstrate in 2026 and beyond, rethinking your role in human resources, hurdles to overcome, the recipe for success, and her level of optimism that HR can have a true impact in their businesses moving forward.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Deel, we explore the extent to which artificial intelligence has revolutionised the global workforce and what that means moving forward. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Deel head of policy Nick Catino about the company's recent research into how AI has upended workforces globally, how Australian businesses are leading the way, how AI is already replacing jobs, how technology makes people's lives better, and how businesses are increasingly taking a proactive approach to the use of AI and other emerging technologies. Catino also delves into the rapid pace of change in just the last two years, how the labour force is specifically being reshaped and will continue to evolve, how competitive dynamics across borders will continue to change, flow-on consequences for hiring and broader HR practices, why data is a need-to-have (not a nice-to-have), and how best HR teams can lean in. To learn more about Deel, click here.

Feelings of fun and happiness play a significant role in offsetting the stressors and rigours of working life. Here, an Auckland-based academic dives into the need for businesses to get creative in ensuring staff engagement and the critical role that HR must play in doing so. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with University of Auckland Business School Associate Professor Barbara Plester about her research into humour and fun in the workplace and why it's of such interest to her, the extent to which the pandemic shifted workers' levels of happiness, workers' level of connection post-COVID-19, and how critical creativity has become in keeping workers engaged. Plester also delves into how the pandemic has correlated with an uptick in worker happiness, whether it had led to greater productivity, movement away from standardised approaches to wellbeing, the place for worker autonomy, employer limitations on flexibility, practical steps that employers should be taking to ensure optimal levels of employee happiness and striking the right balance with business objectives, and the role of HR managers in doing so.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Deel, we explore how cross-border recruitment has changed workforces across the board and why businesses Down Under are thriving amid talent shortages. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Deel country lead in ANZ Shannon Karaka about the company's work and why it's so motivating, why global workforces are increasingly critical as we head into 2026, the benefits businesses can glean from having a cross-border talent pool, how cognisant Australian business leaders are of the opportunities that can come from a global workforce, and the various challenges to grapple with in creating such a pool of workers. Karaka also delves into the questions that businesses need to ask in broadening the talent pool, ensuring the workforce remains engaged amid such changes, the practical steps that HR must take in implementing such a strategy, creating a competitive advantage, and why the borderless workforce is such an exciting prospect for Australian businesses moving forward. To learn more about Deel, click here.

Workplace flexibility is increasingly under the spotlight in 2025, with a recent Fair Work Commission decision raising the stakes for employers. In this special episode of The Legal Brief, produced by HR Leader in partnership with national workplace law firm Kingston Reid, we unpack the commission's recent decision to grant an employee a permanent work-from-home arrangement. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kingston Reid Managing Partner Alice DeBoos about why the commission found Westpac's refusal lacked "reasonable business grounds" and ruled in favour of the worker, as well as the headline implications and lessons for employers as a result of the decision. The conversation also explores what can go wrong for employers when dealing with requests for flexible working arrangements and outlines practical steps that businesses need to take right now. To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

Today (19 November) is International Men's Day. Here, we unpack the myriad challenges faced by men across the board and what employers need to do to better cater to those specific needs. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with former banker and self-described "manbassador" Tim Hewson, who is now the founder of mental health charity Mongrels Men and Betterment Consulting, about his career to date, experiences with daily panic attacks and broader struggles with mental health issues, what motivates him about his current work, and the specific challenges being faced by men regarding mental health across Australia. Hewson also delves into the professional and workplace challenges that exacerbate the struggles faced by men nationwide, the impact of evolving social and cultural expectations and norms, his observations from speaking with men on the ground, what's working and not working from an employer standpoint in addressing such issues, the role of HR in improving the situation, the work he is doing to combat men's health struggles, and his advice for men to take the steps they need to help themselves and those around them.

In the face of worker uncertainty about not just how to embed and utilise new and emerging technologies, but also why such changes are necessary, it is incumbent upon businesses to create comfort for employees to learn and thrive. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Qualtrics global chief people officer Julia Anas about the work she undertakes, the increasing need to focus on the "people experience" in the current climate, why it's so necessary to address employee's trust gap with AI, why workers are uncertain or fearful, and whether such feelings should be viewed in isolation or in a broader context. Anas also delves into the challenges being presented for HR professionals in the wake of this trust gap, the approaches needed to address these challenges, the overwhelming scope of the task before HR, whether workers are even willing to offer trust on this front, and what excites her about overcoming such challenges and the work more broadly of the HR function in the future.

Businesses that can bring their workforce on the journey of change and can recognise what the constants are versus points in time are the ones that will remain resilient. HR has a huge role to play in navigating such processes and in shaping leadership approaches. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with NetApp executive vice president, chief administrative officer and corporate secretary Beth O'Callahan about how she manages both the human resources and legal functions, her background as a lawyer, the market's cognisance of the need to evolve leadership approaches, what constitutes good leadership in the current climate, and how her approach has evolved in recent years. O'Callahan also delves into whether shifts in leadership approaches are led by managers or workers, getting comfortable with AI, leading a workforce's adoption of AI while learning it as an HR professional, the need to unlearn certain processes and traits, shaping workforce readiness, lessons she's learnt about building the right kind of culture, and what excites her about the changing nature of leadership in business, and how HR can best support that change.

In the inaugural episode of The Legal Brief, produced in partnership with national workplace law firm Kingston Reid, host Jerome Dorasaimy speaks with Kingston Reid Partner Christa Lenard to unpack this recent landmark decision from the Federal Court, which has reshaped a practice many employers across Australia have relied upon for decades – using contractual remuneration set-off clauses to balance out overpayments in one pay period against shortfalls in another. Lenard also delves into the regulatory complexities and scrutiny post-judgment, what employers need to be on top of and the extent to which employers are looking to respond to the judgment's findings.. Whether you're responsible for payroll, compliance, or broader workforce strategy, this episode delivers essential insights for HR professionals on how remuneration set-off clauses have been narrowed in the wake of this major decision, as well as practical steps organisations must take to ensure their remuneration, record-keeping, and payroll practices remain compliant, and the role of HR moving forward. To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

If HR professionals are to meaningfully enable and drive innovation and strategic growth, they cannot sit around and wait for the opportunity. HR must demonstrate that it offers more than just processes and performance improvement plans and that it can drive commercial outcomes. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with bolttech group chief people officer Scott Austin about having worked in HR across jurisdictions and in different sectors, why he finds the work so interesting, the headline challenges HR teams are facing amid voluminous market change, setting HR up to leverage its strengths, shifting how HR is perceived, and why HR professionals cannot wait for permission to drive needed business changes. Austin also delves into how he has been proactive, rather than reactive, about driving innovation and growth, why the onus is on HR to take the initiative, the nuances of fintech and insurtech that he's had to adapt to, overcoming roadblocks to HR's driving of change, being data-driven, why HR is transferable across any sector, and his predictions for the market moving forward.

In the age of AI, concerns remain that artificial intelligence is coming at the cost of genuine human interaction. Against this backdrop, it is incumbent upon HR teams and professionals to ensure that AI is both an enabler of business success and helps prevent the acceleration of disconnection or disenchantment in the workplace. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership ethicist and program director Dr Matt Beard to discuss the myriad ethical dilemmas and considerations in the workplace in the current climate, whether AI is accelerating concerns that human relationships are being sidelined in the post-pandemic world, whether businesses are cognisant of such concerns, and what he sees as the biggest challenges for ethics and culture in the workplace right now. Beard also delves into the extent to which "scut work" needs to be done versus pivoting one's service offering for clients, how HR can view its responsibilities to ensure that workplace culture is at an optimal level and human relationships aren't suffering, how technology can be an enabler of workplace connection, and how optimistic he is that HR teams can drive forward their workplaces in the right ways.