Kicking off the new year Nigel reflects on the human impact of HR, sharing his working principles: focus on what is within your control, particularly the ‘how’ of decision-making, and approach people with empathy and care.  

Looking to the future, Nigel explores the opportunities and challenges HR faces in a world shaped by AI. He highlights the importance of human skills - relationships, empathy, connection - and shares how HR can unite purpose, people and performance to positively impact work and society.  

Nigel challenges HR leaders to move from people operations to ‘purpose operations’, contributing to a fairer society and fostering kindness, curiosity and compassion.  

Thank you to Slalom for sponsoring this episode   

Slalom is a business and technology consulting firm that believes meaningful change starts with people, helping organisations turn change into outcomes that actually last. 

They partner closely with leaders across HR, technology, and the business to move beyond experimentation and ensure real adoption, building the skills, data foundations, and ways of working that make change stick. 

What makes Slalom different is their approach: they lead with context rather than tools or hype. By taking the time to understand what truly matters in your organisation, they connect strategy to delivery in ways that people can trust, use, and scale effectively.  

To ground this work, Slalom surveyed more than 2,000 global executives to explore how AI is really playing out, where investment is translating into value, and what this means for leadership, skills, and cross-functional alignment. HR leaders navigating AI can draw on this research for practical insights to move from ambition to adoption today.  

Find out more and download Slalom’s AI Research Outlook 2026: https://www.slalom.com/gb/en/insights/ai-research-outlook-2026 

👥 Join our free HR Changemakers community  

You’ll be the first to hear about each podcast episode, about our events, and receive free bonus resources that enhance your influence and impact.   

Join us here: upliftingpeople.com/pages/how-hr-leaders-change-the-world  

And on Linkedin: Uplifting People | LinkedIn  

Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  

We’re starting 2026 with Brene Brown’s new book, Strong Ground, as our Book of the Month - a thoughtful guide to building resilience, connection, and clarity in a fast-moving world. 

Brené draws on decades of research into courage and vulnerability to help us navigate uncertainty in both our professional lives and personal lives. 

Strong Ground is perfect for the start of a new year - a reminder that small shifts in perspective can make a big difference, and it highlights the power of curiosity and intentional action. 

Let it inspire you to step into the new year ready to create positive impact - because change starts with each of us, one choice at a time. 

Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month’s Uplifting Book!