19 thought-provoking podcasts for HR leaders.
Employee culture has never been more dynamic than it is today - WFH (or living at work) through a global pandemic will do that. Most HR leaders have been facing challenges within their organisations that they have not had to face before. While those in larger teams have great resources and support around them, others have lost their thought-sharing and peer support networks as we socially distance to #staysafe.
Traditionally HR have turned to books and seminars for frameworks and new ideas and while these resources remain a great source of content, they may not be reflective of the dynamic pace of change we are experiencing right now.
Podcasts bring valuable insights and real-world experiences from across all areas of HR – right to your home office. With face-to-face idea sharing on hold for the foreseeable future, here are the must-listen podcasts to keep you ahead of the curve and thinking like a culture-shifter.
Dare To Lead by Brené Brown
Dare To Lead, a Spotify exclusive, is the latest from the world-renowned Brene Brown. Following in the theme of her book of the same name, Brene has conversations with change-catalysts, culture-shifters and more than a few troublemakers who are innovating, creating, and daring to lead. A refreshing and honest discussion about the bravery and vulnerability required to be a great leader.
Listen on Spotify
Recruitment On The Go by Caitie McCollow
This is your go-to soundbite for all things recruitment. Recorded by Caitie McCollow from the Harver office in New York, this podcast is full of the hottest recruitment topics and gives actionable tips on how to improve your hiring process. Worth a listen for anyone in with hiring responsibility.
Culture First by Culture Amp’s Damon Klotz
This new and on-trend series is presented by Culture Amp takes a close look at how to improve the experience people have at work. The series includes discussions with the likes of Simon Sinek and other insightful leaders on topics spanning employee resilience, infinite mindsets, empathy, compassion and scaling you employee culture.
Listen on: Spotify or Apple Podcasts
WorkLife with Adam Grant
Your people spend a quarter of their life at work. Organisations psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to find out how they achieve the illusive work life balance. From loving your competition to embracing frustration, the series will have you look at how to foster your employee culture in a whole new light.
Punk Rock HR by Laurie Ruettimann
Speaker and author Laurie Ruettimann records a regular podcast in between helping companies with their HR challenges or, as she terms it, ‘fix work’. Her 100+ episodes to date involve a range of interesting guests and her short ‘mentorship Friday’ chats direct to her listeners. Covering wide-ranging subject matters, tune in to learn more on topics like the future of work, what makes a great HR professional and ethical leadership.
Happiness at Work by Management 3.0
The Happiness at Work podcast is all about workplace happiness. Posting weekly interviews with authors, entrepreneurs and industry experts, the show aims to turn the happiness exception into the norm. Recent episodes cover topics like humour during challenging times and the importance of agility - particularly relevant as we all adapt to this new WFH norm.
Illuminate HR by Nate Randall
Nate Randall has in-depth discussions with people leaders and researchers to deliver ‘visionary thought leadership across the human work life continuum’. This podcasts covers topics from making work personal, managing the physical, financial and emotional demands of the modern workplace, the talent mobility revolution and upping your employee experience game. Insightful, thought provoking and clever.
Redefining HR by Lars Schmidt
This insightful series explores the leading edge of all things talent - HR, people operations, recruiting, etc. Each week, Lars Schmidt sits down with big thinkers and doers of the industry to uncover how they build their teams, what drives them, and where we can learn from them. The podcast spotlights mavericks, innovators, boundary-pushers, creators, builders, and convention crushers. It’s a conversational format bringing real insights, experience, and stories from a range of business and talent leaders around the world.
HR Happy Hour by Steve Boese + Trish McFarlane
The HR Happy Hour podcast brings industry pioneers and thought leaders, tech visionaries and academics together to discuss the most important topics impacting the workplace today. Recording twice a week, recent episodes cover coronavirus, fertility benefits and people analytics and making work human.
Nine to Thrive HR by Alan Mellish (HCI)
The Nine to Thrive HR podcast is the perfect series for time-poor HR professionals who need the latest insights in 15 minutes of less. With insights from leading HR practitioners from companies like Allianz and NASA, as well thought-leaders, authors, and academics, these experts cover everything from talent acquisition and analytics to engagement, retention, and development. These soundbytes are worth a listen.
#WorkTrends TalentCulture by Meghan M Biro
Meghan Biro takes listeners on an entertaining and informative journey through an array of topics affecting the HR professionals who have ‘been in the HR trenches for years’ and are now ready to look to the future. Posting weekly, listen in for great chats with HR practitioners and tech vendors on topics spanning attracting talent to creating great employer brands.
Listen on Spotify or Apple
DriveThru HR by Mike VanDervort, Robin Schooling, DwaneLay + Crystal Miller-Lay
DriveThru HR is one of the longest running podcast series on all things HR. With multiple episodes dropping each week, the hosts talk to a huge range of guests on topics from employee tech, talent management, company culture, modern management and more. Recent episodes include contributions from Upwork, SHRM and even Sir Bob Geldof - they certainly have the reputation to attract great guests!
Listen on: Spotify or Apple
The Hacking HR Podcast by Hacking HR
This is a series about the amazing future, is delivered for a global community of HR and business leaders, practitioners, consultants and technologists who are passionate about the intersection of future of work, technology, people and organisations.
Hacking HR operates from the belief that HR can be a trailblazer guiding people and organisations to thrive in the new world of work - and their weekly conversations share how.
HR Breakfast Club by Genevieve Jacobs + James Judge
The world of work according to the HR Breakfast Club, with a legal spin. This series offers up discussions on a diverse range of HR topics, and featuring various experts, predominantly from an employment law perspective. Typically posted monthly, recent discussions include non-disclosure agreements, workplace bullying, #metoo, wellness at work and whistleblowers.
HR Studio Podcast by AJ O’Connor Associates
The HR Studio Podcast aims to inform and develop the next generation of HR leaders through discussions with thought leaders and business experts on the most critical part of any business – its people. With 100+ episodes so far, tune in for chats with industry gurus on psychological safety, culture, recognition and engagement.
HR Works by Chris Ceplenski
The workplace is often riddled with pressure with employees - and companies -facing an epidemic of increasing stress at work. This pod provides clear and actionable insights on key industry issues, breaking the taboo of mental-health issues. The conversations focus on the importance of well-being at work, deep-diving into topics like ‘The Importance of Stress Resilience in the Workplace’ and ‘Suicide Prevention—An Overlooked but Crucial Workplace Wellness Initiative.’
Listen on Apple
Being (at work) by Andrea Butcher
The way business gets done has changed, so how has human resources evolved? Being [at Work] offers a fresh perspective from industry leaders, HR experts, and owners on how businesses can find, keep and maximise their number one resource: employees.
Listen in to explore what it means to be a leader in today’s workplace. Each episode focuses on solving real talent issues while equipping you with the right tools, strategies, and resources to lead your people effectively, transform the way you conduct business, attract talent, and ultimately enhance the entire employee experience.
Digital HR Leaders by David Green
Posting every week, Digital HR Leaders hosted by David Green, homes in on HR leaders who are pushing a data-driven and digital HR agenda. For inspiration and advice on driving transformation in your organisation, and preparing for the future of work, this is the podcast for you.
Humans of HR by David Guazzarotto + Michelle Farrar-Eagles
If you are looking for real humans talking about real human topics, this is a must-listen. Humans of HR covers everything from HR tech to attracting talent, diversity and inclusion to workplace culture, and lots of other topics. All delivered chat-style with interesting and industry-leading guests in conversation with hosts Guazzarotto and Farrar-Eagles.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts