This episode is sponsored by ‘Deel: Your Forever People Platform’.

Managing a global team is complex. Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance—all in one place. That’s why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage teams worldwide.

See how Deel works: https://www.deel.com/nickday/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=emea-t1a-gb_aware_branding_nickday_podcast_hr-nickday-h125_all_all&utm_content=aware_all_podcast_hr-preroll-h125script_en

What if the key to transforming your culture, retaining top talent, and driving inclusion isn’t another DEI initiative.

But a better mentoring strategy?

In this episode of the HR L&D Podcast, Nick Day is joined by Lisa Fain, CEO of the Center for Mentoring Excellence and co-author of Bridging Differences for Better Mentoring. Together, they unpack how mentoring, when done right, can become the most powerful tool in your leadership and talent strategy.

Lisa shares practical frameworks for building high-impact mentoring programs, avoiding the “pair and pray” trap, and designing mentorships that thrive across differences in identity, background, and culture. You’ll learn why mentoring is especially crucial for Millennial and Gen Z retention, how to train mentors for success, and what most companies get wrong when trying to scale mentoring initiatives.

If you’re serious about creating a more inclusive, engaged, and future-ready workforce—this episode is your blueprint.

Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/

Connect with Lisa Fain: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisazfain/

Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea

Sign up to the HR L&D Newsletter - https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7

(00:00) Intro

(01:35) Meet Lisa Fain

(04:06) Coaching vs. Mentoring: Key Differences

(08:23) Using Mentoring to Attract & Retain Talent

(10:55) Mentorship as a Practical DEI Strategy

(12:55) Building High-Impact Mentoring Programs

(20:52) Common Mistakes in Mentorship Program Design

(27:02) How to Build Trust and Openness in Mentoring

(30:31) Making Mentorship Inclusive and Accessible

(33:46) How to Start a Mentorship Program

(37:39) One Piece of Advice for HR Leaders

(41:32) The Future of Work & Mentoring

This episode is sponsored by ‘Deel: Your Forever People Platform’.

Managing a global team is complex. Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance—all in one place. That’s why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage teams worldwide.

See how Deel works: https://www.deel.com/nickday/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=emea-t1a-gb_aware_branding_nickday_podcast_hr-nickday-h125_all_all&utm_content=aware_all_podcast_hr-preroll-h125script_en

What if one-third of the skills in your job description are already outdated?

In this episode, Nick Day sits down with Cole Napper, VP at Lightcast, to explore how AI, shifting demographics, and rapid skill disruption are reshaping the workforce. They dive into what HR and L&D leaders must do now to stay ahead, why degrees are losing ground to skills, and how proactive companies are gaining the upper hand.

If you’re serious about future-proofing your talent strategy, this conversation is essential.

Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/

Connect with Cole Napper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colenapper

Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea

Sign up to the HR L&D Newsletter - https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7

Resources:

The Rising Storm Report: https://lightcast.io/resources/research/the-rising-storm

The Speed of Skill Change Report: https://lightcast.io/resources/research/speed-of-skill-change

The Risk Outlook Reporthttps://lightcast.io/why-lightcast/risk-outlook

Thanks for listening folks – I look forward to bringing you the next episode of the HR L&D Podcast real soon!

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:29) Skill Change Since 2021

(05:58) The AI Job Boom

(07:13) Green & Cyber Skills Rise

(08:25) STEM Disruption Explained

(11:20) Trade Skills in Decline

(13:17) Rethinking Workforce Strategy

(15:53) Degrees vs Vocational Paths

(18:52) Skills vs Credentials

(21:50) Cutting Through Talent Noise

(23:39) Two Labor Markets

(25:01) Smarter Job Descriptions

(27:29) Why Workers Fear AI

(30:56) Building Learning Cultures

(33:43) Workforce Risk Outlook

(36:11) Industries Most at Risk

(39:51) How Lightcast Helps

(42:18) Cole’s Bold Prediction

This episode is sponsored by ‘Deel: Your Forever People Platform’.

Managing a global team is complex. Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance—all in one place. That’s why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage teams worldwide.

See how Deel works: https://www.deel.com/nickday/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=emea-t1a-gb_aware_branding_nickday_podcast_hr-nickday-h125_all_all&utm_content=aware_all_podcast_hr-preroll-h125script_en

What if the key to better DEI, culture, and leadership wasn’t external, but internal?

In this powerful episode of the HR L&D Podcast, Nick Day is joined by Aiko Bethea, leadership coach, equity consultant, and founder of RARE Coaching & Consulting, to explore why transformational leadership starts with self-awareness, rest, and deep curiosity.

Forget checking boxes, Aiko breaks down why DEI is an outcome, not a skill, and how HR leaders can drive real change by shifting their mindset and behaviors first.

Whether you’re a CHRO, people manager, or HR professional looking to build inclusive workplaces, this episode is packed with actionable strategies on:

• How to lead with vulnerability
• The coaching stance that transforms team dynamics
• Rest and wellness as leadership tools
• Critical curiosity and belief excavation
• Creating psychological safety from the top down

If you're ready to move from surface-level inclusion to real, sustainable impact, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

RARE Coaching & Consulting Website: https://www.rarecoaching.net/

Connect with Aiko Bethea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aikobethea/

Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea

Sign up to the HR L&D Newsletter - https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7

Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/

Thanks for listening folks – I look forward to bringing you the next episode of the HR L&D Podcast real soon!

(00:00) Meet Aiko Bethea & RARE Coaching

(03:45) Why DEI Is Not a Skill

(07:28) The Power of Self-Awareness

(11:06) Critical Curiosity and Excavating Beliefs

(14:39) The Coaching Stance: From Control to Curiosity

(18:01) Listening for Connection, Not Just Understanding

(21:15) Wellness, Rest, and the Leadership Equation

(25:06) Breaking the Hustle Culture in HR

(28:48) Anchoring Into Values and Accountability

(32:11) How Leaders Can Create Psychological Safety

(35:27) Internal Work Before External DEI Change

(38:04) Aiko’s Book: Anchored, Aligned, and Accountable

(40:50) Advice for HR Leaders and Organizations