Podcast

“Happy People Can Move Mountains.” —Samidha Mohanty

Bold Questions, Unfiltered Answers
(Listen to the full episode on Spotify)

• What’s one common misconception that business leaders have about HR strategy and growth?
• In 2025, what are the shifts that are forcing companies to rethink people strategy as business levers?
• 3 non-negotiable or must-haves for people strategy in 2025
• Employee well-being? Is it a perk or a pillar in the long-term people strategy
• Any example of people-first initiative you have come across that directly influence business
• What are some important mindset shifts to work for people strategy.

Mic-Drop Moments:

“Employees are happier when they have more faith in the system—they stick around for longer”

Samidha explained that when employees trust their managers and leaders, it restores their faith in the system. This trust creates a psychologically safe space — one that fuels learning, boosts engagement, and inspires people to grow.

As a result, they’re more likely to stick around and bring their best to work. Basically, Samidha implies undertaking your employees’ happiness is the key to not only making them productive but winning their loyalty for longer periods.

No Prep. Just Perspective.

• Strategy or culture—what kills growth faster?Strategy kills faster. Culture kills longer.
• One HR buzzword that deserves to die?“I’ll get back to you on that!”
• Should people metric every business head must track?Customer and business understanding.
• The one word that’ll define the 2025 workforce?2025 will see happier workforces
• What’s more scalable: happiness or alignment?Happiness scales alignment.
• The trend HRs are sleeping on?Loud quitting.
• Should we just call it Strategy now?Nope. It’s a pillar of your larger growth playbook, not the whole thing.

Curious to know the three must haves for a 2026-ready people strategy? Learn to design an HR strategy that commands obedience.

People Strategy: Get Food for Thought

1. Why is a people strategy important?

A people strategy is important because it defines how the most valuable asset of a company — its workforce — should be managed and recognized. It aligns their work with business goals and helps generate outcomes that drive revenue. Moreover, it doesn’t just guide employees — it also gives direction to leaders, outlining best practices and behaviors that help minimize conflicts and foster a smoother work environment.

The core components of a people strategy cover a wide range of aspects that directly or indirectly impact the workforce’s ability to achieve long-term goals. If you think people’s strategy starts with talent acquisition and ends with rewarding employees with perks, you might be mistaken. It goes much further — enhancing learning through a strong focus on L&D and ensuring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are deeply embedded in the culture.

What’s amazing is that a single people strategy can seamlessly streamline all these facets, all rippling back to one central goal: revenue generation (or business growth, if you prefer).

According to Deloitte’s 2020 Global Human Capital Trends report, companies with effective people strategies are 2.2 times more likely to outperform their peers in revenue generation — directly connecting the dots between people and performance.

2. Why do you need a people strategy for your company?

There was a time — not so long ago — when business leaders brushed off people’s strategy as a time-drainer, something that did little more than steal their attention from “real” work. But as companies evolved and grew through multiple phases, the narrative began to shift. Thanks to credible voices and insights from trusted HR sources like Gartner and SHRM, people strategy is now seen as a strategic lever — not a soft function.

Add to that the rise of a multigenerational workforce, each group bringing uniquely practical workplace expectations, and it’s clear: the need for a solid, inclusive people strategy is no longer optional — it’s urgent.

There’s a massive difference between commanding obedience and earning influence. So why shouldn’t companies invest in building cultures that empower, engage, and evolve with their people? And if they don’t — are they ready to face the consequences? Penalties. Lost talent. Tarnished reputation. Shrinking revenue. Yes, this is real. And if you’re still not convinced, let us remind you: history is full of companies that sidelined their people — and paid the price.

Let’s take the example of the crisis case that stole the news highlights. It was Uber in 2017 that had big ambitions to go off the charts and didn’t mind indulging in toxic productivity that led to a sensational scandal of systemic sexism and HR inaction. Exposed by a blog post by Susan Fowler, the details informed the public about how bad culture, weak values, and toxic leadership were prevalent in the company. The result? The CEO, Travis Kalanick stepped down, top executives got ousted, and the reputation spiraled down.

Here’s another case in the recent past. In 2022-2023, Elon Musk’s $44B Twitter deal led to mass layoffs, kicking off around 50% of the staff, making abrupt policy changes, and implementing rigid ‘Command & Control,’ leading to zero psychological safety and significant talent loss. Moreover, the key advertisers withdrew, making the platform wobble. And even today, Twitter hasn’t redeemed its public image like it did before.

See? Now you know why your company needs a people strategy?

3. What are the key pillars of a people’s strategy?

A people strategy comprises multiple standpoints that cater to overall employee well-being while driving consistent business outcomes. At its core, a people strategy includes:

1.Talent Aquisition

A promising people strategy is designed to attract and hire exceptional talent. To make this a reality, HR leaders must embrace modern HR tools and technologies that help reduce hiring costs, shorten turnaround time, and significantly improve the quality of each hire.

2. Learning & Development

L&D is a vital facet of an empowering people strategy, enabling employees to continuously enhance their skills and capabilities. Certifications, training sessions, workshops, and webinars that encourage innovation and experimentation play a key role in keeping knowledge alive and evolving within the workplace.

3. Performance Management

One of the most critical aspects of a strong people strategy is effective performance management. Retaining top talent and launching targeted training interventions to address performance gaps should be central to any HR plan. Leveraging real-time feedback helps identify and close skill gaps faster, driving both individual growth and organizational success.

4. Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is the heart of a people’s strategy — it’s what truly makes it a people’s strategy. It should nurture a genuine sense of belonging in employees and connect them to the company’s culture. A strong engagement plan should:

• Embed purpose in their hearts
• Maintain open, transparent communication
• Encourage meaningful leadership and interaction
• Invest in their growth and development
• Recognize efforts and celebrate the hustle
• Promote a healthy work-life balance

When people feel seen, heard, and valued — that’s when the real magic happens.

5. Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

DE&I is one of the most critical pillars of a people strategy. It encourages the workforce to operate as a united team, despite differences in backgrounds, perspectives, or identities. A strong DE&I approach should respect individual uniqueness, ensure equal access to opportunities, and create a culture where every voice is heard and valued.

6. Culture and Values

Culture and values are the spotlight of any company, and a people’s strategy must align workforce behavior to support the organization’s long-term goals. It should clearly define the expected decorum, uphold consistent standards, and shape a positive work environment.

7. Workforce Planning

A people’s strategy must include tactics to address the challenges of overstaffing or understaffing. Ensuring the right number of people, with the right skills, at the right time, is essential to its success.

8. Leadership and Succession

Leadership and succession, an inseparable component of a people strategy, puts fair practices to select the best leaders into action. It must consist of a bias-free system where leadership succession is purely based on data, such as KPIs achieved, people led, projects delivered, crises managed, and bottlenecks resolved, preventing leader selection based on superficial observation.

4. What are the benefits of people’s strategies?

When a people strategy speaks, business gets streamlined. A strong HR roadmap delivers benefits beyond measure—from aligning employee skills with business goals to retaining top talent; it covers it all. Here are the key wins of a solid people strategy:

• Aligns talent with business goals—A people strategy charts how to leverage employees’ skills to turn your company’s objectives into reality. For example, it encourages implementing innovative ideas within existing systems, supports bold decision-making, and embraces failures with open arms—because they’re inevitable on the path to growth.
• Manages performance and strives to retain—A people’s strategy designed to keep your workforce engaged doesn’t resort to irrational layoffs. Instead, it supports continuous learning and talent development by promoting events and activities tailored to their strengths. Investing in L&D, encouraging leadership growth, and providing clear resources for skill enhancement should be integral parts of your people strategy.
• Boosts productivity and performance—When your HR strategy empowers employees, equips them with transparent communication, and supports their well-being—both physical and emotional—productivity soars. A people strategy that fosters a healthy work-life balance and reduces workplace toxicity directly boosts workforce productivity and performance.
• Elevates employee experience—A strategy that puts employees on a pedestal—that’s the true people’s strategy. From leveraging HR tools to digitize the employee journey to creating a work culture that excites people to show up every day, a people-centered approach effortlessly elevates the employee experience.

5. What is the difference between HR and people strategy?

Think of HR as a department and people strategy as the roadmap to make your company’s vision come true. Where HR has hundreds of processes that support business operations like recruitment, payroll, employee engagement, and performance management, a people’s strategy is more inclined toward accelerating a company’s long-term goal achievement. These goals—such as 2X revenue in Q3–Q4, making your business a brand, or onboarding 100+ global brands within the next 9 months—need a plan that outlines best practices, clear guidelines, and the right measures to tackle challenges.

Here’s a quick comparison between HR and people strategy:

HR manages processes that keep daily operations running smoothly, while people’s strategy focuses on aligning those efforts with long-term business goals and growth.

Key responsibilities of HR:

• Recruitment and onboarding (e.g., screening resumes, scheduling interviews)
• Payroll management (maintaining employee data, confidentiality, pay slip generation, etc.)
• Performance management (OKR mapping, reviews, and skill-grooming intervention)
• Employee engagement (HR announcements, event reminders, mood bots, etc.)

Purposes of a people strategy:

• Talent management and development (to retain top performers and help path their career)
• Workforce planning (to strategically avoiding understaffing pr overstaffing)
• Leadership succession (Ensuring people with leadership qualities join the forefront)
• DEI initiatives (a true people strategy doesn’t discriminate. Rather it unites.)
• Culture enhancements (making work culture less toxic, happier, and productive)
• Employee experience (a people strategy ensures the entire employee journey is smooth from hire to retire)

Stop Scrolling. Start Shaping.