Whether its geopolitical turmoil, AI, climate chaos, stakeholder activism or intergenerational differences, there’s no shortage of issues inhibiting organisational progress. But this is hardly surprising when we consider so many of the operating frameworks still in use today are now decades old.

It’s time to introduce new ways of workplace organising.

Dom, Jen and Cat welcome global HR thinker Perry Timms to this episode to introduce the concept of polymorphic organising. They examine communication as a primary organisational linchpin and explore what this means for internal communicators.

About Perry Timms

Perry Timms has over three decades of experience in business change and performance, with the last 23 years in HR/Organisation Development. He ranked Number 1 in HR's Most Influential Thinkers 2022 (his fifth inclusion in that list) and is now in the HR Most Influential Hall of Fame. He is a 4x Guest Professor, a 2x TEDx speaker, a 3x Author, 4x Engagement 101 Global Influencer plus 2024’s Global People & Culture Icon. Perry is a Chartered Member of the CIPD, a Fellow of the RSA and in 2024 was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in self-managed, democratic organisations, and a Thinkers 360 Top 100 Global HR Influencer.

Perry on LinkedIn:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrytimms/

Perry on Substack:    https://pthr.substack.com/

PTHR website:            https://pthr.co.uk/

Additional Company Information

Perry founded People and Transformational HR 13 years ago. The venture is a (re) Certified BCorporation, a WorldBlu Certified Freedom-Centred organisation, a Global Top 50 Self-Managed Organisation awarded the Haier Institute’s RDHY Certification; is a Gold Standard 4-day Working Week, a 2023 Top 50 EMEA Inspiring Workplace, a Top 2 Most Flexible Workplace on the Flexa Index, a Living Wage employer, and a Climate Positive enterprise.

As economic instability continues to confound politicians across the spectrum, the UK labour market remains fragile. With more young people than ever before not in education, employment or training (NEET) and the ever-present threat of AI-induced job losses, internal communicators must find novel ways to marry the delivery of key organisational information with the concerns of increasingly stressed and anxious workforces.

In this episode, Neil Carberry shares his latest reflections on the current and emergent state of the UK labour market, offering insights for the internal communication professionals as they consider their priorities for 2026.

About Neil Carberry OBE, Chief Executive, REC

Neil Carberry was appointed as Chief Executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation in June 2018.  He began his career in recruitment in 1999, before doing a post-graduate degree in Human Resources at the London School of Economics and specialising in employment relations. Joining the CBI in 2004, he led the CBI’s work on the labour market, skills, energy and infrastructure. Neil spent a decade as a member of the council of the conciliation service ACAS and two terms as member of the Low Pay Commission, which recommends UK minimum wages. He was appointed an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List of 2025. Neil is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, a Fellow of the RSA and a member of the Company of HR Professionals. A seven-time nominee to the SIA staffing100 in Europe, Neil is also on the board and exec of the World Employment Confederation and of a Multi-Academy Trust in England. Neil is an RFU-qualified rugby referee and coach and is one of the 8000 co-owners who made Heart of Midlothian the UK’s biggest fan-owned football club.

Find Neil on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-carberry-obe-95948938/

REC: https://www.rec.uk.com/

This year, the IoIC published a new whitepaper to explore the future of internal communication. As the only professional body dedicated to internal communication, it is invested in understanding how workplace communication will change and what this means for its members. It strives to understand both risk and opportunity.

Next-generation technology paves the way for doing more human work – work that no technology can replicate. In increasingly digital environments, fostering human connection to create the cultural conditions for peak performance and flourishing is set to become the most vital of organisational enablers.

In this episode, Jen, Dom and Cat are interviewed by IoIC board member and fellow Joe Salmon. Together they discuss the factors driving change for internal communication and ways in which internal communicators can prepare for an altogether exciting future.

Joe has over two decades of internal comms experience, including in-house, consultancy, and agency roles. He specialises in leadership communications, employee engagement, organisational culture, and communicating change.

Joe is currently Director Corporate Communications at Iron Mountain. His career highlights include senior communication roles at Vodafone, BT, Inmarsat, Spotify, and Hill & Knowlton Strategies. In these roles, he designed and developed compelling employee campaigns to help global clients grow from the inside out by building pride, advocacy, a sense of belonging, and excitement.

Joe is an elected Board Director and Fellow at the Institute of Internal Communications, a trailblazer for the UK Black Comms Network, and a mentor to others in the IC profession. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Internal Communication Management. He is also a regular event host, panelist, guest speaker, and awards judge, and was featured on the PRovoke Media Innovator 25 list.

About Joe Salmon FIIC

Joe has over two decades of internal comms experience, including in-house, consultancy, and agency roles. He specialises in leadership communications, employee engagement, organisational culture, and communicating change.

Joe is currently Director Corporate Communications at Iron Mountain. His career highlights include senior communication roles at Vodafone, BT, Inmarsat, Spotify, and Hill & Knowlton Strategies. In these roles, he designed and developed compelling employee campaigns to help global clients grow from the inside out by building pride, advocacy, a sense of belonging, and excitement.

Joe is an elected Board Director and Fellow at the Institute of Internal Communications, a trailblazer for the UK Black Comms Network, and a mentor to others in the IC profession. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Internal Communication Management. He is also a regular event host, panelist, guest speaker, and awards judge, and was featured on the PRovoke Media Innovator 25 list.

Award-winning author and business executive Margaret Heffernan has written extensively about uncertainty. Her book Uncharted: How to map the future became an instant bestseller and featured on Bloomberg’s Best Books of 2021 list. Her most recent book Embracing Uncertainty: How writers, musicians and artists thrive in an unpredictable world outlines how creatives use ambiguity to stimulate innovation and novel ideas.

In this episode, Jen, Dom and Cat chat with Margaret to her views on the power of conversation. In ambiguous and chaotic work landscapes, convening group discussions to hear diverse perspectives and harness collective intelligence is a new leadership meta-skill.

About Margaret Heffernan

Dr. Margaret Heffernan produced programmes for the BBC for 13 years.  She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard&Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter. 

The author of six books, Margaret’s third book, Willful Blindness : Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was  named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times. In 2015, she was awarded the Transmission Prize for  A Bigger Prize: Why Competition isn’t Everything and How We Do Better, described as “meticulously researched…engagingly written…universally relevant and hard to fault.” Her TED talks have been seen by over 13 million people and in 2015 TED published Beyond Measure: The Big Impact of Small Changes. In 2020, she published Uncharted: How to map the future, which quickly became a bestseller and was nominated for the Financial Times Best Business Book award, was one of Bloomberg’s Best Books of 2021 and was chosen as the “Medium Best of the Best” business book. 2025 saw the publication of Embracing Uncertainty: How Writers, Musicians and Artists Thrive in an Unpredictable World, described as ‘a timely, insightful book….Heffernan highlights what it takes to excel in turbulent times.’

In 2024, she was inducted into the  Thinkers50 Hall of Fame, in recognition of her lasting impact on management thinking.  She is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath, Lead Faculty for the Forward Institute’s Responsible Leadership Programme and, through Merryck & Co., mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organizations. She chairs the board of DACS and is a parish councillor.

Find Margaret on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-heffernan-ab5205/

Margaret’s website:                   https://www.mheffernan.com/

Margaret on Substack:             https://heffernanm.substack.com/

Margaret’s TED talks:

https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_the_human_skills_we_need_in_an_unpredictable_world

https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_the_dangers_of_willful_blindness

The range of challenges confronting businesses today are constant, complex and deeply entangled. There is no rule book for this level of ambiguity and business leaders must grapple with the unknown on a daily basis. This requires an entirely different mindset and the ability to make sense of and interpret novel situations as they arise.  

In this episode, Jen, Dom and Cat chat with coach and futurist Louise Mowbray about the rapidly evolving future of work and the skills required to successfully navigate it. Access to trusted networks of individuals with alternative viewpoints is a must for those organisations looking to successfully futureproof and survive the coming years.

Communication, connection and community have never been more needed in business today.

About Louise Mowbray

Louise is the Founder of Mowbray by Design, the Future-Focused Conscious Leadership Consultancy. She specialises in The Future of Work and Leadership, working with clients across the sectors at the intersection of futures, technology, innovation, transformation and purpose-driven business.

Louise is a leadership advisor, coach, strategist and futurist, the author of Relevant: Future-Focused Leadership, and a co-author of Uncertainty: Making Sense of the World for Better, Bolder Outcomes. She is a sought-after keynote speaker, an occasional visiting lecturer for business schools and a regular guest on podcasts, panel discussions and live events.

In earlier career chapters, Louise worked for listed organisations in the investment banking, technology and executive search sectors, co-founded an executive search firm and was MD MENA for a British luxury lifestyle company. She has lived and worked in the UK, the UAE and South Africa and works with clients around the world. 

Find Louise on LinkedIn:                   https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisemowbray

Mowbray by Design:                         https://mowbraybydesign.com

Relevant: Future-Focused Leadership: https://amzn.eu/d/e677nfv

Relevant Substack:                            https://louisemowbray.substack.com

Key blogs

Sensemaking: Making Sense of Non Sense: 

https://louisemowbray.substack.com/p/sensemaking-making-sense-of-non-sense

The Information Overload: 

https://louisemowbray.substack.com/p/the-information-overload

As economic, societal and environmental conditions deteriorate, social tensions are escalating. Some politicians use fear to fuel their own extreme agendas and it’s increasingly popular to blame others for the ills of the world. Nationalism and discrimination are at their worst in decades. This has significant negative impact on workplace cohesion as many feel increasingly marginalised. 

Yet in contrast, scientific research shows the extent to which successful innovation – much needed in most organisations today – comes from diversity of thought. And different perspectives come, of course, from a rich diversity of lived experience. In this episode, Amraze Khan shares his experience of working in EDI and examines the increasingly urgent need for inclusion at work.

Amraze Khan (He/Him)

Amraze is the Head of EDI at Manchester Metropolitan University, where he leads the vision, supporting the University to become intentionally inclusive for its 4,500 staff members and around 40,000 students.

He has worked in EDI for nearly a decade, with experience in senior leadership roles across various industries comprising of the NHS, within Charities and Local Government. Prior to this, Amraze worked in senior communication roles in the NHS and Civil Service.

Outside of work, Amraze is a proud Yorkshireman, a carer, father to two cats, a Trustee at Rochdale Mind, an avid blogger, and podcaster.

Find Amraze on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amraze-khan-mcipd-miepd-94a1a56b/

With a significant proportion of the UK already struggling to access basic online tools and services, digital accessibility is a key issue too few business or political leaders are addressing. Without urgent attention to educate and inform, already disadvantaged and vulnerable people and communities will continue to fall behind and miss out on the benefits AI has to offer, not least in addressing social and societal inequality.

In this episode, Jen, Dom and Cat chat with Zoe Colosimo, COO of award-winning giving platform Neighbourly. They discuss what socially-minded organisations can do to address AI inequality and the opportunity for internal communication to help make a difference.

About Zoe Colosimo

Zoe is a founding member and the Chief Operating Officer at Neighbourly, an organisation dedicated to helping companies bring their brand purpose to life. Since its launch in 2014, Neighbourly has enabled businesses to make meaningful contributions to local communities through volunteer time, grants, and surplus products and built a network of over 45,000 local causes and 9000+ company offices and branches, creating nearly £1 billion in social value across the UK and Ireland.

Find Zoe on LinkedIn:            https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoecolosimo/

Neighbourly website:            https://www.neighbourly.com/

Ai123 resource hub:               https://hub.neighbourly.com/ai123-resource-hub

As multiple factors converge to create accelerating operating complexity and ambiguity for most organisations, leadership is under the microscope like never before. For his latest book, organisational psychologist and founder of APS Intelligence John Amaechi OBE explored a range of leadership techniques and found them to be eminently teachable skills, when thoughtfulness, integrity and effort are applied.

Amongst the most crucial skills identified for improved organisational culture and performance are listening and verbal communication.

Jen and Cat welcome John to this episode to examine the art of leadership communication and what it must now entail if organisations are to successfully navigate the ongoing disruption of the modern age.

Professor John Amaechi OBE: A Catalyst for Leadership Transformation

John Amaechi OBE is a world-renowned organisational psychologist, bestselling author, and Professor of Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School. As the founder of APS Intelligence Ltd., John leads a global team that transforms leaders and cultures by combining cutting-edge behavioural science with psychological insight. His bespoke programmes aren’t about quick fixes—they drive sustainable growth, ethical leadership, and organisational well-being.

Find John on LinkedIn:                                  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amaechi/

APS Intelligence website:                              https://www.apsintel.com/

As late-stage capitalism continues to prioritise profit over people and planet, we are never far from a breaking news event about corporate corruption, greed or misconduct causing turmoil for those impacted. But more often than not, internal wrongdoing will have taken place for months and years before whistles are blown and affairs are made public.  

In this episode, Cat and Jen chat with former police detectives Shaun Keep and Paul Adams. They set up Say-So after joining forces on a safeguarding assignment to review the public protection around vulnerable children and adults. They are passionate advocators for the need to create spaces where concerned colleagues can safely voice their concerns about mismanagement without fear of retribution.  

Say-So’s website: www.say-so.co.uk 

Shaun Keep is a public protection professional who served as a police detective for over 30 years. He specialised in child protection, anti-corruption and homicide investigations and has worked for four law enforcement agencies, the Church of England and a national Sports Organisation advising on and reviewing their policies and investigations into offences against the vulnerable.

He has been a 'subject matter expert' on a major transformation and development project in a large public service focusing upon attitudes towards vulnerable persons. He has been working to transform organisations in the 'speak up' space since 2017.

In 2015 Shaun was contracted to Surrey Police to assist build their investigation performance in the area of 'Public Protection' cases and this opened his eyes on a regional and national level to the extent of allegations of neglect and abuse against vulnerable adults.

Shaun's personal experience of the care sector has been entirely positive with his mother receiving almost 10 years of good quality domiciliary care, sheltered accommodation care and finally nursing home care. Shaun believes this should be the norm.

His work in creating a safe and trustworthy means for staff to speak up has led to an ever growing understanding of how important it is, in any business sector, to hear from and listen to employees concerns.

impacted. But more often than not, internal wrongdoing will have taken place for months and years before whistles are blown and affairs are made public.  

In this episode, Cat and Jen chat with former police detectives Shaun Keep and Paul Adams. They set up Say-So after joining forces on a safeguarding assignment to review the public protection around vulnerable children and adults. They are passionate advocators for the need to create spaces where concerned colleagues can safely voice their concerns about mismanagement without fear of retribution.  

Find Shaun on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-keep-b9554828/  

Paul Adams  is a safeguarding professional having spent 30 years in the police Service as a detective specialising in major crime investigation. Specialist skills include interview techniques around suspects, victims, survivors, vulnerable adults and children. The managements and tasking of sensitive information has also been a consistent part of his detective career. Since retirement he has worked for National Crime Agency under CEOP (Child Exploitation & online Protection) and Surrey Police reviewing safeguarding and public protection around vulnerable children and adults.

Paul has also been an approved foster carer to young children in Berkshire, whilst running his own children's fostering charity to try and improve the outcomes and development of children who find themselves in care. Paul is passionate about people being able to "speak up" particularly foster children and foster carers having a voice and being heard, within children's social care. This was one of the main reasons he started Say So.

Find Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-adams-pop-charity/ 

Since the start of 2025, DEI initiatives across the board have been deprioritised. This has left many people, most acutely those in already vulnerable groups, feeling marginalised and anxious. This level of anxiety undermines organisational performance and fuels the already spiralling mental health crisis.  

In this episode, Dr. Christopher Owen draws on his decade of experience in LGBTQ+ inclusivity consulting and his research into systemic oppression to share with internal communicators stories can be used to create more inclusive, connective and engaging work environments that boost organisational performance.  

About Dr. Christopher Owen

"If we want to make a difference, then we need to do things differently - I’m here to show you how."

As the founder of Coliberate, Christopher Owen (he/they) offers inclusivity and liberation coaching, consulting, speaking and training to individuals, groups and organisations seeking to improve their impact for positive social change.

A 2024 Northern Gamechanger, Christopher has a PhD in intersectional systemic oppression and Black feminisms, with over a decade of experience in LGBTQ+ inclusivity and consulting. They have presented to thousands internationally and published on intersectionality, identity, social change, queer resistance, and inclusive practice, with his second book now forthcoming from Routledge Education.

For more, please visit: coliberate.co.uk

Find Christopher on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecjowen/