HR Disrupted

• No Ratings. No Regrets. What really happens when you give up performance ratings

  Handing out a rating at the end of the annual performance review is a sure fire way to demotivate at least 80% of your workforce. But when we try to get rid of them, we’re often met with a number of concerns about what will happen when they’re gone. In this episode, Lucy is joined by her Disruptive HR co-founder Karen Moran to unpack some of the common misconceptions around the value of ratings and look at why getting rid of them is not as risky as you might think. Whether you’ve been on the receiving end of a disappointing score or forced to defend a ‘meets expectations’ to a furious high performer, this one’s for you. Lucy and Karen share their own performance review horror stories and get under the skin of why ratings continue to survive, despite being universally hated. They tackle the four big worries HR teams often have when considering ditching ratings: How will we know who our top performers are? How can we allocate bonuses fairly? How will we know if managers are doing performance management properly? And what about dealing with poor performance? Packed with real-life examples from companies like Microsoft, Adobe and Spotify, this episode will help you challenge the status quo and find better ways to manage performance, without the dreaded annual rating. Fancy doing HR differently? Check out www.disruptivehr.com to find out more about the Disruptive HR Club - packed with toolkits, live and on-demand training, and a global community of forward-thinking HR professionals. Disruptive HR Website: www.disruptivehr.com Join the Disruptive HR Club https://disruptivehr.com/welcome-to-the-future-of-hr/ Email: [email protected]

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• The HR Director you wish you worked with

  In this episode Lucy is joined by Matt Brady, Head of People of Tesco Bank talks through his refreshing HR philosophy, which is grounded in insight, commercial savviness, pragmatism, and innovation. Matt shares candid stories from his career at HSBC, Sky and Tesco Bank and shows how a mix of data, empathy, and experimentation can drive meaningful change in the employee experience. Matt’s take on HR is shaped by his background in economics, where he first learned about human behaviour, motivation, and how to make the most of limited resources—ideas that still guide his work today. In this episode, he and Lucy chat about the value of looking beyond the usual HR playbook, drawing inspiration from areas like marketing, behavioural science, and design thinking to bring in fresh, creative approaches. Matt also talks about the power of using data to tell a story—not just reporting numbers, but connecting the dots between what employees are saying and how the business is performing. And when it comes to being commercially savvy, he makes the case that it’s not about sounding like a finance expert. Instead, it’s about really understanding what matters to leaders and showing how HR can help solve the problems they’re facing. This episode is a must-listen for HR professionals who want to shake off rigid processes and bring relevance, flexibility, and a human touch back into HR. Whether you're early in your HR career or leading a people function, Matt’s blend of humility, rigour, and creativity offers practical inspiration for transforming how we do HR. Chapters (00:03) Innovative Approaches in Human Resources (08:44) Connecting Data to Storytelling for Impact (16:49) Developing Authenticity, Collaboration, and Pragmatism (24:05) Innovation and Pragmatism in HR Contact Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradymatt/ Disruptive HR Website: www.disruptivehr.com Join the Disruptive HR Club https://disruptivehr.com/welcome-to-the-future-of-hr/ Email: [email protected]

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• Why Performance Management Sucks (And What to Do About It)

  Every year many managers and employees have to go through an ordeal that costs time, money and effort but which delivers little value - actually, it’s worse than that, it decreases employees’ motivation and can occasionally make them leave the company. Yes you guessed it! It’s performance appraisal time! It’s amazing that so many of us are unwilling to let go of a system that costs so much and yet doesn’t improve performance. Fortunately, the tide is turning and many HR teams are introducing different approaches that do actually work. In this episode, Lucy talks to Doug Dennerline, the CEO of Betterworks - a leading performance management software and author of the book ‘Make work better’ - about why traditional approaches don’t work, why we cling to the old ways when they are obviously not delivering, and what the alternatives are.  Doug offers insights from his tech industry journey, revealing how companies can evolve by adopting AI-driven tools that revolutionize goal setting and communication. We also shed light on the challenges managers face in delivering effective feedback and how technology can be an invaluable ally, acting as a coach for managerial skills. Chapters (00:03) Reimagining Performance Appraisals for Success (12:24) Empowering Employees Through Goal-Setting (18:03) Leveraging Tech for HR Transformation Contact Doug: [email protected] Disruptive HR Website: www.disruptivehr.com Join the Disruptive HR Club https://disruptivehr.com/welcome-to-the-future-of-hr/ Email: [email protected]

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• The two-year itch: Rethinking Retention for the Modern Tech Workforce

  Many of our talent and career development models stem from another age - when we joined a company, got a number of promotions and stayed as long as the company allowed us to. Of course, nowadays, the reality for many of us is very different. Flatter structures offer fewer promotional opportunities. Volatile markets mean that the longevity of companies has declined. And whilst there is some debate about whether Gen Z and Millennials do want to change companies more often - in one sector, there’s clear evidence that retaining your people is more of a challenge. In the tech sector, employees are changing jobs and companies every 2 years or so. This is a particular challenge for smaller tech companies where promotional opportunities are more limited. So, how does an HR Director tackle this challenge? Is it about creating golden handcuffs or just accepting that this is the new normal? To discuss this issue Lucy is joined by Matt Kennedy, CPO at Go1, a leading learning content provider. Matt provides an intriguing perspective on the evolving challenges of employee retention in the tech industry, where traditional career paths are being upended. He shares his story of transitioning from Microsoft and Starbucks to a cutting-edge tech company . We explore how smaller tech companies can distinguish themselves from larger corporations by offering more personalized growth opportunities and promoting impactful projects. We discuss the importance of being transparent about career paths and creating a culture that not only retains talent but also transforms former employees into ambassadors for the organization. His experiences highlight the vital role of informal mentorship and real-world experiences in developing soft skills that complement formal training. For HR professionals eager to challenge the norms and enhance employee retention, this conversation is packed with practical strategies and thought-provoking insights that will leave you rethinking your approach to building a resilient workforce in the dynamic tech landscape. (00:03) Navigating Career Challenges in Modern HR (10:11) Career Challenges in Tech Sector Retention (20:29) Creating a Culture of Retention Contact Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kennedy-b695603/ Disruptive HR Website: www.disruptivehr.com Join the Disruptive HR Club https://disruptivehr.com/welcome-to-the-future-of-hr/ Email: [email protected]

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• Making HR comms less ‘meh’: Real talk, real connection, real impact

  HR communications too often fall flat; drowning in a sea of data, facts, and formal language that fails to connect. In this episode, Disruptive HR co-founders Lucy Adams and Karen Moran explore why traditional HR comms so often miss the mark — and more importantly, how you can make yours truly stand out. Lucy and Karen share practical insights on how to transform dry, fact-heavy messaging into communications that cut through the noise, grab attention, and inspire genuine action. They explain why storytelling beats spreadsheets every time when it comes to engagement, and how honesty and authenticity can build far greater trust than polished corporate speak. You'll hear how short, human updates directly from leaders can be more powerful than lengthy newsletters, and why personalising your messages to different employee personas can make all the difference. They also highlight how tapping into employee trust through peer-led communications can amplify your impact, and why ditching jargon in favour of clear, relatable language is critical if you want your messages to land. Packed with real-world examples from organisations like Santander, Dropbox, Coca-Cola, HSBC, and more, this episode offers a fresh and practical guide for anyone who wants to transform the way HR communicates — making it more human, more engaging, and ultimately, far more effective. Disruptive HR Website: www.disruptivehr.com Join the Disruptive HR Club https://disruptivehr.com/welcome-to-the-future-of-hr/ Email: [email protected]

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