Shaping workplace culture is becoming an increasingly important part of HR's role, with many HR functions being renamed as "People and Culture" and culture-related responsibilities appearing in job titles. But how do you actually go about shaping culture, especially when you're already busy with your day-to-day work?

In this special episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by two guests: Annabelle Lawson, HR Manager at SPT Lab Tech, and Paula Brockwell, Founder and Chief Culture Shaper at the Employee Experience Project. Together, they explore practical strategies for defining, shaping, and embedding a winning workplace culture.

This episode is packed with actionable advice, from how to engage leadership in culture initiatives to how HR professionals can avoid becoming overwhelmed by the process. Whether you're just starting your culture journey or looking to refine your approach, this conversation is here to help.

[00:00] Introduction and Overview

[01:33] Meet the Guests: Annabelle Lawson and Paula Brockwell

[03:59] Annabelle Explains Her Culture Project

[08:32] Culture is a Strategic Enabler of Business Growth

[09:26] Using the Business Culture Canvas for Culture Conversations

[12:46] Embedding New Culture and Measuring Progress

[15:20] Timeframes for Seeing Cultural Changes

[19:55] Avoiding Overwhelm When Working on Culture Initiatives

[23:25] Starting a Culture Journey from Scratch

[24:33] The Importance of CEO Engagement in Culture Initiatives

[25:03] Book Recommendations

[26:06] How to Connect with Annabelle and Paula

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Annabelle Lawson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Paula Brockwell on LinkedIn
• Paula’s website: The Employee Experience Project

• Download Paula’s free culture change resources
• Access Paula’s Business Culture Canvas
• Access Paula’s Culture Catalyst Scorecard

• Episode 114: What workplace culture is, how to measure it, and a surprising way to improve it with Arend Boersema
• Episode 120: Crafting culture: unearthing and shaping the heart of your business with Louise Kennedy

• ‘Herd: How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing Our True...

Menopause is a topic that impacts everyone in the HR and People profession, whether personally or through supporting colleagues. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Emma Thomas, founder of Managing the Menopause, to discuss the importance of understanding and supporting employees through menopause in the workplace.

Emma shares valuable insights on perimenopause and menopause, common symptoms, the business case for supporting employees, legal considerations, and practical strategies for creating a supportive work environment. This episode is packed with data-driven information and actionable advice for HR professionals looking to update policies, improve employee wellbeing, or build a stronger business case for menopause support.

[00:00] Introduction and Overview

[00:53] Meet Emma Thomas: Menopause Expert

[04:15] Defining Perimenopause and Menopause

[06:47] Common Symptoms of Perimenopause

[09:32] Impact of Menopause Symptoms at Work

[11:35] Research and Business Case for Menopause Support

[20:11] Practical Support for Menopause in the Workplace

[25:03] Book Recommendation: "Revolting Women" by Dr. Lucy Ryan

[26:06] How to Connect With Emma Thomas

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Emma Thomas on LinkedIn
• Emma’s website: Managing the Menopause
• Emma’s podcast: Middling Along

• CIPD 2023 Menopause at Work survey
• CIPD: Menopause at work – guide for people managers
• Deloitte Women at Work 2024 report
• BSI guide on menstruation and menopause in the workplace
• ACAS: Menopause at work
• Cycle of Change: Animation explaining the menopause

Episode 42: Diversity and Inclusion at Work, Seven Mistakes to Avoid and what to do instead with Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey

‘Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out and What to Do About It’ by Dr. Lucy...

If you need to create an HR or People strategy but are feeling completely stuck, this episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help. Host Fay Wallis, a career and leadership coach for HR and People professionals, shares practical advice on how to feel more confident about creating the strategy, where to start and resources to help spark your ideas.

[00:00] Episode introduction

[00:32] There is a podcast playlist of strategy episodes for you

[02:46] You already are strategic (even if you think you aren’t)

[04:31] Insight from the book, ‘Good Strategy/Bad Strategy’

[05:29] The importance of aligning HR strategy with the overarching organisational strategy

[07:28] Resources from The Essential HR Planner to help

[13:41] Recap and final thoughts

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching

Operate Strategically or Create a Powerful HR/People Strategy Playlist

• The Strategy Book: How to think and act strategically to deliver outstanding results, by Max Mckeown
• Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The difference and why it matters, by Richard Rumelt

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Essential HR Planner & In-Person Planning Day

Visit https://essentialhrplanner.co.uk to learn all about The Essential HR Planner and the in-person planning day.

Join 3R Strategy's free Pay & Reward Academy

Become a member of 3R Strategy's free Pay & Reward Academy, or access their free resources by visiting: https://bit.ly/3racademy.

Want to know the secret to delivering presentations that truly captivate your audience? In this episode of HR Coffee Time, we explore how to craft and deliver presentations that resonate deeply and win over both hearts and minds.

Host Fay Wallis is joined by Emma Serlin, founder of London Speech Workshop, who shares her unique "Meal Plan" framework for creating impactful presentations. Whether you're aiming to boost your influence, establish credibility, or simply gain more confidence when presenting, this episode is packed with practical insights to elevate your presentation skills.

[00:00] Introduction and overview

[01:11] Meet the expert: Emma Serlin

[04:26] The Meal Plan framework: Protein, Vegetables, and Spice

[05:38] Deep dive into the protein component

[09:07] Crafting impactful presentations: The importance of three key takeaways

[11:31] Exploring the ‘vegetables’ component

[16:57] Adding ‘spice’ to make your presentation memorable

[19:46] The Dinner Party Planner

[23:50] Book recommendation

[25:48] How to contact Emma and London Speech Workshop

[27:23] Conclusion

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Emma Serlin on LinkedIn
• Emma’s website: London Speech Workshop
• London Speech Workshop on Instagram
• London Speech Workshop on YouTube

• Episode 36: Four simple but powerful techniques to banish imposter syndrome, with Joanna Lott
• Episode 73: 5 ways to feel more confident in your next interview, meeting, or presentation
• Episode 74: How to get better at presenting and feel more confident about it

• The Connection Book: 50 Ways to Communicate More Effectively, by Emma Serlin
• The Communication Equation: A How to Guide for Outstanding Communication, by Emma Serlin
• Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, by Marshall B. Rosenberg

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify....

Whether you’d like to learn more about how to use Strategic Workforce Planning in your current role or considering whether specialising in Strategic Workforce Planning could be the perfect career option for you, this episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help.

Host Fay Wallis is joined by Jen Allen Jardine, a Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) expert, who explains what SWP is, why it’s important, how it fits into HR, the partnership between SWP and HR, and the misconceptions about it. She also provides valuable advice for anyone looking to specialise in SWP, including practical tips and book recommendations.

Chapters from This Episode

[00:00] Introduction and overview

[02:17] Meet the expert: Jen Allen Jardine

[03:09] Defining Strategic Workforce Planning

[04:13] Strategic Workforce Planning in large vs small organisations

[04:55] The role of HR in Strategic Workforce Planning

[11:03] Developing skills for Strategic Workforce Planning

[17:18] Misconceptions about Strategic Workforce Planning

[23:02] Book recommendations

[34:29] How to contact Jen

[35:50] Conclusion

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Jen Allen Jardine on LinkedIn

• HR Coffee Time podcast playlist: Clarify Your Career Goals & Explore HR Career Options
• Episode 58: How to feel more confident using data & analytics in your HR role
• Episode 119: How using Agile can drive positive change & prove HR’s value, with Kate Maddison-Geenwell

• Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About The World – And Why Things Are Better Than You Think, by Hans Rosling , Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling
• Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
• Radical Uncertainty: Decision-making for an unknowable future, by John Kay and Mervyn King

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video...

Thinking about booking a coaching session but not sure what to expect? Or maybe you've already arranged some coaching sessions and want to make sure you get the most out of them. This episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help. Host Fay Wallis, a career and leadership coach for HR and People professionals, shares practical advice on how to prepare for your coaching sessions and make them as effective as possible.

[00:00] Episode introduction

[00:23] The value of coaching

[01:38] You’re in the driving seat when it comes to coaching

[02:21] Examples of common coaching topics

[04:29] Questions to help you choose a focus, area or topic for your session

[05:51] Coaching is usually about asking questions, rather than giving advice

[06:39] Advice is given for practical career topics e.g. CV, LinkedIn and interviews

[09:17] Practical tips to get the most out of your session

[09:13] Choose a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed

[10:09] Minimise distractions

[10:21] Have some buffer time before the start of your session

[10:40] Techniques to help you transition from your previous task into your session

[11:32] Buffer time at the end of your session is helpful

[12:12] Have a notebook and pen ready for your session

[14:06] Let your coach know if you’d like the session recorded

[14:26] Have a drink with you in case you get thirsty

[14:51] If you’ll be discussing an emotional topic, have some tissues to hand

[15:09] Be open-minded and provide feedback

[16:46] Jot down your reflections in between sessions

[17:21] Questions to help you reflect before starting your next session

[17:56] Always ask your coach questions if you have any

[18:19] Episode conclusion

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Headspace’s one-minute meditation YouTube video

• Episode 130: Build managers’ confidence and skills with ‘The Coaching Two-Step’, with Jude Sclater
• Episode 53: Why coaching skills can help your career (& how to develop them), with Charlie Warshawski
• Episode 125: Create your perfect professional development plan in 8 simple steps

You can find the transcript on this page of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.

Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips,...

You may have heard that coaching skills can be incredibly helpful for managers to have in their toolbox, boosting their confidence and effectiveness in their roles. But why are these skills so useful, and how can you help managers start using them? This episode of HR Coffee Time is here to answer those questions.

Host Fay Wallis is joined by Jude Sclater, an experienced coach and author of "Think Like a Coach - Empower Your Team Through Everyday Conversations."

Jude explains that coaching skills empower teams to think for themselves, foster independence, reduce reliance on the manager, and enhance overall team motivation and development. She shares her innovative Coaching Two Step model, which provides a practical and accessible way for managers to integrate coaching into their everyday interactions.

• The Coaching Two Step involves two main components: asking "Tell me more?" and summarizing what you've heard
• The model is designed to be simple and accessible for managers who may not have extensive coaching training
• Jude emphasizes the importance of giving full attention during conversations
• The episode includes a practical demonstration of the Coaching Two Step with Fay as the coaches

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching
• Connect with Jude Sclater on LinkedIn
• Jude’s website: Think With Jude

• Episode 129: 5 essential techniques to become a great manager, with James Rose
• Episode 127: What to do if your boss is a micromanager
• Episode 53: Why coaching skills can help your HR career (and how to develop them), with Charlie Warshawski

(Disclosure: the book links are affiliate links which means Fay will earn a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them)

• Think Like A Coach: Empower your team through everyday conversations, by Jude Sclater
• The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness, by Professor Steve Peters
• Full list of all book recommendations given on HR Coffee Time

If you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This video shows you how to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (because it isn’t very intuitive). If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.