HR Coffee Time

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 create the space needed to focus on work that drives meaningful organisational change.

• Introduction and welcome
• Tip 1: Build your confidence about being strategic
• Tip 2: Schedule dedicated time for strategic work
• Tip 3: Make the most of AI to free up time
• Tip 4: Remember that less is more
• Tip 5: Communicate your strategic priorities clearly

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• The Essential HR Planner
• elementsuite
• Angela Moyle's eBook: AI for HR
• Angela' Moyle's eBook: HR's role in AI adoption

• Operate Strategically or Create a Powerful HR/People Strategy Playlist
• Episode 102: Boosting Your Strategic Knowledge to Step Up in Your HR Role
• Episode 108: How to Create a Simple but Powerful One Page Strategy with Dr. Max Mckeown
• Episode 134: Creating an HR Strategy - How to Get Started When You're Feeling Stuck
• Episode 7: What to Do When You Don't Have Enough Hours in the Day
• Episode 92: Time Management Tips to Stay on Top of Your Busy Day
• Episode 58: How to Feel More Confident Using Data & Analytics in Your HR Role

• Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The difference and why it matters, by Richard Rumelt
• The One Thing, by Gary Keller

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

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 Djemil to help you identify and challenge these unhelpful beliefs that might be holding you back in your HR career.

[00:00] Introduction and Overview

[03:30] Meet Emma Djemil

[05:46] Common Lies in HR: Availability Equals Value

[08:29] Proving Your Worth in HR

[12:43] Recognising and Challenging Self-Lies

[17:11] Understanding Deep-Rooted Fears

[17:46] Challenging the Fear of Unavailability

[19:21] Recognising and Addressing Mistruths

[21:20] Empowerment Through Self-Questioning

[25:25] The Power of Internal Validation

[29:26] Book Recommendation and Wrap Up

[32:09] Final Thoughts and Farewell

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Emma Djemil on LinkedIn
• Emma’s HR Club
• Emma’s annual event: The HR Big Meet

HR Coffee Time Podcast Playlist: Build Your Confidence

• ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’ – Susan Jeffers
• ‘The Fix: How to Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back at Work’ – Michelle P. King
• All the book recommendations that have been given on HR Coffee Time

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up

to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

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, shaping, and embedding a winning workplace culture.

This episode is packed with actionable advice, from how to engage leadership in culture initiatives to how HR professionals can avoid becoming overwhelmed by the process. Whether you're just starting your culture journey or looking to refine your approach, this conversation is here to help.

[00:00] Introduction and Overview

[01:33] Meet the Guests: Annabelle Lawson and Paula Brockwell

[03:59] Annabelle Explains Her Culture Project

[08:32] Culture is a Strategic Enabler of Business Growth

[09:26] Using the Business Culture Canvas for Culture Conversations

[12:46] Embedding New Culture and Measuring Progress

[15:20] Timeframes for Seeing Cultural Changes

[19:55] Avoiding Overwhelm When Working on Culture Initiatives

[23:25] Starting a Culture Journey from Scratch

[24:33] The Importance of CEO Engagement in Culture Initiatives

[25:03] Book Recommendations

[26:06] How to Connect with Annabelle and Paula

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Annabelle Lawson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Paula Brockwell on LinkedIn
• Paula’s website: The Employee Experience Project

• Download Paula’s free culture change resources
• Access Paula’s Business Culture Canvas
• Access Paula’s Culture Catalyst Scorecard

• Episode 114: What workplace culture is, how to measure it, and a surprising way to improve it with Arend Boersema
• Episode 120: Crafting culture: unearthing and shaping the heart of your business with Louise Kennedy

• ‘Herd: How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing Our True Nature’ by
• Mark Earls ‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking’ by Susan Cain

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

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 information and actionable advice for HR professionals looking to update policies, improve employee wellbeing, or build a stronger business case for menopause support.

[00:00] Introduction and Overview

[00:53] Meet Emma Thomas: Menopause Expert

[04:15] Defining Perimenopause and Menopause

[06:47] Common Symptoms of Perimenopause

[09:32] Impact of Menopause Symptoms at Work

[11:35] Research and Business Case for Menopause Support

[20:11] Practical Support for Menopause in the Workplace

[25:03] Book Recommendation: "Revolting Women" by Dr. Lucy Ryan

[26:06] How to Connect With Emma Thomas

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website:Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Emma Thomas on LinkedIn
• Emma’s website:Managing the Menopause
• Emma’s podcast:Middling Along

• CIPD 2023 Menopause at Work survey
• CIPD: Menopause at work – guide for people managers
• Deloitte Women at Work 2024 report
• BSI guide on menstruation and menopause in the workplace
• ACAS: Menopause at work
• Cycle of Change: Animation explaining the menopause

Episode 42: Diversity and Inclusion at Work, Seven Mistakes to Avoid and what to do instead with Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey

‘Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out and What to Do About It’ by Dr. Lucy Ryan

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

If you need to create an HR or People strategy but are feeling completely stuck, this episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help. Host Fay Wallis, a career and leadership coach for HR and People professionals, shares practical advice on how to feel more confident about creating the strategy, where to start and resources to help spark your ideas.

[00:00] Episode introduction

[00:32] There is a podcast playlist of strategy episodes for you

[02:46] You already are strategic (even if you think you aren’t)

[04:31] Insight from the book, ‘Good Strategy/Bad Strategy’

[05:29] The importance of aligning HR strategy with the overarching organisational strategy

[07:28] Resources from The Essential HR Planner to help

[13:41] Recap and final thoughts

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching

Operate Strategically or Create a Powerful HR/People Strategy Playlist

• The Strategy Book: How to think and act strategically to deliver outstanding results, by Max Mckeown
• Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The difference and why it matters, by Richard Rumelt

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

Want to know the secret to delivering presentations that truly captivate your audience? In this episode of HR Coffee Time, we explore how to craft and deliver presentations that resonate deeply and win over both hearts and minds.

Host Fay Wallis is joined by Emma Serlin, founder of London Speech Workshop, who shares her unique "Meal Plan" framework for creating impactful presentations. Whether you're aiming to boost your influence, establish credibility, or simply gain more confidence when presenting, this episode is packed with practical insights to elevate your presentation skills.

[00:00] Introduction and overview

[01:11] Meet the expert: Emma Serlin

[04:26] The Meal Plan framework: Protein, Vegetables, and Spice

[05:38] Deep dive into the protein component

[09:07] Crafting impactful presentations: The importance of three key takeaways

[11:31] Exploring the ‘vegetables’ component

[16:57] Adding ‘spice’ to make your presentation memorable

[19:46] The Dinner Party Planner

[23:50] Book recommendation

[25:48] How to contact Emma and London Speech Workshop

[27:23] Conclusion

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Emma Serlin on LinkedIn
• Emma’s website: London Speech Workshop
• London Speech Workshop on Instagram
• London Speech Workshop on YouTube

• Episode 36: Four simple but powerful techniques to banish imposter syndrome, with Joanna Lott
• Episode 73: 5 ways to feel more confident in your next interview, meeting, or presentation
• Episode 74: How to get better at presenting and feel more confident about it

• The Connection Book: 50 Ways to Communicate More Effectively, by Emma Serlin
• The Communication Equation: A How to Guide for Outstanding Communication, by Emma Serlin
• Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, by Marshall B. Rosenberg

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

Whether you’d like to learn more about how to use Strategic Workforce Planning in your current role or considering whether specialising in Strategic Workforce Planning could be the perfect career option for you, this episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help.

Host Fay Wallis is joined by Jen Allen Jardine, a Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) expert, who explains what SWP is, why it’s important, how it fits into HR, the partnership between SWP and HR, and the misconceptions about it. She also provides valuable advice for anyone looking to specialise in SWP, including practical tips and book recommendations.

Chapters from This Episode

[00:00] Introduction and overview

[02:17] Meet the expert: Jen Allen Jardine

[03:09] Defining Strategic Workforce Planning

[04:13] Strategic Workforce Planning in large vs small organisations

[04:55] The role of HR in Strategic Workforce Planning

[11:03] Developing skills for Strategic Workforce Planning

[17:18] Misconceptions about Strategic Workforce Planning

[23:02] Book recommendations

[34:29] How to contact Jen

[35:50] Conclusion

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Jen Allen Jardine on LinkedIn

• HR Coffee Time podcast playlist: Clarify Your Career Goals & Explore HR Career Options
• Episode 58: How to feel more confident using data & analytics in your HR role
• Episode 119: How using Agile can drive positive change & prove HR’s value, with Kate Maddison-Geenwell

• Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About The World – And Why Things Are Better Than You Think, by Hans Rosling , Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling
• Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
• Radical Uncertainty: Decision-making for an unknowable future, by John Kay and Mervyn King

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

Thinking about booking a coaching session but not sure what to expect? Or maybe you've already arranged some coaching sessions and want to make sure you get the most out of them. This episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help. Host Fay Wallis, a career and leadership coach for HR and People professionals, shares practical advice on how to prepare for your coaching sessions and make them as effective as possible.

[00:00] Episode introduction

[00:23] The value of coaching

[01:38] You’re in the driving seat when it comes to coaching

[02:21] Examples of common coaching topics

[04:29] Questions to help you choose a focus, area or topic for your session

[05:51] Coaching is usually about asking questions, rather than giving advice

[06:39] Advice is given for practical career topics e.g. CV, LinkedIn and interviews

[09:17] Practical tips to get the most out of your session

[09:13] Choose a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed

[10:09] Minimise distractions

[10:21] Have some buffer time before the start of your session

[10:40] Techniques to help you transition from your previous task into your session

[11:32] Buffer time at the end of your session is helpful

[12:12] Have a notebook and pen ready for your session

[14:06] Let your coach know if you’d like the session recorded

[14:26] Have a drink with you in case you get thirsty

[14:51] If you’ll be discussing an emotional topic, have some tissues to hand

[15:09] Be open-minded and provide feedback

[16:46] Jot down your reflections in between sessions

[17:21] Questions to help you reflect before starting your next session

[17:56] Always ask your coach questions if you have any

[18:19] Episode conclusion

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Headspace’s one-minute meditation YouTube video

• Episode 130: Build managers’ confidence and skills with ‘The Coaching Two-Step’, with Jude Sclater
• Episode 53: Why coaching skills can help your career (& how to develop them), with Charlie Warshawski
• Episode 125: Create your perfect professional development plan in 8 simple steps

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

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 enhance overall team motivation and development. She shares her innovative Coaching Two Step model, which provides a practical and accessible way for managers to integrate coaching into their everyday interactions.

• The Coaching Two Step involves two main components: asking "Tell me more?" and summarizing what you've heard
• The model is designed to be simple and accessible for managers who may not have extensive coaching training
• Jude emphasizes the importance of giving full attention during conversations
• The episode includes a practical demonstration of the Coaching Two Step with Fay as the coaches

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Jude Sclater on LinkedIn
• Jude’s website: Think With Jude

• Episode 129: 5 essential techniques to become a great manager, with James Rose
• Episode 127: What to do if your boss is a micromanager
• Episode 53: Why coaching skills can help your HR career (and how to develop them), with Charlie Warshawski

(Disclosure: the book links are affiliate links which means Fay will earn a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them)

• Think Like A Coach: Empower your team through everyday conversations, by Jude Sclater
• The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness, by Professor Steve Peters
• Full list of all book recommendations given on HR Coffee Time

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signingup to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

How do you develop the people within your workforce to become great managers? Poor management negatively impacts everyone, often resulting in the HR/People team having to help with performance issues, manage grievances, or recruitment challenges due to high turnover. It can feel hard to know what to do or where to start. So, this episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help.

Host Fay Wallis is joined by James Rose, a management skills trainer, speaker and coach, who generously shares his Rose model, which consists of five essential techniques to become a great manager.

[00:00] Introduction and overview

[02:10] Introducing James Rose

[03:41] How James developed his Rose model

[07:05] The difference between absent and present managers

[06:24] The first layer of the Rose model: regular check-ins

[13:48] The second layer of the Rose model: weekly team meetings

[20:44] The third layer of the Rose model: monthly catch ups

[30:25] The fourth & fifth layers of the Rose model: mid-year or quarterly reviews and end of year reviews

[33:29] James’s confidence-building tip: encourage team members to keep track of their achievements and development.

[36:25] How to contact James and learn more about his work

[37:32] Other relevant HR Coffee Time episodes to listen to next

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with James Rose on LinkedIn
• James’ website

• Episode 127: What to do if your boss is a micromanager
• Episode 117: How to create a performance management process that drives success, with Lucina Carney
• Episode 119: How using Agile can drive positive change & prove HR’s value, with Kate Maddison-Geenwell

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected].

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.