Freeformers Unplugged

This week, Toby and Emilie bring back one of their favourite Freeformers tools – the 'What If' conversation cards. Originally designed to spark deeper, more human conversations in the workplace, the cards prompt bold questions like: What if we didn’t recruit based on experience? What if we had to present the P&L in an hour? What if everybody loved working here?

In this lively and thoughtful episode, they unpack what these questions reveal about modern hiring, HR’s commercial credibility, and what it really takes to build a company people want to stay in – and come back to.

In this episode of Freeformers Unplugged, Toby Kheng and Emilie Forrest tackle a topic that should be at the heart of every diversity and inclusion strategy: accessibility. But rather than treating it as an afterthought, they argue that accessibility isn’t just about compliance or ticking a box—it’s the unlock to true diversity. From frustrating industry practices that charge extra for accessibility (seriously, what?!) to the fundamental shift needed in how organizations design learning and workplace experiences, this episode is packed with straight-talking insights, a few rants, and a whole lot of passion.

Toby and Emilie dive deep into the social model of disability, challenging outdated approaches that put the burden on individuals rather than fixing broken systems. Along the way, they share real-world examples, legal realities (hello, Equality Act 2010!), and practical ways organizations can build inclusivity from the ground up. Whether you're a leader, HR professional, or just someone who cares about making work better for everyone, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Plus, there’s the usual mix of wit, energy, and the occasional exasperated sigh at how far we still have to go.

HR and L&D are leading the charge for skills-based organisations—but have they applied the same thinking to themselves? In this episode of Freeformers Unplugged, Toby Kheng is joined by Calli Adamson Bakken to challenge the hypocrisy of HR’s skills agenda and explore why our own function must transform first.

We dive into:

• Why HR still operates in rigid job structures while telling the rest of the business to be skills-first.
• The data problem—how HR continues to measure the wrong things.
• What HR can learn from marketing, sales, and product teams who have already evolved.
• Whether we should be skills-based or value-based (and what that really means).
• Practical steps for HR to break its own model and rebuild it for the future.

If HR truly wants to lead a skills-based transformation, it needs to prove it can do it itself first.

AI is moving fast—HR can’t afford to lag behind. In this episode of Freeformers Unplugged, Toby and Emilie tackle the pressing issue of AI adoption in HR. With AI evolving at an unprecedented pace, HR teams risk being left behind if they don’t start integrating AI into their workflows.

Key topics covered:

• Where HR sits on the AI adoption curve—early adopters or laggards?
• The divide between AI users and AI avoiders—who will be left behind?
• Why banning AI isn’t the answer—what HR should be doing instead
• The human-in-the-loop problem—why AI isn’t plug-and-play
• How HR can embrace AI without losing its human touch

AI isn’t replacing HR, but HR professionals who ignore AI might find themselves replaced by those who don’t. If you’re in HR, people ops, or leadership, this is your wake-up call to stop avoiding AI and start experimenting.

Most HR teams treat an employee leaving as the end of their journey—but in reality, it’s the start of your most valuable HR output: advocacy.

Just like marketing focuses on creating loyal customers, HR should be focusing on turning ex-employees into lifelong brand advocates.

Beyond Glassdoor reviews, how do you measure and drive true value from alumni advocacy? We explore why employee advocacy should be at the centre of HR’s impact strategy.

HR platforms—LMS, benefits, performance tools—all generate their own insights, but they only tell you how users engage with that platform, not the real employee experience.
If your data ecosystem is fragmented, you’re not measuring impact—you’re just validating vendor existence.
In this episode of Freeformers Unplugged, we’ll break down why most HR data is useless, how to move beyond vanity metrics, and what it takes to create a data-driven, end-to-end employee experience.

Human-centred design in learning sounds like the right approach—gathering insights and tailoring solutions to employees’ pains and gains. But is it just a well-intentioned distraction?

Too often, L&D teams focus on what employees say they want as learners rather than what actually drives business impact. The result?

Training that wins awards but lacks real substance, failing to solve genuine business challenges or create meaningful shifts in behaviour, performance, or culture.

Are psychometric tests a valuable workplace tool or just corporate astrology wrapped in a PDF? In this episode of Freeformers Unplugged, Toby Kheng and Emilie Forrest take a deep dive into the world of personality profiling, aptitude tests, and the sometimes questionable ways organizations use them.

From the enduring popularity of Myers-Briggs (despite its shaky scientific foundations) to the challenge of embedding psychometric data into workplace culture, we explore why companies keep investing in these tools—and whether they actually make a difference. Along the way, we discuss the difference between valid assessments and HR gimmicks, the biases that skew results, and the dangers of using these tests in recruitment.

With insights from our lively LinkedIn discussion, this episode is packed with sharp takes, thought-provoking questions, and a few laughs along the way. So, are you really a "Red Innovator" or just a Leo with good leadership skills? Let’s find out.

Probation is often treated as a one-way test, where employees must prove their worth in the first few months—but what if it was a true two-way trial? In this live stream, we’ll explore how organisations can rethink probation as a structured, mutual process that benefits both employees and employers. Inspired by Ken Corey’s insights on flawed hiring practices, we’ll discuss how shifting from rigid, unclear probation periods to intentional, goal-driven onboarding can improve retention, engagement, and long-term success. Join us as we break down practical strategies for making probation a more balanced and meaningful experience.

BrewDog founder James Watt and fiancée Georgia Toffolo recently promoted "work-life integration" over "work-life balance," suggesting the latter reflects a lack of work orientation. Watt stated, "Work-life balance was invented by people who hate the work they do."

This sparked backlash, with critics arguing it highlights a disconnect between leaders and employees’ realities. Such views, coupled with BrewDog's past "culture of fear" allegations, point to a need for leaders to better understand employee needs. Bridging this gap can create meaningful experiences that boost performance and engagement.