In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Deel, we explore the extent to which artificial intelligence has revolutionised the global workforce and what that means moving forward.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Deel head of policy Nick Catino about the company's recent research into how AI has upended workforces globally, how Australian businesses are leading the way, how AI is already replacing jobs, how technology makes people's lives better, and how businesses are increasingly taking a proactive approach to the use of AI and other emerging technologies.

Catino also delves into the rapid pace of change in just the last two years, how the labour force is specifically being reshaped and will continue to evolve, how competitive dynamics across borders will continue to change, flow-on consequences for hiring and broader HR practices, why data is a need-to-have (not a nice-to-have), and how best HR teams can lean in.

To learn more about Deel, click here.

Feelings of fun and happiness play a significant role in offsetting the stressors and rigours of working life. Here, an Auckland-based academic dives into the need for businesses to get creative in ensuring staff engagement and the critical role that HR must play in doing so.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with University of Auckland Business School Associate Professor Barbara Plester about her research into humour and fun in the workplace and why it's of such interest to her, the extent to which the pandemic shifted workers' levels of happiness, workers' level of connection post-COVID-19, and how critical creativity has become in keeping workers engaged.

Plester also delves into how the pandemic has correlated with an uptick in worker happiness, whether it had led to greater productivity, movement away from standardised approaches to wellbeing, the place for worker autonomy, employer limitations on flexibility, practical steps that employers should be taking to ensure optimal levels of employee happiness and striking the right balance with business objectives, and the role of HR managers in doing so.

In this special episode of The HR Leader Podcast, produced in partnership with Deel, we explore how cross-border recruitment has changed workforces across the board and why businesses Down Under are thriving amid talent shortages.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Deel country lead in ANZ Shannon Karaka about the company's work and why it's so motivating, why global workforces are increasingly critical as we head into 2026, the benefits businesses can glean from having a cross-border talent pool, how cognisant Australian business leaders are of the opportunities that can come from a global workforce, and the various challenges to grapple with in creating such a pool of workers.

Karaka also delves into the questions that businesses need to ask in broadening the talent pool, ensuring the workforce remains engaged amid such changes, the practical steps that HR must take in implementing such a strategy, creating a competitive advantage, and why the borderless workforce is such an exciting prospect for Australian businesses moving forward.

To learn more about Deel, click here.

Workplace flexibility is increasingly under the spotlight in 2025, with a recent Fair Work Commission decision raising the stakes for employers. In this special episode of The Legal Brief, produced by HR Leader in partnership with national workplace law firm Kingston Reid, we unpack the commission's recent decision to grant an employee a permanent work-from-home arrangement.

Host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Kingston Reid Managing Partner Alice DeBoos about why the commission found Westpac's refusal lacked "reasonable business grounds" and ruled in favour of the worker, as well as the headline implications and lessons for employers as a result of the decision. The conversation also explores what can go wrong for employers when dealing with requests for flexible working arrangements and outlines practical steps that businesses need to take right now.

To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.

Today (19 November) is International Men's Day. Here, we unpack the myriad challenges faced by men across the board and what employers need to do to better cater to those specific needs.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with former banker and self-described "manbassador" Tim Hewson, who is now the founder of mental health charity Mongrels Men and Betterment Consulting, about his career to date, experiences with daily panic attacks and broader struggles with mental health issues, what motivates him about his current work, and the specific challenges being faced by men regarding mental health across Australia.

Hewson also delves into the professional and workplace challenges that exacerbate the struggles faced by men nationwide, the impact of evolving social and cultural expectations and norms, his observations from speaking with men on the ground, what's working and not working from an employer standpoint in addressing such issues, the role of HR in improving the situation, the work he is doing to combat men's health struggles, and his advice for men to take the steps they need to help themselves and those around them.

In the face of worker uncertainty about not just how to embed and utilise new and emerging technologies, but also why such changes are necessary, it is incumbent upon businesses to create comfort for employees to learn and thrive.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Qualtrics global chief people officer Julia Anas about the work she undertakes, the increasing need to focus on the "people experience" in the current climate, why it's so necessary to address employee's trust gap with AI, why workers are uncertain or fearful, and whether such feelings should be viewed in isolation or in a broader context.

Anas also delves into the challenges being presented for HR professionals in the wake of this trust gap, the approaches needed to address these challenges, the overwhelming scope of the task before HR, whether workers are even willing to offer trust on this front, and what excites her about overcoming such challenges and the work more broadly of the HR function in the future.

Businesses that can bring their workforce on the journey of change and can recognise what the constants are versus points in time are the ones that will remain resilient. HR has a huge role to play in navigating such processes and in shaping leadership approaches.

In this episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with NetApp executive vice president, chief administrative officer and corporate secretary Beth O'Callahan about how she manages both the human resources and legal functions, her background as a lawyer, the market's cognisance of the need to evolve leadership approaches, what constitutes good leadership in the current climate, and how her approach has evolved in recent years.

O'Callahan also delves into whether shifts in leadership approaches are led by managers or workers, getting comfortable with AI, leading a workforce's adoption of AI while learning it as an HR professional, the need to unlearn certain processes and traits, shaping workforce readiness, lessons she's learnt about building the right kind of culture, and what excites her about the changing nature of leadership in business, and how HR can best support that change.

In the inaugural episode of The Legal Brief, produced in partnership with national workplace law firm Kingston Reid, host Jerome Dorasaimy speaks with Kingston Reid Partner Christa Lenard to unpack this recent landmark decision from the Federal Court, which has reshaped a practice many employers across Australia have relied upon for decades – using contractual remuneration set-off clauses to balance out overpayments in one pay period against shortfalls in another.

Lenard also delves into the regulatory complexities and scrutiny post-judgment, what employers need to be on top of and the extent to which employers are looking to respond to the judgment's findings..

Whether you're responsible for payroll, compliance, or broader workforce strategy, this episode delivers essential insights for HR professionals on how remuneration set-off clauses have been narrowed in the wake of this major decision, as well as practical steps organisations must take to ensure their remuneration, record-keeping, and payroll practices remain compliant, and the role of HR moving forward.

To learn more about Kingston Reid, click here.