The Best Podcasts for HR and DEI Leaders

Podcasts can be an excellent way to learn something new, stay up-to-date with trends in your industry, and fill the time as you commute or do daily chores.

There are a variety of podcasts about organizational leadership, HR, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and other topics that are critically relevant to CHROs and C-suite executives today. It’s often difficult to know which podcasts are worth listening to, but here, we present a curated list of some of the best options. Download individual episodes or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Digital HR Leaders with David Green

Host David Green speaks to a variety of senior HR leaders in this podcast. Though they hail from many different industries, these guests have one thing in common: they are all succeeding at building digital, data-driven HR strategies within their organizations. Past episodes have focused on the links between business transformation, performance, and culture at AT&T; Rabobank’s efforts to create a more agile HR function; and how neuroscience can help companies drive change.

The Will To Change: Uncovering True Stories of Diversity & Inclusion

This podcast is a worthwhile listen not only for DEI leaders, but also executives and board directors interested in improving diversity and inclusion within their organizations. Guests include CEOs of prominent companies, authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs. With host Jennifer Brown, they discuss embedding disability in DEI, gender equity, hiring people who have been incarcerated, and unpacking DEI lessons from the tumultuous year of 2020, among many other topics.

reWorked: The Diversity and Inclusion Podcast

Another excellent choice for DEI leaders, this once-monthly podcast brings together HR leaders, CEOs, and workplace activists to discuss what they’re doing to build a more inclusive culture within their organizations. reWorked is a product of the EW Group, a London-based consultancy that specializes in DEI. Conversations on the podcast have focused on topics like building an anti-racist culture, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and measuring ROI on DEI initiatives.

HR Works

This podcast’s simple subtitle-”The Podcast for Human Resources”-says it all. A generalist podcast for HR leaders, HR Works focuses on providing actionable insights and timely, relevant conversations. Its short “5-Minute Friday” episodes particularly stand out for packing a lot of useful information into brief conversations with guests.

The CEO Forum Podcast

A radio show available in podcast format, The CEO Forum features interviews with CEOs from a variety of industries-so far, the show has interviewed more than 750 CEOs from companies like Ben & Jerry’s, LinkedIn, General Mills, Deloitte, and SAP. Interviewees frequently touch on topics like leadership and changing trends in business, how companies can stay relevant in a changing executive search climate, and technology trends in recruitment.

Talent Optimization

Hosted by Traci Scherck, this podcast provides insight into how different organizations find talent, and the challenges that come along with this process. The content is geared toward CEOs and HR leaders, and often centers on bridging the gap between a C-suite strategy and the CHRO’s implementation of it.

Inside Executive Search

Hosted by Steve Yakesh and Scott Peterson, this podcast allows you to hear from executive search professionals across the country as they discuss how organizations find top talent these days. A few topics previously discussed include the impact of economic growth on talent acquisition, interim leadership and executive transitions, and new ways to improve the candidate selection process.

HBR IdeaCast

Though not specifically focused on HR or DEI, Harvard Business Review ‘s popular podcast is still essential listening for executives of all types-and HR and DEI topics are often the focus of discussion. For example, recent episodes have focused on why companies should have career returnship programs, and how the pandemic changed talent management for the better. Hosted by two senior editors of the periodical, the podcast provides a forum for thought-provoking conversation and fresh ideas from leading executives and thinkers.

HR Happy Hour

This podcast has the distinction of being the longest-running and most downloaded podcast geared toward the HR industry-300 episodes (and counting) have been recorded. Think of this podcast as an easy way to stay up-to-date with industry trends like conversational AI in recruiting, payroll innovations, labor market updates, and what’s new in employee benefits. There’s also lighthearted fare: a recent episode featured a fun conversation about what the movie Jaws has to say about HR and leadership.

Honest HR

Created by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and billed as “the podcast that gets real with HR professionals,” Honest HR focuses on exploring workplace truths-even topics that can be uncomfortable. Expect lively conversation and ideas that may challenge widely accepted notions. A few recent topics include how HR can better serve veterans, rethinking leadership development, and the importance of empathy.

Originally published at http://jasonhanold.wordpress.com on September 30, 2021.