SWP - The Strategic Workforce Planning Podcast

In episode 88 of the SWP Podcast, I sit down with Graham Seward to explore strategic workforce planning inside one of the world’s most complex healthcare systems – the NHS. Graham shares his journey from service improvement and public health into workforce planning, and why he came to see workforce not simply as an enabler of change, but as the change itself. We unpack the challenges of planning across multiple providers, professions and competing priorities, from attraction and retention through to social care, skills and the growing impact of AI and genomics. Graham also shares a fascinating medical apprenticeship initiative designed to create new pathways into medicine for people who may never have considered the traditional route. We also explore why service design, workforce and finance need to be planned together from the outset, and why progress in complex systems often comes through accumulating small but meaningful wins.

Episode 87 of the SWP Podcast features Jared Johnson, Lead Business Consultant – People Analytics & Insights at Target, in which we sit down to explore how one of the world's largest organisations has embedded Strategic Workforce Planning as a genuine business capability. Jared shares his accidental journey into SWP, why executive sponsorship from both the CHRO and CFO has been fundamental to Target's success, and how People Analytics and workforce planning work hand in hand to drive better decisions. We also tackle one of the profession's most challenging questions: should workforce planning be held accountable for preventing large-scale layoffs? Jared introduces his thought-provoking "Ladder of Alternatives" framework, offering practical strategies for helping organisations make more proactive workforce decisions before redundancies become necessary. Whether you're building or maturing your SWP capability, this episode is packed with practical insights and fresh thinking 

In episode 86 of the SWP Podcast, I sit down with Sheri Feinzig, Adjunct Professor in NYU's Human Capital Analytics and Technology program, to explore one of the defining challenges facing organisations today: how to embrace AI without compromising workforce capability. We unpack why organisations should be thinking beyond short-term productivity gains, the risks of over-relying on large language models, and how poor governance, biased data and unchecked automation can create long-term consequences. Sheri shares why workforce planners are uniquely positioned to lead scenario planning around AI adoption, protect future capability pipelines and help organisations make better decisions today for the workforce they'll need tomorrow. It's a thought-provoking discussion that challenges some of the biggest assumptions surrounding AI and reinforces the critical role SWP professionals have in shaping a responsible future of work. 

Episode 85 of the SWP Podcast features the delightful Jess Von Bank, Co-Founder of Now to Next, for a special crossover episode between our two podcasts. We explored one of the biggest questions facing organisations today: how AI is fundamentally changing the way work is designed, delivered and governed. Jess shared why she believes too many organisations are simply applying AI to existing processes rather than taking the opportunity to redesign work from the ground up. We discussed the rise of agentic AI, the balance between human capability and machine intelligence, and why governance, critical thinking and workforce readiness will become even more important as organisations accelerate AI adoption.We also unpacked the evolution of the skills movement, why organisations are increasingly shifting their attention towards outcomes and work architecture, and how strategic workforce planning, workforce transformation and AI strategy are beginning to converge. We finished by exploring the future role of HR, the cultural barriers that continue to hold transformation back, and why enabling people to think differently is just as important as investing in new technology.If you're interested in the future of work, workforce planning, AI and organisational transformation, I think you'll find this to be one of our most thought-provoking conversations yet.

In episode 84 of the SWP Podcast, I sit down with Karthik Yogeshwar from Meta to explore his journey into strategic workforce planning and the evolving nature of the discipline. Karthik shares how he “fell into” SWP through operations, analytics, and finance, and why he’s stayed by choice ever since.We unpack the reality that workforce planning isn’t just forecasting—it’s about aligning demand, supply, and strategy in an environment where the future rarely behaves as expected. Karthik highlights the importance of understanding the business, building strong stakeholder relationships, and moving beyond data to real insight.We also dive into some fascinating areas, including hybrid workforce planning—where people, AI, and automation combine—and a novel approach to workforce management using concepts from stock market analysis.Finally, we explore the growing impact of AI, including Karthik’s research into AI readiness at a country level, and what this means for the future of workforce strategy.

In Episode 83 of the SWP Podcast, I’m joined by Lisa Dalgliesh, People Strategy and Org Development Leader at PayPal. Lisa shares her journey into workforce and talent strategy, starting in learning and development and evolving into a role that sits at the intersection of strategy and execution. We explore the growing convergence of workforce planning, people analytics, and talent strategy, and why breaking down silos across these areas is becoming critical.We also dive into PayPal’s work on skills, including building a robust skills framework to better understand workforce capability, redeployment opportunities, and the impact of AI. Lisa offers a pragmatic view on the future of workforce planning, challenging the industry to move beyond “HR stuff” and focus on real business impact.A super enthralling conversation in we discuss how to cut through the noise, stay anchored to business outcomes, and rethink the relationship between skills, roles, and tasks in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Episode 82 of the SWP Podcast featured Tyler Blackwell, Director of Global Workforce Planning at Morningstar, for a thought-provoking discussion on the evolving practice of strategic workforce planning.Tyler shares his unconventional journey into SWP, moving from foreign affairs and diplomacy into organisational effectiveness, org design, and ultimately workforce planning. The conversation explores how Morningstar has developed its workforce planning capability, including headcount forecasting, location strategy, and the shift from fragmented Excel-based processes to a more integrated approach using Workday, Adaptive Planning, and TalentNeuron.Tyler and I also dive into the growing influence of AI on the profession, including the use of tools like Claude Code to support capability modelling, job redesign, and workforce intelligence. Throughout the episode, Tyler highlights the enduring importance of trust, judgment, curiosity, and human conversation, reinforcing why strategic workforce planning remains central to organisational decision-making in an increasingly AI-enabled world. What an episode...! What an incredibly insightful and interesting human!

In episode 81 of the SWP Podcast, I’m joined by Josh Mortlock, Director of Strategic Workforce Planning at Pacific Life, ahead of his SWP Conference Chicago session. Josh shares his (very non-linear) path into SWP — from PwC consulting and business architecture through to organisation design, and now into workforce planning — and why, at its core, the discipline is really about solving business problems adjacent to people.Josh and I dig into what makes SWP “stick” in an organisation: meeting leaders where they are, building momentum through practical work before chasing an ROI narrative, and closing the gap between frameworks and real business language. Josh also talks about using transformation programs as a breeding ground for SWP, and the power of visualisation — from rich pictures to retirement-risk overlays — to spark real executive attention.We finish with a great case example: Pacific Life’s expansion into Charlotte, and what it takes to scale SWP beyond a small central team.

In Episode 80, I sit down with Amber Foucault, SVP of Product at Dayforce, to unpack their acquisition of Agentnoon — and what it signals for the future of workforce planning.We explore the growing gap between strategy and execution, and why workforce implications continue to lag behind strategic intent. Amber shares her perspective on the “language problem” between HR, Finance and Strategy — and why technology isn’t just about features, but about creating a shared operating language across the enterprise.We dive into shorter planning cadences, dynamic workforce architecture, and the emerging reality of agents sitting on org charts. But we also inject some realism — AI isn’t replacing everyone overnight. Organisations are experimenting carefully, balancing capability shifts with governance, ownership and accountability.If workforce planning is moving from periodic exercise to operational discipline, this conversation explains why — and what that means for HR leaders navigating the next wave of change. Another delightful SWP Podcast guest - Amber is a true breath of fresh air with deep technical insight!

In Episode 79 (bonus episode), I sit down with my good friend Vincent Barat, founder and CEO of Albert, for a conversation that almost didn’t happen this year. Vince joins me fresh off an unexpected medical drama that forced him to miss his SWP London session — and yes, we get into that story to start. From there, we dive into the material he never got to share on stage, including his “SWP Cookbook” and the four ingredients he believes define mature, scalable workforce planning: governance, data, skills, and drivers.We talk governance models — centralized, local, and hybrid — and why ownership, accountability, and resourcing remain make-or-break factors. Vince also unpacks why organisations are shifting toward flexible, driver-based planning, how skills have moved from theory to pragmatism, and why scenario planning is now the real marker of SWP maturity.It’s practical, candid, and classic Vince — insights, humour, and a few sharp takes along the way.