
“Managing people is one part science and three parts art”
A drastic yet rewarding turn of events
When asked about a defining moment in his career, Vittal tells us about his initial days at a young start-up enterprise. He had entered the start-up ecosystem for the first time and his experiences were filled with lessons, realisations, and a decent share of unlearning too. Vittal admits that as an HR professional, he often refused to adapt to changing circumstances such as policies, structures, and processes. Being in the start-up world softened his attitude and helped him become a skilled and empathetic “people person”. From learning how to articulate a problem statement cohesively to understanding the right way to approach a problem, Vittal has experienced a transition in his career that’s been immensely rewarding.
Spill The Beans
- Your biggest influence in life?My wife
- A character you associate yourself with the most?Panda, Shifu and Oogway from Kung Fu Panda
- Your after work mantra to unwind?Engaging on Twitter and Ted Talks
It’s all about listening to understand and not only to respond
Vittal adds that it’s important for HR teams to listen to their employees to thoroughly understand their concerns and generate a response or solution that can truly fix the issue in real-time. He detests the phrase, “Let me get back to you on this.” Vittal says that this statement in a one-on-one conversation between a HR and an employee, can be a total deal breaker. Being an HR professional is all about building trust and credibility. The inability to offer a solution in real-time is a leading cause of unsatisfactory employee experience.
Technology is what technology does
Thanks to technology, Vittal can access clean and accurate data on the happenings of the organisation that help him make informed, people-centric decisions. For Vittal, technology means data and a seamless flow of data is all one needs to manage the talent of the organisation effectively and efficiently.

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Onsurity Edge Credits Program for Startups is here to revolutionize the employee healthcare space

HR trends shape the future of workforce transformation
Another trend that seems to be surfacing is a shift of focus points in the recruiting process. Vittal believes that in the start-up environment, employees are looking to spend a maximum of 12 months in any given organisation. A short time such as this isn’t sufficient to make meaningful interactions with employees to understand their pain points and retain them. Hence, HR teams must rewire their hiring measures and keep a watchful eye on what candidates are looking for in a new job and what motivates them to work in the company.
Retaining talent centres around employee well-being
Considering this, Vittal and his team conduct regular pulse surveys to identify and rectify employee-centric challenges that revolve around wellness. Vittal says that each employee has a different and unique problem. Instead of offering a “one-size-fits-all” solution, the HR team at Ula focuses on the root cause of each concern and offers resolutions that are best suited to the specific individual.
Vittal is a people person through-and-through which makes him one of our most impactful People Leaders of 2023. He has worked with start-up founders and people across the globe. He is also working towards creating a social impact through his social entrepreneurship inititaive in rural India.

₹ 25,000
Credits Free
Onsurity Edge Credits Program for Startups is here to revolutionize the employee healthcare space

