For HR professionals, staying ahead of trends and best practices isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Being in-the-know about everything from regulatory developments to the job market can help you excel in your role, while also supporting desirable outcomes for both your employees and your company.
But if you’re like most HR leaders—especially those managing talent across multiple countries and time zones—finding time to stay informed can feel impossible. Podcasts offer a smarter way to stay connected, bringing expert insights to your commute, your daily walk, or your inbox. Fortunately, there are a lot of great HR podcasts out there, covering everything from recruiting to organizational culture, workplace trends, and more.
Here’s a roundup of the best HR podcasts, especially for People leaders at globally distributed organizations.
10 best podcasts for HR professionals
1. New World of Work
For People leaders building globally distributed teams, Oyster’s New World of Work podcast offers insights, advice, and commentary on the future of work. Tune in to hear from leading experts on remote and hybrid work, employee experience, HR best practices, global compensation, workplace trends, and more.
2. HR Happy Hour
Upbeat and conversational, HR Happy Hour is both a podcast and a web radio show that tackles topics like recruiting, leadership, and HR technology. Hosted by Steve Boese and Trish McFarlane, it is the longest-running HR podcast, giving you plenty of episodes to catch up on. Turn to this podcast for up-to-date insights on evolving HR issues, including recent developments in employment laws and other need-to-know workforce updates.
3. Culture First: A podcast by Culture Amp
Featuring stories about building a better workplace for everyone, Culture First tackles topics like employee engagement, performance management, and diversity and inclusion. Podcast guests include leaders from around the world, making this one of the top HR podcasts for global professionals. As its name hints, this podcast is also well suited for listeners seeking a deeper dive into the cultural aspects of talent management, with recent episodes focusing on topics like the employee experience and workplace mental health.
4. DriveThruHR
Quick and witty, DriveThruHR is a half-hour show that airs once every two weeks—perfect for a lunch break listen. Tune in as hosts Mike VanDervort, Robin Schooling, Dwane Lay, and Crystal Miller Lay cover topics like talent management, leadership, and HR technology. Look to these experts for insights into the latest workforce trends in an engaging and easily digestible format.
5. The Recruiting Brainfood Podcast
Taking deep dives into topics like recruiting trends, the state of the job market, and AI’s role in HR, the Recruiting Brainfood Podcast invites founders of recruitment tech companies from around the globe to share practical insights. They’ll keep you in the loop with timely HR updates on topics like employee engagement, talent acquisition, and HR compliance. The podcast also hits on remote hiring, so be sure to subscribe if your company operates globally or is expanding its hiring territories.
6. #WorkTrends
With bite-sized episodes spanning 15 to 20 minutes, #WorkTrends covers virtually every HR-related topic imaginable. Host and HR thought leader Meghan M. Biro interviews industry experts to discuss everything from hybrid work to HR tech. With its fun and engaging interview format, this podcast is a long-time favorite and consistently ranks among the best podcasts for HR professionals. In between new episodes released each Wednesday, listeners can also engage in conversations on X using the #WorkTrends chat.
7. HR Party of One
Designed with startups and growth-focused small businesses in mind, HR Party of One covers the full gamut of HR topics. It’s especially useful for listeners who are interested in talent management, including topics like onboarding and offboarding, company culture, and recruitment strategies. Consider it your HR how-to guide, useful for both new HR professionals and seasoned experts looking to expand or refresh their knowledge.
8. Building Remotely by SafetyWing
Global employers will appreciate Building Remotely: as its name suggests, the podcast focuses specifically on remote work. Its host, Sondre Rasch, is the CEO and Co-Founder of SafetyWing, an insurance company tailored exclusively to the needs of remote workers, including digital nomads. Listen as company founders and thought leaders discuss everything from taxes to conflict resolution and workforce productivity.
9. We’re Only Human
Recognizing the fact that HR professionals are often stigmatized as being uptight, host Ben Eubanks started We’re Only Human to remind listeners that the best HR leaders are in fact visionaries whose contributions have a far-reaching impact on business outcomes. Tech-savvy HR professionals will especially want to take a listen, as the podcast highlights the ways in which technology can empower leaders to meet the needs of the modern workforce.
10. Nine to Thrive HR
Hosted by various industry experts, Nine to Thrive HR is among the most comprehensive human resources podcasts on this list. Its sweeping catalog of episodes covers everything from change management to mental health. Each half-hour episode offers insights from veteran HR leaders, including professionals from Fortune 1000 companies.
Empower your HR team with Oyster
The best HR leaders are lifelong learners—always exploring new ideas, perspectives, and strategies to lead their people well. These podcasts offer a window into the conversations shaping the future of work—from talent strategy and culture-building to leadership in a global, distributed world.
If you’re building a distributed team, Oyster provides end-to-end global employment support as well as deep local knowledge of local compliance, compensation, benefits, and more. Learn how Oyster can help you stay competitive and thrive in an evolving, borderless world of work, or reach out for a personalized consultation.
About Oyster
Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.
Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.
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