The Human Factor Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Claire Meadows from Mitie about the evolution from transactional excellence to intelligent service delivery, and how AI is reshaping processes, workforce design, skills, and the future of operational performance. 

In this episode of The Human Factor Podcast, we’re joined by Claire Meadows from Mitie to explore how organisations are moving from transactional excellence to intelligent service delivery. As AI reshapes the way services are designed, delivered, and experienced, we discuss how leaders can redesign processes, augment human work, and turn innovation into meaningful operational impact. 

Claire shares practical insights on the evolution of service delivery, the challenges of execution, and where AI is already driving value at scale. We also examine the critical role HR plays in workforce design, skills development, and helping organisations adapt as AI transforms the way work gets done. 

Keywords:  SAP, AI, SuccessFactors, Intelligent Service Delivery, Operational Excellence,  Workforce Transformation, Future of Work 

In this episode, we speak with Nicholas Toko about how Jungian psychology can help leaders better understand culture, resistance and organisational change.

In Episode 77 of The Human Factor Podcast, we explore the hidden forces that shape organisational culture and why lasting change often depends on more than new technologies, processes or operating models.

Joining us is Nicholas Toko, organisational effectiveness consultant, transformation leader and Jungian Analyst-in-training. Together, we discuss how Jungian psychology can help leaders better understand the unconscious beliefs, assumptions and patterns that influence behaviour across teams and organisations.

We explore the organisational unconscious, the deeper drivers of resistance to change, and why identity, meaning and self-awareness play such an important role in successful transformation. Nicholas also shares insights into how leaders can create the conditions for genuine commitment to change in an era of AI, disruption and continuous transformation. 

Keywords:  Change, Culture, Leadership, Transformation, Psychology, Resistance, Awareness, Behaviour

In episode 76 of The Human Factor Podcast, we explore what it really takes to build talent from within and why internal talent development requires far more than a commitment to promoting from within.

Many organisations say they believe in developing their people, but far fewer have the systems, leadership expectations, and organisational structures in place to make that belief a reality. In large, global growth organisations, internal talent development is a long-term strategic choice that can shape leadership continuity, cultural coherence, capability depth, and resilience in the face of constant change.

Joining us is Cecilia Sandberg, Senior Vice President, HR at Atlas Copco Group. Together, we explore what it means to build from within in a decentralised, engineering led organisation with a significant global workforce and a strong growth trajectory.

Throughout the conversation, we discuss how organisations can turn internal development from a philosophy into a disciplined system, what effective succession planning looks like in practice, and how leaders can be supported and held accountable for developing others. Cecilia also shares insights into the role of mentoring, mobility, structured development, and other reinforcement mechanisms, as well as how organisations can balance internal promotion with the need for fresh perspectives and diversity of thought.

We also explore how organisations can measure whether their talent development model is actually working, the tension between long-term development and short-term business pressures, and where leaders should begin if they want to take internal talent development more seriously.

If you're looking to strengthen your talent strategy, build stronger leadership pipelines, and create an organisation where people can grow from within, this episode offers valuable insights and practical takeaways.

Keywords:  Talent, Leadership, Development, Mentoring, Growth, Workforce, Progression

In episode 75 of The Human Factor Podcast, we explore how AI is transforming talent acquisition and what it takes to build hiring processes that are not only faster, but fairer and more human.

Talent acquisition has faced significant pressure in recent years, with organisations navigating tight labour markets, changing candidate expectations, and increasing demands to hire more effectively. As AI moves from experimentation to becoming a core part of recruitment, leaders have an opportunity to rethink how they attract, assess, and engage talent. Joining us is Alan Walker, CEO of Udder. Together, we discuss how AI is reshaping every stage of the talent acquisition lifecycle, from sourcing and screening to candidate engagement and hiring decisions.

In this special anniversary episode, we celebrate 5 years of conversations by bringing together four guests who have each helped shape the discussion around work, leadership, wellbeing, and inclusion: Sue Yell, Gethin Nadin, Eric Tinch, and Dr Nancy Doyle.

Rather than looking back at every episode, this conversation focuses on the bigger questions that have emerged across the past 70 discussions. What have we learned about people at work? Which assumptions have been challenged? And where do different perspectives still exist?

Together, we explore three themes that continue to define the future of work: change and execution, human connection, and growth and leadership. Along the way, our guests share reflections on how workplaces have evolved, the lessons leaders are still learning, and the human factors that remain constant despite ongoing change.

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human, leadership, change, management, reflections, collaboration, lessons, anniversary.

In episode 73 of The Human Factor Podcast, we explore one of the most important yet often overlooked drivers of workplace success: human connection.

As remote and hybrid working continue to reshape how we collaborate, many organisations are facing a growing challenge - how do we create genuine connection in environments where people can easily feel disconnected, isolated, or overlooked?

Joining us is John Cooper, Chief Connection Officer at Thomas. Together, we discuss why connection is far more than a “nice to have” in today’s workplace, and how it directly impacts engagement, wellbeing, collaboration, and organisational performance.

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Keywords: human, connection, engagement, wellbeing, collaboration, workplace, burnout, management

In episode 72 of The Human Factor Podcast, we explore how organisations can move beyond the limits of traditional enterprise systems and tackle the processes that still feel slow, fragmented, or broken.

Joining us is Ben Peters, Co-Founder and CEO of Cogna. Together, we discuss how AI is enabling a fundamentally different approach - one where organisations can rapidly understand how work actually happens, generate working prototypes in real time, and iterate towards better solutions at speed.

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Keywords: AI, Enterprise, systems, organisations, solutions, processes, digital transformation, future, work

In episode 71 of The Human Factor Podcast, we explore what it really takes to execute organisational change in the real world - beyond the frameworks, models, and tidy diagrams that often dominate the conversation.

Joining us is Nick Francis, who has been at the centre of Decathlon’s transformation journey. Together, we discuss the realities of leading change inside a large organisation - building the case for change, securing senior sponsorship, aligning stakeholders, and maintaining momentum when the path forward is anything but straightforward.

In this episode of The Human Factor Podcast, we’re diving into the dynamic and unpredictable world of modern organisations, where leadership can often feel like a giant game of Snakes & Ladders.

We’re joined by Richard Jolly, one of the most respected voices in organisational psychology and leadership development. Together, we explore how leaders can read their environment more effectively, build strong and supportive relationships, and lead with humanity in systems that are constantly evolving.

In this episode of The Human Factor Podcast, we’re diving into the dynamic and unpredictable world of modern organisations, where leadership can often feel like a giant game of Snakes & Ladders.

We’re joined by Richard Jolly, one of the most respected voices in organisational psychology and leadership development. Together, we explore how leaders can read their environment more effectively, build strong and supportive relationships, and lead with humanity in systems that are constantly evolving.