The HR Podcast

Sarah Ropek

Big ideas, sized to fit your business. Each week I bring in an expert to unpack a people topic on a UK small business owners' desks: AI adoption, leadership, culture, hiring, performance, difficult conversations and often the employment law underneath it. Dealing with a difficult employee? Trying to work out your approach to AI? Building the kind of leadership and culture that keeps good people? This is practical HR guidance and people management advice, for founders, HR and managers building a team in a small business Hosted by Sarah Ropek, founder of The Fractional HR Department

  1. 5d ago

    Are Your Employees Ready for AI? | With Katie Jacobs

    You've rolled out a new AI tool and half your team seem to be working around it rather than with it. That's not stubbornness, it's a trust problem, and journalist Katie Jacobs has spent the past year finding out why. In this episode you'll hear what's actually driving AI adoption in business right now, why some workers are quietly sabotaging AI strategy instead of getting on board, and what that tells you about AI in HR going forward. Katie has spent fifteen years writing about workplace technology and brings real examples from the businesses and leaders she's spoken to, not theory. You'll get a clear look at the gap between businesses using AI well and those creating more problems than they solve, the risk to junior roles and what she'd tell any owner shaping their own AI workplace culture. If your team's reaction to AI has surprised you, this one's worth your full attention. Key Takeaways Nearly a third of workers admit to sabotaging their company's AI strategy, and that figure rises among younger staff, according to the Writer and Workplace Intelligence survey Katie discusses.Most AI problems aren't really failures of the tool. They're a mismatch between how fast people adopt AI on their own and how slowly policy and governance catch up.Cognitive atrophy is a genuine risk. Using AI to do your thinking from scratch is different to using it to stress test thinking you've already done, and the order you do that in matters.Small businesses can't promise job security in an AI world, but they can offer people the chance to stay relevant, and staff take that more seriously than most leaders expect.If you don't have a rule on what can and can't go into an external AI tool, you already have a shadow AI problem, whether you know about it or not.Businesses getting AI adoption right treat it as a leadership and culture challenge first, with honest conversations about trade-offs rather than a top-down rollout.If you're running a small business with no HR team and no legal department, the useful move isn't more process. It's making one person responsible for watching what's changing, and making it safe for anyone to say when something's gone wrong. Timestamps [00:04] Introducing Katie Jacobs [01:14] Why AI feels different this time [11:13] Shadow AI and the governance gap [21:49] The AI sabotage survey explained [26:36] What HR can actually promise staff [29:07] Businesses getting AI adoption right [33:18] The cognitive atrophy risk [38:31] Katie's three tips for business owners Resources Mentioned Writer and Workplace Intelligence survey on AI sabotage in the workplaceMcKinsey research on AI pilot ROI, referenced from memory during the conversationResponsible AI Institute and King's College London report on UK public sentiment toward AIMercer Global Talent Trends reportKatie Jacobs's white paper for the Business Culture Awards and Connected CommunityKatie Jacobs's piece in Work, the CIPD's journal for fellows, on AI and cognitive impactSarah O'Connor's columns for the Financial Times on AI and workAmazon's internal AI leaderboard, shut down after staff began "token maxing" About The GuestKatie Jacobs is a journalist who has spent around fifteen years writing about work, with the last year focused almost entirely on AI's impact on people and culture. She has worked at the CIPD and writes for a range of HR and business titles, alongside long-form research and reports for organisations including Mercer and the Business Culture Awards. Katie speaks regularly to chief people officers and HR leaders about what's actually happening as AI reshapes how people work. Follow Katie on LinkedIn AI in the workplace, AI and HR, AI adoption in business, future of work, AI workplace culture, small business HR, workplace technology, HR podcast UK, employee AI resistance, AI and culture change

  2. Sep 22

    Right to Work Checks: The Compliance You Can't Ignore | With Ian Hamilton

    When Sarah and her team audit a new client, right to work checks are non-compliant somewhere between 80 and 90% of the time. In this episode, business immigration advisor Ian Hamilton joins the podcast to walk through exactly what employer right to work compliance actually requires — for British and Irish nationals, EU nationals, and everyone on a visa in between. You'll learn the difference a share code does and doesn't prove, the working-hours traps that catch out employers with student or skilled worker visa requirements on their books, and why sponsor licence compliance has become a far higher-stakes game under the current government. You'll also get Ian's honest, practical view on what genuinely protects a business when the Home Office comes calling. Key Takeaways A right to work check must be completed before someone starts work, not after. Ian flags this as the single most common non-compliance issue he finds when auditing sponsors — if in doubt, delay the start date until the check is properly done and filed.A share code is not proof of a right to work check on its own. It only lets an employer view part of an individual's e-visa, so the actual check — and reading the full detail on any restrictions or conditions — still has to be done and recorded properly.EU nationals do not automatically have the right to work in the UK. Without settled or pre-settled status, they need a skilled worker visa or another eligible route, and this is one of the areas Ian sees businesses get caught out on most often.Working-hour limits are easy to miss and carry real risk. Students can typically work up to 20 hours a week during term time; skilled workers can do up to 20 hours a week of supplementary work for a different employer — going beyond either is a right to work compliance failure.Fines for non-compliance run up to £60,000 per employee (reduced to £45,000 for a first offence), alongside reputational risk and, for sponsors, the possibility of losing a sponsor licence entirely — which immediately affects every skilled worker that business sponsors.The Home Office increasingly cross-checks sponsor data against HMRC records. A mismatch between a certificate of sponsorship's stated salary and actual tax records is one of the most common triggers for a compliance investigation. Timestamps [00:41] What a right to work check actually is[01:24] Checks for British, Irish, and other nationals[04:10] Why EU nationals are often assumed wrongly[05:28] Working-hour limits for students and skilled workers[09:46] The real financial penalties for non-compliance[19:27] How the Home Office finds non-compliance[25:06] Section 3C leave and the two-limb test[34:00] Key takeaways for staying compliant Resources Mentioned OTB Legal — Ian Hamilton's firm, specialising in sponsor licences, skilled worker visas, and Home Office complianceImmigration Act, Section 3C — referenced regarding the extension of existing leave while a valid, in-time visa application is under considerationHome Office sponsor guidance — referenced as spanning four separate documents, described as complex and containing inconsistenciesIan Hamilton is a Business Immigration Advisor at OTB Legal, where he specialises in sponsor licences, skilled worker visas, and helping businesses stay compliant with the Home Office's sponsor management system. Drawing on his experience auditing sponsors of all sizes, he's worth listening to for a genuinely practical, on-the-ground view of where employers most often go wrong with right to work compliance — and what a strong audit trail actually looks like in practice. Follow Ian on LinkedIn right to work checks UK, employer right to work compliance, skilled worker visa requirements, sponsor licence compliance, Home Office immigration checks, UK immigration law for employers, HR compliance for small business, hiring overseas workers UK, small business HR advice, UK employment law compliance

  3. Sep 15

    What The Fair Work Agency Looks at When Investigating a Business | With Lisa Pinney OBE

    If an enforcement officer knocked on your door tomorrow, would you know what they'd be checking? The Fair Work Agency launched in April, bringing four enforcement bodies under one roof. In this episode, CEO Lisa Pinney OBE explains Fair Work Agency compliance, from National Minimum Wage to holiday pay, how enforcement actually decides who to visit, and what a risk-based approach to employment law compliance UK looks like in practice. Key Takeaways Nearly 400,000 employees were paid less than minimum wage in 2024, and 900,000 workers a year have holiday pay withheld, worth around £2bn — much of it unintentional.The Fair Work Agency merges four bodies: the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, employment agency compliance, the Office of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement, and National Minimum Wage compliance.Fair Work Agency enforcement is risk-based and intelligence-led, not random — businesses in a targeted area are often written to first, giving them a chance to self-correct.A Working Lives survey found 14% of workers experienced at least one clear legal violation over two years, across sectors and geographies.Don't assume your payroll provider is handling compliance for you — responsibility sits with the business owner.A simple gap analysis is the recommended starting point: review pay rates, deductions, and holiday pay against the legal minimum. Timestamps:[00:05] Why every employer needs to understand this[01:31] Bringing four enforcement bodies into one[07:05] What the Working Lives research revealed[09:54] How the risk-based approach works[14:00] Rising contacts since launch[39:33] What to do if this feels risky now[44:10] What success looks like in five years Resources Mentioned: Low Pay CommissionResolution FoundationWorking Lives research (May 2025)ACASgov.uk employment hubFair Work Agency LinkedIn and website About the Guest: Lisa Pinney OBE is the first CEO of the Fair Work Agency, the UK's newly formed employment enforcement body. She leads the merger of four former compliance functions into one organisation, and offers a first-hand view of how UK employment law compliance is being enforced right now. Fair Work Agency, Fair Work Agency compliance, employment law compliance UK, Fair Work Agency enforcement, employer compliance checks, National Minimum Wage, holiday pay compliance, HR compliance for small business, UK labour market enforcement, Lisa Pinney Fair Work Agency

  4. Sep 8

    What Do You Do When Half Your Team Wants The Same 6 Weeks Off?

    Half your team wants the same six weeks off, and most of them aren't asking to change their contract — they're stitching together annual leave, dependant leave, and adjusted hours to get through the summer. In this episode, Sarah Ropek and Claire Cathcart discuss practical, tested ways to manage school holiday annual leave without a rigid policy getting in the way, why flexible working for parents tends to pay you back in loyalty, and how tools like annualised hours contracts can genuinely solve the problem for the right role. You'll also get a clear, honest take on keeping things fair between parents and colleagues without children, and why a blanket corporate policy on this often causes more problems than it solves. Key Takeaways The average cost of six weeks of summer childcare is now £1,145 per child, according to Coram's 2026 holiday childcare survey — and around 4 million UK employees have changed careers, with roughly 2 million leaving a job in the past year, because an employer wouldn't offer enough flexibility, per CIPD research.Most parents manage school holiday annual leave informally, using a mix of annual leave, dependant leave, and temporary changes to hours — a formal flexible working request usually isn't the right tool for a temporary, seasonal problem.Childcare and flexible working challenges often aren't about money at all. Even parents who can afford full-time holiday clubs sometimes simply can't find one that runs the full working day, or runs during specific weeks — meaning the real constraint is availability, not willingness to pay.Annualised hours contracts can solve the problem properly for the right role. Structuring a contract so hours are averaged across the year, rather than fixed weekly, lets an employee take an extended block off in the school holidays while still meeting annual commitments — though it typically only suits a limited number of roles in most small businesses.A genuine conversation beats a rigid policy every time. Asking what a parent actually needs — can they work from home, take some calls, or need to be finished by a fixed time — produces far better outcomes than assuming a one-size-fits-all approach.Fairness between parents and non-parents needs deliberate attention. Getting ahead of summer, Christmas, and half-term leave with an early team conversation about who wants what, rather than a first-come-first-served scramble, helps prevent resentment building on either side.Flexibility offered in good faith tends to be repaid. Employees who've been supported through school holidays often come back more engaged and productive — treating this as pure cost misses the loyalty and retention benefit that comes with it. Timestamps [00:01] What do you do when everyone wants time off?[02:20] Balancing team wellbeing with client service[04:23] Why flexibility gets repaid in loyalty[06:33] Is it fair to non-parents on the team?[13:15] Annualised hours as a genuine solution[16:54] Why a rigid policy can backfire[17:43] Christmas, Easter, and half-terms too[22:02] Recap: staying fair and getting ahead of it Resources Mentioned Coram — 2026 holiday childcare survey, cited for the average cost of six weeks of summer childcare (£1,145 per child)CIPD research — cited for the statistics on employees changing careers or leaving jobs due to insufficient flexibility"Can I Make My Team Return to the Office?" — a related episode of The HR Podcast covering similar ground on flexible working school holiday annual leave, flexible working for parents, managing annual leave requests, childcare and flexible working, annualised hours contracts, flexible working policy UK, working parents at work, small business HR advice, employee retention and flexibility, HR advice for small business

  5. Aug 11

    Why Is Everyone Talking About The 4 Day Week?

    The four-day working week keeps making headlines, yet most UK businesses still work a traditional five-day week. So what's actually going on? In this episode, you'll hear what two conflicting 2025/2026 studies really say about four-day week trial success rates, why the model suits some businesses far better than others, and the practical questions — pay, contracts, holiday calculations, customer cover — that need answering before you even think about running a trial. You'll also get a clear, honest look at employee productivity claims, work-life balance benefits, and why flexible working UK might be a better starting point for your business than a full four-day switch. The data on the four-day week is genuinely mixed, not universally positive. One 2025 study of 141 organisations across six countries found 90% kept the model after their trial, but a separate 2026 study found only 51% of trialling companies made it permanent — the headlines rarely mention both.There are two very different versions of a "four-day week." Either the whole business closes for a day, or staff work four-day contracts while the business stays open five days — these are culturally and operationally very different decisions, and it's worth being clear which one you're actually considering.A four-day week without genuinely reduced workload just condenses five days of work into four. Several real examples show this leads to more stress, not less, if the underlying workload isn't addressed at the same time.Whether a four-day week suits your business depends heavily on what your customers need. A business where clients expect a response five days a week faces a very different decision to one where that expectation doesn't exist.Flexible working UK arrangements, such as compressed hours or no-meeting days, may deliver similar work-life balance benefits with less operational risk than a full four-day week trial, and can suit a wider range of businesses.A four-day week trial requires serious groundwork, not just good intentions. Holiday calculations, contract changes, data collection to genuinely measure results, and enough time to trial it properly (not just a month) are all essential before drawing any conclusions.Employer brand is part of the decision, not just productivity. Some people are strongly motivated by a four-day week; others would rather work more and wouldn't consider it a benefit at all — it's worth thinking about who you want to attract, not just what the data says. [00:01] Are businesses actually adopting the four-day week?[02:33] Two conflicting studies on trial success rates[03:58] Why businesses are still nervous about trying it[05:28] Closed one day vs four-day contracts[08:49] Does a shorter week just condense the stress?[11:06] Should pay be reduced for a shorter week?[14:40] Flexible working and no-meeting days as alternatives[17:27] Does the productivity data really support the pay? Resources Mentioned Nature Human Behaviour — July 2025 study of 141 organisations across six countries, finding 90% kept the four-day week model after their trialStealth Agents report (2026) — a conflicting study finding that only 51% of companies trialling a four-day week made it permanentfour-day working week UK, four-day week trial, flexible working UK, employee productivity, work-life balance UK, compressed hours working, HR advice for small business, employee wellbeing at work, small business HR policy, hybrid and flexible working UK

    Why Is Everyone Talking About The 4 Day Week?

  6. Aug 4

    Should We Be Transparent About Pay?

    If one of your employees found out exactly what their colleague earns tomorrow, would your business survive that conversation? Pay transparency UK legislation is on its way, EU rules are already driving change, and around a third of UK job adverts still don't include any salary information at all. In this episode, you'll learn why banning pay conversations rarely works in practice, how salary bands and salary benchmarking can protect a business when pay gets discussed, and where the gender pay gap still shows up even in businesses trying to do the right thing. You'll also get a clear, pragmatic take on what to do if you suspect your own pay structure has inconsistencies, before transparency forces the issue for you. Around a third of UK job adverts still don't include salary information, and CIPD research found only 54% of employers check that staff actually understand how their pay is worked out — a gap that pay transparency UK legislation is designed to close.Banning staff from discussing pay rarely holds up in practice. Contract clauses and policies telling people not to talk about pay don't stop it happening informally, and pay is legally an employee's own information to share as they see fit.Salary bands make disparities easier to explain, not harder. Where a clear band exists for a role, a pay difference tied to experience or complexity is usually easy to justify — the problems tend to show up where there's no structure to point to at all.Salary benchmarking, done regularly, is the practical alternative to a full formal pay policy. Especially for smaller businesses without the resource for something like a full Hay evaluation, benchmarking against the market gives you a defensible answer if someone questions their pay.The gender pay gap is still very real, even where businesses are trying to do right by their people. Men are more likely to negotiate hard for pay rises and promotions, and women taking career breaks for caring responsibilities often see their pay progress more slowly as a result — informal pay conversations have surfaced and corrected real gender pay gaps in practice.If you can't fix a pay disparity immediately, say so and commit to a timeline. Employees generally respond well to honesty about budget constraints, provided the business follows through — the real damage happens when a promise to review pay quietly disappears.Not everyone needs to know exactly what everyone else earns. The safer, more achievable middle ground is being transparent about pay philosophy and how decisions are made, publishing salary ranges on adverts, and being ready to explain any pay difference if it's raised. [00:01] Would your business survive a pay conversation?[02:26] UK government plans for salary transparency[03:22] Why salary bands make pay disparities easier[05:54] Why job adverts should always include salary[08:06] Market shifts and pay disparity over time[09:41] The gender pay gap, honestly discussed[16:23] Hay evaluation and structured pay fairness[19:13] Building a pragmatic approach to pay transparency Resources Mentioned CIPD research — cited for the statistic that only 54% of employers check staff understand how their pay is worked outEU Pay Transparency Directive — referenced as a driver of pay transparency change across EuropeUK government pay transparency plans — referenced regarding proposed requirements for salary information on job advertsHay job evaluation methodology — referenced as a structured, if resource-intensive, way to assess role complexity and scope for fair paypay transparency UK, salary transparency UK, salary benchmarking, gender pay gap UK, salary bands, pay equity at work, salary on job adverts, HR advice for small business, UK employment law pay, small business HR policy

    Should We Be Transparent About Pay?

  7. Jul 28

    What Do You Do When Your Employee Goes Viral?

    Your employee just filmed themselves quitting on TikTok, had a very public vent about work on Instagram, or posted something entirely unrelated to work that's still found its way to your desk — and you have to deal with it. In this episode, you'll learn what UK employment law actually allows when it comes to employee social media misconduct, why "these are my own views" disclaimers offer far less protection than people think, and where the line sits on bringing a business into disrepute. You'll also get a clear, practical take on what an employee social media policy needs to cover, and why just over half of UK businesses still don't have one. 92% of UK employees use social media during working hours, spending over an hour a day on it on average — yet just over half of UK businesses have a social media policy in place, which is a real gap given how commonplace the behaviour is.Personal social media posts made outside work, on personal devices, can still be a disciplinary matter. If a post is public and someone brings it to the employer's attention, it's fair game to raise — it isn't a breach of privacy to address it.Dismissal for a social media post has to be reasonable and proportionate, or it risks failing at tribunal. Recent UK case law has reinforced that skipping a fair investigation in favour of a fast response can be an expensive mistake, even where the post itself is clearly inappropriate."Views are my own" disclaimers offer limited protection. They may help in genuinely grey, borderline cases, but they won't protect an employee if a post causes serious reputational damage or clearly contradicts what the business stands for.Bringing a business into disrepute is a genuinely grey area, and it's different from simply sharing commercially sensitive information or a personal opinion — employers need to assess the actual reputational impact on a case-by-case basis, not treat every uncomfortable post the same way.Political and personal views on social media need careful handling. Sharing a strong opinion isn't grounds for dismissal on its own — inciting hatred is a different matter — and a facilitated conversation is often a better first step than assuming disciplinary action is required.Social media can be a genuine asset, not just a risk. Employers can end up overly cautious about what staff post, missing out on positive brand exposure — the healthier approach is balance, plus some basic training on what's okay to share and what isn't. [00:01] What to do when an employee goes viral[01:39] Why every business needs a social media policy[03:08] Sharing commercially sensitive information online[04:53] The vegan CEO example: disrepute vs opinion[06:25] A real case: assault outside work reaching the news[10:33] Do "views are my own" disclaimers actually help?[12:05] Handling political views shared on social media[17:44] Building social media training and guidance Resources Mentioned UK case law (2025) — referenced regarding a dismissal for a social media post being found disproportionate at tribunal (linked in the original show notes)"Quit Talk" — the TikTok trend of employees publicly filming themselves resigning, referenced as the starting point for the discussionemployee social media policy, social media policy for employees, employee social media misconduct, bringing a business into disrepute, social media and employment law UK, dismissal for social media posts, UK employment law advice, small business HR policy, HR advice for small business, workplace disciplinary process UK

    What Do You Do When Your Employee Goes Viral?

  8. Jul 21

    Is It Too Hot To Work?

    There's no legal maximum workplace temperature in the UK — and that surprises almost everyone who asks about it. As amber heat warnings have become a regular part of the British summer, HR managers and business owners are getting the same message on repeat: "it's too hot in the office, can I work from home?" In this episode, you'll learn exactly what UK workplace temperature law does and doesn't say, why "reasonable" is doing all the heavy lifting in the legislation, and what to do when employees push back on working in hot weather. You'll also get a practical steer on building an extreme weather policy now, rather than reacting every time a heatwave hits. There is no legal maximum workplace temperature in the UK. The law only requires that temperatures be "reasonable" — the TUC has been campaigning for a hard limit of 30 degrees since at least 2006, and Parliament debated it again last month, but nothing has changed yet."Reasonable" also applies at the lower end. The often-quoted 16-degree minimum isn't a legal requirement either — it's HSE guidance, and the same "reasonable temperature" test applies at both ends of the scale.Working from home, where possible, is one of the simplest ways to manage extreme heat. It lets employees dress and cool down in ways they can't in an office, and offering that flexibility during hot weather tends to build genuine loyalty.Start with your most at-risk people, not a blanket rule. Employees who are pregnant, going through menopause, or have a relevant disability are a sensible starting point when deciding who needs the most flexibility during a heatwave.If an employer has properly risk-assessed the workplace and judged it safe, but an employee still refuses to attend, that becomes a different conversation — around annual leave, unpaid leave, or, ultimately, a conduct issue, rather than a straightforward safety one.The TUC's suggested figures are a useful practical benchmark even though they aren't law: 30 degrees generally, 27 degrees for strenuous work, with action triggered at 24 degrees.An extreme weather policy is worth dusting off (or writing from scratch) for heat, not just snow. It should set out clearly what's expected of employees and what the business will provide in return — fans, extra breaks, split lunch hours, or a shift to home working.Relaxing dress codes in hot weather costs nothing and is generally good practice, provided it's balanced against any genuine uniform or client-facing requirements the business has. [00:02] Is there a legal maximum workplace temperature?[01:48] Why this summer feels different[03:06] Productivity and comfort vs the letter of the law[06:44] The cost of preparing for hotter summers[08:00] What to do when employees push back[11:16] Do businesses need an extreme weather policy?[14:35] Should there be legislation on maximum temperature?[18:52] Relaxing dress codes in hot weather Resources Mentioned TUC (Trades Union Congress) — referenced for its long-standing campaign for a legal maximum workplace temperature of 30 degrees (27 degrees for strenuous work), first called for around 2006HSE (Health and Safety Executive) — referenced for its non-statutory guidance on the 16-degree minimum workplace temperatureUK Parliament — referenced for debating a maximum workplace temperature bill in the past month too hot to work, maximum workplace temperature UK, workplace temperature law UK, extreme weather policy, working in hot weather, UK employment law heat, HR policy for hot weather, small business HR advice, hybrid working policy, health and safety at work UK

    Is It Too Hot To Work?
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About

Big ideas, sized to fit your business. Each week I bring in an expert to unpack a people topic on a UK small business owners' desks: AI adoption, leadership, culture, hiring, performance, difficult conversations and often the employment law underneath it. Dealing with a difficult employee? Trying to work out your approach to AI? Building the kind of leadership and culture that keeps good people? This is practical HR guidance and people management advice, for founders, HR and managers building a team in a small business Hosted by Sarah Ropek, founder of The Fractional HR Department

Information

  • Creator
    Sarah Ropek
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sarah Ropek
  • Show Website
    The HR Podcast

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