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.
Financial stress continues to put downward pressure on workplace productivity. As a result – and in the face of broader market challenges – ensuring financial wellbeing must be a key priority for the HR function at this critical juncture. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with MoneyGPS co-founder and chief executive George Haramis and Howden head of employee benefits Chris Sinclair and their respective businesses and partnership, the urgency of addressing financial wellbeing in the current climate, the issues employees are facing on the ground, and how workers across generations are facing unique financial challenges. Haramis and Sinclair also delve into the need for employers to take a holistic approach to financial wellbeing, what HR teams need to be asking, the solutions that can and should be implemented to drive measurable impacts, practical strategies their businesses are implementing and offer to clients, and what they're both looking forward to when it comes to improving financial wellbeing for the market.
According to this chief people officer, it is "such an exciting time" to be in HR, given the opportunities to collaborate and consult, and be authentic and approachable, when driving business reform that is fit for purpose in the current climate. In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Hoyts Group chief people officer Jodi Paton about her background in sports psychology, having witnessed the highs and lows over the last decade for staff, whether it's even been more difficult to oversee the HR function, the need for new approaches to driving business reform, and reframing her own perceptions about successful implementation of reform. Paton also delves into the need for proactivity in driving reform, having a bottom-up approach whereby collaboration and communication are embedded, assuming responsibility for managing a younger workforce, how she measures success in implementing reform, her guidance to other HR leaders about successful reform projects, and what excites her about HR work moving forward.
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.