Any divestiture brings with it significant operational challenges. Last summer, cloud-based human capital technology and services provider Alight divested its payroll and professional services businesses to form a new company named Strada, with more than 9,000 employees around the world.
But for the people team at Strada—under the leadership of Anna O’Shea, executive vice president of HR—the focus hasn’t just been on operational issues of managing that workforce, but rather the efforts to drive culture change that would ultimately enable a more seamless transition.
“We are at the beginning of a culture change journey,” says O’Shea, who previously spent nearly seven years with Alight. “While it’s going to take time to embed this new culture, I am proud of the progress we’ve made thus far and excited to work with the newly formed leadership team to drive this transformation. We want our new Strada culture to underpin everything we do and play an active role in shaping our business success.”
O’Shea recently shared with HR Executive how her team is building culture and engagement, and looking to AI to help HR facilitate the transformations.
HR Executive: What have been some of your most pressing culture-related priorities related to the Strada divestiture from Alight?
O’Shea: Our top priority has been creating a supportive and engaging environment for our employees as we establish Strada’s unique identity. With over 9,000 employees across 33 countries, this journey has been about more than operational changes—it’s about cultivating a culture that feels authentic, unified and empowering. Based on feedback we’ve gathered from everyone across the organization, we’ve collectively developed our mission, vision and values to guide us everyday in our work. And that is to help the world’s employers grow and achieve what’s possible with a people-first solutions to supercharge productivity.
We are at the beginning of a culture change journey. While it’s going to take time to embed this new culture, I am proud of the progress we’ve made thus far and excited to work with the newly formed leadership team to drive this transformation. We want our new Strada culture to underpin everything we do and play an active role in shaping our business success.
HR Executive: How are you measuring employee engagement in this critical time for the company?
O’Shea: Employee engagement has been a cornerstone of our transition. We’ve taken steps to ensure our people feel heard and supported—from regular town halls and pulse surveys to focus groups that gather real-time feedback.
Recently, we introduced a company-wide wellbeing survey to capture insights in a more structured way and ensure we act where it matters most. This is more than just a metric for us; it’s about co-creating Strada’s culture with our team, incorporating their voices into our plans and building a company we’re all excited to grow with.
To further support this, we also launched our new Wellbeing Hub—a global resource hosted on our intranet where employees can easily access support and information on all things wellbeing, wherever they’re based.
HR Executive: What are the most innovative uses for AI that Strada has incorporated (or is thinking about incorporating) in your HR function?
O’Shea: At Strada, we view AI as a transformative force in enhancing HR operations, making them smarter, more equitable and efficient. Currently, AI assists us in drafting culturally relevant and consistent policies, communications and templates tailored to the diverse needs of our global workforce across 33 countries. It also plays a role in streamlining candidate screenings and job matching, aiming to reduce hiring timelines and mitigate biases to foster fair and diverse hiring practices.
As we continue on this journey, we’re exploring AI-driven solutions that can further revolutionize our talent management processes. These include advanced tools for skills-based hiring decisions, personalized career development pathways and predictive analytics to anticipate workforce trends. By embracing these innovations, we aim to not only enhance our internal HR functions but also to support our clients more effectively.
We’re excited about AI’s broader potential and are committed to partnering with our clients to shape the future of work. Our goal is to help HR evolve into an even stronger source of business insights and impact, ensuring that our workforce strategies are not only responsive but also proactive in meeting the challenges of tomorrow.
HR Executive: What are some of the biggest mistakes HR leaders make today as they seek to take their HR functions into the digital age?
O’Shea: A common pitfall is viewing digital transformation as a purely technological upgrade, rather than a strategic evolution of the function. The most effective HR transformations break down silos, integrate systems and put better data into the hands of decision-makers—helping HR play a more informed and influential role across the business.
It’s equally important to remember that, in the digital age, people matter more than ever. AI can flag discrepancies and automate routine tasks, but human judgment remains essential. Rather than replacing roles, technology is reshaping them, creating an urgent need for structured training, thoughtful change management and redefining the skills that are truly needed as an organization grows. By helping teams move from hesitancy to confidence, HR can future-proof its operations: enhancing accuracy, streamlining processes and unlocking the full potential of workforce data.
This is how HR evolves from a transactional function to a strategic business partner—one that actively shapes company culture, supports growth and drives success in a fast-changing world.
HR Executive: In a time of continued change and unpredictability across the workforce, how are you helping your employees navigate the challenges?
O’Shea: At Strada, supporting our people through uncertainty isn’t just a priority—it’s a commitment. We’ve put in place practical tools and resources to help employees thrive both personally and professionally, no matter what’s going on around them.
For example, our resilience-building tool, MeQ, helps individuals develop the skills they need to navigate challenges with confidence. Our global Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers holistic support (from mental health to financial and physical wellbeing) so employees can access help when they need it most.
We’re also taking steps to provide direct support during disruptive global events. A dedicated response team is being formed to assist employees affected by events such as extreme weather, ensuring safety and offering both financial and logistical help when it matters most.
And importantly, there’s no change to our stance on DEI. As a global organization, creating a culture where everyone feels they belong remains fundamental. We continue to prioritize inclusion across every part of Strada and every geography we operate in.
In times of unpredictability, these actions help us offer not just stability—but also a sense of belonging, resilience and care.
HR Executive: How do you personally seek to develop the skills and capabilities within yourself that will be required to succeed in the future of work?
O’Shea: This year has brought significant transformation at Strada, and it’s given me the opportunity to refine how I lead through change—ensuring our teams feel supported, aligned and confident during a pivotal time in our journey. We’re all navigating this new chapter of Strada together for the first time. It’s exciting, unfamiliar at times, and full of learning—both individually and collectively.
One area I’ve focused on is deepening self-awareness. We’ve worked with external consultants to better understand our individual leadership styles and how we can operate as a more unified, effective leadership team. This kind of insight is essential when navigating complexity and guiding others through it.
Looking ahead, I’m also prioritizing time to reconnect with my external network—learning from peers across the industry and staying close to emerging trends and best practices. Strada has exceptional talent, and the work we do for our customers genuinely matters. My focus is on empowering both employees and clients to grow and succeed, together, in an evolving world of work.
