HR Unboxed

Sponsored by Breathe HR,  the smart and intuitive HR software for SMEs, designed to free up your time and empower your people.  If you’re looking to simplify your HR, check them out at breathehr.com

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Episodes

• HR Unboxed S02 E12 | Unwritten rules

  Saturday, 1 August 2026

  50 minutes

  The HR team reveals the unwritten workplace rules that everyone is expected to know but nobody ever puts in the employee handbook.

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• HR Unboxed S02 E11 | Probation Pressures: Preparing for the Unfair Dismissal Shake-Up

  Saturday, 18 July 2026

  46 minutes

  Natalie and Faye explain how upcoming unfair dismissal changes will transform probation periods and why businesses need stronger recruitment, review and documentation processes.

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• HR Unboxed S02 E10 | Four Office Romances and a Tribunal

  Tuesday, 2 June 2026

  1 hour 2 minutes

  Natalie and Faye explore the risks, realities and HR challenges of workplace relationships, from office romances and friendships to family businesses, favouritism and professional boundaries.

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• HR Unboxed | S02 E09 | Employment Rights Act 2025: The Real Fallout Businesses Weren’t Ready For

  Friday, 1 May 2026

  43 minutes

  How the Employment Rights Act 2025 is affecting real businesses, from rising costs to growing HR challenges.

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• HR Unboxed | S02E08 | Why HR Gets a Bad Reputation BUT Why Businesses Actually Need It!

  Wednesday, 1 April 2026

  55 minutes

  Why HR gets a bad reputation—and why every business, even small ones, needs it to protect their people and stay out of trouble.

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• HR and Health and safety go together like tea and biscuits! | HR Unboxed S02 E07

  Tuesday, 3 March 2026

  1 hour 8 minutes

  Why health and safety matters in every workplace, how HR and compliance overlap, and how better systems, training and awareness can prevent costly incidents and protect employees.

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• Booked Off, Called In, or Pushing Their Luck? Managing Employee Leave Like a Pro | HR Unboxed S02 E06

  Monday, 2 February 2026

  1 hour 8 minutes

  Natalie and Faye unpack every type of employee leave, from annual holidays to emergency dependency leave, and explain what managers legally can and can’t do

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• Budget 2025 Mayhem: HR Chaos, Payroll Panic & What’s Actually Changing | HR Unboxed S02 E05

  Monday, 5 January 2026

  55 minutes

  Breaking down the key HR and business changes arriving in 2026, including wage increases, new sick pay rules, updated paternity rights, frozen tax thresholds, business rate pressures and fresh apprenticeship funding. A clear, informative look at what employers need to prepare for in the year ahead.

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• The 12 Days Of HR Christmas | HR Unboxed S02 E04

  Monday, 1 December 2025

  1 hour 2 minutes

  Natalie, Faye and Chris unwrap the hilarious and chaotic “12 Days of HR Christmas,” tackling festive workplace blunders from Secret Santa slip-ups to office party mayhem with humour and heart.

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• All Systems Go! From Sticky Notes to #Smellgate & Toilet door holiday planners | HR Unboxed S02 E03

  Saturday, 1 November 2025

  59 minutes

  Natalie, Faye and Chris are joined by Adam from Breathe HR to explore hilarious real-life HR stories — from sticky notes and #Smellgate to toilet-door holiday planners — and how smart software can fix the chaos.

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• Am I good enough? The Truth About Imposter Syndrome at Work | HR Unboxed S2 E02

  Wednesday, 1 October 2025

  1 hour 7 minutes

  Self-doubt and the fear of being "found out" affect everyone - find out how to reclaim your confidence

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• Are You Being Watched At Work? | HR Unboxed S2 E01

  Monday, 1 September 2025

  59 minutes

  Natalie and Faye tackle workplace surveillance — from CCTV and keystroke logging to mouse jigglers and geo-fencing — with real cases, legal must-dos and humane, practical ways to build trust, protect people, and stay on the right side of the law.

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• Workplace Clashes | HR Unboxed #12

  Friday, 1 August 2025

  50 minutes

  Holiday requests, WhatsApp mutinies and HR madness — Natalie and Fay break down real workplace clashes in this hilarious and eye-opening episode.

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• HR Unboxed #11 | The One with the Tribunal

  Tuesday, 1 July 2025

  59 minutes

  Natalie and Fay reveal how workplace mistakes end up in costly tribunals — and how to avoid them!

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• HR Unboxed #10 | The One Where You’re (Almost) Fired

  Sunday, 1 June 2025

  59 minutes

  Natalie and Faye unwrap the do’s, don’ts, and downright disasters of dismissals—from fiery exits to tribunal troubles—in this special 10th episode!

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• HR Unboxed #9 | The One With Data Drama and Resignation Revelations

  Thursday, 1 May 2025

  60 minutes

  Severance-style workplaces, data breaches, and post-resignation chaos — HR Unboxed dives deep into the drama shaping today’s working world.

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• HR Unboxed #8: The One Where Middle Managers Do All the Work but Get None of the Credit

  Monday, 14 April 2025

  56 minutes

  Middle managers juggle it all—absenteeism, performance woes, and even awkward dress code chats—so why do they get none of the credit?

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• HR Unboxed #7: The One With The Grievances – The Good, The Bad & The Ridiculous!

  Wednesday, 12 March 2025

  1 hour 1 minute

  Are workplace grievances legit concerns or just office drama? Natalie and Chris break it all down with insight, humour, and real-life HR nightmares!

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• HR Unboxed #6: The One With Employee Confessions

  Monday, 27 January 2025

  46 minutes

  Shocking, hilarious, and cringe-worthy workplace confessions revealed—what would HR say?

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• HR Unboxed #5 - The One With The Christmas Party

  Wednesday, 20 November 2024

  43 minutes

  Practical advice for managing Christmas work events

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• HR Unboxed #4 - The One With The New Starter

  Wednesday, 30 October 2024

  1 hour 4 minutes

  A complete guide for small businesses employing their first member of staff including potential pitfalls and best practice

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• HR Unboxed #3 - The Nitty Gritty of HR

  Thursday, 3 October 2024

  55 minutes

  This episode covers managing employee absences, addressing mental health at work, navigating performance issues, and fostering open communication in the workplace.

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• HR Unboxed #2 - An Avalanche Of Employment Law

  Friday, 23 August 2024

  46 minutes

  Teamwork triumphs on Mount Snowdon, 60 employment law changes loom, and a chef wins £80,000 for workplace harassment

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• HR Unboxed #1 - Introduction

  Friday, 19 July 2024

  55 minutes

  Meet Natalie and Faye and discover how this podcast will help you break down the complexities HR for small businesses

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More episodes...