HR Voices Podcast

Episode 75: You’re Closer Than You Think – Mental Wealth, Drift and Support

Host: Mary Asante
Guest: Mike Pagan
 
In this powerful Mental Health Awareness Week episode of HR Voices, Mary Asante welcomes back leadership speaker and Mental Wealth advocate Mike Pagan for a deeper conversation about isolation, drift, accountability and support.
 
Building on their hugely popular previous discussion on Mental Wealth (Episode 57), this episode explores what happens when capable people quietly become overwhelmed, disconnected or stuck — especially HR professionals, leaders and independent consultants who spend so much time supporting others.
 
Together, Mary and Mike discuss the emotional load many professionals carry, the hidden impact of hybrid and remote working, and why awareness alone is not enough without action and support.
 
In this episode, we discuss:
 
What “drift” looks like in practice
Why capable people can still become stuck
Isolation in leadership and remote working
The emotional pressure carried by HR professionals
Why asking for help is a strength, not a weakness
The difference between awareness and action
Accountability, routines and support structures
The importance of human connection and checking in
 
Mike’s top tips:
 
Prioritise self-care and check in with yourself regularly
Spend more time with people who energise and support you
Pick up the phone and check in on someone who may need it
 
🎧 A thoughtful and honest conversation about wellbeing, leadership, connection and the importance of not carrying everything alone.
 
📩 Questions or topics for future episodes?
Email: hrvoices@hrindependents.co.u

Episode 74: What HR Consultants Are Asking Right Now (and What It Means for Your Business)

Episode 74: What HR Consultants Are Asking Right Now (and What It Means for Your Business)
What are HR consultants really struggling with right now — and what does it mean for how you grow your business?
Host: Mary Asante
In this solo episode of HR Voices, Mary Asante steps into the role of community voice and thought leader, sharing the most common questions she’s hearing from HR consultants right now — and, more importantly, what sits beneath them.
From winning consistent work to pricing with confidence, this episode goes beyond surface-level advice and explores the patterns, challenges, and mindset shifts shaping the HR consultancy landscape today.
In this episode, we explore:
Why visibility alone isn’t enough to win work
The real reason LinkedIn may not be working for you
Moving from hourly pricing to value-based thinking
When (and how) retainers can support sustainable growth
The importance of clarity in positioning and niche
How to stand out in a crowded HR consultancy market
Managing client expectations and avoiding constant reactivity
Setting boundaries to protect your time, energy, and business
Why this matters
Many HR consultants are busy, but not always building sustainably.
This episode highlights the key shifts needed to move from:
reactive to intentional
visible to valuable
busy to strategic
…and ultimately build a consultancy that is both profitable and sustainable.
Key takeaways
Be intentional, not just active — especially when it comes to visibility and networking
Focus on value, not just delivery — in both pricing and positioning
Protect your time and energy — boundaries are essential for long-term success
A note from Mary
“This episode is based on real conversations across the HRi community. If you’ve been asking yourself similar questions, you’re not alone.”
Get involved
Have a question, challenge, or topic you’d like us to explore?
📧 Email: hrvoices@hrindependents.co.uk
About HR Voices
HR Voices is brought to you by HR Independents (HRi) — the UK’s professional body supporting independent HR and People professionals.
If you found this episode helpful, please share it with your network and help more HR consultants build stronger, more sustainable businesses.
 

Episode 73- How to use LinkedIn as a tool to grow your HR Consultancy Business

Episode 73: How to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Consultancy Business
Host: Mary Asante Guest: Meg Hutson, Marketing Mentor
How can LinkedIn help you attract the right clients, build your personal brand, and grow your consultancy?
In this episode of HR Voices, Mary Asante is joined by Meg Hutson, marketing mentor and messaging specialist, to explore how consultants and service-based business owners can use LinkedIn more intentionally and effectively.
Meg shares practical, honest advice on how to use LinkedIn as more than an online CV, turning it into a tool for visibility, credibility, and meaningful client relationships.
In this episode, we cover:
Why LinkedIn is a powerful platform for consultants
The shift from corporate LinkedIn use to consultancy LinkedIn use
Why personal branding matters more than ever
How to use LinkedIn to attract aligned clients
The 3 Cs of LinkedIn:
Content
Connections
Conversations
Why relationship-building works better than salesy outreach
How to create content that feels relevant and relatable
Why market research matters for your messaging
How to stay consistent without posting every day
Why your personal profile matters more than a business page
Why this matters
For HR consultants and solo business owners, LinkedIn can be one of the most effective ways to:
build trust
show your expertise
communicate your values
stay visible to the right audience
generate quality enquiries
But results don’t come from posting alone. They come from being intentional about how you show up, who you connect with, and the conversations you start.
Meg’s top tips:
Use your personal profile, not just a business page
Be clear on what you do, who you help, and how
Focus on all 3 Cs: content, connections, and conversations
🎧 A practical episode for any consultant who wants to use LinkedIn with more purpose, confidence, and impact.
📩 Questions or topics for future episodes? hrvoices@hrindependence.co.uk
 

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