Pay transparency is about to transform how organisations manage compensation, communicate pay decisions, and demonstrate fairness in the workplace.

In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave is joined by Pat Gurren, Managing Director of Gurren Compensation Consultancy, to unpack the EU Pay Transparency Directive and what it means for employers ahead of its implementation in June 2026.

With over 35 years of experience in compensation strategy, Pat explains why this directive represents the most significant shift in reward management in decades. From new employee information rights and pay reporting requirements to the cultural impact of transparency within organisations, Pat shares practical insights to help HR leaders prepare.

The conversation also explores the growing importance of job evaluation, the risks of delaying preparation, and why this directive is far more than a compliance exercise.

Whether your organisation has already begun preparing or has yet to start, this episode provides essential guidance on how to approach pay transparency in a structured and strategic way.

• Pat Gurren – Managing Director, Gurren Compensation Consultancy

• What the EU Pay Transparency Directive is and why it was introduced
• Why pay secrecy is being targeted by the legislation
• New transparency requirements for employers when advertising roles and negotiating salaries
• Understanding “work categories” and the concept of work of equal value
• Why job evaluation is becoming critical again for HR teams
• The new 5% gender pay gap threshold and what happens if it cannot be justified
• Public reporting requirements expected from 2027 onwards
• The shift in the burden of proof in equal pay claims — from employee to employer
• Why pay transparency is a major organisational culture change, not just a compliance exercise
• Common mistakes organisations are making as they prepare for the directive

• The EU Pay Transparency Directive represents one of the most significant changes to reward management in decades.
• Employers must be prepared to disclose average pay by gender within defined work categories.
• If a gender pay gap of 5% or more exists within a work category and cannot be objectively justified, employers will be required to address it.
• The burden of proof in equal pay cases will shift to the employer, increasing the importance of robust pay structures.
• Job evaluation frameworks will become essential for defining work categories and demonstrating pay fairness.
• Pay data must be continuously monitored, as hiring, promotions, or departures can quickly affect compliance.
• Managers will need training to confidently explain job levels, pay decisions, and reward structures.
• Organisations that delay preparation risk major operational and cultural challenges when transparency increases.
• Pay transparency is not a simple compliance task — it requires data analysis, clear reward strategy, and strong internal communication.

For organisations that have not yet begun preparing, the time to act is now. Addressing job evaluation, pay structures, and reporting capabilities early will make the transition to transparency far more manageable.

You can reach Pat at pat@gurren.ie or via his website at www.gurren.ie.

You can contact us for a confidential conversation at info@insighthr.ie.

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do.

If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn.

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.

We love to hear your feedback, we take requests, and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

Immediate HR support 👉 056 770 1060 or info@insighthr.ie

If you worked somewhere that went through 10 managers in 12 years, made hundreds of redundancies, removed long-standing employee benefits, and had leaders publicly criticise their own team - would you consider it a toxic workplace?

In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Mary are joined by Joe Thompson, Head of HR Services at Insight HR, to examine one of the most talked-about organisations in the world - Manchester United - through an HR lens.

Drawing on recent media coverage and their own professional experience, the team explore whether the challenges at Manchester United reflect the hallmarks of a toxic workplace culture, and what HR professionals can learn from it.

Together, they unpack leadership behaviour, culture drift, psychological safety, employer brand damage, and the risks of reactive change - offering practical advice for HR leaders navigating similar issues in their own organisations.

• Joe Thompson – Head of HR Services, Insight HR

• What defines a toxic workplace culture?
• Leadership behaviour and its ripple effect across an organisation
• High performer favouritism and double standards
• The impact of constant leadership turnover
• Psychological safety – what it looks like (and what it doesn’t)
• Employer brand damage and recruitment risks
• Why “quick fixes” and constant restructuring can make things worse
• The hidden cost of blame culture and fear-based management
• The role of HR in diagnosing culture challenges
• Practical steps to rebuild trust and create a healthier workplace

• Toxic cultures rarely start with dramatic events — they begin with small tolerated behaviours that become normalised.
• Culture change takes years, not months — and must be consistent.
• Values must be lived, not laminated.
• Leadership alignment between words and actions is critical.
• HR’s role is to diagnose, listen, structure feedback, and guide meaningful change — not simply label a workplace “toxic.”

If any of the warning signs discussed resonate with your organisation, it may be time to step back, assess honestly, and put a structured plan in place.

How Manchester Utd became a textbook example of a toxic workplace - RTÉ

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do.

If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn.

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.

We love to hear your feedback, we take requests, and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

Immediate HR support 👉 056 770 1060 or info@insighthr.ie

Gender stereotypes continue to shape how work is valued, how talent is assessed, and how people progress in organisations, often in ways that operate beneath the surface of conscious awareness. Despite decades of progress on gender equality, deeply embedded assumptions about leadership, competence and commitment continue to influence workplace decisions.

In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Mary are joined by globally recognised researcher and DEI expert Lori Mackenzie, co-founder of the Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab, to explore how gender stereotypes persist in today’s workforce — and why they matter for HR leaders.

Drawing on international research, real workplace examples and lived experience, the conversation examines how stereotypes show up in recruitment, promotion, performance assessment and leadership language. They discuss why women can also internalise and reinforce these beliefs, the impact of motherhood penalties, and how seemingly neutral words can carry gendered assumptions.

They also explore the growing role of AI in HR decision-making - both the risks of embedding existing bias at scale, and the opportunity to use data and pattern recognition to challenge inequity.

• Lori Mackenzie – Co-Founder, Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab

• Why gender stereotypes remain deeply embedded in modern workplaces
• Findings from the European Institute for Gender Equality on attitudes to pay and work value
• How stereotypes influence hiring, promotion and reward decisions
• Why women can also internalise and reinforce gender bias
• The “motherhood penalty” and its impact on career progression
• How language reinforces narrow definitions of leadership and success
• Gendered descriptors such as “bossy”, “shrill” and “strategic” — and why they matter
• Where bias shows up across the employee lifecycle, from recruitment to development
• The risks of relying on “gut instinct” in hiring and promotion decisions
• AI in HR: amplifying bias versus using technology to identify patterns and blind spots
• Practical tools to block bias, including scorecards, rubrics and clearer success criteria
• The role of transparency, awareness and self-reflection in driving real change

• European Institute for Gender Equality – Gender Equality Index
• Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab LinkedIn page
• Lori's website

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn. For confidential HR support, contact info@insighthr.ie 📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060

We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by The HR Room, produced by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland and beyond about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.

Embedding workplace wellbeing takes more than good intentions and one-off initiatives. It requires people across the organisation who are willing to champion it every day. In this episode of the Wellness Works mini-series on The HR Room Podcast, Dave Corkery and Laura Barry, Head of People Development at Insight HR, are joined by special guest Brian Crooke, Founder of Workplace Wellbeing Ireland and The Work Well Institute, to explore how wellbeing champions can bring strategy to life on the ground.

Together, they unpack what a wellbeing champion really is (and what they’re not), why peer-led influence is so powerful, and how champion networks help bridge the gap between wellbeing policy and everyday employee experience. The conversation covers how to select, train and support champions, the importance of role clarity and leadership backing, and how to avoid common pitfalls such as overload, lack of structure or tokenism.

Drawing on practical examples from organisations across Ireland, including Irish Life and ESB, this episode offers clear, actionable guidance for HR professionals and leaders who want to embed wellbeing in a sustainable, credible and inclusive way - not just as an initiative, but as part of organisational culture.

• Brian Crooke – Founder, Workplace Wellbeing Ireland & the Work Well Institute

• What wellbeing champions are, and how they differ from mental health first aiders
• Why peer influence is critical to embedding wellbeing
• Selecting champions through voluntary, inclusive processes
• The importance of role clarity, expectations and boundaries
• Training champions to take ownership and shape their role
• Supporting champions without overwhelming them
• Governance, structure and leadership sponsorship of champion networks
• Measuring impact without turning wellbeing into a tick-box exercise
• Common mistakes organisations make, and how to avoid them
• What “good” looks like when a champion network is working well

• Workplace Wellbeing Ireland – Wellbeing Champion Programmes
• Workwell Institute – Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness
• Insight HR – Workplace Wellbeing Consulting & Support
• Wellness Works Live Webinar – Designing Your Wellbeing Strategy (February 17)

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn.

If today’s episode has you thinking about introducing or strengthening a wellbeing champion network in your organisation, you can arrange a confidential consultation with Laura Barry by emailing info@insighthr.ie.

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review. We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060 📧 info@insighthr.ie

Workplace investigations sit at the heart of fairness, trust and accountability in organisations. But when investigations involve high-profile individuals, external parties, or allegations of serious misconduct, the scrutiny can be intense and the risks for employers multiply rapidly if fair procedures are not followed.

In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Mary are joined by Rebecca Bowman, Head of Investigations at Insight HR, to examine a recent high-profile UK case involving HarperCollins and allegations made against author David Walliams.

Using what has been publicly reported about the case, they whether the investigation process itself may have been flawed and what HR leaders can learn when managing allegations involving contractors, public figures and non-employees.

They unpack the principles of natural justice, the importance of fair procedures, and why speed, secrecy or outcome-driven approaches can expose organisations to legal challenge, reputational damage and loss of trust. The discussion offers practical guidance for HR professionals navigating complex investigations under intense pressure.

• Rebecca Bowman – Head of Investigations, Insight HR

• Why workplace investigations must be handled with care — especially in high-profile cases
• The HarperCollins / David Walliams case and what has been publicly reported
• Investigating allegations involving contractors, consultants and external parties
• Employers’ duty of care when employees interact with non-employees
• What “natural justice” and fair procedures mean in practice
• Why the right to respond is fundamental to any defensible investigation
• The risks of outcome-driven or rushed investigations
• Reputational damage caused by flawed investigation processes
• Protecting employee wellbeing while ensuring procedural fairness
• When to involve external investigators in complex or sensitive cases
• Key non-negotiables for a fair, impartial and robust investigation

• Media coverage of the HarperCollins / David Walliams investigation
• Workplace Investigation Services - Insight HR
• Workplace Investigations Guide - Insight HR

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, you can do that here. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn.

For confidential HR support, contact info@insighthr.ie 📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060

We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by The HR Room Podcast, produced by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland and beyond about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review.

Workplace wellbeing is often talked about as an HR initiative – but without leadership ownership, even the best programmes struggle to succeed. In this second episode of the Wellness Works mini-series on The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Laura are joined by special guest Stacey Machesney, Head of Health & Wellbeing at Irish Life, to explore why leadership is the true foundation of sustainable workplace wellbeing.

Together, they discuss why wellbeing cannot sit with HR alone, the dangers of box‑ticking, and how leadership behaviour, culture and work design shape the real employee experience. They examine the ethical, legal and business risks of getting wellbeing wrong, the growing impact of mental health claims, and the modern challenges leaders now face – from hybrid work and loneliness to neurodiversity and inclusion.

From practical guidance on influencing senior leaders to the importance of empathy, training and role‑modelling healthy behaviours, this episode offers clear insights for HR professionals and leaders who want to move beyond surface‑level initiatives and build workplaces where people can truly thrive.

• Laura Barry – Head of People Development, Insight HR • Stacey Machesney – Head of Health & Wellbeing, Irish Life

• Why leadership ownership is essential for effective workplace wellbeing • The risks of leaving wellbeing with HR alone • Box‑ticking and the limits of one‑off initiatives • Leadership behaviour, culture and work design as drivers of wellbeing • Ethical and legal responsibilities around psychological health and safety • The business cost of poor mental health, burnout and presenteeism • Equipping leaders with the skills and confidence to support their teams • Neurodiversity, inclusion and the future of workplace supports • Hybrid work, loneliness and rebuilding social connection at work • How HR can build a strong business case for wellbeing with senior leaders

- Wellness Works Webinar: Designing a Wellbeing Programme That Works

- Irish Life's Health of the Nation Report 2025

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn.

If today’s episode has you thinking about leadership and wellbeing in your organisation – whether you’re starting from scratch or strengthening an existing approach – you can arrange a confidential consultation with Laura Barry by emailing info@insighthr.ie.

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please share it with colleagues or friends and leave us a review. We love your feedback and we’re always here to support you with your HR challenges.

📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060 📧 info@insighthr.ie