HR Leader Podcast Network

In the current climate, catering to the idiosyncratic needs and perceptions of all staff across generations – and ensuring they feel safe and included – is an ever-present challenge for HR. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Konica Minolta Australia head of people and culture Gabrielle Stevens about her personal and professional investment in helping people, whether it’s getting easier or harder for businesses to help workers feel safe and included, what constitutes a safe and inclusive workplace, and creating a foundation of trust in the post-pandemic world. Stevens also discusses her team’s journey, what they have implemented, the importance of getting onboarding right, catering to individual needs and across generational differences, what has worked and not worked within her workplace, the investment of time required from HR, and how this journey has shaped her ongoing view of the importance of the role of HR.

In an age where employees are increasingly demanding a sense of purpose and belonging in the workplace, it is incumbent upon businesses and their HR teams to ensure that all staff feel seen and heard. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Insight people and culture director in APAC, Elyse Philippi, about how she always wanted to be in a job where she could help people, whether it’s getting easier or harder for HR to make meaningful workplace change, why personalising the employee journey is so essential, why employees currently want more from the workplace, and catering to a workforce with more generations than ever before. Philippi also discusses the questions that HR needs to ask in getting started on personalising the employee journey at scale, challenges to be overcome, what she and her team have successfully implemented at Insight, and the role of AI and other emerging technologies, how such a journey has reinforced her perception of the role of HR, highlighting the human element of such work, and what lessons she’s learnt in personalisation at scale of the employee experience.

Amid myriad professional, technological, economic, and sociocultural changes, it is essential that HR professionals face such shifting sands with an open mind, which will allow, one chief people and culture officer says, for greater creativity, collaboration, and innovation. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation chief people and culture officer Mariam Hares about her journey in the profession, what her day-to-day in the not-for-profit looks like, the challenges and opportunities she’s seeing on the horizon for HR professionals and teams, and how well HR is doing, as a business unit, in adapting to change. Hares also delves into bringing all business units along for the ride in adapting to change, the questions that HR needs to answer in the talent space, leaning into automation, getting incentives right, creating a strategy to address the many workforce challenges, and her best practice guidance to other HR professionals in the face of voluminous market change.

Moral injury is a term that came about in the 1990s, but in years to come, such workplace hazards could well be among the more prominent concerns for employers to address. Here, a leading researcher explains why. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraismy speaks with Associate Professor Wendy Bonython, the associate dean of learning and teaching in the faculty of law at Bond University, to discuss her research work, what is meant by the term “moral injury”, and how and why it’s becoming a more prominent concern in workplaces across the country. Associate Professor Bonython also delves into whether moral injuries will be among the most prominent workplace concerns in years to come, recent research she has conducted in this space and the headline findings, how moral injuries provide answers to questions we couldn’t previously categorise, the impact of moral injuries on productivity, and the steps that employers need to take to prevent such injuries from impacting workers.

The unlawful termination of journalist Antoinette Lattouf by the national broadcaster, which resulted in high-profile proceedings in the Federal Court, has shone a spotlight on workplace policies for social media use by employees, and the need for such frameworks to be fit for purpose. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with McCabes principal Melini Pillay about her journey from being a prosecutor to representing defendants in employment and safety matters, how her background in criminal law offers perspective for her current work, the difficulties of managing five generations in the workforce for businesses, and what happened in the Lattouf v ABC proceedings. Pillay also discusses: What the court found and the employment law implications moving forward from these proceedings. The difficulties inherent with striking the right balance with a social media policy. What might constitute bringing one’s employer into disrepute and the questions that employers should be asking as a starting point. Why policies need to appreciate the prevalence of and place for social media in the modern landscape. Practical steps to take in ensuring the right balance is struck when revamping workplace policies.

While workplace jealousy has always existed in various forms, the trend of “downward envy” – that is, leaders feeling envious of their employees, for myriad reasons – is a relatively new phenomenon, and one that can have deleterious impacts upon staff. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Monash Business School PhD candidate Sabreen Kaur about her research into the phenomenon of downward envy, what it is and how it has come about, how the introduction of more generations into the workforce has exacerbated this trend, and how such envy can manifest. Kaur also delves into the reasons why leaders may be envious of their staff members, the potential for short-sightedness from managers, why businesses and organisations suffer as a result of managers feeling envious, what employers need to do about it, and how optimistic she is that Australian workplaces can overcome this growing trend.

Late last year, the chief people officer for Gilchrist Connell was announced as the national law firm’s new chief executive – a role she assumed in July. Here, she reflects on her vocational experience and details how coming from an HR background and wearing “many, many hats” lends well to leading a large legal practice. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Gilchrist Connell chief executive Belinda Cohen about her career prior to joining the law firm five years ago, the work she did as CPO, balancing the proactive and reactive as an HR professional, and how she came to be the firm’s CEO. Cohen also discusses the firm’s vision as set out by her predecessor, Richard Wood, and how her HR background will assist in furthering that vision, how and why HR professionals are well placed to step into such senior leadership roles, how HR professionals can create such vocational pipelines for themselves, and what excites her moving forward.

A recent Fair Work decision noted that a primary carer doesn’t have to be the sole carer in order to receive primary carer parental leave. Here, a senior lawyer unpacks the decision and what it means for employers and lawyers moving forward. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Meredith Kennedy, a special counsel at national law firm Maddocks, about her work in the firm’s employment, safety, and people practice, the case of Metro Tasmania Pty Ltd v Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union (including what happened at first instance and then in front of the full bench of the Fair Work Commission), how “primary carer” was defined in the proceedings and relevant enterprise agreement, and how and why the FWC full bench reached its conclusions. Kennedy also delves into why this matter is so significant, the takeaways for employers nationwide, the need to ensure that workplace policies and frameworks account for all circumstances, overcoming collective biases, riding the wave of sociocultural shifts, best practice for lawyers in this space, and what else such lawyers need to be looking out for.

Here, we explore the need for business leaders and workplaces to “earn the commute” of their staff members returning to the office, including by way of imbibing a common purpose of the broader approach. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Canon Oceania director of people and finance David Field about his remit at Canon, how he has found the transition from technical legal specialist to having a bigger picture focus on business, whether businesses are getting it right in bringing staff back to the office, and navigating the disconnect that may exist between generations in the workforce. Field also discusses the questions that businesses need to be asking of themselves when wanting to bring staff back into the office, how he and Canon have looked to answer those questions, the place for trial and error, fostering team collegiality, strengthening common purpose through team building and community involvement, working for the greater good, and the steps that must be taken.

Here, a senior HR adviser reveals the non-negotiables driving Australian candidates, why outdated recruitment tactics backfire, and how to fix hiring in a market where flexibility and respect reign supreme. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Kace O’Neill speaks with Gartner’s senior HR principal, Jasleen Kaur, about why Australian talent prioritises work/life balance over pay, how outdated recruitment tactics drive candidate “ghosting”, and why transparency is key to fixing broken hiring processes. Kaur also delves into whether employers misunderstand flexibility as a trust issue, how HR can shift from “selling roles” to coaching candidates, what data-driven strategies recruiters must use to challenge unrealistic hiring managers, and why job descriptions sabotage talent attraction. She further explores whether DEI’s future lies in process-led inclusion (not performative training), how businesses can pre-empt HR/hiring manager breakdowns, what policy shifts prevent “buyer’s regret”, and whether personal growth and micro-cultures will redefine Australia’s talent landscape.

Almost all Australians know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer or will have been diagnosed themselves. However, our workforce has a long way to go when it comes to having open, supportive conversations about workers who fall ill. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Publicis Groupe chief talent officer in APAC and ANZ, Pauly Grant, about her journey to an executive role, her vision for optimal workplace culture, how and why cancer remains stigmatised in the workplace, what it looks like, whether cancer is getting lost in the shuffle given discussions about other ailments, and what it all means for the employee experience. Grant also delves into whether self-stigma is a factor, whether Australian businesses are doing well at having conversations about cancer, how HR teams can act, the practical steps that business leaders must take, the workplace policy shifts that can be made, and whether she is optimistic that our workforces can move towards destigmatisation.

For many businesses, employing fractional professionals – who are highly committed and engaged – to lead can be the way for those entities to deal with the myriad market challenges they face. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy sits down with The CFO Centre group chief executive Sara Daw to discuss her professional journey and embrace of greater flexibility and variety for professionals, why businesses might see engaging fractional professionals for leadership roles as a good thing, and why fractional leadership is a growing trend. Daw also delves into how businesses are responding to changing leadership models and structures, navigating the challenges that might come from such organisational changes, how the role of HR needs to evolve in conjunction with the rise of fractional leadership, the need to adapt to a changing world, and what HR needs to do to ensure the workplace environment is fit for purpose.

In an age of information overload, bringing things back to basics and ensuring workforces are getting the fundamentals right is essential to ensuring healthy, happy and productive staff. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Rodney Cottam and Chris Paterson from Run Rocket Run about their journeys in the corporate, armed services, and professional sporting worlds, what resilience means to them, why resilience is more essential than ever in workplaces right now, and what workers are most crying out for from their employers. Cottam and Paterson also delve into the importance of being able to bring one’s best self to work, being able to separate one’s self from the office, whether Australian workplaces are headed in the right direction, Run Rocket Run’s unique coaching approaches, bringing things back to basics, and applying basic principles to learning and development.

What did this HR partner do when she walked into her first defence event in her early 20s, wearing a bright pink suit, and realised she was the only woman in the room? In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced by our sister brand, Defence Connect, we explore this question and much more. In the premiere episode of The Progress Report, produced by HR Leader’s sister brand, Defence Connect, host Natasha Taylor sits down with Olivia Agate – president of Women’s Defence Connection and HR partner at Navantia – to unpack what it really takes to show up, speak up, and stand tall in a still male-dominated industry. From rainbow dresses at 6am breakfasts to the quiet power of allyship, Agate and Taylor trade stories of impostor syndrome, backing yourself (and each other), and how simply saying yes can change the entire trajectory of your career.

Former CEO of an AFL side turned ethical leadership expert Matt Finnis unpacks the habits of inclusive workplaces, strategies for navigating polarising debates, and why transparency is non-negotiable in 2025. Formerly CEO of St Kilda Football Club and corporate lawyer and now CEO at Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership, Matt Finnis spoke to HR Leader journalist Kace O’Neill to discuss key themes around ethical leadership, transparency, and disagreement. Finnis argues that modern inclusion isn’t about erasing discomfort but embracing pluralism. As workplaces become “melting pots of humanity”, leaders must move beyond correcting historical wrongs to actively welcoming conflicting values – transforming tension into growth. From the Israel Folau controversy to modern-day conflict debates, Finnis reveals how organisations can rehearse for inclusion crises. His antidote? Proactive scenario training, purpose-driven dialogue, and empowering employees to shape culture – before headlines force reactive decisions. With whistleblowing fears lingering, Finnis stresses that ethical followership hinges on leaders modelling vulnerability. He shares hard-won lessons from the AFL trenches: closing feedback loops, rewarding uncomfortable truths, and why owning mistakes builds more trust than flawless execution ever could. 

The fierce debate over flexible work arrangements shows no signs of slowing down, thrust into the spotlight by the recent Australian federal election and high-profile corporate mandates. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, Host Kace O’Neill sits down with Neal Woolrich, director in Gartner’s HR Advisory team, to navigate the complex terrain of post-pandemic work. Woolrich, drawing on his unique background spanning journalism, tax advisory, and nearly a decade at Gartner, issues a stark warning: the push for rigid five-day office returns is fraught with significant talent and business risks, potentially crippling engagement and productivity. Woolrich cautions that enforcing strict return-to-office (RTO) mandates can backfire spectacularly. Employees, he argues, quickly see through hollow justifications linking office presence directly to productivity or culture. The real key, he emphasises, isn’t location but fostering a collaborative team environment. Beyond the RTO tug of war, Woolrich identifies critical missed opportunities, particularly the persistent reluctance to embrace proven flexible models like the four-day work week – despite compelling productivity data and employee demand. He attributes this stagnation partly to an “old-school mindset” prevalent among senior leaders, even as C-suite turnover rises potentially due to inflexibility. Looking ahead, Woolrich predicts hybrid work patterns in Australia will stabilise around 50 per cent, urging HR to champion human-centric design, ensure consistent policy application (especially as one in three organisations lack RTO compliance mechanisms), and build coalitions of progressive leaders to drive meaningful change.

The NSW government’s proposed overhaul of the workers’ compensation scheme has ignited fierce debate. In this recent episode of the HR Leader Podcast, host Kace O’Neill sits down with Chantille Khoury, partner and practice group leader for workers’ compensation at Law Partners, to dissect the draft reforms and their potentially seismic impact. Khoury details how the reforms would devastate support for psychological injuries, revealing a statistic about the proposed 31 per cent whole-person impairment (WPI). Khoury addresses the narrow injury definitions excluding burnout/work pressure, claiming that these changes abandon vulnerable workers while ignoring root causes. Beyond statistics, Khoury warns of reforms exacerbating mental health crises: drawn-out processes, surveillance paranoia, and inaccessible legal hurdles could deepen trauma. While acknowledging system sustainability concerns, she proposes alternatives. The episode closes with a stark question: Will NSW fix the scheme or sacrifice worker welfare in the rush? At the time of this episode’s recording, a key policy proposal put forward by the NSW government, which included workers having to obtain court verification from the IRC when seeking compensation for bullying, racial abuse, or sexual harassment, has since been removed.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, working life has changed significantly. Now, research is starting to identify certain professional and environmental trends that businesses need to be on top of. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by the founding board director of R U OK?, Graeme Cowan, to discuss why uncertainty is so prevalent in workplaces in the current climate, why the proliferation of remote and flexible working is a worrying development, the varying levels of trust in the workforce and why it is damaging, a decline in employee engagement and the consequences of not paying attention to that lack of engagement, and the ongoing wellbeing and mental health crisis. Cowan also delves into the broader business considerations inherent with addressing wellbeing concerns, why the wellbeing focus isn’t working, how and why more managers want out of their workplaces, how business leaders can better support managers, why change leadership needs to improve, and the decline of respect in the workplace.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, we showcase one of the headline speakers for the upcoming Bold Ideas in HR event, Taylor Dee Hawkins, about the moral and commercial imperatives to best practice with management of a workforce that is more diverse than ever before and the benefits that come with it. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Taylor Dee Hawkins, the Foundations for Tomorrow managing director, about the work that she does, the extent to which business leaders are ready and able to lead so many different generations in the workforce, leaders’ cognisance of the need to do so, the dangers in not properly managing workers of all ages, the questions that businesses need to ask of themselves, and the practical steps to be taken. To learn more about Bold Ideas in HR, click here.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, we showcase one of the headline speakers for the upcoming Bold Ideas in HR event, Kylie Fuller, about whether diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) remains good business or rightly under the microscope. Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kylie Fuller, the managing director of Fuller Potential, about her work, why it is important to take stock of where we’re at with DEI practices in the workplace, why it is necessary to ensure that DEI remains fit for purpose, whether Australia is an inflection point for DEI (like in the US), and whether she is optimistic that we can have productive conversations about the way forward. To learn more about Bold Ideas in HR, click here.