Is HR fit for purpose?
This week on Work is Weird Now, we’re joined by Abigail Wilmore, HR leader, consultant, and founder of People Flow. With over 25 years of experience across luxury, fashion, and beauty, Abigail has helped transform workplace cultures at brands like Gucci, Stella McCartney, and Tom Ford Fashion. She’s now focused on creating more human-centred HR — and building a community for HR professionals navigating today’s pressures.
HR’s Reputation Problem
Too often HR is seen as the “compliance” or “firing” department. Abigail argues that while compliance and risk management are vital, HR must also be trusted as a strategic partner — shaping culture, supporting people, and driving change.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work
Post-pandemic, employee needs have become more visible and diverse. Abigail explains why large, one-size-fits-all policies fall flat — and how forward-thinking organisations are designing more flexible, personalised approaches.
Rebranding HR
The shift from “HR” to “People and Culture” isn’t just cosmetic. Abigail believes HR must think like marketers: creating campaigns, telling stories, and building employer brands that attract the right talent and reflect the culture people will actually experience.
The Challenges Right Now
From her work with the People Flow community, Abigail sees three big challenges facing HR today:
Proving strategic value while handling day-to-day demands.
Redefining organisational culture in a hybrid world.
Figuring out the role of AI in personalising employee experience without losing the human touch.
The Future of Skills
Emotional intelligence and adaptability are rising to the top of the “human skills” list, while AI and tech literacy are becoming critical hard skills. For HR leaders, the mandate is clear: help people thrive in constant change.
Red Flags to Watch
When Abigail goes into organisations, she looks for tell-tale signs of outdated mindsets: HR reporting into finance or legal, culture always left to the end of leadership agendas, and reliance on annual surveys with no real follow-through.
What’s Next for People Flow
Abigail is focused on growing People Flow as a supportive community for HR professionals — expanding events across Europe and North America — while continuing her consultancy work to bring human-centred HR to more industries.
👉Listen to the full conversation with Abigail to hear why HR’s future depends on empathy, adaptability, and rethinking its mandate for a new era of work.
