What happens when an organisation writes words like “growth”, “flexibility”, and “purpose” into an EVP before fully understanding what those ideas actually require in practice?

In this episode, we unpack the reality behind building an Employer Value Proposition from scratch. Not the polished version that lives on careers pages, but the operational, cultural, and leadership work that has to exist underneath it for people to genuinely experience it at work.

This conversation will be especially relevant for People teams, founders, and leaders trying to create an EVP that reflects the real experience of the business rather than an aspirational marketing statement.

We explore:

• Where EVP work actually starts • Common pitfalls organisations fall into when drafting values and promises • Why reverse-engineering culture after the fact becomes difficult • How to embed an EVP into everyday systems, behaviours, and management practices • The parts of the process that should continue evolving over time

This is a practical conversation about alignment, trust, and the difference between writing culture and operationalising it.

This episode looks at a pattern many organisations feel but rarely name.

High-performing women are often trusted with increasing complexity, asked to hold together systems and solve problems, while the authority to shape outcomes doesn’t grow at the same pace. Over time, performance stops being enough, and influence becomes the real constraint.

We explore what sits underneath this. Why common responses like confidence or development programmes often miss the point. And where organisations need to look more closely at how authority, decision-making, and trust actually operate in practice.

A conversation about systems, not just individuals, and what it takes to retain your most capable people.

The New Rules of AI for People Leaders!

In this episode, we are unpacking our long-boiling thoughts about the use of AI by People teams. When there are so many options out there, which one to use? How do we know what is best for us? How do we talk about it openly with others without judgment?

Olya Yakzhina's thought partner in this episode is Hernan Chiosso, CSPO, SPHR 💡, Founder of Productise HR and creator of HR Innovation newsletter: https://productizehr.substack.com.

If you're a People-person, or part of a company that's navigating the wild, slightly overwhelming world of AI in HR, this episode is for you. Especially if you're thinking: how do we actually use this stuff in a way that’s smart, strategic, and not just a flashy experiment that fizzles out?

#AI #PeopleTeam #PeopleStrategy #AIinHR