In this new podcast episode of Sopra Steria Insights, Resourcing Solutions Consultants Allie Kennedy and Ceri Amphlett explore what’s changing in recruitment and what matters most.

If you’ve ever tried to place square pegs in round holes in public sector hiring, this podcast is for you. Allie and Ceri reflect on 2025 and share 10 practical tips for 2026 that teams can use right now.

Included in what they cover:

• AI & automation for speed and fairness (humans make the final call).
• Robust screening for AI‑assisted applications.
• Values‑ and potential‑based hiring.
• Inclusive assessment by design.
• Skills analytics and workforce planning.
• Transparent, fear‑free AI adoption.

In this episode, Adrian Fieldhouse, Managing Director of Strategic Digital Solutions at Sopra Steria, and Marc Hardwick, Senior Research Director at TechMarketView, discuss how organisations can responsibly scale digital transformation by embedding trust, transparency, and human-centered values throughout the process.

In our new podcast series, we join forces with TechMarketView to unpick what it really takes to embed and scale AI responsibly. Spoiler – you need to look beyond the tech.

Across three episodes, Adrian Fieldhouse, Managing Director of Strategic Digital Solutions at Sopra Steria, and Marc Hardwick, Senior Research Director at TechMarketView, discuss the elements that can make or break an organisation’s experience with AI.

Adrian Fieldhouse, Managing Director of Strategic Digital Solutions at Sopra Steria, and Marc Hardwick, Senior Research Director at TechMarketView, discuss how organisations can move beyond experimental AI and successfully integrate it as a reliable, scalable core driver of growth and resilience.

In this episode, host Alison McHarg sits down with Nick Heckscher, our Chief Experience Officer – Resourcing, for a thought-provoking conversation about the evolving world of recruitment.

They explore how applying for a role today compares to 30 years ago, what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. From the growing role of AI in job searches to the increasing importance of candidate experience, Alison and Nick unpack the variables shaping the recruitment process, including the wealth of research opportunities now available to candidates.

The discussion also tackles key challenges for employers, such as managing high application volumes in today’s climate, and shares practical ideas on how to help people fulfil their potential and give candidates the confidence to succeed.

If you’re curious about the future of hiring and how to create a better experience for candidates and recruiters alike, this episode is for you.

From tool to co-worker: The rise of Agentic AI

In this episode of Sopra Steria Insights, Neil Gladstone, AI and Data Practice Director at Sopra Steria, Spencer Izard, Principal Analyst at PAC, and Adam Spearing, EMEA Head of AI Innovation at ServiceNow, explore a major shift in the world of artificial intelligence - the rise of agentic AI.

They discuss what happens when AI stops being just a tool and starts acting like a coworker, bringing autonomy, reasoning, and collaboration into the workplace. Together, they unpack the opportunities and challenges this creates, from trust and accountability to how organisations can prepare for a future where humans and AI truly work side by side.

Join us for a new episode of Sopra Steria Insights, where Neil Gladstone, AI and Data Practice Director at Sopra Steria and Tom Staley, Tech Advisory and Innovation Lead at Sopra Steria Next uncover why so many AI proof of concepts never make it past the pilot stage and what it really takes to scale them successfully.

Tune in to discover how organisations can move beyond experimentation to deliver AI that’s ethical, valuable, and built for real-world impact.

Empowering people in the age of AI

Join us for an exciting episode of Sopra Steria Insights, where Becky Davis, AI Consulting Director at Sopra Steria Next, and David Parsons, Chief Operating Officer, Transformative Business Services at Sopra Steria, explore what it really takes to help organisations and their people adapt to the AI era.

They discuss how businesses can build confidence in AI, lead meaningful cultural change, and prepare their workforce for the future.

Recruitment is evolving, with renewed emphasis on delivering a positive candidate experience and ensuring satisfaction for both recruiters and successful applicants. This balanced approach reflects recruitment working at its best—where everyone involved feels valued and supported.

Our Insights podcast features our host Alison McHarg, Sopra Steria Marketing and Nick Heckscher, Chief Experience Officer – Sopra Steria Resourcing. We explore how recruitment is changing fast to include more AI outputs, with renewed emphasis on delivering a positive candidate experience.