Payroll is the backbone of any organisation, ensuring employees are compensated accurately and on time. Yet, despite its critical role, payroll teams often operate behind the scenes, dealing with complex challenges that many outside the function rarely consider.

In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris is joined by LACE payroll experts Adrian Axtell, Simon Puryer, Chris Kirby, Tricia Conway, and Simon Bunday. Together, they delve into the realities of payroll, the obstacles professionals face, and how the function is evolving to meet the demands of the future.

Payroll is no longer just an administrative function—it is a vital component of a company's success. Listen now to learn payroll can evolve to meet the challenges of the future of HR.

Navigating change is one of the most critical challenges organisations face, and the latest HR on the Offensive podcast dives deep into this subject, offering insights into how leaders can guide their teams through transformation effectively. Chris and change experts Gemma Ryall and Annette Frem discuss the concept of leading through change.

Effective change leadership directly influences engagement, productivity, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, financial performance. Organisations that fail to evolve risk stagnation. Listen now to hear some pearls of wisdom from Gemma and Annette, and do feel free to reach out if via the form below if you’d like to discuss your change journey with them directly.

Business transformation isn’t just about strategy and execution—it’s about people. In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, host Chris, along with Aaron Aubrey, speak with Sally Earnshaw, a specialist in driving cultural and leadership change. Their discussion centres on the crucial role HR plays in enabling large-scale transformation and how leaders can effectively communicate the “why” behind change to inspire and mobilise their people.

Employees are more likely to embrace new ways of working if they see visible commitment from the top. Transformation isn’t just about systems and structures—it’s about culture, leadership, and people. Listen now to learn how to prioritise the human side of change.

What makes a great people manager? And how do you build the skills for the future super-charged people manager who is no longer just supervisor; but a coach, mentor and enabler of growth?

Organisations that truly harness the potential of their people managers unlock new levels of productivity, engagement, and innovation. But what does it take to create these ‘supercharged’ people managers? And what role do they play in the success of a skills-powered organisation?

This is what Chris and Debbie Mitchell discuss in this amazing episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, as part of our Becoming skills-powered series.

Listen now to hear more of Debbie’s thoughts on how by equipping line managers with the right tools you can supercharge employee engagement and productivity through skills approaches.

In today's fast-changing business world, transformation is no longer a one-time event—it’s a continuous process. In the latest episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast Chris and LACE co-founder Aaron Alburey discuss our new campaign, Driving business transformation: HR as the conductors of change, exploring why HR should take the lead in reshaping organisations. Our campaign aims to position HR as the strategic leader, the conductor orchestrating productivity, efficiency, and sustainable growth.

For HR professionals looking to lead transformation within their organisations, listen now for valuable insights into the mindset shift HR needs to lead the change.

Sign up to our campaign to stay updated with exclusive content, events, and resources designed to put HR at the forefront of transformation. - https://lacepartners.co.uk/hr-driving-business-transformation/

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, company culture plays a pivotal role in driving sustainable performance. This was the central theme of a recent episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast, Chris spoke with Niall Cluley, Managing Director at Dragonfish UK to discuss their latest research on culture alignment and its impact on organisational success.

Listen now to learn how your business can unlock its full potential and drive long-term success through cultural alignment.

What does the future hold for payroll? In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast Chris and LACE payroll expert Chris Kirby speak with Nick Day, Founder of JGA Recruitment Group as they discuss how you can build the perfect payroll professional.

The future of payroll is evolving rapidly, and those who embrace change won’t just thrive—they’ll redefine the impact payroll can have on organisations. Listen now to discover the key skills payroll professionals need to succeed in today’s landscape.

In this episode of the HR on the Offensive podcast Chris, predicts the year ahead for HR with guest Idris Arshad, Head of People at Asthma + Lung UK. Idris believes that in 2025 HR transformation must transcend buzzwords, advocating for clearly defined roles and proactive contributions to organisational evolution.

Idris believes that in 2025 HR will not only secure a strategic seat at the table but also solidify its role as a cornerstone of organisational success in a rapidly evolving business environment. Listen now to hear more of Idris’ predictions.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising HR, and in the latest HR on the Offensive podcast Chris delves into this transformation with guests Andrea Derla, Principal Research Value and Ben Harris, VP EMEA both at Visier. The discussion is centred on a report from Visier, “Managers Know AI Tools Make Them More Effective – Can HR Deliver?” that explores how generative AI can empower managers and transform decision-making in the workplace.

Listen now to discover how to overcome the challenges of adopting AI solutions for people analytics.

In today’s “HR on the Offensive” podcast, Chris and LACEr Pavan Bilkhoo speak to Jig Ramji, Chief Talent Officer at Aviva, as they explore skills-based organisations potential to redefine traditional HR practices and empower employees along the way. They discuss the ways this shift influences talent acquisition, reward systems and career progression as organisations prioritise skills over roles or hierarchies.

This podcast is part of our Becoming skills-powered campaign where we are unpacking some of the BIG questions around skills approaches; from what the foundations are through to which skills solutions are right for you.

More info on our campaign: https://lacepartners.co.uk/becoming-skills-powered/