Peer-to-Peer: Organisational Resilience, Wellbeing And Future People Strategy (Podcast)

In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s Peer-to-Peer podcast, Julia Paulding is joined by Ewen MacPherson, Group Chief People Officer at Havas. They discuss the evolving role of HR as a strategic force – from designing holistic, human-centred employee experiences to building skills-based organisations that prepare people for an AI-enabled future.

Key takeaways

• Treat resilience as a system, not a standalone capability that can be developed in isolation. Organisational resilience is strengthened by the synergist drivers of trust, transparency, consistency and accountability. Leaders who invest in these underlying cultural foundations create organisations that can absorb shocks and adapt to constant change.
• HR’s advantage lies in thinking ahead, not reacting faster. Leverage HR’s unique organisationwide vantage point to spot patterns early and guide long-term decisions with calm, strategic intent rather than reacting to short-term pressures.
• Treat wellbeing as a design principle, not a benefits add-on. Forward-looking organisations are shifting to preventative, holistic approaches to work design and wellbeing that give people the autonomy to manage their wellbeing based on individual needs. Engage leaders through collaborative, data-driven strategy sessions that turn people metrics into shared accountability and meaningful action.
• Build for skills, not just roles. Invest in skills-based frameworks that unlock internal mobility, create fairer career pathways and shift the AI conversation from job displacement to future capability. Balance technical upskilling with developing the distinctly human skills, such as critical thinking, curiosity and creativity, that AI cannot replicate. 

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