Heart at Work with Trina Sunday
Heart at Work with Trina Sunday is a podcast for HR leaders and change-makers who believe there is a braver way to lead work and feel energised to step into it.
Hosted by human-first leadership strategist and creator of the HEART Work™ model, Trina Sunday draws on more than 25 years of experience across Australia, Asia, and global leadership communities to explore what it truly takes to build workplaces where people and performance thrive side by side.
This is not about policy updates or buzzwords. It is about the conversations that matter: influence, culture under pressure, leadership courage, and the behaviours that shape how work actually feels.
At the heart of it all is one relentless question: What are the real conditions for people to experience happiness at work?
Through honest reflections and global perspectives, Trina helps HR move from compliance to courageous influence, because there is no profit without a pulse.
If you are ready to lead with clarity, courage, and compassion, you are in the right place. Because HR has a new future. And it leads with heart.
Episodes
52 episodes
Welcome to Heart at Work with Trina Sunday
There’s a quiet tension in HR.We’re told people are our greatest asset… right before people strategy gets pushed aside for operational urgency.So what if there’s a braver way to lead work?Heart at Work with Trina ...
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3:19
50. What 50 Conversations About HR Really Taught Me
What if the real story of HR isn’t about HR processes at all?This episode marks a milestone. Not because it’s number 50, but because it prompted me to pause and really listen. Not just to the words, but to the patterns across every gues...
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Episode 50
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10:41
49. Only in Australia: HR, Humanity and the Unwritten Rules
Ever been pulled aside for a “quick chat” that blew out your whole day?In this episode of Reimagining HR, I’m pulling back the curtain on what HR really looks like in Australia. From “she’ll be right” risk management to navigating the w...
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Episode 49
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10:26
48. The Human Edge: Critical Thinking AI & HR’s Next Frontier with Bethan Winn
Are we outsourcing our thinking to AI, and what does that mean for leadership, decision-making and HR?What happens when HR stops telling people what to think, and starts helping them think for themselves? In this episode, I speak with cr...
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Episode 48
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37:45
47. Beyond the Bonus: What We’re Really Rewarding at Work with Warren Land
Is your reward system really reflecting what you value most, or just what’s easiest to measure?As the year wraps, I sat down with Warren Land, Director of the Reward Practice and one of Australia's leading experts in remuneration and inc...
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Episode 47
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42:08
46. Heart work and Hard Tech: Building Fairer Systems in the Age of AI with Aubrey Blanche
What does fairness look like when AI is making the decisions?Artificial intelligence is changing the way we hire, develop, and lead, but who benefits when we rush to automate? In this episode, I speak with Aubrey Blanche, Director of Eth...
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Episode 46
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45:45
45. Leading Beyond Fear: Trust, Courage & Making Work Human with Prina Shah
What does fear look like in your workplace, and what would happen if we replaced it with trust?This episode of Reimagining HR is a heart-first, straight-talking conversation between me and workplace transformation expert Prina Shah. We u...
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Episode 45
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51:00
44. Who Am I Without the Job Title? The Real HR Identity Crisis
What happens when your job title fades and you’re no longer the go-to HR guru? Who are you then?Ever felt like your whole identity is wrapped up in your job title? In this episode, I talk about the messy truth about identity in HR. From ...
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Episode 44
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14:45
43. The Hidden Weight of HR: What Happens When People Who Care for Everyone Stop Feeling Safe
Feeling the weight of holding it all together in HR? What if your exhaustion isn’t just stress... but accumulated trauma?HR fatigue is real, and it’s quietly burning out the people at the heart of our workplaces. In this solo episode, I ...
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Episode 43
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10:45
42. The Future of Work Starts with Connection with Keith Ferrazzi
What if your team could build real trust and momentum without the old-school hierarchy?In this episode, I’m joined by Keith Ferrazzi, renowned coach, author of Never Eat Alone and Never Lead Alone, and leading voice on connection and tea...
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Episode 42
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33:20
41. Soul Food at Work: Feeding Your People, Fuelling Your Culture
Are your people spiritually starving at work and is that quietly costing your business?In this episode, I’m talking about soul food at work. Not catered lunches or coffee tabs, the real stuff. The kind that nourishes your spirit and shif...
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Episode 41
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17:38
40. Stop Waiting to Be Chosen: Why HR Must Claim the CEO Path
Are HR leaders really locked out of the CEO seat, or are we holding ourselves back?In this episode, I talk about the real reasons HR professionals aren’t landing the top job, and why it’s not because we're underqualified.From im...
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Episode 40
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25:34
39. Why CHROs Make the Best CEOs in Times of Chaos
What if the skills you’ve honed in HR are exactly what’s needed to be a CEO?In this episode, I challenge one of the most frustrating myths in the business world. That HR leaders can’t become CEOs. I spotlight some standout CHRO-to-CEO s...
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Episode 39
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18:42
38. HR on the Big Screen: Leadership, Power & the Coldplay Kiss
What happens when a Coldplay kiss cam moment spirals into a corporate crisis, executive resignations, and a global HR debate?In this episode, I unpack the very public Coldplay kiss cam controversy that led to the sudden exit of Astronom...
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Episode 38
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29:09
37. Put A Little Heart Into It Mate: Why Soft HR Is Solid Gold
What if leading with heart was the most strategic move you could make?In this episode of Reimagining HR, I challenge the old-school discomfort around emotions in the boardroom and unpack why heart-led leadership isn’t fluffy, it’s funct...
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Episode 37
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22:26
36. HR’s Secret Weapon in Conflict Resolution: Mediation and Repair with Tania Waters
Do you ever wonder if workplace conflict could strengthen relationships, instead of breaking them?In this episode, we chat with mediator Tania Waters about how conflict shows up in the workplace and what happens behind closed doors in m...
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Episode 36
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47:17
35. The Art of Business: Elevating Performance Through Creativity with Bourby Webster
What if creativity wasn’t just a nice-to-have at work, but the missing link for real belonging, innovation and impact?In this episode, I’m joined by Bourby Webster, a creative powerhouse and the founder of the Perth Symphony Orchestra. ...
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Episode 35
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47:15
34. Validation to Value in HR: The Self-Respect Revolution with Dr Katherine Iscoe
Have you ever wondered if your self-respect is the missing piece to your success?In this episode, I chat with Dr. Katherine Iscoe about why self-respect matters just as much, if not more, than confidence in your career. We explore the d...
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Episode 34
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50:01
33. The Emotional Intelligence Advantage: Mastering Change and Conflict with Amy Jacobson
Ever felt like change is happening to your people, not with them?In this episode, I sit down with emotional intelligence and human behaviour specialist Amy Jacobson to talk about what’s really behind resistance to change and why our usu...
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Episode 33
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47:36
32. Creating a Culture of Candour: Lessons in Truth Telling with Dominic Thurbon
Do you ever look around your organisation and think... are we just pretending everything’s fine?In this episode, I talk with Dominic Thurbon about truthful leadership. What happens when lying becomes the norm, and how truth telling coul...
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Episode 32
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43:44
31. You Hate People? Have You Thought of a Career in HR?
Ever thought "I hate people" and then realised... you're in HUMAN resources?If you've ever felt over people, tired of the drama or drained from being everyone's emotional hijacks, this one is for you.In this episode, I’m calling...
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Episode 31
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14:16
30. Micromanagers in the Age of Remote Work: The Final Boss
Is your remote team thriving, or just surviving under the weight of constant check-ins?In this episode, I’m unpacking why micromanagement has gone into overdrive in remote and hybrid workplaces, what’s really driving it (spoiler: it’s n...
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Episode 30
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32:25
29. HR's Secret Weapon: Leveraging Data and Storytelling for Greater Influence
Are your HR insights driving decisions, or just filling dashboards?If you're tired of your people data being ignored, this episode is your guide for turning metrics into influence. I’ll show you how to shift from reporting numbers to sh...
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Episode 29
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33:03
28. Fixing Broken HR Processes: Lean Thinking for HR Teams
How much time is your HR team spending on the work that actually moves the needle?In this episode, I discuss lean thinking and how it can transform your HR function from reactive to high-impact. I’ll walk you through real stories from m...
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Episode 28
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23:26
27. HR in Cambodia and Australia: Same Same or Different?
Are we actually solving the right HR problems, or are we just managing the symptoms?In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of HR in Cambodia, what’s changing, where they’re ahead of the game, and where Australian HR can learn a t...
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Episode 27
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29:50
