There is a perfect storm of workplace issues, from the need for productivity to the age of AI, that are driving worker burnout, presenteeism, and a range of other health issues. Against this backdrop, employers and HR teams must act swiftly to improve cultural health and avoid looming, unsustainable drop-offs in worker output, satisfaction, and happiness.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with The Culture Institute of Australia chief executive Karl Treacher, who is also the author of Built to Burn, to discuss whether workers' holistic health has ever been worse in Australia, why we are approaching a point of no return, how cognisant business leaders are about such issues, how we got to this point, the scourge of increased productivity on workers' wellness, the role AI is playing in accelerating such issues, what employers must do about it, the role of HR, and solutions that can and should be implemented.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Dynamic Leadership Programs Australia (DLPA), we explore how and why skills are becoming increasingly more important than one's qualifications and what it means for how HR must view professional development moving forward.

Host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back DLPA chief executive Karlie Cremin to discuss the extent to which professional development is dropping down the priority list against a tough economic environment, why it is actually a pressing concern, why traditional approaches to professional development may no longer be fit for purpose, the extent to which employers are looking to make necessary pivots, the skills that are critical right now, ensuring proper return on investment, what works and doesn't work in shifting the team's approach to professional development, and what DLPA has observed and can offer to businesses looking to evolve the approach to growing and training workers.

To learn more about DLPA, click here.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with ELMO, we explore AI as a workforce transformation from the perspective of the HR function. What does a tangible impact look like? And how ELMO's own journey shows HR teams how to reduce overwhelm, build capability, improve process design, and take on a more strategic role.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with ELMO global chief people officer Anne Tosky about why AI transformation is workforce transformation, why Australian businesses are falling behind what ELMO learnt on its own journey, and the practical, evidence-based steps HR can take, from engaging staff in open dialogue to using ELMO's AI Maturity Assessment tool.

To learn more about ELMO's AI Maturity Assessment tool, and to learn more about ELMO, click here.

Bolstering the technological proficiencies of staff has to be a collaborative process with the workers on the ground, rather than a top-down dictation, at a time of voluminous market change.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Grant Thornton head of digital capability and enablement Jemma Hirst about her background in L&D, what's inspiring large businesses to invest time and energy into AI capability uplifts, the challenges in doing so, how Grant Thornton undertook the process of uplifting the workforce's AI capabilities, the need for bottom-up feedback rather than top-down communication, the need for a people-led approach, lessons learnt, and guidance to other businesses in learning from Grant Thornton's successes.

In this special episode of The Legal Brief, produced in partnership with Kingston Reid, we explore how HR professionals can harness the benefits of artificial intelligence while managing the legal and practical risks that come with it.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kingston Reid partner Michael Stutley about the growing role of AI in workplace decision making, investigations, and people management – from the risks of automation bias, over-reliance on AI-generated outputs, and the misuse of sensitive employee information to sharing practical guidance on governance, privacy and the importance of keeping humans in the loop.

The conversation also outlines a series of practical "golden rules" for responsible AI use, helping HR professionals and employers embrace new technology with confidence while maintaining procedural fairness, accountability, and trust.

To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

New technologies are reshaping daily operations and processes, but – since every workplace has access to such tools – what will truly separate businesses from the pack is how they harness and grow their people.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with an organisational psychologist and the former head of strategic talent at the IMD Business School in Switzerland, Tania Lennon, the ongoing shift in perspective about people, leadership, and talent, the need to future-proof businesses, necessary workplace capabilities moving forward, taking a holistic approach to leadership development succession planning, strengthening productivity and innovation without losing key human skills, and the essential role of HR moving forward.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Deel, we unpack the imperative for HR to not only implement successful AI-inspired workflows but also get the most out of teams by having a stronger focus on the people within them.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Guy Fenton, Global Director at Deel, about getting AI implementation right. When done properly, AI becomes an amplifier – not a replacement. Drawing on Deel's transformation, Guy shares the framework that works: the questions that drive success, cascading benefits of smart deployment, and how to keep people central while revolutionising workflows. They tackle tricky conversations around team composition and make a compelling case for why Australian businesses are positioned to make the pivots that matter. If you're leading through AI's inflection point, this is your playbook.

To learn more about Deel, click here.

The reshaping of how people work raises myriad pertinent questions, including, and especially, how employers can and must use new technologies to elevate human potential rather than replace it.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Insight APAC people and culture director Elyse Philippi to discuss what it means to be a good and productive worker, how to view performance in the current climate, the inherent risks with mistaking productivity for capability, how to define capable workers, ensuring that the right skills and traits are being recognised in the age of AI, practical steps that HR must take, bringing the C-suite along for the ride, balance upskilling the workforce on new technologies against not losing sight of the need for capability, and why she's optimistic about employers' willingness to view performance as being tied to capability.