The HR Podcast | Built for Business

Episodios

• Is The CV Dead? 15.06.2026 18m

  If you're still relying on CVs to make hiring decisions, you might be missing your best candidates.Skills-based hiring is becoming increasingly common, with more employers using practical assessments and skills tests to predict job performance rather than relying solely on work history and qualifications. At the same time, AI is changing how candidates present themselves and how employers evaluate applications.In this episode, you'll learn where CVs still add value, why skills-based assessments are gaining traction, how applicant tracking systems (ATS) influence recruitment decisions, and what small businesses can do to improve their recruitment process without investing in expensive hiring technology.Whether you're recruiting your first employee or regularly hiring for your growing team, this conversation will help you make better hiring decisions and avoid common recruitment mistakes.• The CV isn't dead, but it's no longer the most reliable predictor of job performance.• Skills-based hiring helps employers assess what candidates can actually do rather than focusing on job titles, degrees or career history.• Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are still built around CVs, which is one reason they remain central to many recruitment processes.• AI-generated applications are making it harder for employers to rely solely on CVs when shortlisting candidates.• Practical skills-based assessments don't need to be expensive or complicated to improve hiring outcomes.• LinkedIn profiles, recommendations and online presence increasingly influence recruitment decisions alongside traditional applications.• Small businesses can strengthen their recruitment process by designing simple tasks that mirror real work rather than adding lengthy interview stages.[00:00] Is the CV dead?[02:35] The rise of skills-based hiring[03:56] How applicant tracking systems shape recruitment[06:12] AI, LinkedIn and the future of CVs[10:21] CVs vs skills-based assessments[12:58] How employers are using online data[15:28] The impact of AI-generated CVs[18:01] Better hiring for small businesses1. TestGorilla2. LinkedIn3. Google Chrome AI Mode4. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)5. Elevate Hubskills-based hiring, skills-based assessments, CV vs skills tests, applicant tracking systems, ATS recruitment, recruitment process for small businesses, hiring employees UK, small business recruitment, AI in recruitment, talent acquisition UK
• Is a CIPD Qualification Really Worth It? 08.06.2026 20m

  Is a CIPD Qualification Worth It? An Honest Career AssessmentIf you're in HR or thinking about moving into it, the CIPD question comes up constantly. Is it worth the cost? Do hiring managers actually care, or is it just a box they've been told to tick? And if your career is going fine without it, should you bother?In this episode: the three levels and what they're for, whether CIPD makes you a better HR professional or just a more hirable one, when the timing makes sense, how to negotiate employer support, and the real risk of letting your membership lapse.CIPD qualified professionals earn 12% more on average — but the qualification alone isn't why. It's worth asking whether it causes better outcomes or correlates with the kind of motivated, ambitious professional who was going to progress anyway.Experience and qualification need to run alongside each other. Completing a CIPD level without being able to apply it produces theoretical knowledge without practical value. The combination is what moves careers forward.Most hiring managers don't know what the CIPD levels mean — but they'll still filter on them. Being asked "do you have level seven?" often just means a recruiter put it on the spec as a minimum requirement.The job market makes it hard to get into HR without a qualification. The field is competitive and full of people with CIPD alongside experience. If you want to change employers or move into HR from elsewhere, the absence of a qualification is a visible disadvantage.Timing matters enormously — don't push through it if life doesn't support it. A young child, a demanding job, a difficult commute — any of these makes completing harder than it needs to be. Doing it when circumstances align produces better learning and less burnout.If your employer won't fund it, negotiate for time instead. Many businesses won't pay course fees but will give study leave or a loan arrangement. Study time during working hours is often more valuable than a cash contribution.Letting your CIPD membership lapse costs more to fix than maintaining it. You pay extra on reinstatement. If you're building a business or working in consulting, clients increasingly expect to see professional membership even if they can't tell you why.[00:41] What the salary data actually shows[01:53] CIPD levels 3, 5 and 7 explained[06:32] Does CIPD make you better at HR?[07:14] Competing for jobs without a qualification[09:10] Box-ticking reality of senior HR hiring[12:07] When to do it — and when to wait[15:07] Cost, employer funding, and what to negotiate[17:56] The membership lapse trapResources MentionedCIPD — professional body for HR; Level 3, 5, and 7 qualifications: cipd.orgCIPD apprenticeship route — alternative pathway referenced for teams needing the qualification without full self-fundingCIPD qualification worth it, is CIPD worth it, CIPD level 5 career, HR qualification UK, CIPD level 7, HR career progression UK, CIPD membership cost, HR professional development, CIPD vs experience, HR qualifications
• Should You Introduce Stay Interviews? 01.06.2026 19m

  Should You Introduce Stay Interviews? An Honest AssessmentAn exit interview happens when someone has already decided to leave. The feedback is useful for the next person — but it's too late to help the one walking out the door. A stay interview flips that. You have it while someone is still there, still engaged, and still worth keeping.Oxford Economics puts the average cost of replacing an employee earning over £25,000 at more than £30,000. Yet only 28% of organisations run stay interviews — the other 72% rely on exit interviews, gathering feedback at precisely the moment it can change nothing.In this episode: when stay interviews are worth doing, when they're just another HR process adding noise, and what questions actually get useful answers.Stay interviews only work if done with a specific purpose. As a routine process, they risk becoming a tick-box exercise. Used deliberately — to understand why a high-turnover team is haemorrhaging people, or why a high-retention team is keeping them — they have real value.Most people won't tell the truth in a stay interview. Asking if someone is thinking of leaving rarely gets an honest answer. Focus instead on connection, purpose, career development, and alignment with the business direction.Running stay interviews and doing nothing with the data is worse than not running them. It signals that views don't matter. Only introduce the process if you're prepared to act on what you hear.The best questions focus on what makes someone stay, not what might push them out. Purpose, career path, and goal alignment surface the real drivers of retention — and give you something you can actually influence.Stay interviews work best when targeted, not universal. Interviewing everyone is rarely practical. A cross-section of demographics, tenure lengths, and roles gives more meaningful data with far less time.Who does the interview matters. Managers should ideally be having these conversations in one-to-ones. But if trust is the issue, an independent HR person will get more honest answers and can add depth on career development pathways.People often stay for reasons outside a business's control — proximity, school run timing, childcare flexibility. Knowing this stops you chasing insights that don't exist and helps you focus on what you can actually change.[00:01] What a stay interview is[01:57] Stay interviews vs existing HR processes[03:01] When stay interviews add real value[07:07] Will people actually tell the truth?[10:31] Questions to ask — and avoid[13:53] HR or manager: who runs it?[17:06] Forms vs face-to-face conversations[18:44] Why people stay — and what you can't controlResources MentionedOxford Economics — average cost of replacing an employee earning over £25,000 is more than £30,000 when factoring in recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivitystay interviews retention, should I introduce stay interviews, exit interviews vs stay interviews, employee engagement, retention strategy small business, stay interview questions, HR podcast UK, reducing staff turnover, employee retention cost
• Why Can't I Just Fire Them... Anymore? 25.05.2026 20m

  Employment Rights Act 2025: Why You Can't Just Fire Them AnymoreWhen we first answered "why can't I just fire them?", employees needed two years before unfair dismissal protection applied. From 1 January 2027, the Employment Rights Act 2025 reduces that to six months.Unfair dismissal claims are up 72% year on year. The average case takes 33 weeks. The compensation cap is being removed. And if you run a six-month probation, reviews need to happen before that window closes — notice periods included.In this episode: what's changed, what it means for small businesses, and why settlement agreements are about to become a much more common conversation.From 1 January 2027, unfair dismissal protection applies from six months. Employees whose probation falls into the July 2025 onwards window are already caught by transitional provisions. This isn't a January 2027 problem.If you run a six-month probation, you need to act earlier than you think. Any notice period eats into the window. On statutory notice, the probation meeting needs to happen at least a week before the six-month mark — or you're in unfair dismissal territory.The compensation cap is going. Combined with tribunal wait times now stretching toward 2030, the financial and operational cost of getting a dismissal wrong is rising sharply.Settlement agreements are becoming the rational option. An extra month's pay at seven months may cost far less than management time, legal fees, and a four-year tribunal wait.ACAS is under serious pressure. Letters are arriving after the conciliation window closes, meaning businesses lose their moment to settle. "Let's see what happens at ACAS" is no longer a reliable strategy.Process documentation is your only reliable protection. Most dismissals fail at tribunal on process, not on the reason for dismissal. Documented conversations and clear expectations throughout probation are what defend you.Managers can't afford to wait a few more weeks. The instinct to let underperformance slide is understandable — but within a six-month window, it's operationally dangerous. Conversations need to happen quickly and be documented.[00:15] What the ERA 2025 changes[01:16] Why July 2025 matters too[02:41] Six-month probation notice trap[05:30] Sharpen performance conversations[08:19] What fair dismissal process looks like[13:28] Settlement agreements as alternative[15:07] AI, employee expectations, backlogs[17:35] Documentation and tribunal protectionResources MentionedEmployment Rights Act 2025 — qualifying period reduces to six months from 1 January 2027: gov.ukACAS — early conciliation; currently experiencing significant delays: acas.org.ukEmployment Rights Act 2025, unfair dismissal six months, probation management, settlement agreements UK, performance management, ACAS backlog, dismissal process UK, HR podcast
• When is Authenticity at Work Just Oversharing? 18.05.2026 19m

  Authenticity at Work: Where Does It Cross Into Oversharing?Half of UK workers find oversharing annoying — but many would leave if they couldn't be themselves. Where's the line? This episode unpacks it. Listen now."Bring your whole self to work" sounds positive until you're sitting next to someone describing their UTI in graphic detail. Authenticity at work genuinely matters — research shows workers would consider leaving a company where they couldn't be themselves — but a poll of 1,000 UK workers found half find it annoying when colleagues overshare.In this episode, Claire and Sarah work through where authenticity ends and oversharing begins, why early-career employees struggle most with the line, how managers face a harder version of the same challenge, and what to do when someone's oversharing is affecting the team.Authenticity and oversharing exist on a spectrum. The difference is usually context, relationship depth, and whether the other person has any real choice in receiving the information."Bring your whole self to work" doesn't mean share everything. It means people shouldn't feel they have to hide who they are. There's a meaningful difference between those two things.Oversharing tends to involve negativity, not detail. Sharing graphic medical information or divisive political views triggers friction. Describing a holiday in detail, less so.Managers face a harder version of this challenge. Oversharing at a senior level — especially about internal debates or strategy — can unsettle the whole team in ways that peer oversharing doesn't.The line varies by workplace culture. Someone moving from a start-up to a corporate will feel the shift. Part of starting somewhere new is reading what professional means in this environment.If oversharing is affecting the team, address it informally first. Most people aren't aware they're doing it. A direct, empathetic conversation is more effective than any policy.Sometimes it's a personality clash, not a conduct issue. Know the difference before escalating to a formal process.[00:02] Is "bring your whole self" good advice?[01:56] Early-career employees finding the line[04:46] Crying at work and personal disclosure[06:09] When oversharing affects team dynamics[09:33] Medical info, politics and what crosses the line[12:09] How workplace culture sets the standard[15:22] Leaders oversharing: a different risk[17:36] How managers and HR should respondResourcesPeople Management poll — 50% of UK workers find colleague oversharing annoying: peoplemanagement.co.ukauthenticity at work UK, oversharing at work, professional boundaries workplace, psychological safety, bring your whole self to work, workplace culture small business, manager oversharing, HR people management, employee behaviour, workplace professionalism
• What Does Great HR Mentoring Look Like? 11.05.2026 20m

  What Great HR Mentoring Looks Like (And Why Most Gets It Wrong)Most people have had a mentor who didn't really mentor them. The sessions happened, the conversation was pleasant, and nobody was sure what the point was. Mentoring ranked number one in LinkedIn's Learning Report for L&D priorities — yet only 52% of those who say a mentor is important to their career actually have one.In this episode, Claire and Sarah cover what makes mentoring genuinely valuable versus a well-intentioned waste of time, how it differs from coaching, why the mentee carries most of the responsibility, and how to find the right mentor in a small or standalone HR role.Mentoring and coaching are not interchangeable. Coaching unlocks what's already in you. Mentoring gives you access to someone who's walked the path — and can tell you what they'd do differently.The mentee drives the relationship. Turning up without clear questions means sessions drift into pleasant but useless conversation. Preparation is everything.Start with a specific goal. "I need to learn how to influence senior stakeholders in a new HRBP role" is a goal. "I want to develop" is not. The goal shapes who you need and whether it's working.Three conversations can be enough. Where are you now, where are you going, what next — that structure can be more valuable than a year of vague monthly check-ins.The right match matters more than the most senior match. Energy and communication style determine whether conversations flow. A mismatched pairing wastes both people's time.You don't need an HR mentor if you're in HR. The gap is often in emotional intelligence or stakeholder influence — areas where someone from a different background can add more value than a fellow HR professional.If you're in a small or standalone role, look outside the business. People outside your organisation can see your situation clearly, without the internal politics that can cloud things.[00:15] Why mentoring matters — the gap[01:14] Formal vs informal mentoring experiences[03:05] How to structure a mentoring programme[05:19] Mentoring vs coaching: the difference[10:10] Why mentoring sessions stop being valuable[13:43] Finding a mentor in a small business[17:03] Why matching beats seniority[19:20] LinkedIn, networking and mentoring schemesResources MentionedLinkedIn Learning Report — mentoring ranked number one L&D priority: linkedin.com/learningElevate Hub HR mentoring scheme: elevatehub.co.ukCIPD mentoring: cipd.org70-20-10 development model — 70% on the job, 20% relationships, 10% formal learningHR mentoring, mentoring vs coaching, workplace mentoring, employee development mentoring, HR career development, finding mentor small business, standalone HR, 70-20-10 model, mentee preparation, HR development
• Why Are My Job Applicants Ghosting Me? 04.05.2026 18m

  Why Candidates Are Ghosting You (And What To Do About It)Candidates ghosting your recruitment process? This episode covers why it happens, what your hiring process signals, and how to fix candidate experience. Listen now.If candidates are disappearing after interview invitations — or not showing up on day one — the instinct is to blame applicants. But 56% of UK employers admit they're likely to ghost candidates themselves. If it's happening to you consistently, your hiring process is telling people something you don't intend.In this episode, Claire and Sarah cover why candidate ghosting has become so common, what drives it on both sides, and the specific things — a clunky assessment, slow responses, a bad Glassdoor profile — that make people disappear before they've even met you.Candidate ghosting is a symptom, not the problem. It's usually telling you something about the experience you're creating — often before a candidate has spoken to anyone in the business.Employers ghost candidates just as much. If you want people to treat your process with respect, the standard has to start with you. Auto-regrets, timely updates, and brief feedback after interview cost very little.Too many stages and awkward assessments drive drop-off. If candidates are disappearing at a specific stage, that stage is worth reviewing. Streamline before blaming the market.The gap between offer and start date is high-risk. Keep candidates warm and communicate regularly — this is where many no-shows originate.Your Glassdoor profile matters. Candidates research you after being invited to interview. Respond to reviews — positive and negative — to show you're a listening organisation.Some ghosting reflects the current job market. People apply speculatively, circumstances change, and they stay put. Not all of it is about your process — but it's worth checking.Candidates who interviewed deserve feedback. A brief personalised email explaining why they weren't successful costs nothing and leaves a lasting impression, even in rejection.[00:01] Why candidate ghosting is increasing[02:29] Are job adverts even real vacancies?[05:44] Speculative applications in a tough market[08:09] How your process causes drop-off[11:46] Glassdoor and employer brand[13:08] Assessments and multi-stage design[16:43] What candidates deserve after interview[18:28] What ghosting is really telling youResourcesCIPD 2024 research — new starters failing to show up and early resignations data: cipd.orgCV Genius survey — 56% of UK employers admit ghosting candidates: cvgenius.comGlassdoor — employer reviews: glassdoor.co.ukcandidate ghosting UK, why candidates ghost employers, recruitment process improvement, candidate experience, employer communication hiring, Glassdoor employer brand, hiring drop-off, HR podcast UK, recruitment best practices, new starter no-show
• Is Pet Bereavement Leave a Step Too Far? 27.04.2026 18m

  Pet Bereavement Leave UK: Should You Offer It?No legal obligation exists for pet bereavement leave in the UK — but what should you actually do? Practical advice for small business owners handling this well. If an employee came to you tomorrow morning, red-eyed, and told you their dog had died — what would you do? There’s no legal entitlement to pet bereavement leave in the UK, but that doesn’t make the answer straightforward. In this episode, Sarah and Claire work through what small business owners should actually consider when a member of staff loses a pet: whether to offer time off, whether to pay for it, whether a formal bereavement policy helps or just creates rigidity, and why how you handle these moments says more about your culture than almost anything in your employee handbook. Practical, honest, and grounded in real HR experience — including a few stories you won’t forget.Key TakeawaysThere is no legal right to pet bereavement leave in the UK — but that doesn’t mean the right answer is automatically no. If someone is too distressed to function, sending them back to their desk helps no one.    A formal pet bereavement leave policy isn’t always the answer. For smaller businesses especially, handling these situations case by case — with consistency and compassion — often works better than a rigid policy that invites gaming.Pay is the harder question. Whether time off is paidshould reflect the broader decisions you’re already making in your business — if dependency leave is unpaid, pet bereavement leave probably should be too.Flexibility matters more than a blanket rule. Somepeople need two days; others are back at their laptop the following morning. Asking “what do you need?” is often more useful than a policy that prescribes the answer.Consistency across managers is a genuine risk. Onemanager might give three days’ paid leave; another might tell someone to get on with it. HR should be involved to ensure comparable situations are handledcomparably.If you do have a bereavement policy, consider broadening it to encompass significant pet loss rather than creating a standalone policy — and avoid specifying exact days, which strips out the humanjudgement these situations need.Proof is a thorny issue. Unlike human bereavement,there’s no death certificate for a pet. The better safeguard is knowing your people well enough to spot when something doesn’t add up — not demandingevidence from someone who’s just lost an animal they loved. [00:00]  Is pet bereavement leave a step too far?[00:49]  What the data actually shows[01:05]  The honest, human answer[03:15]  Should there be a formal policy?[05:56]  Flexibility over rigid rules[07:41]  Does the type of pet matter?[12:14]  Proof, evidence and trust[15:03]  Small business vs large business approach[19:30]  How to wrap your bereavement policy aroundthis The statistics cited come from:UK Pet Food — 60% of UK households own at least one pet(around 17 million homes)A survey of over 6,000 British adults — 43% supportstatutory paid pet bereavement leave; nearly one in four say employers definitely should offer itpet bereavement leave UK, compassionate leave small business, employee wellbeing UK, bereavement policy UK, HR advice for small business owners, pet loss at work, time off for pet death UK, UK employment law podcast, people management practical advice, HR podcast UK founders
• Two Teams, One Culture. How do You Make it Work? 20.04.2026 15m

  Culture Integration After a Team Merger: What Actually WorksMerging two teams with different cultures? This episode covers what leaders get wrong in M&A and how to make culture integration actually work. Listen now.If your business has just merged two teams — through an acquisition, a restructure, or a cost-saving consolidation — you already know the business case. What nobody prepares you for is how hard the people part is. Research from Ernst & Young and Harvard Business Review shows 70 to 90% of mergers and acquisitions fail or underperform, and cultural misalignment is one of the most cited reasons.In this episode, Claire and Sarah draw on real M&A experience to cover what goes wrong when two teams with different cultures are pushed together, why HR is almost always brought in too late, what leaders promise that they can't deliver, and why something as small as a set of cups can undo months of goodwill.Culture is almost never assessed during due diligence — and it should be. By the time most businesses think about cultural fit, they're already deep into consultation."Nothing will change" is rarely true, and always a problem. Promises made at CEO level filter down to employees who then feel misled when payroll dates shift, benefits change, or reporting lines move.The small stuff matters more than the big stuff. The million-pound deal gets signed in a boardroom. The culture falls apart over cups, car parking, and Friday finish times. Ignore these signals at your peril.HR needs to be in the room before the deal is done. The commercial case gets scrutinised. The people risks — ET claims, long-term absence, cultural incompatibility — rarely get the same attention until it's too late.Leadership alignment is non-negotiable. If leaders aren't giving consistent messages from day one, the teams beneath them will fill the silence with their own assumptions — and those assumptions are rarely positive.The first 90 days set the tone for everything. How leaders communicate, what they prioritise, and how quickly they tackle the us-versus-them dynamic will determine whether integration succeeds or quietly fails.Culture change takes months, not weeks. If you're measuring integration in weeks, you're measuring the wrong thing.[00:01] Why cultural misalignment causes M&A failures[01:24] Culture never assessed in due diligence[02:59] The promises leaders make that unravel[06:54] Big business buying small: the culture clash[08:16] Why HR is brought in too late[11:00] The cups story: small changes, big cultural weight[15:46] What actually drives successful integration[16:43] First 90 days and the danger of silenceculture integration after merger, M&A people challenges, team merger culture clash, business acquisition HR, organisational culture change, change management small business, merging teams different cultures, leadership alignment merger, HR due diligence acquisition, employee engagement restructure
• What to do When Your Top Performer is Toxic 13.04.2026 19m

  Toxic High Performer: What To Do When They Deliver But DestroyYour top performer hits every target but makes everyone else miserable. Here's how to handle a toxic high performer before it costs you the team. Listen now.If your best performer is also your biggest problem, you're not alone — and you're not imagining it. Toxic workplace culture costs the UK economy over £20 billion a year, and 27% of SME employees have quit because of it. When someone is brilliant at the job but brutal to work with, it creates one of the hardest calls a business owner or manager faces: do the numbers justify the damage?In this episode, Claire and Sarah work through exactly what to do when you've got a toxic high performer on your hands. You'll learn why hitting targets alone doesn't equal good performance, how to build the evidence you need before having the conversation, and what happens if the behaviour doesn't change. Whether you've been avoiding this situation for months or you're right in the middle of it, this episode will give you a clear, practical path forward.Hitting targets is only half of performance. What someone delivers and how they deliver it are both part of the picture. A toxic high performer who damages relationships and drives people out is not fully performing, whatever the numbers say.The commercial cost is real. Every good person who leaves because of one difficult colleague costs you recruitment fees, lost knowledge, and a signal to the rest of the team about what you're willing to tolerate.In small businesses, the impact lands harder. When your team is five to twenty people, one person's toxic behaviour shapes what everyone else thinks is normal. It becomes the culture.Evidence before the conversation. Vague feedback does not land with high performers. You need specific examples of behaviours, a clear picture of the impact, and an equally clear description of what good looks like going forward.Use what you already have. Competency frameworks, company values, and 360 feedback aren't just nice-to-haves — they give you documented standards to point to when the person says "but I'm generating the revenue."If the behaviour has been allowed for years, the individual deserves context. It's not fair to suddenly score someone down on behaviours they've never been pulled up on. Hold the mirror up, explain the impact, and give them a genuine chance to change.At some point, it becomes a choice. If genuine attempts to address the behaviour don't work, the question is what you're willing to accept in your culture — including the reality that anyone who works under that person is likely to leave within six months.[00:00] Is a toxic top performer really performing?[01:55] Why businesses avoid the conversation[05:30] What to do if they push back[07:19] Competency frameworks and 360 feedback[10:07] How to start tackling long-standing toxic behaviour[12:23] PIPs, documentation, and formal process[14:49] Small business vs big business: the difference[17:24] When behaviour doesn't change: the final decisionReferencesBreathe HR Culture Economy Report — referenced for UK toxic culture cost data and SME employee turnover statistics: breathehr.comtoxic high performer, managing difficult employees UK, toxic employee at work, high performer bad attitude, brilliant jerk workplace, HR advice for small business, managing toxic employees, performance management UK, toxic workplace culture, how to handle a difficult employee
• How to Create an Inclusive Workplace 06.04.2026 20m

  How to Create an Inclusive Workplace: The Small Things That Make a Big DifferenceEpisode SummaryInclusion isn't a policy document. It shows up in the small, everyday decisions — whether your team socials always end up at the pub on a Friday, whether there's somewhere quiet for someone to decompress or pray, whether a new mum returning from maternity leave has a private space to express milk. In this episode, Claire Cathcart and Sarah Ropek break down the practical, low-cost things that make people genuinely feel like they belong — and what you're communicating when you get them wrong.The stats: CIPD research shows employees who feel included are significantly more engaged and far less likely to leave. A Deloitte study found 39% of workers have altered their behaviour at work just to fit in.Inclusion isn't about big EDI strategies — it's the small things people actually notice day to day.Team socials matter. Always Friday at the pub? That excludes single parents, non-drinkers, carers, and people with religious commitments.The Christmas party question — would calling it a winter social open the door to more of your team?Food is inclusion too. Halal, gluten-free, dairy-free — if you can accommodate it, why wouldn't you?Neurodiversity requires individual conversations, not blanket policies. Ask people what works for them.Onboarding is your best opportunity to understand what someone needs before they start working around your defaults.Culture comes from the top. If leaders aren't modelling this, it won't embed across the organisation.Most of this costs very little. What it takes is awareness and a willingness to ask.Rethinking team socials — vary the format, time, and setting. Lunchtime events, non-alcohol-centred activities, and flexible timing open your social calendar to people who currently feel excluded from it — or attend out of obligation rather than choice.Neurodiversity in practice — noise-cancelling headphones, flexible break patterns, quiet spaces. None of these are radical. Ask individuals what they need rather than assuming one approach works for everyone.Onboarding — ask new starters early what they need to do their best work. Most won't raise it unless there's a safe space to do so. Building it into the offer stage is even better.Leadership — if leaders aren't modelling inclusive behaviour, it won't filter down. Curiosity matters more than policy.Audit your team socials — ask what people would actually enjoy, not what you assume.Create a quiet space — somewhere to pray, decompress, or express milk sends a clear message.Add a question to onboarding — "what do you need to do your best work here?"Check your event catering — halal and allergen-friendly options are easy when you ask upfront.Use surveys or focus groups to understand what your people actually value.CIPD Inclusion and Diversity research — cipd.orgDeloitte Inclusion research — deloitte.comClaire Cathcart — founder of the Elevate Hub, helping people professionals build strategic confidence and commercial impact.Sarah Ropek — fractional HR specialist supporting small businesses and start-ups with practical, fit-for-purpose HR.Got a question? Head to hrpodcast.co.uk to submit it for a future episode. Like, follow, and share if this was useful.Tags: inclusive workplace, workplace inclusion, how to make employees feel included, diversity and inclusion at work, inclusive culture, employee belonging, HR podcast UK, neurodiversity at work, team socials inclusion, HR for small business
• What Managers Should Know About HR 30.03.2026 20m

  Most managers are promoted because they're great at the job — then expected to just know the people stuff. In this episode, Claire Cathcart and Sarah Ropek cover the HR basics every manager actually needs, where the line sits between HR's job and the manager's job, how to make policies less overwhelming, and what happens when managers avoid people issues altogether.Giving good feedback is the most important HR skill a manager can have — every other people process depends on it.Document conversations from day one. If it's not written down, it didn't happen.Managers should own the conversations, not HR. HR guides, advises, and supports — but doesn't manage for them.Managers don't need to memorise every policy — they need to know where to find them and when to ask for help.Policy summaries and fact cards are far more useful than a 20-page document nobody reads.Avoiding people issues carries real risk. A manager's effectiveness is measured by how well their team delivers — not just their own output.If something feels tricky, call HR early. They would always rather know than find out later.The HR vs Manager divide — managers should lead conversations, investigations, and disciplinary hearings. HR prepares them, sits in for support, and keeps the process fair. Bringing HR into every performance conversation doesn't make a manager look capable — it undermines them.Making policies work in practice — two tools that actually help: a one-page policy summary covering the manager's key responsibilities, and FAQ-style fact cards based on questions HR gets asked repeatedly. The goal isn't for managers to know everything — it's for them to know when to pick up the phone.What happens when managers avoid people issues — if a performance problem has been running for a year and there are no documented conversations, HR has to start from scratch. Early, consistent action is always easier than a formal process later.Teach new managers to give feedback first — it underpins everything else.Document conversations as you go, even informal ones.Create a policy summary or fact card for the processes managers deal with most.Set a low bar for when managers should contact HR — before things feel formal, not after.Claire Cathcart — founder of the Elevate Hub, helping people professionals build strategic confidence and commercial impact.Sarah Ropek — founder of The Fractional HR Department supporting small businesses and start-ups with practical, fit-for-purpose HR.Got a question? Head to hrpodcast.co.uk and submit it for a future episode. And don't forget to like, follow, and share.Tags: manager training UK, employee performance management, documenting HR conversations, HR policies for managers, disciplinary process UK, HR for small business, new manager training, practical HR advice, employment tribunal risk
• What's The Point of a Performance Improvement Plan? 24.03.2026 19m

  In this episode, Sarah Ropek and Claire Cathcart explore why performance improvement plans (PIPs) have developed such a negative reputation and whether the problem is the process itself or how it’s used.Many employees see a PIP as a sign that their job is already at risk, but Claire and Sarah discuss why that perception exists and what often goes wrong in performance management before a formal process even begins.They talk about why managers frequently introduce performance improvement plans too late, the importance of having clear expectations and early performance conversations, and how better training for managers could transform the way underperformance is handled.The conversation also covers the legal and risk perspective for businesses, why documentation matters in performance processes, and how employment law changes may mean businesses rely more heavily on structured performance management in the future.Claire and Sarah also explore the difference between large and small businesses when managing underperformance, and whether performance improvement plans need a complete rebrand to become a genuine tool for supporting employees rather than simply managing people out.In this episode you’ll learn:Why performance improvement plans (PIPs) have such a bad reputationThe common mistakes managers make when handling employee underperformanceWhy early conversations and clear expectations are critical for performance managementHow businesses can reduce risk and ensure a fair performance management processWhether PIPs need a complete rethink in modern workplacesIf you have questions you’d like Claire and Sarah to discuss in future episodes, get in touch – they’d love to hear from you.
• International Women's Day Special 09.03.2026 22m

  International Women’s Day Special: Careers in HR, Confidence & Building Your Own BusinessIn this International Women’s Day episode, Sarah Ropek and Claire Cathcart step away from their usual Q&A format for a more personal conversation about their careers in HR, the decisions that shaped them, and why they both chose to start their own businesses.With more than 20 years of experience each, they reflect on working in both large corporate environments and smaller businesses, how career priorities evolve over time, and the realities women still face when balancing ambition, leadership, and family life.They also explore the role great leaders, mentors and coaching can play in career development, alongside honest reflections on confidence, imposter syndrome, flexible working, and career progression for women at work.Why choosing a great boss can be more valuable than chasing a big brand or job titleHow mentors, coaching and varied HR roles can accelerate career developmentThe ongoing challenges around flexible working and part-time rolesWhy authenticity is a powerful leadership skillHow to reframe imposter syndrome and self-doubt in your careerHR professionals developing their careersWomen navigating leadership and career progressionAnyone considering starting their own HR consultancyLeaders who want to better support women at workInternational Women’s Day • Women in HR • HR careers • Leadership development • Flexible working • Part-time roles • Mentorship • Coaching • Imposter syndrome • Women in leadership • Starting an HR business
• The Expert Sessions: What Should I Know About The Employment Rights Act? 17.02.2026 37m

  The Employment Rights Act is reshaping UK employment law in 2026 and 2027 - but what does this major legislation change actually mean for your business? In this episode of The HR Podcast Expert Sessions, Sarah Ropek and Nic Elliott break down the biggest employment law reforms in years. Discover what's coming first, including day-one statutory sick pay and the new Fair Work Agency, plus what's on the horizon with fire and rehire restrictions and the reduction of unfair dismissal qualifying periods to six months. Learn the practical implications of these employment law updates for HR teams and business leaders, including unintended consequences you need to watch for. Sarah and Nic share actionable steps employers can take now to prepare for the Employment Rights Act, from reviewing employment contracts and terms and conditions to building manager capability. Whether you're an HR professional, business owner, or employment law specialist, this conversation gives you the clarity and confidence to navigate upcoming workplace legislation changes. Ready to future-proof your HR practices? Listen now.Nic Elliott - LinkedIn
• Why Do I Keep Hiring The Wrong People? 10.02.2026 19m

  Hiring the wrong person can cost up to 3x their salary. This episode covers the real causes of bad hires and practical fixes for your recruitment process. Listen now.If you've ever looked at a new starter three months in and thought "this isn't who I interviewed," you're not alone. According to the REC, the wrong hire can cost up to three times their salary — and in a small business, the damage goes further than money.In this episode, Claire and Sarah work through where the recruitment process actually breaks down: rushing to fill a vacancy, skipping a proper person specification, relying on gut feel without testing it, and getting onboarding wrong once someone starts. You'll come away with practical steps to make better, more consistent hiring decisions.Most hiring mistakes start before the interview. A vague or absent job description means you don't know what you're looking for. A proper job description and person specification is the most important step before any role goes live.Don't just replace the person who left. Think about what the team actually needs now — not a carbon copy of whoever walked out.Hiring too fast is a real risk. Pressure to fill a seat quickly leads to cut corners. A slightly longer process almost always costs less than fixing a wrong hire.Gut feel is useful — but test it. Gut feel comes from experience, not guesswork. What makes it unreliable is ignoring red flags because you like the candidate. Back instincts up with structured questions and detailed notes.Get more people involved. Informal touchpoints — a phone screen with a different team member, greeting them on arrival — give a rounder picture without adding unnecessary interview stages.Promises of future promotion are risky. Hiring for potential only works with genuine development support. Vague timelines are a common reason good people leave early.Onboarding determines whether someone sticks. Explaining how the business works and what success looks like isn't optional — it's what turns a good hire into a lasting one.[00:01:05] The real cost of a wrong hire[00:01:28] What does a wrong hire actually look like?[00:04:05] Why job descriptions matter more than you think[00:06:20] How to structure the interview process[00:10:21] Why onboarding determines whether someone stays[00:11:57] The risks of hiring for future potential[00:15:56] Gut feel, interview notes, and bias[00:18:27] Practical steps to stop hiring the wrong peopleReferencesREC (Recruitment & Employment Confederation) — referenced for the cost of a wrong hire (up to 3x salary): rec.uk.comhiring mistakes UK, wrong hires small business, recruitment process UK, bad hire cost, culture fit hiring, job description person spec, onboarding new employees, hiring for potential, interview process UK, HR advice for founders
• If My Managers Are Good, Why Do I Need HR? 03.02.2026 18m

  Why HR Still Matters Even With Great ManagersGood managers don't remove the need for HR in small businesses. Here's what HR actually does, when to get support, and what the risks are if you don't. Listen now.Your managers are competent, your team is happy, one-to-ones are happening — so what exactly is HR adding? It's a fair question, and one Claire and Sarah hear regularly from small business owners. But good management and good HR aren't the same thing, and confusing the two can leave your business exposed in ways you'd never anticipate. In this episode they unpack the genuine role of HR in a small business, why the cost of not having it can far outweigh the cost of getting it in place, when the right time to bring in HR support actually is, and where the line sits between what your managers should handle and what needs proper HR expertise behind it.Great managers and HR serve genuinely different purposes — one does not replace the other. HR's role is to create and manage the processes, systems, and legal frameworks that allow people to do their jobs well. That's a specialism in its own right, just like finance or IT, and it shouldn't sit on a manager's plate on top of everything else they're already doing.The financial risk of skipping HR is real and growing. Employment tribunals are expensive before you even factor in legal fees — and with tribunal compensation awards increasingly uncapped, the downside of getting things wrong is only heading in one direction. One in four tribunals, according to Acas, could have been avoided with clearer processes.Seemingly innocent management decisions can create serious legal exposure. Asking a candidate in an interview whether they have children, or verbally declining a flexible working request in a corridor conversation, can both trigger claims. Managers shouldn't be expected to know all of this — that's what HR is for.There are three natural trigger points to bring in HR support: when you hire your first employee, when you introduce your first management layer, and when the volume of people activity — recruiting, onboarding, performance conversations — becomes too much to handle informally.The HR vs "People & Culture" naming debate is largely a distraction. Culture belongs to the whole business, not one function. HR's job is to shape and embed it through processes and systems — but the managers living it every day, in every conversation, are the ones who make or break it in practice.HR that hides behind policy and says "computer says no" isn't the right HR for a small business. The best HR support for growing businesses asks "what do you want to happen?" and works backwards from there — finding a path that's legally sound without being unnecessarily rigid.[00:00] Intro and today's question[01:01] What HR actually does — a working definition[03:38] The real cost of getting it wrong[05:10] Why you can't just train managers to replace HR[06:24] When should small businesses bring in HR support?[08:00] What happens when HR arrives and managers push back[11:37] Who actually owns company culture — HR or managers?[15:23] Long-term risks of delaying HR supportResourcesCIPD — cited for the statistic that 46% of managers don't feel confident handling employee relations issuesAcas — cited for the finding that one in four employment tribunals could have been avoided with clearer processesThe HR Podcast website — thehrpodcast.co.ukwhy do I need HR if managers are good, role of HR in small business UK, HR vs managers responsibilities, when to hire HR small business, employee relations support UK, employment tribunal risk small business, outsourced HR UK founders, HR podcast UK small business, people management advice UK, why HR matters for business growth
• Why Aren't I Allowed to Contact a Team Member Who's Off Sick? 27.01.2026 17m

  Can You Contact Employees on Sick Leave? UK Absence GuideThink you can't contact an employee on sick leave? You can — but how you do it matters. This episode covers UK absence management done right. Listen now.You can contact an employee who's off sick. That's the short answer — and it surprises more managers than it should. What you can't do is contact them in a way that feels pressuring, poorly timed, or comes from the wrong person. 33% of UK workers who've been off sick say they felt pressured to return early, and only one in four managers feel confident handling long-term sickness absence.In this episode, Claire and Sarah cover what reasonable contact looks like for short-term versus long-term absence, how to handle a fit note that says "no contact," what to do when absence follows a grievance, when to involve occupational health, and why the language you use in those first conversations matters more than most managers realise.You can contact employees on sick leave — the key word is reasonable. There's no rule banning contact. What gets managers into trouble is contacting too frequently, too formally, or through the wrong person.Set contact expectations on the very first call. If you don't agree a check-in frequency from the start, requesting weekly updates when a fit note arrives feels like a sudden shift in approach — and will unsettle the employee.Short-term and long-term absence need different approaches. A couple of days off doesn't need daily check-ins. Once fit notes start arriving, agree a sensible rhythm — fortnightly or monthly for serious conditions.Who contacts the employee matters as much as the contact itself. If there's a live grievance against the line manager, that manager must not be the one reaching out.A "no contact" fit note doesn't leave you completely in the dark. You can reach out through a trusted family member, or bring in occupational health to advise on the right approach.Share as little as possible with the rest of the team — and ask the employee what they're comfortable with first. Medical information is sensitive personal data.Absence triggers are benchmarks, not automatic escalation routes. The goal is always to understand what's behind the absence and support a return to work.[00:45] Can you contact someone off sick?[02:44] Handling a "no contact" fit note[04:13] Absence after grievance or performance issue[05:22] When to bring in occupational health[07:07] Short-term vs long-term: different approaches[08:51] Setting contact expectations from day one[10:23] What to tell the rest of the team[11:45] Absence triggers and using judgementcontacting employees on sick leave, managing sick leave employees, absence management UK, sickness absence law, fit note no contact, occupational health referral, long-term sickness absence, Bradford Factor small business, HR advice managers, employee sick leave rules
• What's The Point of a Probationary Period? 20.01.2026 18m

  Probationary Period Purpose: What UK Businesses Need to KnowIs your probationary period actually working? This episode covers what probation is for, how long it should be, and what changes in January 2027. Listen now.If your probation reviews get forgotten or treated as a formality, you're running a risk that's about to get significantly bigger. 22% of UK employees say they didn't receive any formal check-in during their probation, and most probationary issues stem from unclear expectations, not poor capability.In this episode, Claire and Sarah cover what a probationary period is actually for, how long it should last, whether internal promotions should trigger one, what happens when a review gets missed, and how the Employment Rights Act — coming January 2027 — changes the stakes entirely.Probation exists for both sides. It's a shared window for employer and employee to figure out if they're right for each other — with a mutual understanding that employment could end if it's not working.Six months is the preferred length — but January 2027 changes the maths. From that date, unfair dismissal rights kick in at six months. Reviews need to happen at four months, with a two-month extension option built in.Don't apply probation to internal promotions. If someone has over two years' service and is promoted internally, a formal probation period is legally and practically problematic. What happens if it doesn't work out?A missed review isn't a disaster today — but it will be. Currently, most missed reviews result in a quiet pass. Under the new rules, without documented performance conversations before six months, your options narrow significantly.Act on performance concerns early, not when you have enough evidence. Post-January 2027, there won't be time to gather data. If something feels off, the conversation needs to happen immediately.Extending probation can genuinely work. Employees who were borderline at six months and given extra time have gone on to be strong performers. The new legislation makes extensions riskier — which is a real loss.If you don't have a probation process, build one before 2027 — and pair it with a performance management process that works beyond the probationary period.[01:19] What is probation actually for?[02:26] How the Employment Rights Act changes things[05:38] Internal promotions and probation[07:19] How long should probation last?[11:16] What to do if you missed the review[13:00] Big vs small business: is it different?[15:34] Should you extend probation?[17:18] Final advice before January 2027probationary period UK, employee probation review, Employment Rights Act 2027, unfair dismissal six months, HR best practices UK, probation length UK, performance management probation, hiring and onboarding UK, HR podcast small business, probation process small business
• Why Do I Always Get Resignations In January? 13.01.2026 19m

  Why Employee Resignations Spike in January (And How to Stop Them)January resignations don't come from nowhere. This episode covers why staff leave after the holidays and which employee retention strategies actually work. Listen now.If you always seem to lose people in January, the decision to leave almost certainly wasn't made in January. LinkedIn and Indeed both show January is one of the busiest months for job seekers — but the thinking starts well before the holidays. 74% of UK employees say they felt disengaged at work over the past year, and one in three consider quitting in January.In this episode, Claire and Sarah unpack why staff turnover spikes at the start of the year, the role Christmas bonuses play in the timing of resignations, why exit interviews aren't the answer, and what managers can do in those first one-to-ones of January to make people reconsider.By the time someone resigns in January, you lost them months earlier. The Christmas break gives people space to act on a decision already made. The resignation letter is the last step, not the first.Bonuses delay resignations, they don't prevent them. If you pay a large annual bonus in December, people stay to collect it and resign in January. Staged bonuses paid across the year are a significantly stronger retention tool.Exit interviews tell you why people left — not how to stop it. The data is useful for spotting patterns, but by the time someone's in an exit interview, the conversation that might have changed their mind needed to happen months earlier.Career development conversations are your strongest retention lever. When people feel stagnant, they open job boards. Asking someone what they want from their development — and acting on the answer — is more effective than any retention initiative.Watch for disengagement before it becomes a resignation. Motivation drops visibly before someone hands their notice in. Managers who catch that shift early and have a direct conversation can often turn things around.Salary is a reason people leave — and a fixable one. Employees typically get bigger pay rises by switching jobs than by staying put. A regular market rate review and proactive action on anyone below range costs less than replacing them.Counter-offers rarely work. Once someone has another offer, the dynamic has shifted. Address pay before they start looking — not after.[01:05] Why January resignations aren't impulsive[02:13] How Christmas bonus timing drives January spikes[04:37] Why exit interviews aren't enough[05:03] Career development as a retention tool[06:32] Goal-setting conversations that actually help[13:29] The January one-to-one that matters most[15:42] Salary market reviews and proactive pay action[16:18] Why counter-offers are the worst position to be inemployee resignations January, why staff leave January, employee retention strategies, staff turnover UK, reducing January resignations, HR insights UK, career development retention, salary market review UK, exit interview limitations, HR podcast founders