After completing your CIPD qualification, it can be hard to decide what training to invest in next. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis shares four valuable and perhaps surprising training options to help you develop skills that will elevate your HR career: mediation, coaching, negotiation, and facilitation. You’ll hear extracts from earlier episodes featuring expert guests who explain each skill and its benefits. Fay has personally attended training with all the featured experts, so she can confidently recommend their insights and advice. Whether you’re considering what to foc ..read more

Do you want to set yourself up for success for the year ahead? In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Dr Ben Levy, creator of the ABCME® framework, to explore the five key factors that can make all the difference when it comes to achieving your goals. Dr Ben shares practical insights into how clarity, belief, motivation, and other essential elements influence success, helping you avoid common goal-setting pitfalls. Together, Fay and Ben discuss strategies for creating a clear vision, building motivation, and staying on track - even when the going gets tough. Whether y ..read more

As the year comes to a close, taking time to reflect on 2024 can be a wonderful way to celebrate your successes and uncover inspiration for your goals in 2025. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of focusing on what didn’t go to plan or overlooking achievements, thanks to the negativity bias we all experience. Add to that the recency bias—where only the most recent events stick in our minds—and it’s no wonder we often lose sight of the bigger picture. In this episode, I’ll guide you through 10 powerful reflection questions from The Essential HR Planner to help you push past these biases, recogn ..read more

Have you ever been asked to design or deliver a workshop and found yourself worrying whether it will be as good as it could be? Whether you’re preparing your first training session or looking to enhance your facilitation skills, this episode of HR Coffee Time is packed with ideas and resources to help you create training and workshops that are impactful, engaging, and memorable. In this episode, host Fay Wallis reflects on her experience running the first in-person HR Planning Day and shares five brilliant resources that most inspired her when designing the event. You’ll discover practical ins ..read more

You may have heard that coaching skills can be incredibly helpful for managers to have in their toolbox, boosting their confidence and effectiveness in their roles. But why are these skills so useful, and how can you help managers start using them? This episode of HR Coffee Time is here to answer those questions. Host Fay Wallis is joined by Jude Sclater, an experienced coach and author of "Think Like a Coach - Empower Your Team Through Everyday Conversations." Jude explains that coaching skills empower teams to think for themselves, foster independence, reduce reliance on the manager, and e ..read more

As organisations work to create more inclusive workplaces, some aspects of diversity receive more attention than others. Being able to express religious beliefs at work is an area that often remains unexplored despite its significance to many employees. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Professor Binna Kandola, senior partner and co-founder of Pearn Kandola, to explore why religious expression matters to the people in your workplace and how organisations can better support this. Binna shares insights from his firm's comprehensive research into religion at work, i ..read more

When you're in a busy HR or People role, finding time for strategic work can feel incredibly challenging. There are always urgent issues that need your attention and endless tasks on your to-do list. However, strategic work often has the greatest impact - helping you craft an organisation where people are proud to work, can thrive, and are empowered to drive the organisation forward. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis shares five practical tips to help you carve out time for strategic work, even when you're incredibly busy. These tips will help you overcome common barriers and ..read more

Are there lies you're telling yourself at work that feel like cold, hard facts? Whether it's believing you don't deserve a promotion, thinking you're not qualified enough to apply for a different role, feeling guilty about taking time off because everyone "needs" you, prioritising colleagues above your own wellbeing, striving for unrealistic perfection, or feeling you need to be available 24/7 to be seen as an effective HR professional – these self-imposed beliefs can significantly impact your career progress and wellbeing. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Emma D ..read more

Shaping workplace culture is becoming an increasingly important part of HR's role, with many HR functions being renamed as "People and Culture" and culture-related responsibilities appearing in job titles. But how do you actually go about shaping culture, especially when you're already busy with your day-to-day work? In this special episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by two guests: Annabelle Lawson, HR Manager at SPT Lab Tech, and Paula Brockwell, Founder and Chief Culture Shaper at the Employee Experience Project. Together, they explore practical strategies for defining, sha ..read more

Menopause is a topic that impacts everyone in the HR and People profession, whether personally or through supporting colleagues. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Emma Thomas, founder of Managing the Menopause, to discuss the importance of understanding and supporting employees through menopause in the workplace. Emma shares valuable insights on perimenopause and menopause, common symptoms, the business case for supporting employees, legal considerations, and practical strategies for creating a supportive work environment. This episode is packed with data-driven i ..read more