The world of work is undergoing rapid transformation, and leaders like Vandita Saran are at the centre of shaping this change.
In this Quick 5 Interview series with AdvantageClub.ai, Vandita Saran shares her perspective on her morning mantra that keeps her grounded in the fast-paced HR world, with her emphasis on capturing feedback “just-in-time” to enhance workplace culture.
She ensures engagement stays dynamic and relevant through interesting and personalized ways, and sheds light on the importance of business leaders in driving engagement initiatives. Her belief that what truly stays in life are not titles or roles but the lives and careers you may have helped shape along the way is truly inspiring.
Here is the excerpt from the candid conversation with Ms. Vandita Saran, a seasoned leadership development and human capital expert with over 28 years of cross-industry experience across consulting, financial services, and global capability centres. As the Chief Human Resources Officer at Client Associates, she is instrumental in driving the firm’s people strategy, embedding a culture of performance and trust, and building a robust leadership pipeline aligned to business priorities. A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Vandita ensures leadership initiatives go beyond intent to deliver inclusive growth and meaningful business impact.
Read below:
Q1. What’s the one thing you do every morning to ensure you’re mentally prepared for the fast-paced world of HR leadership?
I like to meditate and then take my pet for his walk. Going inwards and then outdoors in nature, walking or running with him is hugely energising!
Q2. How do you integrate feedback from employees into your leadership decisions, especially when it comes to enhancing workplace culture or recognition programs?
There are formal and, more importantly, informal channels to collate feedback, and we prefer these to be in real time. So, for every engagement effort that we run, we take inputs (VOC) on the user experience via WhatsApp or email surveys. Thereafter, we use the “just-in-time” feedback to enhance and/or revamp our programs.
Q3. As someone who plays a crucial role in shaping company culture, how do you keep employee engagement dynamic, especially when teams are adapting to new ways of working?
We are constantly on the lookout for engaging our colleagues at different levels and customising best practices to suit our organisational culture. For instance, we planned a structured offsite for our mid-senior sales team members in Goa, while our analysts simply loved the outbound experience in the hills.
Similarly, we organise a 21 Day Fitness challenge every year in September where inter-generational teams compete with each other. Additionally, we have “reverse” mentoring that is led right from the top, with our Founder Partner leading the way in learning AI from a 21-year-old intern.
Q4. In your opinion, what’s the biggest misconception companies have about employee engagement, and how do you challenge that mindset?
The biggest misconception is that HR is responsible for employee engagement or that engagement is driven by activities and give-aways. Therefore, my endeavour has been to leverage Engagement as a business strategy and not as an HR initiative.
At Client Associates, our key pillars are Trust, Talent, and Transparency. So, engagement for us begins even before a colleague joins. If business leaders don’t own engagement, HR initiatives/programs alone will never move the needle; that is the mindset that I have sought to change.
Q5. What is one legacy you hope to leave in your career, and how do you plan to build a sustainable future for both employees and the organization?
Legacy for me is leaving every organisation that I had the privilege of being a part of – stronger, more resilient, confident, and more future-ready than when I found it; a place where business and people thrive!
A sustainable future for both employees and the organisation is inseparable. For example, one of our earliest initiatives was to build career pathways for young analysts to grow into private bankers. We invested in structured learning and mentoring. Over time, those same employees not only stayed longer but also took on leadership roles, bringing continuity and compounding for the business and themselves. That’s sustainability in action.
Conclusion
Vandita Saran’s approach to leadership highlights the power of aligning engagement with business strategy. Her belief that sustainable growth depends on shared responsibility and long-term investment in people underscores the value of preparing both employees and businesses for the future.
We have many more such interesting conversations lined up for you. Stay tuned!
