The Plumm Pod

If half your workforce will face it, why is it still taboo?

Today Margaret Wood, a menopausal transition facilitator, dismantles the myths, explains the brain science, and shows leaders how to stop losing brilliant women at their peak.

You’ll hear how menopause actually shows up (it’s not just hot flushes), why men must be in the conversation, and the simple, practical moves any company can make this quarter.

We also talk about “menopause concealment”, early menopause, and the surprising upside: the post-menopausal “upgrade”.

In this episode:

What menopause is (and isn’t). Symptoms differ wildly, from heat to feeling cold

The brain changes: why mood, memory and confidence can dip, and how to respond

Culture over policy: moving beyond desk fans to real psychological safety

The business case: retention, reputation and productivity you can’t ignore

Bringing men in: how mixed-group education shifts behaviour fast

Post-menopause power: why many women hit a new gear and how to harness it

If this helped you lead better, subscribe and share with a manager who needs it.

Chapters:

00:00:15 — Chance, Not a Plan

01:08:00 — Inviting Men Into the Room

02:59:00 — Menopause, Simply Explained

04:35:00 — One Size Doesn’t Fit Anyone

05:33:00 — Hot… Or Freezing?

07:09:00 — Education Over Assumptions

09:21:00 — The Cost of Getting It Wrong

11:46:00 — Proactive, Not Performative

13:15:00 — It’s the Brain, Not Just Heat

15:06:00 — The Epiphany: Mixed Groups

16:26:00 — Early Menopause Happens

17:51:00 — IVF & Induced Menopause

19:39:00 — Concealment & Confidence Dips

21:16:00 — The Upgrade: Brain Renovation

22:57:00 — From Chaos to Rewire

24:56:00 — Support Now, Strength Later

26:50:00 — When Joy Goes Missing

28:02:00 — How to Start, Today

29:55:00 — This Isn’t ‘Nice To Have’

31:15:00 — The Career Jungle, Not Ladder

They’re not lazy. They’re anxious and misunderstood.
In this powerful episode, Jessamine Ringer breaks down what every leader needs to know about Gen Z and the future of work. From why this generation values purpose over prestige to how managers can bridge the gap through empathy, clarity, and coaching, Jessamine exposes what’s really happening between generations in the workplace.

You’ll learn:

• Why Gen Z behave differently and what shaped them

• How to manage with empathy without lowering standards

• The three things every young employee actually wants

• How to build confidence, resilience, and innovation in your team

If you lead people or plan to, this conversation will change how you see the next decade of work.
Subscribe and share to help others lead better.

Chapters

00:00:00 — Was HR Ever the Plan?

00:01:22 — Falling in Love with Coaching

00:02:57 — Why Early Careers Need Coaching Now

00:04:37 — The Power of Knowing Your Values

00:05:34 — How Managers Can Really Help

00:06:45 — Understanding Gen Z’s Context

00:08:30 — Growing Up Online: Anxiety & Screens

00:09:47 — Why “We Just Got On With It” Doesn’t Work

00:11:14 — Building Inter-Generational Intelligence

00:13:36 — How Curiosity Builds Better Managers

00:15:49 — Coaching Early Careers to Push Back

00:18:06 — Clarity, Confidence & Communication

00:19:52 — Purpose, Wellbeing & Money: The Real Priorities

00:23:36 — The Truth About Money Anxiety

00:25:42 — Why Gen Z Care About Wellbeing

00:27:55 — How Exhausted Leaders Lose Impact

00:31:01 — The Iceberg Model of Self-Awareness

00:32:43 — Managers Aren’t Trained to Manage People

00:35:03 — Coaching the Future Workforce

00:37:06 — Advice to My Younger Self

She lost everything, but refused to lose herself.
After surviving domestic abuse, Chloe Wallace rebuilt her life from scratch, turning pain into purpose. Today she’s a trauma informed HR consultant specialising in preventing workplace sexual misconduct and her framework is transforming how companies protect their people.

In this episode, Chloe opens up about:

• The truth about escaping abuse and finding independence through work

• Why most organisations still get harassment prevention wrong

• How her CEASE Framework® helps leaders create truly safe cultures

• The rise of AI-driven misogyny and what HR must do next

This is one of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever had on The Plumm Podcast.
If it moved you, subscribe, share, and help us keep these stories seen and heard.

Chapters

00:00:00 — From Chemistry to HR: The Unexpected Start

00:01:25 — Falling Into HR and Finding Purpose

00:02:40 — A Secret Life of Survival

00:04:50 — Escaping Abuse & Rebuilding Independence

00:06:10 — Turning Trauma Into a Calling

00:07:00 — Prevention vs Deterrence: The Big Misunderstanding

00:08:40 — The Real Psychology of Misconduct

00:10:00 — Why Bystander Training Matters

00:11:30 — What Sexual Harassment Actually Looks Like

00:13:55 — A Real Case That Bankrupted a Company

00:15:40 — “It Doesn’t Happen Here” — The Dangerous Myth

00:16:50 — Introducing the SEAS Framework

00:18:30 — Call It Out. Educate. Assess. Strengthen.

00:20:56 — What To Do When It’s a Third Party

00:23:20 — How to Handle Disclosures with Care

00:25:07 — Changing Mindsets Through Real Conversations

00:26:50 — AI, Deepfakes & The New Age of Sexism

00:28:15 — The Future of HR: Specialists Over Generalists

00:30:00 — Why NDAs Are Ending—and Why It Matters

00:31:50 — Choosing Purpose Over Fear

00:33:50 — Education, Empathy & Real Change

00:34:28 — Advice to My Younger Self

In this episode, Alice Stone shares her journey from HR apprentice and young mum to People Director and why a truly human-centred approach beats rigid rules. We unpack the real difference between legal flexible working and lived flexibility, how to kill presenteeism, and the systems that create safety, trust and performance.

You’ll learn:

• Legal vs lived flexibility and what high-trust cultures actually do

• How to measure impact (pulse checks, outcomes over hours, retention signals)

• The manager shift: from micromanaging time to coaching for results

• Practical playbook: job-sharing, hybrid done well, “Level 10” meetings, employee voice

If this gave you something useful, subscribe and share it with a leader who needs to hear it.

Chapters:

00:00:00 — Plan or Chance? Alice’s Start

00:00:20 — From Midwife Dreams to HR

00:02:21 — Apprenticeships, Not One Path

00:03:18 — Becoming a Mum Changed HR

00:04:19 — Kind vs Nice at Work

00:05:12 — Flexibility: Law vs Reality

00:06:20 — Job-Sharing, Hybrid, Wellness Days

00:07:58 — What Flexible Cultures Feel Like

00:09:57 — Trust Adults, Measure Outcomes

00:11:45 — Productivity Gains, Not Presenteeism

00:13:52 — Winning Stakeholders: Speak Their Language

00:15:54 — Presenteeism & Sick-While-Working Trap

00:17:11 — Outcomes Over Hours, Anywhere Work

00:18:52 — Safety First: “If You’re Ill, Rest”

00:20:58 — Spot Burnout: Pulse & Training

00:22:44 — Define Flex Here: What We Celebrate

00:23:54 — Employer Brand: Compete on People

00:25:34 — Retention Proof & Real Support

00:27:28 — Building Safety: Ways-of-Working Labs

00:30:11 — What Is a Level 10 Meeting?

00:31:30 — From ‘How Do We…?’ to ‘We Will’

00:33:42 — Advice to My Younger Self

Working parents aren’t the exception, they’re half your workforce.
In this episode, Becki Nazareth (L&D leader, turned working parent & carer specialist) shares what really breaks and fixes the experience for parents at work, from policy basics to culture, flexibility and line manager reality.

You’ll learn:

• Why policy is just the foundation and what proactive support really looks like

• How to educate “accidental managers” and build inclusive, flexible teams that perform

• The return to work gap: identity shifts, re-induction, and using the SCARF model for certainty

• What data leaders need (and how to get it) to win the case for flexibility

If this helped you, subscribe and share it with a leader who needs to hear it.

Chapters (Timestamps)

00:00:00 — People Work: Plan or Chance?

00:00:36 — From Teaching to L&D to HR

00:02:23 — Why Becki Backed Working Parents

00:04:10 — Who Counts: Parents and Carers

00:05:36 — Policy Shifts & Systemic Gaps

00:07:20 — Start With Policy, Don’t Stop There

00:09:03 — The Manager Mindset Shift

00:11:12 — Beyond One-Off Workshops

00:12:40 — Spaces That Actually Help (ERGs, Talks)

00:14:05 — What “Doing It Well” Looks Like

00:16:00 — The Identity Shock of Return

00:17:35 — SCARF & Creating Certainty

00:19:42 — Reactive vs Proactive HR

00:21:10 — Re-Induction: Onboarding… Again

00:23:22 — Hybrid, Mandates & Real Flexibility

00:25:24 — Win Leaders With Data

00:27:28 — Measure What Happens After Return

00:29:28 — New Stages: School & Holidays

00:30:51 — One Piece of Career Advice

00:31:37 — Know Your Values, Decide Faster

00:32:20 — Closing Thanks

A career in HR isn’t about formal training, it’s about skills you already have.

In today’s episode, Rosalinda Buttice shares her remarkable journey from barista to Head of People Operations at Pension B. She talks about how the skills she developed in hospitality have shaped her approach to leadership and people management in the world of HR.

Key Takeaways:

The power of interpersonal skills in leadership, from hospitality to HR

How leadership is the most transferable skill for success, and why it’s key to building trust within teams

Why adaptability is crucial in the fast-paced world of HR, and how you can start practicing it today

The importance of prioritisation in both hospitality and HR to stay ahead in a constantly changing environment

If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs to hear Rosalinda’s inspiring journey!

Chapters:

00:00:00 From Barista to HR

00:01:59 The Importance of Mentorship

00:04:03 What are Transferable Skills?

00:06:22 Top Skills from Hospitality to HR

00:08:07 Building Human Connections in HR

00:09:33 The Power of Leadership

00:11:43 Creating a Circle of Safety

00:13:33 Leadership Skills Beyond the Workplace

00:16:59 Skills Needed for the Future of HR

00:18:12 How to Be More Adaptable in HR

00:19:12 The Art of Prioritization

00:23:20 Building Bridges Between Teams

00:25:01 How to Influence Senior Stakeholders

00:26:33 The Importance of Being Yourself

00:29:01 The One Skill to Focus On Today

00:30:50 Advice to My Younger Self

00:32:05 Closing Thoughts

Subscribe, share and stay tuned for more insights.

We say we’re “people first”, but candidates can tell when we’re not. This conversation is a reality check for how hiring actually feels in 2025.

In this episode, Marie Chaproniere reveals how she fell into HR from performing arts and why great Talent Acquisition is far more than filling roles. We unpack what a real candidate experience looks like today, the mess, the honesty, and why transparency beats polish every time.

You’ll learn:

The difference between recruitment and true TA and why strategy wins over speed

What “good” candidate experience looks like now (and the red flags to kill immediately)

How to stay human with ATS and AI, you can’t automate empathy

Practical inclusion: accommodations, the “cafeteria” model, and why truth-telling attracts the right people

If this helped you hire better or get hired better subscribe and share this with someone who needs it.

Chapters

00:00:00 — From Dance Studio to HR

00:00:29 — Falling Into TA by Accident

00:02:57 — TA vs Recruitment: The Real Difference

00:04:11 — What “Good” Candidate Experience Means in 2025

00:05:39 — Tech’s Limits: You Can’t Automate Empathy

00:07:16 — Public Call-Outs & Why Brand Behaviour Matters

00:08:34 — Small Wins in Hypergrowth Hiring

00:09:56 — Radical Transparency in Job Ads

00:11:43 — Attracting for Fit, Not Volume

00:13:28 — Truth-Telling Cultures Beat Perfect Stories

00:14:43 — Inclusion by Default: Real Accommodations

00:16:41 — The “Cafeteria” Model for Interviews

00:19:30 — Where to Communicate Adjustments (Beyond JDs)

00:21:33 — What Great Looks Like: Real Examples

00:24:33 — Start With an Audit: Language, Process, Data

00:26:38 — Map the Bad to Design the Good

00:27:17 — Sharing Interview Questions Ahead of Time

00:28:44 — Safe to Fail: Culture That Grows People

00:30:36 — Using AI Well (Without Losing Yourself)

00:31:15 — Metaview, Notes & Better Feedback Loops

00:32:39 — Advice to My Younger Self

00:33:58 — Choosing Authenticity (Even When Scary)

What if it all works out?

In this episode, we chat with Abigail Cooper, People Partner, who shares invaluable insights on scaling teams and HR strategy. Abigail Cooper's journey from admin roles to shaping internal communication and succession planning provides a powerful blueprint for businesses navigating the future of work.

You’ll learn:

The core principles of internal comms that will keep your team engaged and aligned.

Why managers are key to successful HR communication (and how to train them).

How to create clarity and reduce overwhelm with a simple, scalable communication framework.

The key to creating psychological safety and a resilient leadership culture.

If you’re ready to rethink your internal comms and team strategies, subscribe for more impactful HR insights.

Chapters:

00:00:00 — From Admin to HR Strategy

00:02:30 — Confidence in the Chaos

00:04:02 — Internal Comms: A New Era

00:06:56 — The HR Role Shift

00:09:55 — Internal Comms Framework

00:12:25 — Connecting with Managers

00:14:18 — Overcoming the Overwhelm

00:16:58 — Communication Cadence

00:18:53 — The One Source of Truth

00:21:40 — Understanding Your Team’s Needs

00:23:10 — Planning for Success

00:25:40 — Storytelling for HR

00:27:39 — Scaling for the Future

00:29:12 — What’s Missing in Your Strategy?

00:31:10 — Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

00:34:18 — What If It All Works Out?

In this episode, Claire shares her journey from HR to well-being strategist, revealing why setting boundaries is key to both personal and professional success.

Claire talks about the challenges of overcommitting and how finding balance in the workplace is more crucial than ever, especially after the pandemic.

You'll learn:

Why well-being should be prioritised in the workplace to boost productivity

How to set and maintain boundaries without feeling guilty

Why internal comms play a huge role in employee satisfaction and engagement

The importance of knowing your worth and advocating for your needs

Don't miss this insightful conversation, subscribe for more episodes and share with a leader who needs a plan, not a panic!

Chapters:

00:00:00 — The Road to HR

00:02:30 — Why HR Wasn’t What I Expected

00:04:02 — Internal Comms: The Emotional Infrastructure

00:06:56 — HR’s Evolving Role in Well-Being

00:09:55 — Why Well-Being Comes First

00:12:25 — The Shift from Hustle to Sustainable Work

00:14:18 — Creating Micro Boundaries for Maximum Impact

00:16:58 — How Stress Impacts Productivity

00:18:53 — Fighting the People-Pleasing Cycle

00:21:40 — Advocating for Yourself at Work

00:23:10 — Leading with Vulnerability

00:25:40 — Boundary Setting Without Guilt

00:27:39 — Why Everyone Needs Boundaries

00:29:12 — How to Build Healthy Work Relationships

00:31:10 — What I Wish I Knew About Boundaries Earlier

00:33:40 — The Power of Saying ‘No’

When 42% of leaders leave without warning, most companies panic. Amanda, finance turned HR strategist and chartered manager, explains how to future-proof your team before the vacancy hits.

In this episode, we unpack practical, data-driven succession planning, why “accidental managers” are costing you growth, and how HR earns a real seat at the table by thinking like a business owner.

You’ll learn:

What succession planning really is (and isn’t) and how to start it in a week

The data, dashboards and conversations HR must run to stop talent gaps

How to develop managers who can actually lead (not just do the job)

Why cross-generational hiring (T-Levels, grads) keeps you relevant in an AI world

The underrated skills: mediation, communication, reflection, resilience

If this helped, subscribe for more episodes and share with a leader who needs a plan, not a panic.

Chapters

00:00:00 — Chance, Not Plan: Amanda’s HR Origin

00:02:18 — Thrown In: Studying While Doing the Job

00:04:50 — Succession Defined: Your People Contingency Plan

00:06:56 — Scaling Playbook: Building Talent “Our Way”

00:07:58 — From Gut to Data: Decisions That Stick

00:09:55 — HR at the Table: Think Like an Owner

00:12:25 — Why Most Succession Fails (And Who’s Missing)

00:14:18 — Planning in Uncertainty: Hire the Future In

00:16:58 — Maintain vs. Hyper-Scale: Knowing Your Path

00:18:53 — Career Moats: Learning, Credentials, Confidence

00:19:50 — Reflection as Strategy: Walk, Think, Improve

00:23:10 — Accidental Managers: The Hidden Cost

00:27:00 — Next-Gen Leadership: Firm, Human, Resilient

00:29:12 — Post-COVID Reality: Psychological Safety Pays

00:31:10 — Hard Talks, Soft Skills: Mediate & Communicate

00:34:18 — One Thing I’d Tell My Younger Self