The People Agenda

This People Agenda podcast episode examines what it means to be a chief people officer today. Featuring Joe Binnion, CPO at Keywords Studios, the discussion explores the relationship between people strategy and business strategy, credibility in the C-suite, the metrics that matter, and how AI is beginning to reshape workforce planning and HR leadership. Designed for senior HR, payroll, and change leaders, the episode offers practical insight into the evolving CPO role in complex, global organisations.

The future of early careers is being rewritten in real time.

As AI reshapes entry-level roles and application volumes surge, employers are rethinking what potential really looks like, and candidates need a new playbook to stand out.

In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by LACE Partners’ Emma Johnson and Talia Pavell, alongside Emily Goodyear, Head of Early Careers at the Financial Conduct Authority, to explore how AI is changing early careers from every angle.

From the rise of human skills like judgement and critical thinking, to how employers are redesigning roles and assessments, this conversation offers practical insight for organisations and candidates navigating the AI era.

Listen how leading employers are rethinking early careers, and what it really takes to stand out in a competitive, AI-enabled market.

https://www.lacepartners.com/are-your-early-careers-hiring-strategies-ready-for-the-ai-era/

The conversation around AI in the workplace is shifting fast and the real tension isn’t about technology, it’s about ownership. Who actually “owns” AI inside an organisation today?

In this episode of The People Agenda podcast Chris Howard and LACE Director of AI Data and Technology, Martin Colyer, speak with Chris Cherry from Eightfold. They cut through the noise and explore how HR, IT, and business leaders are navigating agentic AI, and real-world adoption.

AI is an operational reality that demands clarity, coordination, and action. If you want to hear the full discussion, including real examples and practical insights from industry experts, take the next step and listen to this podcast.

The role of a Chief People Officer is evolving fast and it’s no longer just about HR. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell speak to Keniro Miller, Chief People Officer at Ultimate Performance, as he reveals how a “triple lens” approach is redefining the modern C-suite. Keniro shows why today’s CPO must operate as a hybrid business leader who can drive performance and shape strategy.

Are you a CPO looking to meet likeminded individuals? Our CPO network meet semi-regularly to share insights, discuss challenges and people solutions around the fast-evolving role of a CPO.

“Reward and performance is all about understanding people.” says Jenny Craik. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by experienced HR leader Jenny Craik, who shares insights from her career in reward and performance at organisations like HSBC, Standard Chartered and Barclays.

If you want to hear the full conversation and dive deeper into these insights, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast. It’s packed with real-world perspective you won’t get from theory alone. If you want support on how to build an effective reward strategy check out our Reward and performance services page to learn more.

Well-designed incentives can transform organisational performance however, poorly designed ones can quietly undermine strategy, culture, and results. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast host Chris Howard and LACE reward specialists, Julie Elder and Mike Aldred as they explore how organisations can design incentives that genuinely drive the behaviours they want. They discuss why incentives matter, the most common structures companies use, and how leaders can align reward programmes with business strategy to maximise impact.

Incentive design sits at the heart of an effective reward strategy. When done well, it aligns people, performance, and business outcomes in a powerful way. If you want to hear the full discussion and deeper insights from reward experts, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast for practical examples and real-world perspectives on designing incentives that work.

Great leadership does not start with a title. It starts with influence. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, we explore one critical question: how can today’s Chief People Officer (CPO) move from having a seat at the table to genuinely shaping business transformation? Drawing on insights from our research “From implementer to influencer” host Chris Howard and fellow LACEr Debbie Mitchell speak to executive coach Hilary Gee, on how CPOs can build influence among the C-suite.

The shift from implementer to influencer is not theoretical. It is behavioural, structural, and relational. If you are a CPO, CEO, or executive navigating transformation in 2026, this conversation offers practical insight you can apply immediately. Tune in to this episode of The People Agenda podcast to hear the full discussion and start redefining HR’s role in business transformation.

Strategic workforce planning (SWP) is no longer a future-focused concept; it’s a present-day business imperative. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by Douglas Leach, Founder of People Strategy Hub and the driving force behind the SWP Summit, to explore what people can expect from the event and why SWP has become critical to business performance today.

SWP is shifting from conceptual ambition to operational necessity. Listen now to hear the full conversation about the upcoming summit and dive deeper into these strategic workforce topics.

AI is flooding hiring pipelines with polished look-alike applications, and recruiters are struggling to tell real capability from well-written automation. Inspired by an article in The Economist titled “Job applicants are winning the AI arms race against recruiters”. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast host Chris Howard and fellow LACErs Gemma Ryall and Adele Reid break down how the job application is evolving, what signals are losing value, and how employers can redesign hiring to stay fair, fast, and human.

To hear the full discussion on navigating the "AI arms race" in hiring and how your organisation can remain vigilant of recruitment fraud, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals fail less because of spreadsheets and more because of people. Most M&A promise growth, scale, or capability. Many underdeliver because leaders underestimate the human side of change. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast host Chris Howard and LACEr Shivani Sasidharan speak to Andrew Philp, CFO at activpayroll, as they break down what actually matters before, during, and after an M&A. activpayroll helps companies manage global payroll and mobility in a secure and compliant way.

If you want practical, experience-led insight into ensure a smooth adoption M&A on the people side, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast and hear directly from Andrew and Shivani who share their experiences.