The Transformation Myth: Why Big Change Fails in Real Life - Tom Kegode
Tue Dec 02 2025
In this episode of Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It!, Siân Harrington sits down with Tom Kegode – former People & Places Culture Transformation Lead at Lloyds Banking Group – to challenge one of the most overused ideas in corporate life: transformation.
Despite the slide decks, the roadmaps and the change programmes most organisations aren’t actually transforming. They’re stuck in cycles of exhaustion, over-promising and initiative-fatigue. Tom argues that the real fix lies somewhere very different: evolution.
Across his career – from innovation teams to workforce design to hybrid work strategy –Tom has learned that change doesn’t happen through grand programmes. It happens through curiosity, co-creation and short, sharp experiments that shift how people work in the real world. And sometimes it starts as simply as walking into an executive meeting in a green Adidas track top and a baseball cap – his signature signal of “friendly disruption” designed to open up new conversations.
In this episode, we explore:
Why the idea of “transformation” gives leaders false confidenceHow evolution reduces burnout, boosts wellbeing and creates psychological safetyWhat Tom learned from redesigning Lloyds’ hybrid model – including why the first iteration didn’t workHow “unboxing your week” helps people use office time intentionallyWhy learning cultures aren’t built through hours-tracking but through collective, experiential learningThe real lever for culture change: co-creation, agency and protected learning timeWhat Kenya’s young, optimistic workforce taught Tom about adaptability and the future of workWhy curiosity is a muscle that anyone – at any stage – can buildWhether you’re leading a transformation programme, navigating hybrid work or simply trying to make change stick inside a large organisation, this episode offers practical insight into how work actually evolves and how leaders can make that evolution faster, healthier and more human.
Interested in insights about people leadership, HR and the future of work?
Seize and shape the future of work with The People Space, a leading digital HR magazine for forward-thinking leaders. We empower you to put people at the heart of work, navigating the evolving intersection of technology, business and human insight. Join us in building a future where people and machines collaborate for a more human-centric workplace
Sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter on the future of work, human-centric organisations and people-first leadership Follow Siân on LinkedIn Are you an HR professional seeking to raise your profile or thinking of becoming an independent consultant? I can help! HR vendor or consultant? Check out how I can help you reach senior HR leaders Follow The People Space on Facebook
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In this episode of Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It!, Siân Harrington sits down with Tom Kegode – former People & Places Culture Transformation Lead at Lloyds Banking Group – to challenge one of the most overused ideas in corporate life: transformation. Despite the slide decks, the roadmaps and the change programmes most organisations aren’t actually transforming. They’re stuck in cycles of exhaustion, over-promising and initiative-fatigue. Tom argues that the real fix lies somewhere very different: evolution. Across his career – from innovation teams to workforce design to hybrid work strategy –Tom has learned that change doesn’t happen through grand programmes. It happens through curiosity, co-creation and short, sharp experiments that shift how people work in the real world. And sometimes it starts as simply as walking into an executive meeting in a green Adidas track top and a baseball cap – his signature signal of “friendly disruption” designed to open up new conversations. In this episode, we explore: Why the idea of “transformation” gives leaders false confidenceHow evolution reduces burnout, boosts wellbeing and creates psychological safetyWhat Tom learned from redesigning Lloyds’ hybrid model – including why the first iteration didn’t workHow “unboxing your week” helps people use office time intentionallyWhy learning cultures aren’t built through hours-tracking but through collective, experiential learningThe real lever for culture change: co-creation, agency and protected learning timeWhat Kenya’s young, optimistic workforce taught Tom about adaptability and the future of workWhy curiosity is a muscle that anyone – at any stage – can buildWhether you’re leading a transformation programme, navigating hybrid work or simply trying to make change stick inside a large organisation, this episode offers practical insight into how work actually evolves and how leaders can make that evolution faster, healthier and more human. Interested in insights about people leadership, HR and the future of work? Seize and shape the future of work with The People Space, a leading digital HR magazine for forward-thinking leaders. We empower you to put people at the heart of work, navigating the evolving intersection of technology, business and human insight. Join us in building a future where people and machines collaborate for a more human-centric workplace Sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter on the future of work, human-centric organisations and people-first leadership Follow Siân on LinkedIn Are you an HR professional seeking to raise your profile or thinking of becoming an independent consultant? I can help! HR vendor or consultant? Check out how I can help you reach senior HR leaders Follow The People Space on Facebook