People and Culture: How to win through your people
In this episode of Vistage LIVE, Stephanie Christopher speaks with Mark Puncher, a leading expert in employer branding and talent marketing. Delving into how business leaders can navigate today’s rapidly changing workforce landscape. With economic pressures mounting and employee expectations shifting, Mark explores the risks of employer-employee disconnection and the crucial role of leadership in fostering engagement, performance, and loyalty.
Key themes include:
- The talent landscape shift – The job market has moved from a hiring boom to a more cautious and uncertain environment. Leaders must rethink their approach to people and culture. It’s more important that ever to ensure teams remain engaged, motivated, and aligned with evolving business needs.
- Authentic leadership – Employees don’t just need to feel valued. They need to feel valuable. Strong people and culture strategies empower leaders to engage their teams in problem-solving and decision-making rather than simply directing from the top.
- Balancing empathy and accountability – While businesses must prioritise people to foster engagement and retention, they also need to set clear expectations. This helps to maintain commercial discipline to drive long-term success.
- Culture as a competitive advantage – A strong culture isn’t about a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about embracing diverse team dynamics, fostering inclusion. This ensures all employees feel connected to shared values while driving performance.
- Transparent hiring and engagement – Leaders who openly acknowledge both the strengths and challenges within their organisation’s people and culture will attract, engage, and retain top talent who align with their vision and values.
Why business leaders should listen
This episode is essential for CEOs and business owners who want to build a high-performance team in an evolving workplace. Mark offers practical strategies for creating a culture where people are genuinely engaged, empowered, and committed—not just compliant.
