Working on the Digital HR Leaders podcast as the Editorial Lead for over a year now, I must say we have had the privilege of hosting some incredible guests who have shared their invaluable knowledge, expertise, and predictions for the future of HR.

Hybrid work has proved to become the norm in modern workplaces, internal talent marketplaces and skills-based organisations are slowly replacing traditional job structures, and HR technology has surely marked its stamp on HR practices.

But as we wave goodbye to 2023 and say hello to 2024, what can we expect in the world of HR? To give you a glimpse, let's look back at some of our most popular podcast episodes in 2023 that have explored these emerging trends and strategies for success.

HR Trends to focus on in 2024

If you are a committed follower of people analytics news, then you will be versed with Insight222's very own Managing Partner, David Green's yearly HR trends. Accompanied by a LinkedIn post, David Green highlights the latest trends and predictions for the upcoming year each year. And let's be honest, his predictions have been pretty accurate so far.

The Top HR Trends that are Set to Disrupt the Workplace in 2023 (an Interview with Diane Gherson, Dave Ulrich and David Green)

In this episode, not only do we have David Green sharing his predictions, but we also have two special guests: Diane Gherson, Chief Human Resources Officer at IBM, and Dave Ulrich, Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, join David in the discussion on the key HR trends for 2023.

They highlight how the rise of hybrid working and the value of people data were accurately predicted in David's 2022 HR Trends episode. Discussions also focus on transitioning to a skills-based talent approach, HR's role in creating stability amidst uncertainty, and resolving the disconnect between employer and employee needs.

 The episode emphasises essential HR skills for the future, including business acumen and data-driven decision-making, as well as underlining HR's evolving role in aligning strategies with business outcomes and workforce changes.

The Skills-Based Approach to Talent Management

And just as the above predicted, skills were definitely at the forefront of HR strategies in 2023, with four out of the ten most-listened-to episodes on the Digital HR Leaders podcast in 2023 revolved around skills-based approaches to talent management.

Navigating the Talent Marketplace of the Future (an Interview with Jeff Schwartz & Jeroen Wels)

In this episode, David Green explores the evolution and future of talent marketplaces with his guests, Jeff Schwartz, VP of Insights and Impact at Gloat and Senior Advisor of Future of Work at Deloitte, and Jeroen Wels, Founder of The People@Work Innovation Collective. They discuss how talent marketplaces have supported businesses like Unilever during the pandemic, their role in economic challenges, and the potential of skills-based organisations.

What stood out the most in this episode was the discussion on why 2023 was a pivotal year for thinking ahead to 2030 and what HR professionals need to do to prepare their businesses for the future. The episode also offers insights into the shift from traditional job-focused models to dynamic, skills-based talent management and highlights the importance of agility and innovation in HR practices.

How Johnson & Johnson are Scaling Their Skills-Based Approach to Talent (an Interview with Christina Norris-Watts, Ph.D & Doug Shagam)

In this episode, David Green interviews Christina Norris-Watts and Doug Shagam from Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to discuss the company's journey towards a skills-based approach to talent management.

Covering various topics, this episode offers a very practical insight into the reasoning behind J&J's transition towards a skills-based organisation, different methods used at the start of their journey, details of their pilot program, and how they are scaling the deployment of skills across the organisation.

Discussions around getting buy-in from all stakeholders and the role of people analytics in building a skills-based organisation make this episode a must-listen for HR practitioners. Especially for those seeking to understand the skills HR professionals need to develop to make this approach successful.

Unlocking Organisational Resilience through a Skills-Based Approach (an Interview with Susan Cantrell & Michael Griffiths)

Following up on their groundbreaking research 'The skills-based organisation: A new operating model for work and the workforce', we just had to get Sue Cantrell and Michael Griffiths from Deloitte on the Digital HR Leaders podcast to discuss skills-based organisations.

In an incredibly insightful and thought-provoking episode, David Green discusses transitioning from job-based to skills-based organisations with Sue and Michael. They dive into topics such as reimagining workers as individuals with diverse skills, reorganising work beyond traditional job structures, and basing workforce decisions on skills.

Emphasising the human elements in this transition, Sue and Michael offer key insights into building a skills-based organisation and the evolving roles of HR and people analytics, managerial changes, and practical steps for companies adopting this model. 

Creating a Future-Proof Company Through Organisational Design and Workforce Planning (an Interview with Don Miller & Jesse Jacks)

 In this episode, David Green talks with Don Miller and Jesse Jacks from Deloitte's Organisational Design function about strategies for creating adaptable, future-proof workforces amidst economic uncertainty and skills shortages.

Focusing on moving beyond cost-cutting measures to strategic workforce planning and organisational design, this episode offers practical guidance from a consultative perspective on overcoming common mistakes in organisational restructuring and the importance of focusing on the company's mission and employee engagement during economic downturns.

Discussions also highlight strategies for understanding organisational missions, leveraging data such as organisational network analysis (ONA) to support decision-making during a recession, and considering long-term business goals when undergoing workforce transitions.

HR Strategy Alignment

HR is no longer just about managing people, it has increasingly become a strategic function that aligns with business goals and outcomes. As such, we have made it imperative to feature several episodes on the Digital HR Leaders podcast focusing on this topic. However, amongst them all, one episode stands out as a must-listen (according to our stats).

How to Ensure Purpose is at the Forefront of Your People Strategies (An Interview With Daniela Seabrook)

In this episode, David Green interviews Daniela Seabrook, CHRO at Philips, on integrating purpose into people strategies and implementing a successful hybrid work model.

The conversation also covers tackling bias, promoting collaboration, fostering a healthy work culture, and supporting mental health and wellbeing. Strategies for balancing remote and on-site work, facilitating internal talent mobility, and the role of HR in sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are also explored.

Creating Successful People Analytics Teams

With Insight222's yearly research showcasing how people analytics is becoming increasingly vital to business decisions and outcomes, building successful people analytics teams is paramount. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that our episode featuring Phil Wilburn from Workday discussing how they created an impactful people analytics function is one of our most popular episodes.

How Workday Created an Impactful People Analytics Function (an Interview with Phil Wilburn)

In this episode, David Green talks with Phil Willburn, VP of People Analytics at Workday, about the evolution and impact of people analytics in modern businesses. Together, they discuss the challenges and strategies in making people analytics effective, such as scalability and actionability of insights, as well as the key skills and characteristics needed for people analytics professionals to excel in this field.

Phil emphasises understanding business intricacies, developing user-focused analytics products, and embedding insights into operations. The conversation covers Workday's approach to employee listening, shaping hybrid work models, and using internal analytics to enhance product development. The discussion also offers insights on how to measure the value of people analytics and empower HR with data democratisation, shifting from silos to collaboration.

Building Positive Relationships at Work

As HR professionals, we know that managing relationships and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace is crucial for a productive and collaborative work culture. However, with the advent of hybrid teams and remote work, building and maintaining relationships has become more challenging than ever, which is why, understandably, our episode with the author of "Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)," and expert in workplace dynamics, Amy Gallo, was a top listen for our audience in 2023.

How To Build Successful and Collaborative Relationships at Work (an Interview with Amy Gallo)

In this episode, Amy and David discuss strategies for handling challenging personalities in professional settings, highlighting the importance of healthy collaboration, especially in hybrid work environments.

Amy Gallo outlines eight difficult coworker archetypes, including the insecure boss, pessimist, and passive-aggressive peer, offering insights on effectively managing these relationships. Her expertise helps listeners navigate complex interpersonal dynamics to create a collaborative and productive work culture, and in this episode, practical advice for HR professionals on fostering positive workplace interactions is explored.

As we navigate through the constantly changing landscape of work, these top episodes from the Digital HR Leaders podcast highlight essential insights and strategies for HR professionals to stay ahead in 2024.

From the importance of skills-based talent management to aligning HR strategies with overall business goals and building successful people analytics teams to fostering positive relationships at work, the Digital HR Leaders podcast brings you experts and thought leaders sharing their knowledge and experiences to help you thrive in the future of work.

So don't miss out on these must-listen episodes and stay ahead of the curve. Keep listening to the Digital HR Leaders podcast for more valuable insights and strategies to shape your HR practices. 

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