HR Voices Podcast

Episode 72: Employment Rights in 2025 – What Employers Need to Know

What do the latest employment law changes really mean for your business, and are you ready?
Host: Mary Asante
Guest: Amanda Trewhella, Freeths
In this episode of HR Voices, Mary Asante is joined by employment lawyer Amanda Trewhella (Freeths) to break down the key changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025, and what HR professionals, employers, and managers need to be doing now to prepare.
🔍 In this episode, we cover:
Changes to unfair dismissal rights (2 years ➝ 6 months from 2027)
New day one rights (SSP, paternity leave, parental leave)
Increased risk in redundancy consultations (protective awards doubling)
Reforms to zero-hours contracts
New duties around sexual and third-party harassment
Updates to flexible working requests
The requirement to inform employees of their right to join a trade union
⚠️ Why this matters
These changes represent one of the biggest shifts in UK employment law in recent years — and they will require:
updated policies and contracts
stronger manager capability
better employee relations practices
proactive risk management
💡 Amanda’s top tips:
Review and update your policies and processes now
Train managers to handle issues early and effectively
Start preparing ahead of the implementation timelines
🎧 Whether you’re an HR consultant, business owner, or people manager, this episode gives you a clear and practical overview of what’s changing — and how to stay ahead.
📩 Questions or topics for future episodes? Email: hrvoices@hrindependents.co.uk
 

Episode 71- Reflections on Episodes 65–70: Leadership, Consultancy and Building Trust

HR Voices – Episode 71 Show Notes
Reflections on Episodes 65–70: Leadership, Consultancy and Building Trust
🎙 Host: Mary Asante | HR Independents
Episode Overview
In this recap episode of HR Voices, Mary reflects on the key themes and insights from Episodes 65–70.
Across these conversations, we revisited some of the most impactful HR Voices episodes, explored leadership through compassionate curiosity, learned from award-winning independent HR consultants, and discussed how podcasting can support business growth and professional visibility.
This episode connects the insights from those discussions and highlights what they tell us about the future of HR leadership, consultancy, and professional influence.
Episodes Featured
Episode 65: Our Top 10 Episodes of All Time – Part 1
Episode 66: Our Top 10 Episodes of All Time – Part 2
Episode 67: The Importance of Compassionate Curiosity as an Essential Leadership Skill (with Andy Green)
Episode 68: What Award-Winning HR Indies Do Differently – Part 1 (Kate Marston & Dylan Roberts)
Episode 69: What Award-Winning HR Indies Do Differently – Part 2 (Adam Pickford & Sophie Dodgson)
Episode 70: How to Use Podcasting to Grow Your HR Consultancy Business (with Gary Jones)
Key Themes from These Conversations
Designing the Future of Work
Flexible working and evolving workplace expectations continue to shape how organisations attract and retain talent.
Leadership Through Curiosity and Connection
Compassionate curiosity helps leaders build trust, strengthen psychological safety, and support more meaningful conversations at work.
Building a Successful HR Consultancy
Award-winning HR consultants emphasise clarity of value, strong client relationships, and continuous professional development.
Visibility and Influence Through Podcasting
Podcasting provides a powerful way to build trust, share expertise, and connect with professional communities.
Key Takeaway
Across these episodes, one theme consistently emerges:the future of HR is not only about expertise, but also about authenticity, connection, and the ability to build trust.
🎧 If you’ve missed any of the episodes discussed in this recap, we encourage you to go back and listen to the full conversations.
📩 Interested in joining HR Voices as a guest?Contact: hrvoices@hrindependents.co.uk

Episode 70- Podcasting as a Growth tool for HR Consultants

Using Podcasting to Grow Your Business (with Gary Jones, Grow Radio)
 
🎙️ Host: Mary Asante
👤 Guest: Gary Jones (Grow Radio) – HR Voices podcast editor & podcasting specialist
 
Episode Overview
 
In this behind-the-scenes episode, Mary is joined by Gary Jones from Grow Radio — the person who helps edit HR Voices and keeps episodes polished and on schedule.
 
Together they explore how podcasting can be used as a practical business tool for HR consultants, SMEs, and service-based business owners — not just as “another marketing task,” but as content that can sit at the centre of your brand, visibility, and client engagement.
 
What You’ll Learn
• What podcasting really means today (and how it has evolved beyond audio)
• The difference between a “true” podcast (audio-first) and podcast content that includes video and clips
• Why podcasting is a powerful tool when time is tight — and how to avoid it becoming “just another thing”
• How podcasting builds trust, authority, and visibility faster than most social media formats
• Whether you need guests (and why solo episodes can be just as effective)
• How to keep a consistent show and still “mix it up” with different episode formats
• Why listening is a crucial skill for hosts (and what most people miss when they focus on scripted questions)
• How podcasts strengthen client relationships and bring out the human side of your consultancy
• Where AI helps in podcast production — and where it can go too far
 
Key Takeaways
• Put the podcast at the centre of your marketing if you want it to last. If it sits “on top” of everything else, it’s the first thing that gets dropped when you’re busy.
• Podcasting gives you something social media can’t: sustained attention. Gary notes many listeners in the UK give around 20–25 minutes to a single episode — far more time than most social posts ever get.
• You don’t have to launch a podcast to benefit from podcasting. Being a guest is a lower-effort, high-impact way to increase reach and credibility.
• Your voice builds trust. Podcasting helps your audience experience you as a person — not just a brand or service offering.
• Repurposing is the real power move. A single episode can become video clips, a transcript, a blog, newsletter content, and multiple social posts.
 
Podcasts Formats Mentioned
• Guest interviews
• Solo episodes (especially useful as a backup or core format)
• Co-host conversations
• Panel discussions
• Recap episodes (a signature HR Voices format that helps listeners catch up quickly)
 
Gary’s Top 3 Tips
1. Listen actively – take notes and decide on one action you’ll take from what you heard
2. Be a guest before you launch – guesting is a high-value way to test podcasting without the workload
3. Invest in the idea, not the gear – you don’t need expensive equipment, but you do need a clear purpose and plan
 
Call to Action
 
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your network and help more people discover HR Voices.
 
📩 Want to be a guest on HR Voices? Email: hrvoices@hrindependents.co.uk
 
Thank you.

Episode 69- What Award-Winning HR Indies Do Differently - Part 2

Episode 68- What Award-Winning HR Indies Do Differently

Episode 67- The importance of compassionate curiosity as an essential skill/tool for managers and leaders

The importance of compassionate curiosity as an essential skill/tool for managers and leaders
🎙️ Host: Mary Asante | HR Independents👤 Guest: Andy Green (Andy Green Consulting Ltd)
Episode Overview
In Episode 67, Mary is joined by Andy Green to explore compassionate curiosity — what it is, why it matters, and how leaders can use it to build trust, improve performance conversations, and create psychologically safe teams.
With a background spanning 30 years as a clinical vet, business ownership, and responsibility for people leadership and HR, Andy shares practical insight into what happens when leaders go beyond processes and truly connect with the humans behind the job titles.
What You’ll Learn
What compassionate curiosity means in day-to-day leadership
Why “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” still holds true at work
How compassionate curiosity supports trust and psychological safety
The difference between being curious and being compassionately curious (and why it’s not the same as being nosy)
How leaders can use curiosity to handle performance issues without jumping straight to judgement
Why leaders get blindsided when curiosity is missing — and how to reduce blind spots
How to communicate with compassion during uncertainty (restructures, pay freezes, change)
How to build the skill through practice, questions, and better listening
Key Takeaways
Curiosity with compassion builds connection. It strengthens rapport and helps leaders understand what motivates people, what worries them, and how to support them.
Trust starts at the top. Teams mirror what leaders do — consistency matters more than occasional “nice” gestures.
Psychological safety enables high performance. Compassionate curiosity creates space for healthy challenge, debate, and innovation — not artificial harmony.
Performance conversations should start with “What don’t I know?” Leaders get better outcomes when they seek context before conclusions.
Self-care comes first. Compassion fatigue is real — and leaders can’t support others if they’re running on empty.
Andy’s Top 3 Tips
Start with yourself: practice self-compassion and self-awareness
Practice the reps: build the skill in low-stakes situations first
Be consistent: make compassionate curiosity a habit, not a one-off
Listen & Connect
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network.
📩 Questions or topic suggestions? Email hrvoices@hrindependents.co.uk🌐 Learn more about HR Independents: www.hrindependents.co.uk
 

Episode 66: Our Top 10 Episodes of All Time (Part 2)

HR Voices – Episode 66
Our Top 10 Episodes of All Time (Part 2)
🎙️ Host: Mary Asante | HR Independents
Episode Overview
In Part 2 of our Top 10 Episodes of All Time, Mary reflects on five standout HR Voices episodes that explore credibility, confidence, and professional maturity in HR consultancy.
This episode revisits conversations on employment law, investigations, interim HR, resilience, and building a trusted consultancy practice, highlighting why these topics continue to resonate with listeners.
Episodes Featured
Running an Award-Winning HR Consultancy Business (Kate van der Sluis, Humber HR People)
Employment Law Update (Claire Taylor-Evans, Boyes Turner)
Investigations and the PEACE Model - Kate Marston, Mast People Support)
HR Consultancy – The Interim & Contract Model (Amber Massey)
Developing Resilience in Leaders and Organisations (Katy Walton, Make Real Progress)
Key Themes
HR consultancy as a values-led, strategic profession
Confidence in employment law and risk-based decision-making
Fair, structured workplace investigations
Interim HR as a high-impact consultancy path
Supporting leadership resilience during uncertainty
Key Takeaways
Clarity and boundaries underpin successful consultancy
Employment law confidence is about judgement, not memorisation
Investigations require independence, structure, and fairness
Interim work offers challenge, influence, and growth
Resilient organisations are built intentionally, not reactively
Mary’s Reflection
These episodes highlight how HR professionals support organisations through complexity — balancing legal risk, people impact, and ethical leadership. Together, they show the evolving role of HR as a trusted partner in change, challenge, and growth.
🎧 Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review, or share with your HR network.
🌐 Learn more: www.hrindependents.co.uk

Episode 65: Our Top 10 Episodes of All Time (Part 1)

HR Voices – Episode 65
Our Top 10 Episodes of All Time (Part 1)
🎙️ Host: Mary Asante | HR Independents
🎧 Episode Overview
In Part 1 of our Top 10 Episodes of All Time series, Mary reflects on five standout HR Voices conversations that continue to shape thinking around flexible working, career journeys, and independent HR consultancy.
These episodes were chosen not just for downloads, but for their long-term relevance and impact. Together, they highlight how trust, culture, and intentional design underpin successful people practices.
📌 Episodes Featured
Flexible Working & Its Impact – Emma Cleary, Flexibility Matter
4 Day Working Week – Case Study - Chris Scott, Acceler8
Exploring Flexible Working Initiatives – Steve Herbert
The Legal Side of Flexible Working – Kevin Poulter, Freeths LLP
A Journey into HR Consultancy – Michelle Hartley, People Sorted
💡 Key Themes
Flexible working as a cultural shift, not a policy change
Designing working patterns that support productivity and inclusion
Legal considerations and organisational risk
Real-world approaches beyond office-based roles
Non-linear journeys into HR consultancy
✅ Key Takeaways
Flexible working works best when rooted in trust and outcomes
One size does not fit all — sector and role context matter
Poorly handled flexibility creates legal and cultural risk
HR consultants thrive when they work authentically
Community and collaboration strengthen independent practice
🎙️ Mary’s Reflection
Across these five episodes, a consistent message emerges: The future of HR is flexible, human, and values-led.
Whether organisations are rethinking working patterns or professionals are exploring consultancy, clarity and intention make the difference.
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to HR Voices, leave a review, or share with your HR network.
🌐 Learn more about HR Independents: www.hrindependents.co.uk
 

Episode 64 Recap Special: What Independent HR Consultants Really Bring to the Table

HR Voices Podcast – Episode 64
Recap Special: What Independent HR Consultants Really Bring to the Table
🎙️ Host: Mary Asante | HR Independents (HRi) 📅 Release Date: 8th December 2025
🎧 Episode Overview
In this special solo episode, Mary reflects on Episodes 59–63, pulling together the biggest insights from recent conversations about the real value HR consultants bring to organisations.
Across five interviews, a clear message emerged: HR consultancy is no longer about policies and paperwork — it’s about partnership, clarity, and measurable impact.
This recap highlights the core themes, lessons and thought leadership that have shaped the recent series.
🗂️ Episodes Featured
59 – Theresa Cooper: The real value of HR consultancy
60 – Nicci Birley: Tailored support & proactive client relationships
61 – Susi O’Brien: Confidence in employment law
62 – Debbie Molyneux: Demonstrating ROI & sustainable growth
63 – Liz Jewer: Conflict resolution through coaching, mediation & investigations
💡 Key Themes Mary Explores
1. HR Value Beyond Paperwork
Theresa reminded us that HR consultancy goes far deeper than templates. Real value lies in:
Proactive support
Sounding-board relationships
Protecting and empowering businesses
Bringing a whole community of expertise (like HRi)
2. Tailoring Support & Seeing Through Clients’ Eyes
Nicci emphasised the importance of understanding each client’s culture, pressures and goals. Proactive check-ins often uncover issues before they escalate.
3. Employment Law as a Tool, Not a Threat
Susi highlighted how HR consultants help businesses make confident, balanced decisions by explaining risks, options and consequences clearly.
4. Showing Measurable Impact
Debbie demonstrated how HR consultancy creates visible ROI — from cost savings and improved recruitment to leadership growth and stronger teams. Tracking impact strengthens credibility and confidence.
5. Preventing and Resolving Conflict
Liz showed how coaching and mediation reduce grievances and rebuild trust. Independence and impartiality are critical when investigations are required.
🛠️ Combined Takeaways from Episodes 59–63
Don’t wait for a crisis – early HR intervention saves time, money and relationships.
Think partnership, not paperwork – HR consultants provide clarity, challenge and commercial support.
Tailor everything – no two organisations are the same.
Explain risk & options clearly – empower clients to choose confidently.
Measure your value – track savings, improvements and outcomes.
Invest in conflict skills – conversations, coaching and mediation prevent escalation.
Stay true to your values – alignment matters for both consultants and clients.
Use your network – community strengthens capability and resilience.
🎙️ Mary’s Reflection
Across these episodes, one message stands out: Independent HR consultants are strategic, commercial, people-focused partners who help organisations grow, navigate risk and build healthier workplaces.
The conversations also revealed the importance of:
Values-led work,
Continuous learning,
Supportive networks, and
Making HR’s impact visible.
🎧 Listen & Engage
Enjoyed this recap? ✔️ Subscribe to HR Voices ⭐ Leave a review 🔁 Share with fellow HR professionals or business leaders
📩 Suggestions or want to be a guest? Email: hrvoices@hrindependents.co.uk
🌐 More episodes & resources: www.hrindependents.co.uk

Episode 63: HR Voices with Liz Jewer