HR Insights: Why the chief of staff role is making a comeback?

Welcome back to another episode of HR Insights: The Podcast. Today, our CEO and Host, Stuart Elliott, is joined by Claire Butler, a strategic HR leader with extensive experience across global markets, to explore one of the most talked-about roles making a comeback in today’s market, the Chief of Staff.Together, they unpack what the Chief of Staff role really entails, why it’s re-emerging as a critical strategic function, and how it serves as a bridge between leadership, operations, and culture. Claire shares her personal journey transitioning from HR into the Chief of Staff role, offering honest reflections on both the opportunities and challenges that come with it.Listeners will gain valuable insights into the key skills that define a successful Chief of Staff, why demand for this position is rising again, and practical advice for both employers hiring for the role and professionals considering it as their next career step.About Claire Butler:Claire Butler is a strategic and results-driven HR leader with a strong commercial mindset and a proven track record in driving organisational transformation and HR excellence across global markets. With experience spanning the UK, Europe, the US, and Asia, Claire brings deep expertise in employment frameworks, cultural integration, and HR programme design and delivery.Passionate about innovation, people, and performance, she is driven by creating enthusiasm, inspiring others, and helping organisations achieve lasting results. Key Timestamps:01:40 – Introduction to Claire Butler04:40 – What is a Chief of Staff?07:31 – What skills make up the Chief of Staff role?09:48 – Key skills to excel as a Chief of Staff12:25 – Why Chief of Staff roles are back in trend17:48 – Pros & cons of being a Chief of Staff20:42 – Main challenges of the role26:54 – Hints and tips for success in the role28:32 – Strategic or operational?29:41 – Advice for those considering the roleYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

77% of companies are facing a skills crisis, a striking figure that highlights just how urgent the challenge has become.In this episode, Stuart is joined by Nick Shaw, Co-Founder of Spotted Zebra, to explore how HR leaders can leverage technology to bridge the widening skills gap.AI is on everyone’s agenda, but how can it really help HR teams reshape recruitment and performance? Stuart and Nick dive into how AI and skills science can work together to improve productivity, enhance decision-making, and transform how organisations identify and develop talent.They discuss why traditional recruitment models need disruption, how interview intelligence can help teams make faster, fairer decisions, and the importance of keeping human judgement at the heart of AI adoption.The conversation also uncovers the blind spots in how companies assess skills, the misconceptions surrounding AI, and practical advice for leaders preparing for the future of HR technology.Who is our guest?Nick Shaw is the Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Spotted Zebra, and industry-leading occupational psychology expert.Recognising that 77% of organisations face a widening skills crisis whilst AI floods recruitment pipelines, Nick co-founded Spotted Zebra - an award-winning Interview Intelligence and Assessment platform - alongside serial entrepreneur Ian Monk. Spotted Zebra combines skills science with AI to surface meaningful talent insights instantly and empower teams to make more objective, data-informed hiring decisions with confidence every time.As one of the UK's leading authorities in the assessment space, Nick is passionate about transforming how organisations build high-performing teams for now and the future through technology that enhances rather than replaces human judgement.Key timestamps01:30 – Introduction to Nick Shaw01:56 – The name “Spotted Zebra”07:29 - Explosion in AI and its impact13:13 - Discovering AI15:35 - Risks and uses of AI26:18 - The skills crisis32:31 - The misconceptions in AI38:54 - T-shaped professionals41:55 - Opportunities in HR tech46:14 - Advice to prepare for AI and changeYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

AI is on everyone’s agenda, but what does it really mean for businesses, productivity, and the future of work?In this episode, Stuart sits down with Daniel Snell, Co-Founder of Arrival, a management consultancy that has worked with leaders across the globe to deliver systemic change and sustainable performance. With a keen focus on AI, Daniel has seen first-hand how organisations are grappling with its rapid rise and potential. Stuart and Daniel explore the latest trends shaping AI adoption and its impact on productivity, the risks and challenges businesses face when integrating new technology, and the parallels between today’s AI revolution and the dawn of the internet. They also discuss whether AI can truly reduce workplace bias, how it might assess individual value and influence career progression, and what the future of AI in business could look like.About our guestFor more than 20 years, Daniel Snell has advised executive leaders worldwide—including those at Tesco, Investec, Sky, GSK, and Morgan Stanley—helping them drive growth, profit, and organisational performance. Known for bridging strategy, people, and organisational behaviour, he has delivered lasting change across industries and cultures. Alongside his consultancy work, Daniel leads Arrival’s Social Impact programmes, which have supported over 15,000 disadvantaged young people into successful careers. He also founded the Not in Our Name movement during the 2011 London riots and is a finalist in the 2025 Consultancy Awards for his pioneering approach to inclusion.Arrival is backed by some of the UK’s most recognised business and investment leaders, including figures from Pret, Tesco, Haleon, Artemis, Lansdowne Partners, Silverlake and ECI Partners.Key timestamps:01:50 – Introducing into Daniel Snell05:01 – Starting Arrival 14:01 - The impact of Covid on performance16:00 – Trends within AI18:52 – Risks when adopting AI 29:32 – AI breaking through to meritocracy 31:46 – AI’s ability to remove bias in the workplace38:57 – The data AI needs to understand someone’s value to an organisation41:09 – Technology compared to the human connection46:22 – AI impacting career progression49:29 – AI’s impact on inclusivity 59:11 – What will AI look like in 10 years?You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

On HR Insights, we strive to bring our listeners conversations they are asking for. Avid listeners of the show may remember that this summer, we have been running our HR Resilience Report in collaboration with The Resilience Institute. Initial results highlighted a recurring theme of mindful leadership. As HR continues to take on more responsibility in an ever-changing world of work, engaging with a leadership coach can provide invaluable support and shift your perspective to be more mindful during times of change.In this episode, our CEO and Host of the show, Stuart Elliott, is joined by Nina Donovan, Head of UK and Europe at OSC Leadership Development. Nina is an experienced executive coach who works with senior leaders and facilitates leadership teams through complex periods of change.Together, Stuart and Nina explore how high-stakes environments shape leadership behaviours, and the practical frameworks leaders can use when navigating career shifts. They discuss the reality of “loneliness at the top,” with senior executives often feeling pressure to have all the answers and why building the right support system is so important. Nina also shares her perspective on what to look for when beginning a coaching relationship, how to find the right coach, and how to approach coaching as a long-term journey rather than a quick fix.The conversation then turns to leading through uncertainty and how to pace change effectively, communicate with transparency, and maintain trust without creating unnecessary anxiety. Nina explains how she draws on both psychodynamic thinking and neuroscience to help leaders work with emotions rather than against them. The discussion concludes with a look at the growing role of AI in coaching, what it can offer today, and what it might mean for the future of leadership development.If you’d like to continue the conversation or explore coaching opportunities with Nina, you can connect with her on LinkedIn or reach her directly at [email protected] Timestamps:01:30 – An introduction to Nina05:05 – Navigating change through a career shift08:22 – Loneliness at the top 14:38 – Different leadership styles 15:42 – Beginning a relationship with executive coaching18:06 – Common blind spots seen with Senior Executives 21:19 – Executive coaching is not a quick fix26.14 – Balancing communication during times of uncertainty 29:40 – AI in executive coaching30:31 – Using neuroscience to complement change38:45 – Finding an Executive CoachYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

73% of women leaders say they would change companies for menopause-related benefits.Earlier this year, in our episode with Maggie Lester, we explored how menopause is beginning to take its place on the benefits agenda, but with a lot of work still to do. To continue this conversation, Stuart welcomes back Fiona McKay, CEO of Lightbulb and Founder of The Menopause Maze, to unpack how menopause impacts leadership retention and the loss of female talent.Together, Stuart and Fiona discuss the critical point at which organisations lose their most experienced female leaders, often without even realising it. They explore what HR frequently overlooks in leadership pipeline gaps, and how HR leaders can start connecting menopause to the silent derailments that disrupt careers behind the scenes. The conversation also touches on the long-term value chain of addressing menopause in the workplace, covering governance, the great wealth transfer and the implications for HR and corporate services leaders.Finally, Fiona introduces the NOPAUSE™ Workplace Diagnostic, the world’s only data-driven tool designed to reveal where menopause is costing organisations their leadership layer, and what can be done to change that. For a limited time, you can access a personalised NOPAUSE™ diagnostic report in just five minutes, complimentary until 8th September 2025.Who is our guest?Fiona McKay is the CEO of Lightbulb Leadership Solutions, a strategic C-suite value creation advisory company that supports high-growth businesses, portfolio companies and private equity investors navigating critical moments of leadership, performance, and value creation. She’s also the founder of The Menopause Maze, a specialist firm within the Lightbulb group that focuses on retaining and accelerating the top 1% of female leaders navigating menopause. Key timestamps:02:03: Introducing Fiona McKay and The Menopause Maze10:06: When companies start to lose their most seasoned talent13:30: Showing up, even when you’re not visible17:04: Finding a good physician18:38: What HR commonly misses in the leadership layer gaps22:06: Approaching the topic of menopause23:38: Connecting the dots between menopause and the silent career derailment27:43: Benefits of medical plans and paying privately 29:33: Moving to a competitor if they offer menopause related benefits31:43: The great wealth transfer36:25: The NOPAUSE™ Workplace DiagnosticYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this special episode of HR insights, Stuart Elliott is joined by Ilona Jurkiewicz and Roshan Jayawardena to draw on insights from their recently published white paper, ‘Evolving skillsets of HR leaders’, which combines qualitative interviews with 80+ HR leaders and quantitative data. They explore how the HR function is rapidly evolving in response to significant external forces and how the expectations of HR professionals have expanded far beyond traditional responsibilities; today’s HR leaders are increasingly expected to drive commercial outcomes, lead AI initiatives, and navigate complex, people-centred challenges across global organisations. They also address the growing difficulty of creating psychologically safe and inclusive environments, especially amid political polarisation and evolving definitions of inclusion. Who are our guests? Ilona Jurkiewicz is the President, Americas at Cappfinity. She has over 16 years of executive experience driving HR strategy, culture evolution, and organisational growth and specialises in leading people-centred transformations that drive measurable business outcomesThroughout her career, she has successfully scaled organisations globally, built world-class leadership ecosystems, navigated major acquisitions and divestitures, and architected cultures that empower innovation and performance. Roshan Jayawardena is the Managing Director for Elliott Scott in North America, partnering with HR leaders across a range of sectors to deliver specialist HR search and recruitment solutions. With 15 years of experience in HR and executive search, Roshan brings a strategic, consultative, and relationship-driven approach to senior HR hiring. He specialises in retained searches for senior HR appointments and his background as an HRBP at General Electric gives him a unique understanding of the HR function, allowing him to advise on both immediate hiring needs and long-term talent strategies. Key timestamps: - 02:04 – Intro into Ilona - 04:16 – Intro into Rosh- 07:32 – The inspiration for the report - 12:00 – The standout impacts of the research - 18:53 – Hybrid working - 21:50 – The evolving role of a CPO - 30:25 – The struggle of implementing empathy, psychological safety and inclusion - 35:50 – The impact of the political agenda in the US- 39:20 – Is HR ready and prepared to lead on digital transformation?- 48:50 – The potential dangers of AI - 52:40 – Advice for mid career HR professionals becoming CPOsPlease download the whitepaper here for more data insights and the ever-chaging skills of HR leaders. You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

We’re back again this week with another new episode!If you have been following HR Insights, you would have seen, we are currently running our HR Resilience Survey to better understand how resilient the function truly is and what HR professionals most need to focus on right now. So far, one of the clearest themes that emerged was the challenge of managing worry and finding calm, highlighting the widespread sense of burnout across the profession.Today, we are joined by Rebecca Reed, Founder of Siendo and Creator of MentalFlex to help us unpack the shift in HR and offer some practical tools for burnout.During the episode, Stuart and Rebecca chat about the reason she started her business and her own personal struggles with poor mental health and post-weaning depression. They speak through the importance of having a mental health first aider and how this can make a positive change to company culture. The conversation then pivoted to discuss burnout within HR, the signs to look for when someone is experiencing burnout and how to manage this. Lastly, Stuart asks Rebecca about the science of joy and her development of MentalFlex. Who is our guest?Rebecca Reed is the Founder of Siendo and Creator of MentalFlex®, with nearly adecade of experience in mental health and wellbeing. Her career began incorporate banking, but a passion for prevention led her to launch Siendo, a company helping people and workplaces take a proactive approach to mental health. She's trained thousands in Mental Health First Aid and worked with brands like Nike, Oxford University, and the NHS. Following her own journey through postnatal depression, she created MentalFlex® to support parents in managing stress, resetting their nervous systems, and showing up with calm and clarity.  Key timestamps01:53 – Introducing Rebecca Reed05:40 – Rebecca’s personal journey with mental fitness12:25 – The shift in wellbeing practices14:50 – Mental health first aiders20:21 – Legislation for mental health in the UK22:53 – Dealing with stress as a mental health first aider24:49 – Changing company culture27:45 – Signs of burnout31:06 – Managing burnout in HR40:26 – The science of joy44:19 – MentalFlex48:57 – Building mental fitnessThere is still time to get your free personalised resilience report by completing the survey here. You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode of HR Insights, we sit down with Friska Wirya, founder of Future Fit and a globally recognised change management thought leader, to unpack what real change leadership looks like in today’s ever-evolving business landscape. With more than a decade of experience transforming some of the world’s most conservative organisations, Friska brings raw honesty, strategic insight, and a touch of humanity to the prominent topic of change.From managing layoffs with empathy to future-proofing leadership in the age of AI, this conversation dives deep into how we lead, adapt, and evolve in complex times. Friska offers practical tools, tough truths, and inspiring ideas for executives navigating transformation and employees grappling with continuous change. Who is our guest? Friska Wirya is a multi-award-winning change management expert, TED speaker, and best-selling author recognised as a top 50 Global Change Leader. She partners with leaders and organisations worldwide to drive impactful transformation. Her books have gained international acclaim, with her latest becoming a #1 bestseller in Indonesia. Friska’s work has been featured in Vogue, The Financial Review, The CEO Magazine, and more.Key timestamps01:49 – Intro into Friska  05:05 – Downsizing done right: honesty, empathy, and patience06:55 – Profit vs people: what most companies get wrong08:00 – Common leadership fails 11:34 – What positive change actually looks like14:13 – Is change within business perpetual? 15:31 – Cultural contexts: why change feels different across the globe19:42 – The five roles leaders must play to become change management experts21:12 – Fear of AI at work24:10 – Helping leaders embrace AI 29:38 – Effective examples of adapting to change 30:40 – Shifting the boardroom mindset 32:33 – How employees can open themselves to change35:50 – Advice for CPOs managing change 36:54 – Advice for employees This episode is sponsored by our partners at Cappfinity. Cappfinity believes in a world where skills and potential create opportunity for all. They are global leaders in measuring and developing potential in Talent Acquisition & Talent Management with a focus on skills and strengths.Through the Cappfinity Skills Suite® they provide skills-based Talent Acquisition and Management solutions across all levels and industries.Their Talent Acquisition solutions range from pre-skilling to seamless onboarding - all the while delivering immersive, brand aligned and insightful experiences to their clients and their candidates.Interested in their services? Please reach out to [email protected] to book your demo today.You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

Welcome back to another episode of the HR insights: podcast!In this episode, our CEO and host, Stuart Elliott, chats to International Benefits Strategy Leader Maggie Lester at Merck Group, to discuss the evolution of employee benefits and how they mould the brand and culture of the organisation. Maggie shares insights spanning her 20 years of international experience, highlighting the shift from pensions to more inclusive benefits. She notes the impact that cultural differences have on benefit structures, discussing the implementation of fertility, menopause, carers’ leave and trans health benefits.Who is our guest?Maggie Lester is a remuneration specialist with over 20 years’ international experience working for both consultancies and multinationals, in the UK, France, Switzerland, Japan and Hong Kong.  She currently heads up employee benefits for Merck Group KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, covering over 60,000 employees across 65 jurisdictions.  Previous roles include Meta, HSBC (Asia Pacific) and Reuters.  Maggie has always been passionate about designing and delivering innovative solutions that deliver both employee value and fiscal benefits for organisations.  She believes that DE&I is a business case, and that a company’s benefits define their position.  She holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Bristol in the UK, and an MBA for Executives from INSEAD.Key timestamps00:40: Introducing Maggie Lester06:02: How benefits have evolved12:05: Benefits linked to brand and culture17:00: Time off/ quality of life20:40: DEI as part of the benefits package26:27: Fertility benefits30:02: Has the shift in DEI impacted the benefits space35:30: Global vs local benefits40:00: Newest trends within benefits46:32: Advice for renewing your benefit structure48:24: Wellness benefits This episode is sponsored by our partners at Cappfinity. Cappfinity believes in a world where skills and potential create opportunity for all. They are global leaders in measuring and developing potential in Talent Acquisition & Talent Management with a focus on skills and strengths.Through the Cappfinity Skills Suite® they provide skills-based Talent Acquisition and Management solutions across all levels and industries.Their Talent Acquisition solutions range from pre-skilling to seamless onboarding - all the while delivering immersive, brand aligned and insightful experiences to their clients and their candidates.Interested in their services? Please reach out to [email protected] to book your demo today.You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!

In this episode, we explore the shifting landscape of DEI with Nikki Davies, a globally recognised DEI strategist, coach, and entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. Drawing from our recent UK HR Trends Report, which revealed a shift in DEI's priority amongst organisations, Stuart Elliott asks: why is this happening—and what does it mean for the future?Nikki shares insights from her 30-year career in coaching and consulting, and how organisations are facing a "day of reckoning"—separating those truly committed to DEI from those who have simply followed trends. We dive into the global trends, the importance of psychological safety, and why sustainable, authentic inclusion efforts—not reactionary ones—will define successful businesses moving forward.We also explore how factors like the US election, demographic shifts, and the rise of AI are impacting DEI conversations, and why resilience and leadership authenticity are more crucial than ever. Nikki offers advice for HR leaders on how to keep DEI embedded within business strategy and how small, consistent actions can lead to real, lasting progress.Who is our guest? Nikki Davies is a former HR executive with MNCs including Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Prudential plc. She is now the founder of coNEXTion, her consulting and ICF ACC accredited coaching business, serving clients from start-ups to global organisations and is also the Senior Consultant for Pixel Alchemy Collective. A recognised global DEIB strategist, Nikki has over 20 years' experience crafting strategies to drive inclusion, equity, and belonging. She supports executives as a coach and advises organisations on adapting global initiatives to local markets, always aligning DEIB outcomes with strategic business goals.Nikki’s approach uses human-centred design to identify systemic challenges and create action-based plans with measurable results, helping leaders build thriving, inclusive organisations. Her impactful initiatives include Diverse Talent Sponsorship Programmes, Inclusive Recruiting, Global DEIB e-learning, Employee Resource Group frameworks, and Inclusive Marketing strategies.Key Timestamps:04:00 - Intro into Nikki Davies 06:20 - Results from our survey11:00 - The shift in the prioritisation of DEI17:39 - Is the shift being seen globally? 22:56 - The emergence of other aspects of DEI30:40 - Impactful DEI initiatives 37:17 - The importance of keeping DEI on the agenda and advice for HR leadersYou can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn.Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!