The People Agenda
Business & Finance
About
Are you an HR leader grappling with the complexities of HR tech, transformation, or change management? Then, listen to the People Agenda podcast (previously the HR on the Offensive podcast) for cutting-edge insights, actionable strategies, and real-world success stories to tackle your biggest HR challenges.In each episode, we dive into the latest trends, expert advice, and practical solutions to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving workplace.Whether you're looking to drive adoption of new technology, lead organisational change, or simply optimise your HR strategy, you'll leave every episode with fresh perspectives and tools to take your initiatives to the next level.Subscribe now and join us on the journey to reshape the future of HR
Episodes
- Are your early careers hiring strategies ready for the AI era?
The People Agenda podcast episode discusses how AI is changing early careers hiring. Host Chris Howard, along with Emma Johnson, Talia Pavell, and Emily Goodyear, explore the impact of AI on entry-level roles, the skills needed, and how or…
- Who owns agentic AI?
This episode of The People Agenda features Chris Howard, Martin Colyer, and Chris Cherry discussing the ownership of agentic AI within organizations. They explore how HR, IT, and business leaders are managing its adoption and the operation…
- What is a CPO? With Keniro Miller
On The People Agenda podcast, Keniro Miller explains how the Chief People Officer role is evolving beyond HR, requiring a hybrid business leader approach to drive performance and shape strategy.
- My career in Reward with Jenny Craik
Jenny Craik, an experienced HR leader, shares insights from her career in reward and performance, emphasizing the importance of understanding people in this field. She has held positions at organizations including HSBC, Standard Chartered,…
- How can smart incentive design drive performance?
This episode of The People Agenda features Chris Howard, Julie Elder, and Mike Aldred discussing how effective incentive design can transform organizational performance. They cover why incentives are important, common company structures, a…
- How can CPOs build greater influence in the C-suite?
Great leadership does not start with a title. It starts with influence. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, we explore one critical question: how can today’s Chief People Officer (CPO) move from having a seat at the table to genu…
- SWP Summit 2026 – all you need to know ahead of the conference
Strategic workforce planning (SWP) is no longer a future-focused concept; it’s a present-day business imperative. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by Douglas Leach, Founder of People Strategy Hub an…
- The death of the job application: Is AI at fault?
AI is flooding hiring pipelines with polished look-alike applications, and recruiters are struggling to tell real capability from well-written automation. Inspired by an article in The Economist titled “Job applicants are winning the AI ar…
- What does M&A get wrong about people and how can it be fixed?
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals fail less because of spreadsheets and more because of people. Most M&A promise growth, scale, or capability. Many underdeliver because leaders underestimate the human side of change. In this episode of…
- AI and ESG: Busting the myths
In our recent podcast with Beth Scaysbrook from Addidat, a leading ESG data and advisory firm, and our very own Martin Colyer, Director of Digital and AI here at LACE. Together they explore why the intersection of AI and ESG matters, the m…
- How is AI moving workforce decisions from insight to impact?
AI is no longer a future concept. It is already reshaping how organisations lead, plan, and compete. The real question is not whether AI will change the world of work, but who will lead that change. In this episode of The People Agenda pod…
- What strategic disruptors will define HR in 2026?
HR leaders are being asked to deliver more strategic value at exactly the moment when uncertainty, cost pressure, and technology disruption are accelerating. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast host Chris Howard and fellow LACErs,…
- Rewired HR: Building an ecosystem for continuous change
Is it time to rewire HR? In this episode of The People Agenda podcast host Chris Howard talks to LACErs Kat Bernardes and Alice McCormack who are behind our latest campaign Rewired HR. This campaign explores our new HR operating model buil…
- What should payroll leaders know from the Reward Strategy Summit 2025?
The latest episode of the People Agenda podcast dives into the evolving world of payroll and reward strategy, offering insights that every HR and payroll professional needs to hear. Hosted by Chris Howard from Lace Partners, this episode f…
- How can organisations optimise UK pensions post-budget?
What changed in the UK Budget for pensions and salary sacrifice? From 2029, a £2,000 annual cap will be introduced on National Insurance (NI) savings through pension salary sacrifice. Any pension contributions made via salary sacrifice abo…
- SWP Conference 2025: Key insights
Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) is no longer about spreadsheets and headcount forecasts. It’s about driving real business change. In this episode of the People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by some of our people analytics…
- What is a CPO? With Danny Harmer
A concise conversation with Danny Harmer, Chief People Officer at Aviva, exploring what makes a modern CPO effective. Discover how aligning people strategy with business goals, building trust-based relationships, and anticipating future wo…
- What is a CPO?
Welcome to the first episode of our new mini-series, What is a CPO? Hosted by Debbie Mitchell, Director at LACE Partners and lead of our CPO Network, this series explores the evolving role of the Chief People Officer (CPO). Through convers…
- Black History Month: How to turn awareness into lasting change at work
As part of Black History Month in this episode of The People Agenda podcast we are raising awareness of how organisations can be more inclusive. Host Chris Howard and Christina Adeniyi from our DE&I team speak to Lildonia Lawrence, a Diver…
- How is AI redefining performance management?
In this new episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard and performance management expert Debbie Mitchell sit down with Amira Kohler, AI Change Consultant and Transformation Expert at People Stuff Limited, to explore how AI is…
- From implementer to influencer: How can HR drive business change?
In a rapidly changing business world, HR is no longer simply the team that implements transformation, it’s becoming the driving force behind it. That’s the focus of the latest People Agenda podcast episode, which explores how HR’s influenc…
- Welcome to The People Agenda Podcast
It’s an exciting day as we announce that our podcast - previously known as HR on the Offensive has had a refresh and will now be The People Agenda! New name, same faces and same great content. We believe this new identity better reflects h…
- How can HR use strategic workforce planning to drive business impact?
Strategic workforce planning (SWP) at its heart is about answering a very human question: how can organisations ensure they have the right people, in the right roles, at the right time to deliver on their goals? That’s the compelling premi…
- How can smarter payroll unlock business value?
The Payroll function may not always be the ‘flashiest’ part of a business, but it’s one of the most vital and one that’s undergoing a remarkable transformation. In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, host Chris Howard and LACE…
- What HR leaders need to know about the Employment Rights Bill
Fifteen million people, half of all workers, are set to benefit from the Employment Rights Bill, which will establish day one rights to parental and bereavement leave, include sick pay for up to 1.3 million of the lowest earners, and chall…
- How HR can better support employees facing Triple Negative Breast Cancer?
Did you know not all breast cancers can be treated the same way? In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast host Chris Howard, a member from our CSR team Natalie Berkoff, and guest Robin Woolcock, chairman of the UK charity for Tri…
- How can strong payroll foundations drive business growth?
Ever wondered what it really takes to run a world-class payroll function? In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, host Chris Howard and LACEr Julie Choudhury and special guest Melanie Pizzey, Founder of the Global Payroll Allia…
- How can CPOs drive business success through people-first leadership?
For many, the title has a different meaning depending on the business and the requirements (the scope also differs depending on which ‘hat’ a CPO wears), often seen as just another corporate rebrand of HR. Yet, as Kathryn Kendall, CPO at S…
- Case studies: How Payroll and HR Shared Services drive transformational change?
What does HR Shared Services and Payroll transformation look like in practice? That’s the question at the centre of the latest HR on the Offensive podcast, where Chris Howard and Dawn Goodall from LACE Partners were joined by Clare Phillip…
- How can HR leaders effectively tackle addiction in the workplace?
Addiction in the workplace is often a silent issue. In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast host Chris Howard and guest, Dr. Georges Petitjean, Clinical Director at Inclusion, cut through the taboo to reveal why HR leaders can’t…
- How our payroll community can boost your payroll strategy?
In a recent conversation, Chris Howard sat down with LACE payroll experts Simon Bunday and Simon Puryer to unpack the not only the insights from our latest whitepaper but also the power of our payroll community. They emphasised how the com…
- Is HR facing a silent mental health crisis?
If you’ve ever asked yourself who’s looking out for the people who look after everyone else, the latest episode of HR on the Offensive dives straight into that question. Chris Howard is joined by clinical psychologist and Ultimate Resilien…
- Why merging HR and IT could be the key to unlocking AI’s full potential
What happens when two of the most culturally distinct functions in a business—HR and IT—are brought together under a single umbrella? In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris Howard is joined by fellow LACEr Julian Holmes…
- Can HR play a role in driving business transformation?
In this episode, Chris Howard and LACE founder Aaron Alburey unpack the results of a global study revealing the disconnect between HR’s ambitions and its real influence in business transformation. What needs to change—and how can HR step u…
- How can you build trust in AI and future-proof your HR strategy?
AI is transforming the world of work at speed—but with great potential comes a need for clarity, accountability, and smart, human-centred decisions. That’s why we developed the TRUSTED AI framework at LACE Partners: a practical, values-led…
- How can you optimise your payroll function for the future?
When you think of payroll, it’s easy to imagine a simple process: work, get paid, repeat. But behind that straightforward cycle lies an intricate network of operations, systems, and strategy that most employees—and many businesses—rarely s…
- How can you unlock the full value of your HRIS?
Struggling to get the most out of your HR tech investment? You’re not alone. In the latest episode of HR on the Offensive, host Chris Howard, Ffion Bennett, and Louise Brown delve into “Less Stress Part Three,” a continuation of our Less s…
- How can AI enhance productivity and transform the future of work?
In the latest episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by LACEr Gemma Ryall and guest Neil Carberry, CEO of the REC, for a great conversation about skills, productivity, and the changing world of work. They e…
- Is AI the key to transforming the workplace?
What if AI didn’t just reshape jobs, but reshaped how we think about work itself? Many organisations are rethinking the way that work get's delivered, whether that's through skills-based approaches or changes in strategic workforce plannin…
- How can HR solve the business efficiency paradox?
In today’s evolving business climate, efficiency can no longer be synonymous with cost-cutting and headcount reduction. In our opinion, that's an outdated view risks undermining both performance and resilience. In our latest whitepaper The…
- The global skills map: Navigating cultural nuances in talent acquisition
Navigating the evolving world of global talent acquisition is no easy task—it's complex, fast-moving, and full of unexpected challenges. That’s why this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris and Pavan Bilkhoo speak to Monika Lu…
- How to modernise your workforce strategy to tackle skills gaps
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report for 2025 highlights a massive transformation in the global job market. An estimated 170 million new jobs will be emerging in the next decade, alongside the displacement of around 92 million…
- How can HR strategically address the impact of rising NICs?
What do you do when your business is hit with rising costs, regulatory changes, and mounting pressure to deliver more with less? In this episode of HR on the Offensive, Chris is joined by Simon Fowler, CEO at Empowering People Group, to di…
- Is a skills-based approach the future of strategic workforce planning?
In today’s fast-evolving workplace, organisations are looking for smarter ways to manage talent, align workforce strategies with business objectives, and leverage technology to stay ahead. As part of our Becoming skills-powered campaign Ch…
- How to improve your data quality for business impact
Today businesses rely on data more than ever, ensuring that information is accurate, actionable, and properly managed can make or break a technology investment. This episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast unpacks the complex, often ove…
- How are Payroll teams shaping the future of work?
Payroll is the backbone of any organisation, ensuring employees are compensated accurately and on time. Yet, despite its critical role, payroll teams often operate behind the scenes, dealing with complex challenges that many outside the fu…
- How can leading through change strengthen business success?
Navigating change is one of the most critical challenges organisations face, and the latest HR on the Offensive podcast dives deep into this subject, offering insights into how leaders can guide their teams through transformation effective…
- How can inspiring your people lead to a successful business transformation?
Business transformation isn’t just about strategy and execution—it’s about people. In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, host Chris, along with Aaron Aubrey, speak with Sally Earnshaw, a specialist in driving cultural and lea…
- What is the role of a super-powered people manager in a skills-based organisation?
What makes a great people manager? And how do you build the skills for the future super-charged people manager who is no longer just supervisor; but a coach, mentor and enabler of growth? Organisations that truly harness the potential of t…
- Why HR should lead business transformation — and how it benefits everyone
In today's fast-changing business world, transformation is no longer a one-time event—it’s a continuous process. In the latest episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast Chris and LACE co-founder Aaron Alburey discuss our new campaign, Dri…