Robyn Djelassi is a seasoned HR and operations executive with deep expertise in organisational culture, leadership, and employer branding. With a strong consulting background, she bridges the gap between people and performance, helping organisations build high-trust, high-impact cultures that last. Known for her straight-talking and no-nonsense approach, Robyn delivers insights that cut through HR jargon to focus on what truly matters — getting results and supporting people. She’s worked with businesses of all sizes to reshape how leaders think about human resources, guiding them toward sustainable success through practical, grounded strategies. With years of lived experience across the HR landscape, Robyn brings authenticity, clarity, and action-driven wisdom to every conversation.

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Why do so many businesses underestimate the power of senior-level HR — and what happens when they finally get it right? 

In this engaging episode of Talking with the Experts: Business Insights, Rose Davidson talks with Robyn Djelassi, a seasoned HR and operations executive who’s spent years helping leaders transform culture, performance, and engagement from the inside out. 

Robyn’s approach is bold, honest, and refreshingly human. She believes in cutting through corporate jargon to deliver what she calls “no-BS HR” — strategies that actually work in the real world. With a strong consulting background and lived experience across multiple industries, Robyn understands the deep connection between people, purpose, and performance. 

Listeners will walk away with actionable insights on building trust, boosting productivity, and shaping a workplace culture that supports both leaders and employees. This episode reminds us that HR isn’t about compliance — it’s about connection, accountability, and growth. 

Whether you’re scaling a startup or managing an established business, Robyn’s wisdom will help you see HR in a whole new light.

✨ Three Key Takeaways

1. Why investing in senior-level HR expertise drives long-term business success.
2. How a no-BS approach to HR builds stronger culture and accountability.
3. Practical steps for aligning people and performance in any organisation.

• Both Rose and Robyn entered HR through unconventional paths, with Rose completing a diploma in HR in the 2000s and Robyn starting in computer science before accidentally working for an IT recruitment agency.
• Commercial acumen is identified as the key requirement for HR professionals, with emphasis on understanding business numbers, P&L statements, and balance sheets rather than just being warm and fuzzy.
• Removing emotion from HR situations is crucial when dealing with employee concerns about remuneration, benefits, and workplace issues, treating employees as grown adults rather than providing parental care.
• HR professionals must balance genuine empathy for employees’ personal situations with business needs and maintain internal equity and consistency in decision-making.
• Robyn’s career spans internal HR roles across tech companies, including HR director at Unicode Computer Systems, taking a business from Series B to IPO, and serving as chief people officer at wine e-commerce company Vino Mofo.
• Consulting allows HR professionals to share senior-level knowledge across multiple industries and stakeholders, applying battle-tested solutions quickly in a fit-for-purpose manner rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.
• Burnout is a significant issue in HR due to handling deeply personal situations like self-harm, grief, pregnancy loss, and redundancies without formal psychology training, causing physical stress symptoms.
• Senior HR professionals are essential because AI can handle administrative tasks and policy writing, but human expertise is needed for nuanced people management and complex workplace situations.
• AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude are embraced for handling repetitive grunt work, policy creation, and administrative tasks, freeing up time for high-impact human interactions and strategic work.
• Small businesses under 15 employees still face substantial compliance obligations, with recent cases showing fines of $100,000 for lacking anti-discrimination policies and grievance procedures.
• Impact People Solutions offers CPO Connect service providing direct mobile access to senior HR professionals for compliance reviews, risk assessments, and ongoing advisory support.
• Australian employment legislation is more consistent across states compared to the US, where laws can vary dramatically between towns, making compliance management more straightforward.
• Five complimentary compliance reviews are offered to listeners at cpoconnect.com.au for business owners wanting to assess their current HR policies and identify areas needing updates.