In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, which was recorded at our live event in May 2026, Emma Djemil sits down with Laura Morton to explore what happens when your life looks successful on paper, but something inside you knows that something needs to change.

Laura was a trusted and highly regarded Head of People, working in a role she loved, with people she respected and a business she believed in. Yet despite all of that, she found herself feeling increasingly disconnected from herself, her energy and what she wanted from life.

So she did something many people only ever dream about - she left. No job lined up. No guaranteed next step. No master plan. Just a decision to trust herself and create the space to figure out what came next.

Together, Emma and Laura explore:

• What it feels like to leave a successful career without another job to go to
• The relationship between identity and work
• Why so many HR professionals ignore the signals telling them something isn't right
• Intuition, self-trust and listening to your body
• Burnout, energy and being "well resourced"
• The pressure to keep going when you know you need a break
• Why rest isn't failure
• Creating a life that works for you, not just one that looks good on paper

This is an honest, thoughtful and deeply relatable conversation about courage, self-awareness and having the confidence to choose something different when your head is telling you one thing and your heart is telling you another.

Whether you're considering a career change, feeling stuck in a role you once loved, or simply wondering what it might look like to prioritise yourself for a change, this episode is a powerful reminder that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is pause and listen.

If this episode resonated, firstly, welcome. You are very much amongst your people here.

You can connect with Emma on LinkedIn, where she spends a lot of time talking about confidence, leadership, visibility, self-trust and the realities of working in HR.

If you're at a point in your career where you're questioning things, feeling stuck, disconnected from yourself or wanting greater impact without sacrificing your entire nervous system in the process, Emma also works with women in HR through 1:1 coaching. Find out more about that here.

If you enjoyed this episode, do all the lovely podcast-y things: subscribe, leave a review, share it with your HR bestie, or stick it on LinkedIn so more women realise they're not the only ones feeling this stuff.

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations about confidence, leadership, vulnerability and sustainable impact in HR.

#HRLeadership #WomenInHR #HumanResources #CareerDevelopment #Confidence #Leadership #SelfTrust #BurnoutPrevention #HumansResourced

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil sits down with Gemma Bryan to talk about confidence, self-worth and what happens when one person's opinion makes you question everything you thought you knew about yourself.

After spending nearly two years building an HR function, securing Great Place to Work accreditation and being publicly recognised for her contribution, Gemma found herself unexpectedly out of a job. What followed was a journey through self-doubt, rebuilding confidence and ultimately finding a role where she could thrive, be valued and rediscover her belief in herself.

Together, Emma and Gemma explore:

• Losing your job unexpectedly and the impact it can have on your confidence
• Why so many of us tie our identity and self-worth to our work
• Trusting your intuition when something doesn't feel right
• The difference between being the wrong person and being in the wrong environment
• The importance of support, community and asking for help
• Rebuilding confidence after rejection
• Authenticity, self-trust and being comfortable in your own skin
• Remembering your value when others fail to see it

This is an honest, hopeful and relatable conversation for anyone who has ever had their confidence knocked by a workplace experience, questioned whether they're good enough, or found themselves wondering if they're the problem.

You'll hear reflections on leadership, identity, resilience and why one person's opinion should never be allowed to define your worth.

If this episode resonated, firstly, welcome. You are very much amongst your people here.

You can connect with Emma on LinkedIn, where she spends a lot of time talking about confidence, leadership, visibility, self-trust and the realities of working in HR.

If you're at a point in your career where you're questioning things, feeling stuck, disconnected from yourself or wanting greater impact without sacrificing your entire nervous system in the process, Emma also works with women in HR through 1:1 coaching. Find out more about that here.

If you enjoyed this episode, do all the lovely podcast-y things: subscribe, leave a review, share it with your HR bestie, or stick it on LinkedIn so more women realise they're not the only ones feeling this stuff.

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations about confidence, leadership, vulnerability and sustainable impact in HR.

#HRLeadership #WomenInHR #HumanResources #CareerDevelopment #Confidence #Leadership #SelfTrust #HRCommunity #HumansResourced

In this episode of The HR Big Meet Podcast, Emma Djemil sits down with Kirsty Baggs-Morgan to talk about confidence, identity, authenticity and what happens when the career you've built your life around suddenly disappears.

After more than a decade with the same organisation, Kirsty was unexpectedly let go from her role as Head of HR. What followed was a period of self-doubt, rebuilding and ultimately redefining who she was beyond her job title.

Together, Emma and Kirsty explore:

• Losing your job and rebuilding your confidence
• Why so many HR professionals tie their identity to their work
• Authenticity, values and understanding what really matters to you
• Setting boundaries and refusing to tolerate poor behaviour
• The pressure to fit in within corporate environments
• Confidence, resilience and career reinvention
• Why HR professionals need support too
• Creating a career that aligns with who you are, not who others expect you to be

This is an honest, funny and thought-provoking conversation about self-worth, authenticity and finding your way back to yourself when the thing you thought defined you is taken away.

Expect stories of unexpected redundancy, Australian flights booked after too much wine, terrible management decisions, metal music, and plenty of moments that will have you questioning how much of your identity is wrapped up in your work.

If this episode resonated, firstly, welcome. You are very much amongst your people here.

You can connect with Emma on LinkedIn, where she spends a lot of time talking about confidence, leadership, visibility, self-trust and the realities of working in HR.

If you're at a point in your career where you're questioning things, feeling stuck, disconnected from yourself or wanting greater impact without sacrificing your entire nervous system in the process, Emma also works with women in HR through 1:1 coaching. Find out more about that here.

If you enjoyed this episode, do all the lovely podcast-y things: subscribe, leave a review, share it with your HR bestie, or stick it on LinkedIn so more women realise they're not the only ones feeling this stuff.

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations about confidence, leadership, vulnerability and sustainable impact in HR.

#HRLeadership #WomenInHR #HumanResources #CareerDevelopment #Confidence #Leadership #Authenticity #SelfTrust #HRCommunity #HumansResourced