Episode 1: The Future of Work: Building a Resilient and Engaged Workforce in the Era of Global Trade Wars
Streamed on 15th August, 2025
A Few key takeaways
- Agility over planning: Long-term workforce plans are giving way to real-time agility and talent liquidity.
- Localization & hubs: Companies are diversifying talent hubs (India, Mexico, Poland, Philippines) to reduce geopolitical risk.
- Skills-first mindset: Shift from headcount to building critical skills, upskilling, and using AI for efficiency.
- People-first resilience: Transparency, DEI, and employee dignity are non-negotiable during restructurings.
- Recognition builds trust: Story-based, value-linked recognition sustains engagement and strengthens culture.
About the Session
How can organizations build resilience and engagement amid trade wars, AI disruption, and global uncertainty? In this episode, John Land, Chief Advocacy Officer at Vantage Circle, discusses with Atulaya Goswami, Global HR Leader, and Tom Ellis, Total Rewards Expert. Together, they explore agile workforce planning, the shift to skills-first strategies, the role of trust and transparency, and how recognition fuels culture in dynamic environments.
Session Guests
John Land
Chief Advocacy Officer – Vantage Circle
John Land is the Chief Advocacy Officer at Vantage Circle, where he champions employee engagement and recognition through modern, data-driven strategies. A former Partner at Mercer, CHRO, and U.S. Navy officer, he brings deep expertise in HR transformation, recognition design, and workforce strategy to organizations worldwide.
Tom Ellis
HR Total Rewards and Operations Leader
Tom Ellis is an accomplished HR Total Rewards and Operations leader with 20+ years of experience transforming HR strategies into competitive advantages across healthcare, life sciences, and Fortune 500 organizations. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Total Rewards at AdventHealth, leading enterprise-wide compensation, benefits, and employee health programs for 100,000 employees.
He is recognized for delivering measurable results through data-driven HR innovations, including savings of over $100M annually, benefits optimization, wellness programs, and HR technology implementations (Workday, Infor, SAP, PeopleSoft). Tom’s global experience spans establishing HR functions in China and expanding services across Europe and Japan.
Holding an MBA and certifications (CCP, PHR, CHRM), Tom also serves as Vice President of the Foundation Fighting Blindness (Orlando Chapter). He brings strategic vision, operational excellence, and practical insights to workforce transformation and employee engagement.
Atulaya Goswami
Seasoned Global HR Leader
Atulaya Goswami is a seasoned Global HR Leader with a proven record of driving business and people strategies across global powerhouses like Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Hero MotoCorp, and UPL. His experience spans FMCG, Chemicals, and Manufacturing, delivering transformative results in high-growth markets and complex business turnarounds.
He has led cross-industry and multicultural teams across Sales, Supply Chain, GCCs, and Corporate Functions, with expertise in HR Business Partnering, greenfield projects, M&A, and organizational transformation. Skilled in Talent Acquisition, Rewards, DE&I, and Succession Planning, Atulaya focuses on building future-ready, resilient organizations.
An active industry advocate, he is a regular speaker at SHRM and top business schools, passionate about developing talent and shaping the future of work.
