Leading Through Change: HR, Crisis Management & Employee Relations with Brian Bowden

What really happens when an organisation has to change? Whether it's restructuring, new technology, a crisis or changing employee expectations, successful change isn't just about having the right strategy. It's about understanding the people affected by it. In this episode of The Human Side of Business Podcast, Louisa Meehan is joined by Brian Bowden, an experienced C-suite HR leader, advisor and Non-Executive Director, to explore the human side of organisational change and employee relations. Brian shares lessons from more than 30 years in senior HR roles with Aer Lingus and Trinity College Dublin, including his experience navigating major periods of change, crisis and transformation. Louisa and Brian explore why people resist change, what might really sit behind that resistance, and why understanding the underlying concern can help leaders find a better way forward. They also discuss communicating change, managing cultural shifts, the impact of technology and AI, recruitment and retention, and why the people who remain after organisational change can face some of the biggest challenges. The conversation also explores employee relations, investigations, disciplinary processes and the growing impact of social media and WhatsApp on workplace relationships. From managing uncertainty to making difficult decisions, Brian shares why success isn't simply about delivering results, but about asking whether you did the right thing for the right reasons. ============= Guest: Brian Bowden Brian Bowden is an experienced C-suite HR leader and advisor, and a Non-Executive Director. He spent over 30 years in senior HR roles with Aer Lingus and Trinity College Dublin, most recently serving as Chief People Officer at Aer Lingus from 2015 to 2023, where he led a 35-person HR team and advised the CEO, Board and Executive Team through periods of growth and crisis. Brian's expertise spans HR strategy, organisational restructuring, change management, employee engagement, industrial relations, performance and reward, pensions, dispute resolution including mediation, and governance and risk. He also holds a number of board roles, including Bus Éireann, where he chairs the Remuneration and People Committee and sits on the Audit and Risk Committee. He is a Chartered Director, holds an MBS in Human Resources Strategy, is a Fellow of the CIPD and an accredited mediator with CEDR. ============= Host: Louisa Meehan | Woodview HRM www.woodviewhrm.com www.thehumansideofbusiness.com ============= 🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations from the trenches of people management. ============= Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:56 Meet Brian Bowden 02:20 Why People Resist Change 04:00 Finding the Real Reason Behind Resistance 05:30 Managing Change During Crisis 07:45 Why Cultural Change Is Harder 09:35 The Impact of Technology on Work 11:30 What AI Change Means for Employees 13:00 Communicating Change Effectively 15:20 Why Face-to-Face Communication Matters 17:10 The Human Side of Workplace Changes 19:00 How Recruitment Has Changed 21:00 Retention and Changing Career Expectations 23:30 When Good Employees Leave 26:30 Employee Relations and Workplace Processes 29:00 Why Employees Should Engage With the Process 31:30 Social Media, WhatsApp and Employee Relations 34:30 Managing Misinformation in the Workplace 37:30 What Does Success Look Like Now? 39:30 Making Decisions During Uncertainty 41:00 Final Reflections =============== #TheHumanSideOfBusinessPodcast #WoodviewHRM #ChangeManagement #HRLeadership #EmployeeRelations #CrisisManagement #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #OrganisationalChange #FutureOfWork