Vantage Influencers Podcast

Hosted by Vantage Circle

BusinessExplicit

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Episodes

306

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Welcome to the Vantage Influencers Podcast channel, where we talk about employee engagement, compensation benefits, recruitment, and everything that concerns HR!

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60 recent

September 10, 202613 min

Building a Strong Employer Brand from the Inside Out

When most companies talk about employer brand , they mean the careers page, the job ads, the polished video of people laughing in a break room. But ask anyone who's actually worked somewhere, and they'll tell you the real brand is what happens after you sign the offer, how you're paid, how you're taken care of, whether the company keeps its word. So today, we're looking at employer brand from the inside out, starting with the systems that quietly shape whether people trust an organization. And to help us, we have with us Annalee Malone, Benefits and Compensation Manager at Total Safety.

September 10, 202634 min

From Cost Center to Commercial Function: How Is the Role of HR Changing?

In this episode of the Vantage HR Influencers Podcast, we explore how HR is evolving from a traditional cost center into a more strategic and commercially driven function that contributes directly to business growth. Host Riha is joined by Shivali Anand, Country HR Head at Geidea , to discuss how HR leaders can build stronger business acumen, connect people decisions with organizational priorities, and demonstrate the commercial impact of HR initiatives. Together, they examine how HR can influence business strategy, use workforce insights to support better decisions, and become a more integral partner in driving performance, growth, and long-term business value.

September 3, 202625 min

What's the Biggest HR Mistake Companies Make During M&A?

When most people picture M erger & A cquisition , they picture spreadsheets, valuations , deal structures, and closing timelines. But ask anyone who's actually lived through a merger or acquisition, and they'll tell you the deal that looks perfect on paper can still fall apart because of what happens to the people inside it. So in this episode , we're looking at M&A from the workforce side , the part of the deal that rarely makes the press release but almost always decides whether the deal actually works . And to help us, we have with us Elizebeth Mack, Principal and Workforce in Transactions Leader at BDO USA.

August 20, 202627 min

Practical Lessons from Implementing AI Across Talent and Workforce Processes

Almost every HR team today can point to AI somewhere in their stack. Screening, scheduling, skills mapping, internal mobility, interview notes , something is running on it. But if you talk to those teams honestly, there's usually a gap between having AI and actually changing how work gets done. The pilot impresses everyone in the demo, and then quietly fades the moment real hiring pressure returns. So, we want to move past the theory and into practical lessons. What genuinely changes when AI moves into talent and workforce processes, and what it asks of the people running them. And to help us with that, we have with us Meghna Punhani, Chief People Officer at Eightfold.

August 19, 202656 min

AI in HR: Beyond the Hype

In this episode of the Vantage HR Influencers Podcast, Srijith Nair, Director, Human Capital in the Middle East, shares thoughtful insights on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in HR. The conversation explores how HR leaders can move beyond the hype and apply AI meaningfully across recruitment, employee experience, workforce planning, and decision-making, while maintaining transparency, responsible governance, data privacy, and the human judgment essential to effective people leadership.

August 11, 202634 min

Building Belonging in the Gulf's Multicultural Workforce

Belonging is a word we hear a lot in HR, but usually among people who share a language, a culture, a hometown. Now picture a workforce where almost everyone has come from somewhere else, often far from home. There, belonging isn't a survey metric , it's what decides whether someone just works for you, or truly stays and gives you their best. And nowhere is that more real than in the Gulf. So, let's explore what it takes to build belonging across a multicultural workforce with Manjeet Sahota, Human Resources Director at Gulf Catering and Support Services.

July 30, 202621 min

Building a Superhuman Company in the Age of Human- Agent Workforces

For decades, we've built companies around one assumption: that work is done by people. But that assumption is now changing, and changing fast. AI agents are no longer just tools we use; they're becoming teammates we work alongside. And that raises a big question for every leader and HR professional, how do you build an organization where humans and agents don't just coexist, but actually make each other better? So today, we're exploring what it takes to build a superhuman company in the age of human-agent workforces. And to help us with that, we have with us Tami Rosen. She is a Board Member & Advisor at Pagaya.

July 28, 202628 min

The Evolving Role of HR in Boardroom Decision Making

In this episode of the Vantage HR Influencers Podcast, Dr. Sarmistha Roychowdhury, CHRO, Group Head HR, and Principal HR Advisor at Vform Tecnopacks Limited, shares thoughtful insights on the evolving role of HR in boardroom decision-making. The conversation explores how HR leaders can move beyond traditional operational responsibilities and contribute more strategically through workforce insights, people analytics, business alignment, and a deeper understanding of organizational priorities.

July 16, 202620 min

Performance Management Beyond Review Cycles

Performance management is something almost every employee experiences, yet it's often one of the most debated aspects of work. While it's intended to support growth and development, many employees still view it as a box-ticking exercise rather than a meaningful conversation. And as workplaces continue to evolve, there's growing pressure on organizations to rethink how they measure, discuss, and develop performance. So today, I'd love to explore what effective performance management really looks like and to help us with that , we've with us Kavitha Ramaiah. She is the Director , People Development at Global Logic.

June 25, 202614 min

Scaling Culture During Growth and Transformation

G rowth is often seen as a sign that things are going right for an organisation . Bigger teams, new markets, rapid expansion, all of it sounds exciting from the outside. But internally, growth can also bring a lot of pressure, uncertainty, and cultural shifts that companies may not always be fully prepared for. Because , I think we now understand the reality is, scaling a business and scaling a culture are two very different challenges. So today, we're exploring what it really takes to preserve culture during periods of growth and transformation. And joining us for this conversation is Smitha Yadav , a seasoned HR leader with extensive experience in driving people and culture initiatives across global organisations .