CIPD

In a tight labour market and amid rapid skills change, organisations face growing pressure to retain critical capability and reduce reliance on external hiring. Yet many employees still can’t see a future inside their organisation, and unclear progression continues to drive attrition. Could strengthening routes for internal mobility provide the strategic response needed to address these challenges? Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests — Laura Ibbotson, Interim Head of HR at The Green Spark Group; and Sarah Lardner, Director of Business Innovation & Senior Reward Principal at Innecto Reward Consulting. In this episode we explore: Why has internal mobility become such a critical issue for organisations today, particularly in the context of skills disruption, retention pressures and changing expectations of progression?  What does effective internal mobility look like in practice, and what organisational, cultural or managerial barriers most often prevent it from working well?  How can stronger internal mobility deliver meaningful business outcomes and what role do people professionals play in making it sustainable and trusted? 

2026 is set to be another challenging year for organisations and the people profession. As economic uncertainty continues and AI adoption accelerates, where should the profession focus its efforts? How can job design and management capability drive productivity without increasing burnout? And what skills do people professionals need to navigate the year ahead.CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by a trio of leading HR podcasters, Fay Wallis, career and leadership coach and host of HR Coffee Time; Lucinda Carney, Chief Executive Officer at Actus Software, and host of HR Uprising podcast; and Bruce Daisley, host of Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat podcast.Recorded: 09 January 2026---Bookings are now open for the CIPD Student Conference 2026. Student members can secure your place for free at cipd.org/studentconf2026Take ownership of your learning and enhance your professional practice. Explore our suite of tools to support your CPD journey at cipd.org/en/learning/cpd/---Explore more podcasts from this week’s panel:HR Coffee Time with Fay Wallishttps://brightskyhr.co.uk/hr-coffee-time-podcast/HR Uprising with Lucinda Carneyhttps://hruprising.com/Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat with Bruce Daisleyhttps://eatsleepworkrepeat.com/

Are traditional grievance and disciplinary processes really delivering fairness at work – or are they creating harm, cost and disengagement? With workplace conflict estimated to cost organisations billions each year, how can HR move beyond legacy, retributive systems towards a more people-centred and performance-focused approach to justice?CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by David Liddle, Founder of The TCM Group and author of People and Culture, to explore how organisations can resolve conflict more effectively, and why justice, culture and leadership are inseparable from productivity and performance.Recorded: 6 November 2025

Despite technology transforming — and often streamlining — how we work, its impact on productivity has been surprisingly limited. So is productivity misunderstood? We talk about boosting it, measuring it and even “unlocking” it, but what does it really mean in modern organisations, and what role should the people profession play in driving workplace productivity?Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests — Sharon Benson, founding director of Colleague Central; Lu McKay, founder and lead consultant at Luminary Communications; and Bart van Ark, Managing Director at the Productivity Institute and Professor of Productivity Studies at Alliance Manchester Business School.In this episode we explore:-         Why productivity continues to stagnate despite technological advances, and the hidden barriers affecting workforce performance and business growth-         How HR and the people profession can shape strategies that enhance productivity-         How to measure productivity effectively and meaningfully in your organisation — and the benefits of getting it right---Bart van Ark is a Professor of Productivity Studies at the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) at the University of Manchester, and Managing Director of The Productivity Institute, a UK-wide research organisation dedicated to advancing understanding of productivity. Bart is a co-author on the paper, Productivity Through People: New Opportunities for CHROs.

Apprenticeship funding is up, and tax-free salary sacrifice on pensions will soon be capped. How have our panellists responded to the UK Government’s Autumn Budget and what does it mean for employers and the workforce? Has the pressure and drive for instant productivity squeezed out hiring for potential? Could organisations be doing more to create routes for internal mobility? And finally, crystal-ball gazing: what opportunities should the people profession lean into in the year ahead?CIPD Trust Senior Programme Manager Leah De Silva is joined by Kerri O’Neill, Chief People Officer, UK & Ireland at Ipsos UK; and Idris Arshad, Head of People at Asthma and Lung UK.Recorded: 28 November 2025

How can people make the best decisions when time is short and the stakes are high? Why is decentralising decision-making critical for organisations who want to move decisively? And how can the people profession strike the right balance between innovation and risk mitigation when adopting and implementing AI?CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by science broadcaster, author and emergency medical doctor, Professor Kevin Fong, to explore the profession’s risk appetite and how it can lead effectively under pressure.Recorded: 5 November 2025

A new CIPD report revealed that 62% of employers believe the UK is entering a more unstable period of employee relations. With potential new legal changes arriving soon, those wishing to build positive industrial relations will need to have a transparent approach, underpinned by shared expectations and behaviours. So, what role must people professionals and employers more broadly play in establishing shared expectations and behaviours, strengthen partnerships with trade unions, and create effective voice channels within organisations?Join Nigel Cassidy and this month’s guests – Nita Clarke, Director at Involvement and Participation Association (IPA); Mustafa Faruqi, Employee Relations Strategy Director at BT; and Alistair Paton, Senior Director for Colleague Relations at Asda. In this episode we explore:The changing context of industrial relations in the UK and what the implications of the Employment Rights Bill will beThe principal foundations of productive and effective partnerships with trade unions and the role of HRWhat HR can control within their organisation, including reviewing or establishing effective voice channels

Some consider annual reviews ‘irrelevant’ and a ‘burden’, but how would you feel about AI playing a role in the performance review process? As media scrutiny continues to question the impact and growing influence of HR, we reflect on the value the profession brings to workplaces. And finally, we ask: trick or treat, when it comes to the Employment Rights Bill?CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Transformation Leader and HR Consultant, Katherine Watkins, and Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive at NHS Employers.Recorded: 31 October 2025 CIPD members can keep up to date with what will change under the Employment Rights Bill, with our dedicated tracker.https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/employment-law/proposed-changes-under-labour-government/

What does loyalty look like in 2025? In a climate of low wage growth, how can you keep employees motivated and engaged? As warnings come of retirement ages potentially rising above 70 years old, how can employers foster opportunities for skills development for older workers? And are organisations missing a vital growth opportunity by not investing enough in ‘green skills’?CIPD Reference Content Manager, Holly Ivins, is joined by Chief People Officer at Caxton, Jane-Emma Peerless; Head of People and Culture at Dowds Group, Rob Rees; and Chief People Officer at the Bank of Ireland, Matt Elliott. Recorded: 17 October 2025