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The Shape of Work: AI x HR Playbook 2024 is a dynamic mini-conference series designed to educate and unite HR leaders in exploring how AI is changing the world of HR and the future of work. This event offers a rich blend of engaging panel discussions, expert-led educational sessions, and interactive workshops, making it an essential gathering for HR professionals eager to stay ahead of the curve.
Let’s recap the first iteration of this mini-conference series.
Session 1 | How to Assess AI Readiness for Your Company with Iwo Szapar
The event kicked off with our first session led by Iwo Szapar. The focus was on assessing AI readiness within organizations and ensuring that the adoption process is smooth, effective, and inclusive. The session provided valuable insights into how companies can strategically approach AI integration, emphasizing a framework designed to make the transition as seamless as possible.
Watch Iwo’s full session here:
Iwo Szapar, Co-founder and CEO of Remote-how
Iwo Szapar, an advisor and entrepreneur, has influenced over 3000 companies to work smarter, not harder through initiatives like Remote-how and AI-Mentor. He’s also helped grow remote work & AI communities through the Remote-First Institute and the Saudi AI Leadership Forum. The author of “Remote Work Is The Way” and a speaker at 200+ events, Iwo blends work insights with passions for surfing, DJing, and world travel with his dog, proving work and life can mix perfectly.
Setting the Stage: Understanding AI Adoption
The session kicked off with a quick check-in on the participants’ energy levels, highlighting the importance of maintaining enthusiasm and engagement throughout the discussion. With AI becoming an integral part of the modern workplace, it’s crucial to understand where your organization stands in terms of AI readiness.
According to recent data from Microsoft and LinkedIn, 75% of knowledge workers are already using AI at work. However, 78% of these users are bringing their own tools to the workplace, which can lead to productivity inefficiencies and security risks if not managed properly. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for companies to develop a unified AI strategy.
Iwo emphasized, “AI is just another digital transformation that your company needs to navigate. However, we know that change can be difficult—70% of change management initiatives fail, and it’s even higher for AI projects, sometimes up to 80%. The key is to do it right, and the good news is that AI can actually help you implement AI—an AI inception, if you will.”
The Importance of a Structured Approach: The STEP Framework
Iwo introduced the STEP framework, a process that simplifies AI integration by focusing on four key areas: task segmentation, role transitioning, education, and performance evaluation. This framework not only facilitates AI adoption but also aims to increase employee satisfaction, with studies showing improvements of up to 72%.
Here’s a breakdown of the STEP framework:
- Segmentation: The first step involves categorizing tasks into those that should be automated, augmented, or left to humans. This process helps alleviate fears about AI replacing jobs by clarifying which tasks are best suited for AI assistance.
Iwo explained, “We will talk about how you can categorize tasks into the ones that should be automated, the ones that should be augmented, and the ones that should remain human-only. This is the starting point to really understand and also to get rid of the fear that AI will replace jobs.”- Human-Only Tasks: These are tasks that require human empathy or complex decision-making, such as conflict resolution or employee counseling.
- Augmented Tasks: AI supports these tasks but does not take over completely. Examples include resume screening and sentiment analysis.
- Automated Tasks: These are repetitive and mundane tasks, like scheduling interviews or processing payroll, which can be fully automated.
- Transitioning: After segmentation, the next step is to redistribute tasks among roles. This optimization ensures that employees can focus on tasks that require their unique human skills, while AI handles more routine activities.
Iwo encouraged organizations to, “Consider hosting an AI hackathon or forming working groups to co-create AI adoption strategies. Also, think about providing an AI assistant as a 24/7 guide for your employees.” - Education: Continuous learning is essential, especially in the AI era. AI can help identify skill gaps, develop learning programs, and deliver training.
“In the era of AI, reskilling and upskilling are absolutely crucial and need to be ongoing,” Iwo stressed. “With AI, you can personalize learning at scale, offering individualized learning paths that are interactive and tailored to each employee.” - Performance Evaluation: You’ll need to track AI utilization rates, training completion, and task complexity. These metrics will help you gauge the effectiveness of AI adoption in your organization.
“We need to measure the adoption and constantly improve the process,” Iwo advised. He suggested tracking AI utilization rates, training completion, and the frequency of task automation to ensure continuous improvement.
Actionable Steps for AI Integration
As the session wrapped up, Iwo provided a clear action plan for participants to take back to their organizations:
- Talk with Your Employees: Conduct a readiness check to gather insights and identify skill gaps. “This is the place where you gather the data—understanding their emotions, skill gaps, and readiness for AI adoption is crucial,” Iwo said.
- Host a Town Hall: Keep everyone informed and involved in the AI adoption process. “The more open you are, the more inclusive the process, the better the co-creation and engagement,” Iwo emphasized.
- Segment Tasks: Clearly define which tasks will be human-only, augmented, or automated. Understanding this segmentation is key to setting clear expectations and reducing fear.
- Consider AI Hackathons: Brainstorm and prototype AI solutions in a collaborative setting. “Hackathons are a great way to bring people together to co-create and focus on real challenges,” Iwo noted.
- Provide AI Assistants: Offer personalized support to guide your employees through the transition. “Remember that AI assistants are these magical supporters that help guide your employees through this transition,” Iwo concluded.
Final Thoughts
To conclude the session, Iwo asked participants how inspired they felt to lead AI-driven change in their organizations. The majority expressed a high level of inspiration, showing that the session had successfully motivated them to take action.
“Most of you are inspired—that’s great! This is awesome,” Iwo said with enthusiasm. He invited participants to connect with him on LinkedIn and offered his assistance in their AI implementation projects.
As AI continues to shape the future of work, adopting a structured and inclusive approach, as outlined in the STEP framework, will be key to successful integration and sustained employee satisfaction.
Session 2 | Panel Discussion | The Future of Work: AI’s Role in Shaping Tomorrow’s Workplaces
The conversation around AI’s transformative impact on the future of work is more pertinent than ever. This discussion, led by a panel of experts, delves into how AI is reshaping the workplace, managing this change effectively, and what the future holds. The session brought together a diverse panel of thought leaders, each bringing unique perspectives from startups to large organizations, and from HR to non-HR backgrounds.
The panel featured Christie Hoffman, HR Podcast Host at Engagement Academy, Hamsa Suresh, an Entrepreneur in Residence and Advisor with a background in organizational psychology, and Shannon Texeira, the People Solutions Director at Waste Management. Together, they offered a comprehensive view of AI’s role in HR and organizational transformation.
Watch the full session here:
Christie Hoffman, HR Podcast host, Engagement, Engagement Academy
Christie Hoffman is a distinguished HR thought leader and speaker, renowned for her innovative approach to workplace engagement and culture enhancement. Christie’s expertise lies in skillfully navigating the complexities of corporate culture, addressing the needs of everyone from burned-out employees and frustrated executives to overwhelmed managers and overextended HR leaders.
Hamsa Suresh, EIR, Advisor, People & Strategy Leader
Hamsa is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, advisor, a fractional leader with a focus on startups, and an Organizational Psychologist by training. She specializes in GTM strategy, growth, and talent across B2B & DTC ventures in the Future of Work, Web 3.0, HR & Learning Tech space.
Shannon Teixeira, People Solutions Director at Waste Management
Shannon is on a mission to help organizations drive generative value through cutting-edge HR innovations. With experience spanning Fortune 500 and Fortune 250 companies, global matrix organizations, and dynamic start-ups, Shannon brings a fresh perspective and thought leadership in organizational design, talent management, employee experience, and change management.
The Initial Impressions of AI in the Workplace
The session kicked off with a rapid-fire question asking each panelist to describe AI’s impact on the workplace in one word or phrase. Shannon Texeira described it as “working smarter, not just faster,” emphasizing the efficiency AI brings to the table. Christie Hoffman called it the “Holy Grail,” highlighting its potential to revolutionize work processes. Hamsa Suresh added a note of caution with “cautious optimism,” indicating the need to balance excitement with careful consideration of AI’s broader implications.
AI’s Impact on Large Organizations
Shannon shared her insights on how AI has significantly transformed HR functions in large organizations. She identified 3 primary areas of impact:
- Improved Efficiency and Increased Capacity: AI supports routine tasks and provides new intelligence that enables faster decision-making across all domains.
- Enhanced Employee Experience: AI offers more customized and curated experiences, particularly in learning and development. Interactive tools and prompts within the flow of work can amplify the overall employee experience.
- Catalyzing Organizational Transformation: AI is expected to dismantle traditional industrial-age organizational models, leading to a more blended workforce where humans, machines, and AI collaborate seamlessly.
Shannon pointed out that AI’s integration into these areas could lead to a shift from traditional talent management to “talent activation,” focusing on creating more agility and responsiveness within the workforce.
The Role of AI in Startups
Hamsa Suresh highlighted how AI is transforming the landscape for startups, especially those in early stages with limited resources. She explained how AI tools like Textio, Gusto, and Rippling are enabling startups to build a minimal viable HR tech stack without the need for a dedicated HR team. However, she also warned of the tipping point when startups grow and face more complex issues that AI alone cannot solve.
Her advice to startup founders was clear: “Lead with a process-first approach.” She emphasized the importance of aligning on core values and processes before integrating AI, ensuring that the technology supports and enhances the company’s cultural foundation.
Balancing AI with Human Intelligence
Christie Hoffman passionately discussed the importance of maintaining a balance between AI and human intelligence, particularly in areas like employee engagement and internal communication. She provided practical examples of how AI tools like ChatGPT can assist in drafting more effective communications and managing overwhelming tasks, such as analyzing employee feedback.
“AI can help you convey messages with empathy and precision,” Christie noted, stressing the importance of using AI to enhance, rather than replace, human interaction and emotional intelligence in the workplace.
AI’s Role in Organizational Design and Transformation
Hamsa also addressed how AI is influencing organizational design and transformation. She introduced the concept of an “AI maturity model,” which helps organizations transition from basic automation to a more integrated system where AI and humans work together to achieve business goals. This model provides a structured approach to evolving an organization’s processes, technology, and culture in tandem with AI advancements.
Navigating AI Bias and Ethical Concerns
A recurring theme in the discussion was the potential for AI bias and the importance of ethical considerations in AI deployment. Hamsa and Christie both emphasized the need for clean data and continuous auditing of AI systems to ensure fairness and prevent bias from influencing decisions. “The technology is only as good as the data and processes behind it,” Hamsa reminded the audience, urging leaders to maintain human oversight in critical areas.
Final Takeaways and Advice for Leaders
As the session drew to a close, the panelists offered key pieces of advice for leaders and managers looking to incorporate AI into their strategies:
- Shannon Texeira: “AI is not an end-all solution; it’s an enabler. Create a partnership between AI and your workflows to drive forward.”
- Christie Hoffman: “If you don’t lean into AI, someone who does will take your place. Embrace AI to work faster and more effectively.”
- Hamsa Suresh: “Reframe the question from ‘How can we use AI?’ to ‘What problem are we solving?’ Start with a process-first approach and integrate AI to support those processes.”
Conclusion
The future of work is undeniably intertwined with AI. As the panelists highlighted, AI offers immense potential to improve efficiency, enhance employee experiences, and catalyze organizational transformation. However, the successful integration of AI requires a thoughtful approach that balances technology with human intelligence, values, and ethics. By doing so, organizations can harness the power of AI to shape a more productive, inclusive, and innovative workplace for the future.
