Chief people officer Jacky Simmonds shares how Experian has fostered a thriving culture of innovation throughout the business, offering tips that other businesses can learn from.

Since Simmonds joined the global data and technology company Experian, in 2020, Experian has celebrated a fourth consecutive year on the UK’s Best Workplaces™ list and was recognised as a World’s Best Workplace™ for the first time in 2024. Experian's continuous improvement programme, which boosts innovation, has delivered annual savings of $140m.

In a thought-provoking discussion, Simmonds addresses:

· How to maintain cultural alignment;

· Why hackathons aren’t just for tech experts;

· The value of HR professionals tailoring their approach when engaging different stakeholders, and more.

Many thanks to our sponsor Great Place To Work UK for this episode.

Episode six of the HR Focus podcast features insights from Anna Oliver, HR director (UK) for biopharmaceutical company AbbVie, who shares what she’s learned from the organisation’s cultural transformation journey.

AbbVie has spent 11 of its 12-year existence on Great Place to Work UK's Best Workplaces™ List, so Oliver is well-placed to deliver top tips and best practice: from how to cultivate a robust workplace culture, to ensuring that your HR team keeps its fingers on the pulse.

It all starts with culture, Oliver highlights, outlining how AbbVie supports and empowers its managers and staff.

In this exclusive episode of HR Focus, Oliver explains:

• The importance of having key cultural pillars,
• How employee-led resource groups can bolster a positive culture,
• Why talent strategy is key, and more.

Listen to the full podcast episode, wherever you source your podcasts.

Many thanks to our sponsor Great Place To Work UK for this episode.

As HR professionals face ever-increasing scrutiny for delivering high performance in the age of AI, it’s never been more important to talk about shaking up performance management.

And who better to discuss this topic than David Liddle, CEO of the global consultancy TCM Group and founder of the People and Culture Association?!

This episode was recorded before David nabbed the number one spot in HR magazine’s Most Influential Thinker list 2025. He also received the Consultant of the Year 2025 award on the same day.

In this episode, David shares his award-winning insights with HR magazine editor Charissa King, delving into why transformative justice matters, how to manage dispute resolution, and why the way in which we manage conflict needs to change.