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The People-First Pivot: From Post-Merger Chaos to a Great Place to Work
About this episode
Transcript
About this episode
In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Diana Valler, Chief Human Resource Officer at TravelBrands. Diana’s journey is a masterclass in crisis leadership; she joined the company post-acquisition and mid-pandemic, tasked with building an entire HR function from scratch in the hard-hit travel industry. With no systems in place, she faced the ultimate “trial by fire” and emerged with a playbook for building a resilient, people-first organization.
Diana shares the powerful story of how she transformed a fragmented organization into an award-winning “Great Place to Work” by leading with love, empathy, and radical transparency. From conducting one-on-ones with every single employee to maintaining communication with a laid-off workforce, Diana proves that a deep focus on the human experience is the ultimate strategy for navigating disruption—whether it’s a pandemic or the rise of AI.
Topics Discussed:
Unifying culture and building trust after a chaotic post-merger period.
Key lessons from navigating the pandemic in the hard-hit travel industry.
Building a complete HR function from a single sick day policy to full trust.
The strategic impact of conducting one-on-one meetings with every employee.
How navigating extreme challenges can forge an adaptable, AI-ready culture.
Fostering a mindset of co-creation by treating HR as an “innovation lab.”
A framework for communicating layoffs and organizational change with humanity.
How to enforce HR policy while still leading with empathy.
Turning a people-first strategy into a tangible asset like a “Great Place to Work” certification.
If you’re looking for a story of true resilience and a practical guide to putting your people at the center of your strategy, this conversation with Diana Valler offers a powerful and inspiring vision for what HR can achieve.
Additional Resources:
About this episode
Transcript
About this episode
In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Diana Valler, Chief Human Resource Officer at TravelBrands. Diana’s journey is a masterclass in crisis leadership; she joined the company post-acquisition and mid-pandemic, tasked with building an entire HR function from scratch in the hard-hit travel industry. With no systems in place, she faced the ultimate “trial by fire” and emerged with a playbook for building a resilient, people-first organization.
Diana shares the powerful story of how she transformed a fragmented organization into an award-winning “Great Place to Work” by leading with love, empathy, and radical transparency. From conducting one-on-ones with every single employee to maintaining communication with a laid-off workforce, Diana proves that a deep focus on the human experience is the ultimate strategy for navigating disruption—whether it’s a pandemic or the rise of AI.
Topics Discussed:
Unifying culture and building trust after a chaotic post-merger period.
Key lessons from navigating the pandemic in the hard-hit travel industry.
Building a complete HR function from a single sick day policy to full trust.
The strategic impact of conducting one-on-one meetings with every employee.
How navigating extreme challenges can forge an adaptable, AI-ready culture.
Fostering a mindset of co-creation by treating HR as an “innovation lab.”
A framework for communicating layoffs and organizational change with humanity.
How to enforce HR policy while still leading with empathy.
Turning a people-first strategy into a tangible asset like a “Great Place to Work” certification.
If you’re looking for a story of true resilience and a practical guide to putting your people at the center of your strategy, this conversation with Diana Valler offers a powerful and inspiring vision for what HR can achieve.
Additional Resources:
About this episode
Transcript
About this episode
In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Diana Valler, Chief Human Resource Officer at TravelBrands. Diana’s journey is a masterclass in crisis leadership; she joined the company post-acquisition and mid-pandemic, tasked with building an entire HR function from scratch in the hard-hit travel industry. With no systems in place, she faced the ultimate “trial by fire” and emerged with a playbook for building a resilient, people-first organization.
Diana shares the powerful story of how she transformed a fragmented organization into an award-winning “Great Place to Work” by leading with love, empathy, and radical transparency. From conducting one-on-ones with every single employee to maintaining communication with a laid-off workforce, Diana proves that a deep focus on the human experience is the ultimate strategy for navigating disruption—whether it’s a pandemic or the rise of AI.
Topics Discussed:
Unifying culture and building trust after a chaotic post-merger period.
Key lessons from navigating the pandemic in the hard-hit travel industry.
Building a complete HR function from a single sick day policy to full trust.
The strategic impact of conducting one-on-one meetings with every employee.
How navigating extreme challenges can forge an adaptable, AI-ready culture.
Fostering a mindset of co-creation by treating HR as an “innovation lab.”
A framework for communicating layoffs and organizational change with humanity.
How to enforce HR policy while still leading with empathy.
Turning a people-first strategy into a tangible asset like a “Great Place to Work” certification.
If you’re looking for a story of true resilience and a practical guide to putting your people at the center of your strategy, this conversation with Diana Valler offers a powerful and inspiring vision for what HR can achieve.
Additional Resources:
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About the guest
About the guest
Diana Veller
Diana Valler is an accomplished and dynamic executive with a wealth of experience spanning more than 20 years in the realms of Strategic Human Resources, Talent Management, and Organizational Transformation, all of which are keenly geared towards delivering tangible business outcomes. Before joining Travel Brands, Diana boasted an impressive track record as Vice President of Human Resources for multiple professional services firms operating in diverse sectors such as franchising, consulting, and software. Diana's expertise lies in the art of cultivating human capital and enhancing organizational capabilities by harmonizing them with business objectives and corporate vision, thus catalyzing accelerated growth, heightened competitive agility, and the swift execution of strategic endeavors. Her profound enthusiasm for both people and digital transformation is manifested through her innovative contributions to the HR landscape, consistently guiding and supporting business stakeholders. Additionally, Diana holds a pivotal role on the HIS Canada Holdings Board, spearheading Human Resources Shared Services operations across North America. She holds a distinguished academic background, holding both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degree, alongside professional certifications as a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) and a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).
Diana Valler is an accomplished and dynamic executive with a wealth of experience spanning more than 20 years in the realms of Strategic Human Resources, Talent Management, and Organizational Transformation, all of which are keenly geared towards delivering tangible business outcomes. Before joining Travel Brands, Diana boasted an impressive track record as Vice President of Human Resources for multiple professional services firms operating in diverse sectors such as franchising, consulting, and software. Diana's expertise lies in the art of cultivating human capital and enhancing organizational capabilities by harmonizing them with business objectives and corporate vision, thus catalyzing accelerated growth, heightened competitive agility, and the swift execution of strategic endeavors. Her profound enthusiasm for both people and digital transformation is manifested through her innovative contributions to the HR landscape, consistently guiding and supporting business stakeholders. Additionally, Diana holds a pivotal role on the HIS Canada Holdings Board, spearheading Human Resources Shared Services operations across North America. She holds a distinguished academic background, holding both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degree, alongside professional certifications as a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) and a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).
Diana Valler is an accomplished and dynamic executive with a wealth of experience spanning more than 20 years in the realms of Strategic Human Resources, Talent Management, and Organizational Transformation, all of which are keenly geared towards delivering tangible business outcomes. Before joining Travel Brands, Diana boasted an impressive track record as Vice President of Human Resources for multiple professional services firms operating in diverse sectors such as franchising, consulting, and software. Diana's expertise lies in the art of cultivating human capital and enhancing organizational capabilities by harmonizing them with business objectives and corporate vision, thus catalyzing accelerated growth, heightened competitive agility, and the swift execution of strategic endeavors. Her profound enthusiasm for both people and digital transformation is manifested through her innovative contributions to the HR landscape, consistently guiding and supporting business stakeholders. Additionally, Diana holds a pivotal role on the HIS Canada Holdings Board, spearheading Human Resources Shared Services operations across North America. She holds a distinguished academic background, holding both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degree, alongside professional certifications as a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) and a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).
The leading podcast for the future of HR.
The leading podcast for the future of HR.
The leading podcast for the future of HR.
The future of HR is being shaped by real operators doing the work.
If you’ve led change, navigated challenges, or learned valuable lessons in people operations, we’d love to hear your perspective.
Apply below to be considered as a guest on the show.
The future of HR is being shaped by real operators doing the work.
If you’ve led change, navigated challenges, or learned valuable lessons in people operations, we’d love to hear your perspective.
Apply below to be considered as a guest on the show.
The future of HR is being shaped by real operators doing the work.
If you’ve led change, navigated challenges, or learned valuable lessons in people operations, we’d love to hear your perspective.
Apply below to be considered as a guest on the show.