What happens when an accounting student reads one book, builds a rogue website, and accidentally launches a global career in human resources?

In this episode, host Jonathan Mamaril sits down with Jodi McLeod, a Rockhampton-born generalist whose unconventional HR journey has spanned remote Australian mining towns, Sky TV in Scotland, and Irish IT firms. Now thriving back in regional Queensland, Jodi brings a refreshingly grounded, data-savvy perspective to the realities of modern people management.

From making a 2:00 AM mad dash across state borders during COVID to rebuilding corporate intranets from scratch, Jodi’s story proves that the best HR practitioners are the ones who refuse to be boxed in. Together, Jonathan and Jodi unpack why the industry urgently needs to master data analytics, the hidden toll of vicarious trauma on HR teams, and why chasing blanket "fairness" might actually be killing workplace meritocracy.

In this episode, we cover:

• How a Body Shop book inspired Jodi to ditch accounting for a global HR career
• Working HR roles in remote Kununurra during a 3.5-year lap around Australia
• Why early-career HR professionals need to balance high confidence with being humble
• The terrifying, exciting reality of AI and why Australia lags behind in adoption
• The vicarious trauma HR teams face managing legislated domestic violence issues
• Why human resources desperately needs a dedicated seat at the government table
• The controversial downside of workplace fairness versus rewarding hard work
• Rapid fire: Empire Records, gluten-free baking, and restoring a 1957 Rover

When the workplace gets complicated, the best way forward isn't narrowing your focus—it’s broadening your mindset.

South Geldard Lawyers — HR & Employment Law Support: southgeldard.com.au
Do you think mandated workplace "fairness" makes it harder to reward your highest performers? Let us know your thoughts below

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