In Episode 7 of The B Continued podcast, we are joined by Jane Chesters, co-founder of Orion. With over 35 years of experience in the HR function and 25 years leading HR transformation consultancy for some of the world's most recognizable brands, Jane brings a masterclass perspective on what it really takes to move an organization from one state to another.

In this episode, Jane joins Jess Hilton and Ralph Tribe to discuss the "hard yards" of change and why many organizations know where they want to go but struggle to get there. From the evolution of technology as a strategic business tool to the rising importance of the ESG and wellness agendas, Jane explores the critical connection between organizational strategy and people strategy.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The "Doing More" Rule: Why you cannot do more with less without stopping certain tasks, doing them differently through technology, or "running hot" for a non-sustainable period.

The Credibility Factor: Why HR leaders must move beyond "gut instinct" and use evidence-based data to lead high-level business conversations.

The Transformation vs. Change Debate: Understanding the difference between redesigning an operating model and the actual journey of supporting people through that shift.

The "Game Changer" Muscle: Why the innovator profile is often the rarest in HR and how the function must develop this muscle to fully leverage the AI opportunity.

The Recovery Premium: Why rest and recovery are essential, evidence-based components of any true high-performance culture.

Chapter Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: The three things required to do more with less.

00:46 – Jane’s background: 35 years of HR expertise and the founding of Orion.

02:08 – The origin story: Identifying the gap in the HR transformation market.

05:41 – Is outsourcing still relevant? The shift back to in-house advisory.

08:01 – Significant shifts: Moving from HR efficiency to strategic business tools.

10:11 – New agendas: Wellness, multi-generational workforces, and ESG.

12:05 – The transformation process: Starting the journey with a new HR Director.

14:44 – Making it stick: Why the client must lead the transformation for it to work.

16:10 – The Sustainability Test: Why "running hot" leads to burnout.

20:25 – Great HR: It’s not a template; it’s what that specific organization needs.

23:42 – Strategic Priorities: Navigating the gap between "wants" and "needs".

25:53 – The Evidence Dilemma: Why numerical performance ratings are often value-destructive.

29:24 – High Performance: The counterintuitive science of rest and recovery.

32:11 – Credibility at the Table: Being in the conversation, not just in the room.

38:09 – Transformation vs. Change: Defining the journey and the destination.

43:18 – Lessons from TFL: Identity and centralized vs. decentralized models.

47:48 – HR’s AI Readiness: Are we ahead of or behind the curve?.

51:52 – The "Girly Swot" Debate: Is using AI "cheating" or smart acceleration?.

54:01 – The GC Index: Why "Game Changers" are missing from many HR teams.

In Episode 6 of The B Continued podcast, we are joined by Jacky Simmonds, Chief People Officer at Experian. With a career leading people strategies at giants like EasyJet, TUI, and VEON, Jacky brings unparalleled experience in navigating large-scale digital and technological transformations.

In this episode, Jacky joins Jess Hilton and Ralph Tribe to discuss the evolving role of HR in a world of constant disruption. From the "rebalancing" of hybrid work and inclusion initiatives to the rapid adoption of Generative AI, Jacky shares how leaders can remain "human-centered" while embracing the speed of modern technology.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The Leadership Test: Why being comfortable with "not knowing" is now a core requirement for modern leaders.

The AI Dual Role: How HR must simultaneously help the organization embrace AI while transforming its own internal function.

The Speed of Change: Why Generative AI is moving faster than any previous technological shift.

Augmentation over Replacement: Why human judgment, EQ, and insight will become even more valuable as transactional work is automated.

The 2030 Vision: Why keeping people at the center of the organization remains the most critical mission for HR leaders.

Chapter Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: The new test of leadership in an uncertain world.

00:54 – Jacky’s background: From travel sectors to data technology at Experian.

02:04 – The 5-year shift: Putting people and mental health back at the center of business.

03:59 – Rebalancing the scales: Personal views on hybrid work and inclusion initiatives.

05:32 – Leading in a BANI world: Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible.

07:56 – The "Human-Centered" leader: Why ambiguity requires more humanity, not less.

11:51 – Leadership without all the answers: Learning from non-exec board experiences.

14:41 – The adoption of AI: Why this technological shift is faster than anything before it.

17:21 – Meet Nadia: Experian’s AI-powered leadership and goal-setting coach.

20:19 – HR Transformation: Which operational tasks will be augmented or replaced?.

24:30 – Leveling the playing field: How AI tools can remove inherent biases in recruitment.

31:00 – The importance of human judgment: Avoiding the trap of AI hallucinations.

35:34 – Launching a Talent Marketplace: Using AI to personalize the employee experience.

39:41 – Is AI optional? Why People Leaders can't afford to be left behind.

43:51 – HR in 2030: Ensuring trust and integrity remain the heart of the profession.

In our first episode of 2026, we are joined by the brilliant Weronika Niemczyk-Savage, Chief People Officer at Cyncly. With a career spanning giants like Google and Expedia, Weronika brings a sharp, commercial lens to the world of People and HR.

In this deep dive, Weronika challenges leaders to drop their "expertise armor" and trade it for curiosity. She explains why a CEO asking for a "performance culture" is often a major red flag and how companies can move away from "coloring in" to actually solving organizational problems.

00:00 – Intro: Introducing Weronika Niemczyk-Savage (CPO, Cyncly).

01:01 – Weronika’s background: Google, Expedia, and the move to Private Equity.

03:20 – The "Red Flag": Why CEOs often get performance culture wrong.

05:20 – Accountability vs. Penalization: Building a true framework for success.

08:21 – Measuring progress: OKRs and the quality of goal setting.

10:30 – The Peer Feedback Secret: Why 71% of colleagues opted-in without a push.

12:11 – Rewarding overperformance: Linking individual results to compensation.

15:32 – Using AI in HR: Summarizing reviews and simplifying management tasks.

20:43 – The value of "Solid Citizens" vs. Brilliant Jerks.

25:54 – Pay Transparency: Navigating the EU Directive and the pillar of secrecy.

34:44 – Psychological Safety: Why it’s okay to report mistakes.

42:25 – Closing: Final thoughts and the future of People Strategy.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The Performance Red Flag: Why the term is often weaponized to simply fire people rather than grow them.

The Power of Curiosity: Why the most successful leaders prioritize learning over being the "expert."

Valuing "Solid Citizens": Why your consistent B-players are the true backbone of your company.

Peer Feedback Secrets: Why 71% of Cyncly’s staff engaged in peer reviews without any HR "push."

Pay Transparency: Navigating the "pillar of secrecy" and why equal pay for equal work is non-negotiable.

About Weronika Niemczyk-Savage: Weronika is the Chief People Officer at Cyncly, a global software leader in the interior design and manufacturing space. Her experience in private equity and large-scale tech (Google, Expedia) has made her an advocate for high-accountability, high-trust cultures that focus on real business impact.

Connect with the Be Continued Podcast:

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About Be People Group: We help businesses move from "traditional HR" to high-performance People Strategy. Visit us at https://www.b-people.net/

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