Podcast | Ricoh EMEA: How purpose & employee voice are shaping our AI transformation

As Ricoh transforms from a print business into a digital services company, Chief People, Transformation and ESG Officer Michael Vavakis is keeping purpose and employee voice central to that change.

Drawing on its Japanese heritage, the business encourages leaders to listen closely and give colleagues space to experiment. That approach is helping employees explore how AI can improve their work, with more than 1,000 AI agents created to tackle internal processes and customer challenges.

Vavakis joins the HR Grapevine Podcast to discuss cultural intelligence, the importance of managers stepping back, and how employee-led AI experimentation can strengthen trust and engagement.