Podcast 236: Speaking the language of the business - Why HR needs commercial acumen
33 min
“You can’t influence what you don’t understand.” For HR professionals, the link between business knowledge and organisational impact is no longer optional. To operate as strategic partners, people professionals need to understand how their organisation creates value: how it makes money, what drives performance, which metrics matter, where its pain points lie and how external trends are reshaping the business. Join host Nigel Cassidy and guests Aly Fadil, Chief People Officer at Matalan, and Jane-Emma Peerless, Director of People and Chief Commercial Officer at Caxton, as they explore how HR professionals can build commercial awareness, turning business knowledge into sharper judgement, stronger people strategy and greater credibility. In this episode, our panel explores: Why commercial acumen matters for HR and what is at stake when people strategy becomes disconnected from business priorities. What commercial acumen looks like in practice from understanding finance, customers and frontline operations to using the right metrics and making smarter workforce decisions. How HR can build commercial credibility without compromising its commitment to good people practice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.