“Be yourself.” “Bring your whole self to work.” It sounds empowering -  but what if it’s actually bad advice? 

That’s exactly what our host David Green explores in this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, with returning guest Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic - Professor of Business Psychology at UCL and Columbia, and author of Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity is Overrated (and What to Do Instead). 

Together, they challenge popular leadership tropes and explore why being real doesn’t always lead to being effective - especially in today’s fast-changing, AI-driven world. So, join them as they explore: 

• Why authenticity is misunderstood, and when it becomes a liability 
• The leadership traits that actually build trust and influence 
• How AI is transforming the employee experience 
• The risks of eliminating early-career jobs in pursuit of productivity 
• What inclusion really requires beyond buzzwords and optics 
• The three ingredients every AI strategy needs to succeed 

This episode is sponsored by Valence. 

Imagine if every employee had a world-class coach in their pocket. That’s exactly what Valence has created with Nadia - the AI-powered coach helping Fortune 500 companies scale development, boost performance, and support leaders at every level. Learn more at valence.co/insight222 

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The HR technology market is booming - but with so much innovation (and noise), how can HR leaders and investors tell what’s truly transformative from what’s just trendy? 

In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast, host David Green sits down with Thomas Otter, General Partner and Venture Capitalist at Acadian Ventures - a firm dedicated to investing in groundbreaking companies that make work better. 

With decades of experience spanning SAP, Gartner, and now venture capital, Thomas brings a rare 360-degree view of the HR tech ecosystem - from building and leading product teams to backing the next generation of innovators. 

Together, David and Thomas explore: 

• Whether HR tech is going through a true transformation or simply evolving 
• Where AI is actually making a difference,  and where the hype is getting ahead of reality 
• Why AI adoption remains slow for many organisations, and what leaders can do about it 
• The traits and technologies that make HR tech startups stand out to investors 
• The trends and breakthroughs shaping the next five years of HR technology and the future of work 

If you’re an HR or people analytics leader, tech founder, or investor looking to cut through the noise and understand where HR tech is really headed, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. 

This episode is sponsored by TechWolf. 

TechWolf helps enterprises get fast, accurate, and actionable skills data—without surveys. From identifying the skills your workforce has to mapping what they need, TechWolf’s AI integrates seamlessly with your existing systems to turn messy data into strategic advantage. 

 Learn more at techwolf.com  

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The future of work won’t wait - and neither can your people analytics strategy. 

On today’s episode of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast, Rob Etheridge, Global Head of Workforce Strategy and Insights at HSBC, joins the Digital HR Leaders podcast with host David Green to reveal how the bank is building a forward-looking people analytics function - grounded in skills, AI, and trust. 

Join them, as they explore: 

• The evolution of people analytics at HSBC and across the industry 
• How to design and scale an operating model that delivers business value 
• Why skills are a strategic priority - and how HSBC is addressing them 
• Building governance frameworks for AI in people analytics 
• The leadership behaviours that embed analytics into decision-making 

This episode is sponsored by TechWolf. 

TechWolf helps enterprises get fast, accurate, and actionable skills data—without surveys. From identifying the skills your workforce has to mapping what they need, TechWolf’s AI integrates seamlessly with your existing systems to turn messy data into strategic advantage. 

 Learn more at techwolf.com  

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In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast, host David Green is joined once again by Mikael Wornoo, Co-Founder of TechWolf - a company at the forefront of skills intelligence. 

Bringing fresh insights from the frontlines of AI and workforce strategy, together they explore where leading companies are heading, and what HR needs to do to stay ahead of the curve. From adoption challenges to ethical concerns, in this episode, you can expect to learn more about:  

• How the conversation around AI and skills is shifting—and what’s driving the change 
• Why skills-based workforce planning is becoming a business-critical priority 
• The human side of AI: navigating adoption, mindset shifts, and ethical concerns 
• The data and insights HR needs to lead meaningful transformation 
• How to build a fair, skills-powered future—and avoid a “winner-takes-all” dynamic 

This episode is sponsored by TechWolf. 

TechWolf helps enterprises get fast, accurate, and actionable skills data—without surveys. From identifying the skills your workforce has to mapping what they need, TechWolf’s AI integrates seamlessly with your existing systems to turn messy data into strategic advantage. 

 Learn more at techwolf.com  

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What if the most valuable business strategy starts with workforce planning? 

In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, David Green is joined by one of the world’s most respected voices on strategic workforce planning, Ross Sparkman, Global Head of Workforce Planning at Nutrien and author of the recently released second edition of Strategic Workforce Planning. 

With a career leading workforce strategy at companies like Meta, GE, Nike, and Walmart, Ross brings rare insight into how to turn workforce planning into a true lever of transformation. Join their conversation as they explore:  

• Why traditional workforce planning is no longer fit for today’s pace of change 

• How to integrate AI into workforce planning without falling for the hype 

• What it really takes to make workforce planning stick inside large organisations 

• The critical partnership between people analytics and SWP for future-ready strategies 

This episode is sponsored by TechWolf. 

TechWolf helps enterprises get fast, accurate, and actionable skills data—without surveys. From identifying the skills your workforce has to mapping what they need, TechWolf’s AI integrates seamlessly with your existing systems to turn messy data into strategic advantage. 

 Learn more at techwolf.com  

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What if the reason HR isn’t influencing strategy… is because it’s looking in the wrong direction? 

That’s the powerful idea Jenny Dearborn - Chief People Strategy Officer at BTS and co-author of The Insight-Driven Leader - unpacks with host David Green in this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast. 

Drawing on her experience as a senior HR leader in some of the world’s biggest companies, Jenny makes the case for a bold shift: from reactive, rear-view reporting to forward-looking, insight-driven action. 

Join them, as they explore: 

• Why “data-driven” HR often falls short, and what insight-driven really means 

• The risks of relying on outdated metrics that don’t influence business decisions 

• What CEOs should be demanding from HR leaders 

• How top organisations are transforming HR into a strategic, insight-generating function 

• What it looks like when HR operates like a product organisation 

• How CHROs can build trusted partnerships with CFOs and CIOs 

If you’re ready to unlock the true strategic potential of your HR function, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

This episode is sponsored by TechWolf. 

TechWolf helps enterprises get fast, accurate, and actionable skills data—without surveys. From identifying the skills your workforce has, to mapping what they need, TechWolf’s AI integrates seamlessly with your existing systems to turn messy data into strategic advantage. 

 Learn more at techwolf.com  

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How do you reconnect learning with business outcomes in a world where skills are evolving faster than ever? 

That’s what Vincent-Pierre Giroux, Global Learning & Talent Development Director at Alstom, explores in this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast. 

Host David Green speaks with Vincent-Pierre about the lessons he’s learned from leading resets across industries, his perspective on why skills volatility is reshaping mobility and retention, and the leadership qualities that matter most in today’s environment of constant change. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• Why reconnecting learning with business outcomes is key to driving real impact 

• How skills volatility is transforming mobility, engagement, and retention 

• What leadership qualities are most critical in a world shaped by disruption 

• How to think about ROI in learning and skills, and measure it meaningfully 

• Practical advice for HR and people analytics leaders to keep their organisations future-ready 

This episode is sponsored by 365Talents. 

365Talents takes a flexible, tailored approach to skills and talent management—because no two businesses are the same. Their adaptive talent intelligence solutions empower HR teams to move faster, build skills-based strategies, and deliver real impact at scale. Want to learn more? Visit www.365talents.com  

And don't forget to explore the latest thinking on skills and job architecture in this in-depth playbook: The Skills and Job Architecture Playbook  

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What if the star performers you celebrated yesterday are the very people holding your organisation back today? 

That’s what Toby Hough, HR Director for Europe at HiBob, unpacks with host David Green in this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast - a must-listen for anyone rethinking how to build performance cultures that last. 

Join them, as they explore: 

• Why definitions of high performance need to evolve as businesses grow 

• Why traditional change management is no longer fit for purpose - and what should replace it 

• How to build mental health and employee wellbeing into the foundation of performance 

• What career paths and leadership may look like when people are managing both humans and AI systems 

Whether you’re scaling a business, supporting leaders through change, or preparing for the impact of AI on performance and careers, this episode is worth a listen.  

This episode is sponsored by HiBob. 

HiBob is the all-in-one HCM platform built for HR leaders who need connected data, flexible workflows, and a user experience people actually want to use. 

Learn more by visiting hibob.com/davidgreen2025.  

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What defines leadership in a modern organisation? And how do you find and support the people driving culture, clarity, and change?  

That’s what Olena Bondareva, Global HR Director at airSlate, unpacks in this episode of Digital HR Leaders – a must-listen for anyone rethinking how we define and measure leadership. 

Host David Green speaks with Olena about how she built a people strategy from scratch during a time of extraordinary uncertainty - navigating the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and rapid global scale. 

Olena shares how she prioritized the right systems, embedded people analytics into decision-making, and uncovered the hidden influencers shaping culture and performance. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• How to identify the informal influencers shaping culture and driving change 

• What truly defines leadership effectiveness in a fast-scaling business 

• Why data literacy and human fluency are the twin skills HR leaders must master 

• How airSlate is using AI to enhance performance, hiring, and employee support 

Whether you’re scaling a people function or rethinking leadership development, this episode will challenge assumptions – and leave you with actionable insights. 

This episode is sponsored by HiBob. 

HiBob is the all-in-one HCM platform built for HR leaders who need connected data, flexible workflows, and a user experience people actually want to use. 

Learn more by visiting hibob.com/davidgreen2025.  

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Last week, Microsoft announced an update to its flexible work guidelines.  As Amy Coleman, Chief People Officer at Microsoft, explained: “We’ve looked at how our teams work best, and the data is clear: when people work together in person more often, they thrive – they are more energized, empowered, and they deliver stronger results.” 

As such, I’m delighted that my guest on this week’s episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast is Dawn Klinghoffer, Global Head of People Analytics at Microsoft. As she explains in our conversation, Dawn and her team conducted the analysis that informed this decision - revealing a causal link between office presence and employee thriving. 

In our conversation, Dawn and I discuss: 

• What the data shows about the ideal balance between office presence and flexibility 

• Why "moments that matter" are key to in-person collaboration and connection 

• How Microsoft's people analytics team is evolving its composition and strategy in the age of AI 

• The impact of deep vs. broad AI adoption on employee thriving 

• How AI is transforming employee listening, from sentiment analysis to real-time feedback loops 

• The creation of Microsoft’s new Analytics Innovation team—and what it signals about the future of HR 

This episode is packed with data-backed insights, practical examples, and a forward-looking perspective on how HR can lead through complexity and change. 

This episode is sponsored by HiBob. 

HiBob is the all-in-one HCM platform built for HR leaders who need connected data, flexible workflows, and a user experience people actually want to use. 

Learn more by visiting hibob.com/davidgreen2025.  

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