聚合AI时代的华人HR力量 ——2025 NACSHR北美华人人力资源年度论坛在硅谷圆满落幕
Redefining HR in the Age of AI: NACSHR 2025 Annual Conference Concludes Successfully in Silicon Valley
2025年10月4日至5日，NACSHR 2025 北美华人人力资源年度论坛在硅谷成功举办。这场由北美华人人力资源协会（NACSHR）主办的行业盛会，以“AI时代的人力资源变革与未来领导力”为主题，汇聚了来自旧金山湾区、洛杉矶、休斯顿、纽约、西雅图、温哥华及墨西哥等地的六十多位华人HR嘉宾与行业领袖，共同探讨AI技术、人本文化与组织创新的未来方向。在这场为期两天的深度交流中，参会者既是学习者，也是分享者；既是倾听者，更是共创者。正如NACSHR 发起人 Gawain在开幕致辞中所言：
“NACSHR不仅仅是华人HR的在北美的互动交流平台，更是一种连接的力量。我们在这里相互启发、相互成就，在AI的时代共同成长。”
本次论坛延续了NACSHR一贯的宗旨——以专业连接华人HR的全球力量，在AI与全球化浪潮下，汇聚思想、凝聚行动，为北美华人职场社群注入了新的信任与信心。
第一日 · 从AI到组织——重塑战略与协作的力量
10月4日的主题围绕“组织、AI与领导力”展开。多位嘉宾以不同视角深入剖析了AI如何重塑组织设计、决策逻辑与人才价值。
How to Design Your Organization to Support Global Business — Bijun Zhang
大会首日由本次论坛的主席 Bijun Zhang 开场。她以《How to Design Your Organization to Support Global Business》为主题，从组织设计与全球战略协同的角度，分享了跨地域团队在AI时代的成长之道。
她指出，组织设计的核心，不仅是结构，更是信任机制的建立。
“在跨时区、跨文化的团队中，真正的竞争力来自于‘清晰的边界’与‘有效的连接’。”
Bijun结合多地实践案例，提出通过“授权矩阵 + 沟通链路 + 文化共识”三要素，让全球团队在敏捷环境中高效协作。她总结道：“组织的韧性，不在规模，而在结构设计的智慧。”
The Art of Business Partnering in the Age of AI — Angela Rui
来自Canadian Solar 的 Global HR Director Angela Rui 带来了关于“AI时代的业务伙伴艺术”的分享。她认为，AI已成为HRBP最具影响力的“共驾工具”，帮助HR从事务性支持者成长为决策共创者。
Angela以实战案例讲述，如何通过AI工具洞察员工行为模式、优化绩效反馈、支持战略决策。
“AI让数据更透明，但真正的价值在于HR如何提出更好的问题。”
她强调，在AI与业务共驾的过程中，人性洞察将是HR无法被取代的核心竞争力。
川普2.0签证移民新政解读与HR应对之道 — Jiaqi (Jacky) Ji 律师
来自 Reid & Wise律所 的律师 Jiaqi (Jacky) Ji 带来了一场兼具专业性与现实指导意义的主题演讲。他从“政策误读”切入，详细剖析了近期引发热议的“10万美元入境费”事件，指出在社交媒体与碎片化信息环境下，HR应如何保持政策判断力与合规决策力。
“这是一场现实版的‘烽火戏诸侯’——政策还未实施，恐慌已先传播。”
Jacky系统解析了薪酬加权抽签机制、LCA提前布局策略及应对H-1B改革的关键要点。他提醒企业HR：
“在全球化与政治风险并存的时代，合规不仅是防御，更是战略能力。”
Panel：Organization Efficiency & AI Implementation
由 硅谷人才专家Tom Zhang 博士 主持的圆桌论坛聚焦“组织效率与AI实施”。与会嘉宾包括 Linda Lee（AI Fund Talent Partner）、Linsha Yao 与 Yalan Tan 等来自科技与生物医药行业的HR专家。
嘉宾们围绕“AI工具落地的关键障碍”展开深入探讨。讨论达成共识：
“AI能带来工具效率，但真正决定成败的，是文化的开放度与管理层的信任度。”
论坛现场氛围热烈，案例交流兼具前瞻性与实操性。
会议间隙，不分嘉宾还参与了会议合影的拍摄。
Thought Leadership Session：AI & HR Leadership — Tina Weinberger
来自 Cisco/Splunk 的高级HR业务伙伴 Tina Weinberger 以《Beyond the Hype: AI + HR Leadership》为题，带来极具洞察力的分享。她指出，AI对HR最大的改变，并非工作流程，而是“对工作的感受”。
“AI not only changes how we work — it changes how we feel about work.”
Tina提出“AI Confidence Framework”，包括四个核心要素：透明沟通、持续赋能、伦理治理、人机闭环。她强调，AI领导力的真正挑战不是工具选择，而是信任的建立。
“作为HR领袖，我们的使命不是管理变革，而是引导人走过变革。”
HR’s Next Evolution: How to Co-Pilot with AI Agents — Dr. Tom Q. Zhang
硅谷人才专家 Tom 博士在演讲中提出“共驾思维（Co-pilot Mindset）”，他指出：
“AI不会取代HR，但懂AI的HR，会取代不懂AI的HR。”
他展示了AI在招聘筛选、绩效预测、员工发展分析中的创新应用，并通过案例说明HR如何以AI为“副驾驶”，实现数据决策与人文洞察的融合。并强调未来的HR必须是会使用AI工具的人，同时在现场他还发布了一个正在招聘的HR主管岗位，其中之一的要求就是必须熟悉AI工具使用！这一要求引发全场同仁的思考和共鸣，也象征AI时代HR的新技能门槛
Solving HR Compliance and Payroll Challenges in North America with PEO — Joeyee Choon (ADP)
作为NACSHR战略合作伙伴代表，来自 ADP 的 Joeyee Choon 分享了PEO模式在北美合规与薪资管理中的创新实践。她指出：“在美国这样一个多州、多税制的环境中，共雇（Co-employment） 已成为企业提高合规与效率的关键机制。”
她以真实客户案例展示，企业通过PEO可平均节约20%的成本，并将HR从事务性流程解放出来。
“合规不是负担，而是组织持续成长的护栏。”
Redefining HR: Finding Your Unique Advantage in the Age of AI — Sandy Qian
来自 TransGlobal Insurance Agency 的 Sandy Qian 带来题为《Redefining HR: Finding Your Unique Advantage in the Age of AI》的主题演讲。她以IKIGAI模型为框架，引导HR思考个人使命与组织目标的契合点。
“AI可以自动化你的任务，但IKIGAI定义了你无法被取代的价值。”
Sandy提出，未来的HR应成为“技术的拥抱者、人性的守护者、组织文化的建设者”。
Panel：Building Leaders and Organizations in a Global Context
当天最后一个论坛由 Joki Jin 主持，嘉宾包括 Jane Xu、Carrie Peng、Cindy Fan、Grace Zhao等来自跨国科技与咨询领域的HR领导者。大家共同探讨了“全球背景下的组织领导力与人才流动趋势”，分享了多元文化团队中的实践心得。
“领导力的未来，不在权力，而在连接。”
她们从华人HR的视角出发，讨论如何在跨文化语境中平衡本地合规与全球战略，实现组织一致性与文化多样性共存。
Special Guest & VIP Dinner
夜幕降临，NACSHR特设的VIP Dinner 成为大会的温情收尾。在轻松的氛围中，嘉宾们围绕“AI与组织共生”“职业成长的长期主义”展开自由交流。这一环节不仅是社交聚会，更是一次深度链接与合作关系的延伸。许多嘉宾在会后已开启跨城市项目合作，成为未来持续共创的开端。
第二日 · 从组织到人本——在AI时代重新发现热爱与使命
10月5日的议程从技术与组织的视角，逐步走向“人性与热爱”的话题。AI不再是冷冰冰的系统，而成为激发创造力的伙伴。
From Business Leader to HR Head — Annie Jie Xu
开场分享嘉宾 Annie Jie Xu 分享了自己从20多年的商业领导者到HR负责人的转型之路。她以阿里巴巴二十年的成长经历为例，讲述如何从商业运营思维过渡到以人为本的组织建设！她谈到：最差的领导是很忙，最好的领导是会往后退。别人不帮你，是正常的，但是把事情做到极致，影响力就够了，别人也会来帮你。同时谈到阿里CPO童文红的职业经历启发了在场的每一位HR同仁。
“HR是企业灵魂的建构者。”
Annie以她的经历呼应了AI时代的人本管理主题——技术永远重要，但理解“人”的能力更不可或缺。
AI驱动的组织文化变革：如何让人机协作成为竞争优势 — Austin (Bo) Sun
Clausey AI 创始人 Austin Sun 带来对AI文化转型的系统思考。他以WM（Waste Management）的实践为例，指出：
“AI项目失败的90%原因不是技术，而是文化。”
Austin分享了如何通过内部AI培训、开放讨论与文化引导，让员工从焦虑到信任，最终实现AI共创。
“Don’t sell AI tools — build cultural momentum.”他的分享让“AI文化”从抽象概念变为可操作实践。
预见AI领导力进化 — Zhibin Liu
来自香港金融管理学院的 Zhibin Liu 客座教授，心理学家，以组织心理学视角探讨“高绩效与低焦虑的AI组织”。他通过实证研究与心理模型，说明AI领导力需要情绪智能（EQ）与适应智能（AQ）的双轮驱动。
“未来的领导者，既懂技术逻辑，也懂人心温度。”
Performance and Rewards Redesign in a Changing Workforce
由 Gabby Zhao 主持的圆桌论坛邀请 Cathy Wu、Freya Wang、Eva Meng 等HR专家，从多行业角度探讨绩效与激励机制的再设计。在AI与远程工作并行的环境下，如何用数据衡量绩效、用文化驱动动力，成为共识焦点。
如何找到自己的热爱，并把它创造到工作中 — 张岩
国际认证教练、团队领导力导师 张岩 带来最具情感共鸣的演讲。
“热爱，不是找到的，而是被创造的。”
她提出“四步法”：探索纯愿、广而告之、聆听回响、循响而行。
“幸福不是找到理想的工作，而是让当下的工作变得理想。”她的演讲以温暖和力量为论坛注入人文收尾，成为两天会议的情感高点。
HR in Startups: Building HR Functions from Zero to One
由 Libby Sun 主持，嘉宾包括 Lisa Qi、Yuqing Zhang、Ethan Zheng。他们从初创企业的角度探讨HR体系建设与快速成长的平衡。
“在初创企业，HR不是后台，而是生存引擎。”几位嘉宾以实战案例分享如何在资源有限的环境中搭建HR制度与文化支撑。
Thriving as Chinese HR Professionals in the North American Workplace
由 Mindy Gao、Jane Liang、William Chin参与的最后一场论坛，以“华人HR的职业成长与文化认同”为核心。他们探讨了如何在北美职场中建立影响力、获得认可，并以社群的方式彼此赋能。
“我们不仅在职场中工作，更在用行动定义‘华人HR’的力量。”
论坛在热烈掌声中落幕。两天16个环节的思想碰撞，带来了丰富的启发与情感共鸣。NACSHR以实际行动践行着“连接、学习与成长”的理念，为北美华人HR群体构建了一个持续交流、相互成就的专业共同体。
“当技术重塑世界，我们用热爱与连接重塑HR的未来。”
Stay Together, Stay Powerful.
NACSHR活动
2025年10月06日
NACSHR活动
【评选】2025北美华人人力资源年度大奖提名开始，期待您的参与！北美华人人力资源协会（North American Chinese Society of Human Resource，简称 NACSHR）于2025年8月正式启动2025北美华人人力资源年度大奖（2025 North American Chinese Human Resource Awards）评选。我们的使命是发掘和表彰华人HR在人力资源管理领域的卓越实践，认可在专业领域表现杰出的华人HR经理人、HR管理团队和HR服务机构。通过这一享有盛誉的评选活动，我们致力于展示华人HR的专业能力和贡献，提升华人人力资源品牌及其在职场的影响力，促进行业的交流、发展和进步。
The North American Chinese Society of Human Resource Management (NACSHR) officially launches the2025 North American Chinese Human Resource Awards in August 2025.
Our mission is to identify and recognize outstanding practices in the field of human resource management by Chinese HR professionals. These prestigious awards honor exceptional HR leaders, high-performing HR teams, and innovative HR service providers who have demonstrated excellence in their respective domains.
Through this influential awards program, NACSHR aims to showcase the professional capabilities and meaningful contributions of Chinese HR professionals, elevate the reputation of Chinese HR talent in the workplace, and foster industry-wide learning, collaboration, and advancement.
NACSHR2016年发起成立，一直致力于搭建华人HR专业交流和发展的平台，更好的帮助和团结在北美的华人人力资源工作者以及在北美职场的华人。我们相信通过本次评选活动将发掘更多优秀的华人HR专业人士和管理人员、服务机构，可以树立良好的典范，激励同行，推动所在行业持续发展！
2025北美华人人力资源年度大奖是卓越和成就的象征，为组织和个人提供了在全球范围内获得认可的平台。赢得这一奖项不仅代表着在行业内的卓越表现、创新和成功，还能激励其他人追求卓越，设定新的基准。
通过2025北美华人人力资源年度大奖，NACSHR致力于表彰和鼓励在职场上展现出色的华人HR专业人士和机构，促进华人在北美职场的交流、合作与发展。
Founded in 2016, NACSHR has been committed to building a platform for professional exchange and growth among Chinese HR practitioners. Our goal is to better support and connect Chinese HR professionals and workplace contributors across North America. Through this annual awards initiative, we hope to uncover and celebrate exemplary individuals, teams, and service organizations that can inspire peers and help drive progress across the HR industry.
The 2025 North American Chinese Human Resource Awards symbolize excellence and achievement. The program provides a platform for individuals and organizations to gain recognition not only within the HR community, but also on a global stage. Winning this award reflects a commitment to innovation, success, and leadership in the field—and serves to set new benchmarks that inspire others to strive for excellence.
Through this initiative, NACSHR is dedicated to celebrating and encouraging Chinese HR professionals and service institutions that demonstrate outstanding performance, while promoting broader exchange, collaboration, and development for the Chinese professional community in North America.
We sincerely invite you to participate in the nomination process for the 2025 North American Chinese Human Resource Awards.
诚挚邀请参与2025北美华人人力资源年度大奖的提名
2025北美华人人力资源年度大奖奖项设置
▶面向华人优秀的HR和HR团队
Best HR Practice Award （最佳人力资源实践奖）
Best HR Leader Award（ 最佳人力资源经理人奖）
Best HR Team Award（最佳HR团队奖）
▶面向华人HR服务机构及其创业者
Best HR Entrepreneur Award（最佳人力资源创业者）
Best HR Service Provider Award（最佳人力资源服务机构）
Innovative HR Service Provider Award（创新人力资源服务机构奖）
评选对象
2025年北美华人人力资源年度大奖面向华人HR、HR团队、华人人力资源科技或服务群体设置不同的细分奖项，参评的主体更加丰富和多元化，并提升更广泛的行业和职场影响力；
·北美地区华人HR专业人士或者HR管理团队
·为北美华人HR同仁提供人力资源产品或服务的华人人力资源机构或创业者
评选流程
评选启动：8月1日
报名阶段：8月1日至12月1日
评审阶段：12月1日至12月31日
颁奖：1月3日 洛杉矶 （或线上）
参与提名链接：https://www.nacshr.org/Survey/F618BF01-8AC0-8CC8-E821-4A59C7763DE3
具体流程：
1.提名参与评选，HR及HR团队免费提名参与和评选
2.收到提名后内部初步审查，预计3-5个工作日
3.内部审查通过后，需要提交参评案例，机构和产品奖需支付入围评审费用*
4.专家评审和工作人员回访
5.大众评审和综合评审
6.颁奖论坛，现场表彰
HR服务机构和产品奖项入围费用：
· 500美元 评审服务及公示，包含颁奖论坛门票1张 价值500美元，实物证书
· 1000美元 评审服务及公示，包含颁奖论坛门票2张 ，价值1000美元，实物证书
注意
1.参评申请一经提交，可在截止日期前撤回。
2.提交评选申请的主体需在北美地区有团队或公司；如果您意向为您的客户提交评选，我们建议您客户自行提交申请信息。
3.初审通过后需根据申请的奖项提供实践案例（企业实践、机构实践、个人实践）作为佐证信息。
参与奖项评选的收益
参与北美华人人力资源协会年度评选为个人和机构带来了诸多收益。以下是一些关键优势：
1. 荣誉与声望：赢得北美华人人力资源协会奖项是一项极具声望的荣誉，能够提升您的行业声誉和信誉。它将您与竞争对手区分开来，突显您的领导力和创新精神。
2. 曝光与可见性：该评选计划为您的品牌、产品或服务提供了宝贵的曝光机会，能够吸引行业专业人士和潜在客户的关注，开启新的机遇、合作和伙伴关系。
3. 卓越的验证：北美华人人力资源协会奖项是对您辛勤工作、奉献和成功的外部认可，证明您在您的领域中表现卓越并产生了积极影响。
4. 交流机会：参与评选可以让您与多元化的行业专业人士、思想领袖和影响者建立联系和互动，创造有助于新业务联系、合作和伙伴关系的网络机会。
5. 学习与对标：北美华人人力资源协会奖项为您提供了向行业内最佳实践学习的平台。通过研究和对标其他优秀的参赛作品，您可以获得洞察、启发和最佳实践，从而推动组织内部的持续改进和创新。
6. 员工士气与动力：通过北美华人人力资源协会的认可可以提升员工士气和动力。这种认可能激发员工的自豪感和成就感，进而提高员工满意度、留存率和忠诚度。
7. 营销与推广：作为北美华人人力资源协会评选的参与者或获奖者，您可以利用这一认可来增强您的营销活动、网站、社交媒体、新闻稿和其他沟通渠道，吸引更多的客户和利益相关者。
参与北美华人人力资源协会年度评选能够为您的专业声誉、业务增长和行业地位带来积极影响，是展示您成就并获得应有认可的宝贵机会。
奖项评选的影响力与影响
赢得北美华人人力资源协会奖项对个人或组织的成功有着重要的影响力和影响。以下是一些关键方式：
1. 行业认可：赢得北美华人人力资源协会奖项将您定位为行业内公认的领导者和创新者，建立信誉并增强您的声誉，使您更容易吸引新客户、合作伙伴、投资者和其他利益相关者。
2. 品牌可见性提升：获奖所带来的认可和宣传能显著提升您的品牌可见性，打开媒体报道、演讲机会和行业活动的大门，使您能够接触更广泛的受众并获得宝贵的曝光。
3. 竞争优势：赢得北美华人人力资源协会奖项赋予您相对于竞争对手的竞争优势，证明您的卓越表现、产品或服务的优越性，有助于在竞争激烈的市场中吸引和留住客户。
4. 客户信任与忠诚：北美华人人力资源协会奖项是卓越和质量的象征，通过获奖，您能够获得现有客户的信任和忠诚，并吸引新客户。客户更倾向于选择获得认可的企业。
5. 员工动力与参与：赢得北美华人人力资源协会奖项可以提升员工士气和动力，认可他们的辛勤工作和奉献，激发自豪感和成就感，从而提高员工参与度、生产力和留存率。
6. 商业机会与合作伙伴关系：与北美华人人力资源协会奖项相关的认可和声誉可以为新商业机会和合作伙伴关系打开大门，吸引潜在的投资者、合作伙伴和战略伙伴，他们希望与成功和创新的组织结盟。
7. 持续改进与创新：赢得北美华人人力资源协会奖项证明您对卓越的承诺，鼓励组织内部的持续改进和创新。这种认可可以成为进一步增长的催化剂，激励您不断突破界限，追求更大的成就。
赢得北美华人人力资源协会奖项的影响力和影响不仅限于即时的认可，它可以塑造您的职业或业务轨迹，对您的声誉、品牌和行业成功产生持久的积极影响。
附录其他常见问题和如何赢得大奖
*北美地区包含加拿大、美国、墨西哥、危地马拉、萨尔瓦多、伯利兹、 洪都拉斯、尼加拉瓜、哥斯达黎加、巴拿马、巴哈马、古巴、牙买加、海地、多米尼加共和国、安提瓜和巴布达、多米尼加联邦、圣卢西亚、圣文森特和格林纳丁斯、巴巴多斯、格林纳达、特立尼达和多巴哥、圣克里斯托弗和尼维斯联邦等２３个独立的国家。
如何赢得2024北美华人人力资源年度大奖
赢得2024北美华人人力资源年度大奖需要在各自的类别中展示卓越和创新。
以下是一些可能增加您获奖机会的步骤：
了解奖项类别和评选标准
熟悉奖项类别：了解各奖项类别，如最佳人力资源实践奖、最佳人力资源经理人奖、最佳HR团队奖、最佳人力资源创业者奖、最佳人力资源服务机构奖和创新人力资源服务机构奖。
评选标准：确保您的公司、产品、个人或团队成就符合奖项的评选标准和目标。
突出您的成就
清晰展示成就：明确且有效地传达您的成就和成果，展示其如何满足或超越奖项的评选标准。每个类别只需提名一项关键成就。
突出影响力：强调您的成就对组织、行业或社区产生的积极影响。
收集支持性证据
提供证据：为您的成就提供支持性证据，如客户推荐信、统计数据、案例研究和媒体报道，以证明您的卓越表现。
真实可信：确保所有提供的证据真实可信，能够客观支持您的申报内容。
提交强有力的申请
结构合理：提交一个结构清晰、专业的申请材料，有效展示您的成就并证明您符合奖项评选标准。
突出重点：在申请中突出您的关键成就和其独特性，确保评审委员能够一目了然。
合理的展示：你可以提交案例的文本版本，也可以是PPT版本，也可以是视频解说
寻求推荐
行业推荐：寻求行业专家、客户、合作伙伴和其他利益相关者的推荐，以增强您的申请力度。
多方支持：获得多方位的支持和认可，进一步证明您的卓越表现和行业影响力。
NACSHR活动
2025年09月30日
NACSHR活动
参会指南：北美华人人力资源年度论坛日程及会议注意事项，保存收藏转发各位嘉宾，非常欢迎参加NACSHR北美华人人力资源年度论坛！期待周末见！
为营造良好的会议氛围，帮助大家尽快熟悉会议安排以及会议相关行政事宜，特别分享论坛相关注意事项如下，烦请了解和熟悉！
2025北美华人人力资源年度论坛
2025 NACSHR Annual Conference
时间：10月4日-5日 周六周日 October 4-5, 2024 （9:00-17:00 周六上午8点半签到）
地点：Hyatt Place Newark Silicon Valley （一楼会议室）
5600 John Muir Drive, Newark, CA 94560报名链接：https://nacshr.org/Survey/8C1E0920-8A4D-7646-22E3-B592C93B3CBC
联系方式：nacshr818@gmail.com 微信客服：hinacshr
会议午餐：需要自理 活动期间会组成不同小组，可结伴前往周边，步行或开车均可5分钟内 ，但会议期间会场提供咖啡、软饮、零食等
会议晚宴：VIP和特邀嘉宾 周六晚18点30分-20点30分 如需参加可提前购买，无法现场预定
天气一如既往的晴朗，温度适宜，25-13度，早晚凉
会议日程安排：
参会其他注意事项 （更详尽事宜访问网站,以网站为准）：
视频和摄影 参加 NACSHR 即表示您同意由官方展会摄影师和摄像师拍摄您的形象。由此产生的材料，包括静态照片、视频和音频记录，NACSHV 可以在新闻材料、宣传材料、网站和其他宣传渠道中不受限制地使用。与会嘉宾可以使用智能手机拍照和捕捉数字图像，仅限于个人、非商业用途，且摄影活动不得造成干扰。在会议进行时，与会嘉宾可以在座位上拍照，条件是不得站在媒体区域、阻挡其他人视线或使用闪光灯。照片不得以任何方式出售、复制、传播、分发或用于任何商业目的。
直播和录制会议 虽然 NACSHR 会录制和拍摄各种会议活动，这些活动主要是为了现场观众的利益。尽管我们实行“禁止直播和录制”的政策，但我们理解与会者希望通过手机捕捉照片和视频，并在社交网络上分享的愿望。为了保护发言者和会议内容的版权，与会嘉宾不得直播会议，并且同意录制任何单场会议的连续视频不得超过 60 秒。
The best HR & People Analytics articles of July 2025HR如何在AI时代掌握主动？David Green发布的7月《Data Driven HR Monthly》汇集全球顶尖报告与实践，聚焦“技能+任务”新范式、AI对员工体验与倦怠的双面影响，以及CHRO在企业AI战略中的领导地位。BCG数据显示，印度AI使用率达92%，但全球员工对AI培训满意度仅36%。Upwork报告揭示：高效AI用户更易疲惫离职。McKinsey与Gartner呼吁HR重构组织模型与人才规划体系。本期还探讨神经多元、NASA人才图谱与“Vibe Coding”等创新实践。
I always enjoy spending time in India, so I was delighted to arrive in Delhi yesterday ahead of People Matters Tech HR later this week. I’ll be delivering the opening keynote on how HR leaders can ace the next curve of change as well as leading a workshop on the science of better decisions. I’m looking forward to catching up with fellow speakers such as Jason Averbook (tip: subscribe to his Now to Next blog, if you don’t already), Pushkaraj Bidwai, Mukesh Jain, and Shefali Raias well as immersing myself in what is happening in the Indian HR tech scene.
In this month’s edition of the Data Driven HR Monthly, which comes against the backdrop of CEOs flexing on the impact of AI on jobs, I’ve included new research from BCG and Upwork on AI at work, and the role of HR. Marc Effron is spot on here with his assessment that CHROs need to be leading the strategic conversation with the executive team on their desire to reduce costs through job reduction enabled by AI: “CHROs can lead this conversation through organization, operating model and job design, where we should be experts.”
I expect plenty of discussion at Tech HR on this topic as well as the wider impact of AI on work, the workforce, and the workplace. One of the messages, I’ll look to get across in my keynote is:
AI guides, but humans decide. We must prioritise the ‘H’ in HR.
This edition of the Data Driven HR Monthly is sponsored by our friends at TechWolf
Skills, Tasks, and Workforce Intelligence: Navigating the AI Transformation
This month’s edition highlights an important conversation from the TechWolf Podcast, recorded live in New York, featuring Marc Steven Ramos, global learning leader with 25+ years’ global transformation experience with Google, Microsoft, Accenture, Novartis, Oracle, and Cornerstone, and Jeroen Van Hautte ?, CTO & Co-Founder of TechWolf.
The discussion explores how task-based intelligence complements skills data to create a complete view of workforce capabilities, empowering organizations to navigate one of the largest business transformations in history: the AI-driven redefinition of work.
Skills without context can be ambiguous. Tasks ground them in real work, and that’s where change, productivity, and AI come together — Marc Ramos
Why This Matters Now:
The pace of change in the workforce is unprecedented. Leading enterprises are already recognizing that workforce intelligence - the ability to understand, predict, and act on how work is changing in real time - is no longer optional.
From skills to skills + tasks + jobs: Combining these data points allows organizations to connect individual capabilities to tangible outputs and outcomes.
AI as a catalyst: AI is accelerating job evolution, making real-time visibility into tasks and skills essential for workforce planning and redeployment.
Strategic urgency for boards: Workforce automation isn’t a distant trend — it is reshaping workforces today, creating pressure on executives to act on reskilling, redeployment, and workforce design at speed.
To really understand a skill, you need to understand the context in which it’s applied — the tasks. And that’s where AI can add transformative clarity — Jeroen Van Hautte
For HR leaders, this is an opportunity to lead. With skills and tasks as the foundation, HR is uniquely positioned to drive cultural alignment, manage change, and deliver on the board-level mandate to prepare workforces for the AI era.
Listen to the Episode: ?️ Marc Ramos & Jeroen Van Hautte on Tasks, Skills & the Future of Work (TechWolf website summary)
To sponsor an edition of the Data Driven HR Monthly, and share your brand with more than 145,000 Data Driven HR Monthly subscribers, send an email to dgreen@zandel.org.
JULY ROAD REPORT
Until flying to Delhi yesterday, as mentioned above for Tech HR India later this week, July had been a light month of travel other than a short trip to Switzerland to run an AI workshop with the HR leadership team of one of the companies that are part of the Insight222 People Analytics Program. For those interested, one of my speaking engagements from earlier this year, at the Wharton People Analytics Conference, is now available to view (see below). In the talk, I explore the critical role of data democratisation and adoption in driving workforce insights, enhancing decision-making, and scaling HR’s strategic impact. I also share best practices from our work and research at Insight222 for making people analytics accessible to leaders and employees alike, the challenges of adoption, and the key investments required to unlock the full potential of workforce data. Enjoy!
Share the love!
Enjoy reading the collection of resources for July and, if you do, please share some data driven HR love with your colleagues and networks. Thanks to the many of you who liked, shared and/or commented on June’s compendium.
If you enjoy a weekly dose of curated learning (and the Digital HR Leaders podcast), the Insight222 newsletter: Digital HR Leaders newsletter is usually published every other Tuesday – subscribe here – and read the latest edition.
HYBRID, GENERATIVE AI AND THE FUTURE OF WORK
BCG - AI at Work: Momentum Builds, but Gaps Remain | JOHN BRAZIER AND NICK SOUTH - BCG’s AI at Work 2025 report: Four takeaways for HR leaders
Companies are realizing that merely introducing AI tools into existing ways of working isn’t enough to unlock their full potential. The real magic happens—and value generated —when businesses go further and reshape their workflows end-to-end.
BCG’s annual AI at work global survey of employees is packed full of insights and guidance for business and HR leaders looking to maximise value, adoption and employee experience with AI. The key takeaways include: (1) AI is now part of our daily work lives: 72% of respondents are regular AI users (although adoption amongst frontline employees has stalled at 51%). (2) Investment in training, leadership support and access to the right tools can break this ceiling: Yet only 36% of employees are satisfied with their AI training. (3) The Global South is showing higher adoption of AI. India leads the pack with 92% of regular users compared to the US (64%), UK (68%) and Japan (51%). (4) The next frontier: from adoption to value with end-to-end redesign. One-half of respondents say their company is starting to reshape processes. These companies also invest more in their people – and it pays off (see FIG 1). (5) AI agents are not widely deployed. Only 13% see agents integrated into broader workflows (see FIG 2). Kudos to the authors: Vinciane Beauchene, Sylvain Duranton, Nipun Kalra, and David Martin. For HR leaders, I also recommend reading John Brazier’s interview with BCG’s Nick South about the implications of the report’s findings for HR on the UNLEASH blog.
FIG 1: The relationship between workflow redesign due to AI and investment in people (Source: BCG)
FIG 2: Use of AI agents (Source: BCG)
GABBY BURLACU AND KELLY MONAHAN - From Tools to Teammates: Navigating the New Human-AI Relationship
Full time employees getting the most done with AI are also the most burned out, disengaged, and disconnected from their teams.
In their study for the Upwork Research Institute, Gabriela (Gabby) Burlacu and Kelly Monahan, Ph.D. identify a crucial message for the future of work: while AI is undeniably boosting productivity – with a reported 40% jump for many workers – it's also creating a human paradox. Alarmingly, top AI performers are experiencing high burnout (88%) and are twice as likely to leave, often feeling disconnected from strategy and even trusting AI more than human colleagues (see FIG 3 and 4). The report offers three urgent calls to action for business leaders: (1) Redesign work for human-centered, AI-empowered talent and workflows, prioritising autonomy, trust and psychological safety. (2) Cultivate flexible and resilient talent ecosystems, combining full-time employees, freelancers, and AI capabilities to create agile, resilient, and high-performing teams. (3) Redefine AI strategies to focus on the end-to-end human experience, including new roles, norms, and governance. For HR leaders, these findings are a wake-up call. We must prioritise the relational side of AI, ensuring human connection, well-being, and purpose are augmented, not eroded. It's about preventing burnout in our most productive AI users, fostering alignment, and learning from agile models like freelancers to build a truly sustainable human-AI collaborative future.
FIG 3: The human cost of AI productivity (Source: The Upwork Research Institute)
FIG 4: The rise of human-like relationships with AI (Source: The Upwork Research Institute)
COBUS GREYLING - Do AI Agents Substitute Human Workers — Or Enable Humans To Succeed In New Ways? | L. ELISA CELIS, LINGXIAO HUANG, AND NISHEETH K. VISHNOI - A Mathematical Framework for AI-Human Integration in Work
AI Agents are good at tasks not jobs…
In his article, Cobus Greyling provides an insightful and accessible analysis of a new study by Elisa Celis, Lingxiao Huang, and Nisheeth Vishnoi, which presents a mathematical framework that models jobs, workers, and worker-job fit, and introduces a novel decomposition of skills into decision-level and action-level subskills to reflect the complementary strengths of humans and GenAI. Greyling’s incisive analysis offers a helpful perspective for HR leaders navigating the future of work. His core message is clear: AI agents are fantastic at tasks, not entire jobs. They're not just substitutes, but powerful amplifiers of human capability, especially for less experienced workers, effectively compressing productivity gaps and fostering extraordinary collaboration. Here are four key learnings for HR: (1) Agentic AI Augments Human Potential: AI agents boost efficiency and performance, particularly for junior talent, by handling structured tasks and freeing humans for higher-order work. (2) Redefine Skills & Development: While AI takes on the mundane, HR must strategically ensure continuous skill development, focusing on uniquely human capabilities like judgment, creativity, and complex problem-solving. (3) Design for Human-AI Synergy: Organisational design must pivot to foster premium collaborations between humans and AI. It's about combining complementary strengths to achieve outcomes greater than the sum of the parts. (4) HR Leads Strategic Integration: Our role in HR is pivotal. We must orchestrate the strategic integration of agentic AI, balancing its efficiency gains with the imperative to preserve and nurture human ingenuity, driving both innovation and connection.
FIG 5: Al for work: skill difficulty continuum (Source: Cobus Greyling)
PEOPLE ANALYTICS
KETAKI SODHI AND COLE NAPPER - Who Needs a “Human in the Loop” When AI Gives Itself Feedback
Ketaki Sodhi, PhD, Program Owner for Agentic Listening and Analytics at Microsoft, and Cole Napper provide a fascinating perspective on the "human in the loop" concept for Generative AI, provocatively asking: which human, and how? This isn't just a technical question; it's where I/O Psychology and People Analytics come into their own. The article frames AI "evals"— the systems for assessing whether AI outputs are useful, accurate or aligned —as essentially performance management for Large Language Models. Just as we've wrestled with defining "good" in complex human knowledge work for decades, we now face the same challenge in building AI systems. In a world of infinite " " answers, AI evals demand the same nuance we apply to human systems: competency models, multi-rater input, calibration, and context. One of the key takeaways from Ketaki and Cole is that true success lies not in chasing perfect answers from AI, but in designing smart, human-informed systems. These are the systems that can discern between good, better, and what genuinely drives impact for your organisation. For people analytics leaders and I/O psychologists, this is a clarion call to leverage their deep expertise in human performance to shape the very fabric of our AI-driven future.
FIG 6: Source – Ketaki Sodhi
BEN BERRY - The future is built by everyone: What is Vibe Coding and why should People Analytics teams adopt it | ROSARIO GERMINO - From People Analytics to People Economics and Impact | ADRIAN PEREZ – GitLab People Analytics Team Handbook | DOMINIK TOMICEVIC - Can NASA’s People Graph and LLMs Revolutionize Workforce Planning? | MORGAN DEPENBUSCH - How to let color do the storytelling
In each edition of the Data Driven HR Monthly, I feature a collection of articles by current and recent people analytics leaders. These are intended to act as a spur and inspiration to the field. Five are highlighted in this month’s edition: (1) In a particularly insightful piece, Ben Berry examines whether vibe coding, a product management practice of using AI tools to rapidly build functional prototypes to help turn rough ideas into working concepts, should be adopted in people analytics. (2) In her thoughtful article, Rosario Germino argues that to elevate people decisions to the same level of strategic investment as product or finance, we need a new way of thinking—and a new kind of function – People Economics and Impact, which she then breaks down into the why (see FIG 7 on the multi-dimensional aspect of informed decision making), what and how. (3) In a recent post, Adrian M. Pérez provides open source access to GitHub’s People Analytics Team Handbook, a rich resources covering areas such as (i) data governance framework, (ii) tools and methodologies, (iii) survey administration, and (iv) Tableau dashboard strategies. (4) Dominik Tomicevic provides a compelling account of how NASA’s People Graph is supporting a range of priorities from upskilling to workforce planning – with insights from the NASA team of David Meza, Madison Ostermann and Katharine Knott, MBA: “Knowledge graphs offer flexibility, since you don’t need a full schema upfront. We began with known relationships and expanded as we uncovered more insights in the data.” (5) In an edition of her excellent Trending Up newsletter, Morgan Depenbusch, PhD offers some compelling guidance on the use of colour in data visualisation and storytelling.
FIG 7: Informed decisions are multi-dimensional. Financial logic makes them investable (Source: Rosario Germino)
THE EVOLUTION OF HR, LEARNING, AND DATA DRIVEN CULTURE
MCKINSEY - HR Monitor 2025
The gap is widening between what is needed from an efficient, effective HR function and what most organizations currently offer
McKinsey's HR Monitor 2025 benchmark study of workforce and HR trends across Europe, delivers a sharp analysis of the critical shifts shaping the HR profession, emphasising that the next 12-24 months are decisive for the function. The report identifies five key trends: (1) Workforce planning is not approached strategically enough – see FIG 8 - (“…with rapid changes driven by gen AI and shifting skill needs, workforce planning must move beyond short-term staffing forecasts to include a longer-term view and future-scenario planning”). (2) Talent acquisition is becoming more complex: with only 56% offer acceptance rates, 18% of new hires leaving during their probationary period and the overall hiring success rate in Europe standing at a lowly 46%, a more strategic and coordinated approach to attracting and hiring talent is required. (3) Employee development continues to be highly fragmented (“To prepare the workforce for future challenges, organizations must connect performance management, learning and development, and talent development in one cohesive strategy”). (4) Employee experience is essential—and underdeveloped (“A more tailored, data-driven approach to the employee experience is needed to build motivation and long-term commitment to employers”). (5) Gen AI and shared-services centres could boost efficiency and effectiveness (“HR departments must modernize their operating models by expanding SSC adoption and using automation and gen AI to increase speed, scalability, and strategic impact”). For Chief People Officers, the message is clear: You must align HR strategy directly with business priorities, strengthen your HR operating model, and aggressively build digital and AI skills within HR. This is about laying the foundation for a modern, AI-enabled HR function that is both deeply people-centric and laser-focused on organizational performance. Kudos to the authors: Julian Kirchherr, Vincent Bérubé, Charlotte Seiler, Dr. Kira Alexandra Rupietta, Kristina Stoerk, Nina-Marlene Senst, and Simon Gallot Lavallée.
...with rapid changes driven by gen AI and shifting skill needs, workforce planning must move beyond short-term staffing forecasts to include a longer-term view and future-scenario planning
FIG 8: Engagement in workforce planning (Source: McKinsey)
FIG 9: Predicted impact of gen AI on HR department (Source: McKinsey)
ESER RIZAOGLU AND STEPHANIE CLEMENT - How CHROs Can Prepare Their Function and the Enterprise for AI Transformation
CHROs play a key role in safely using AI at scale to deliver business outcomes.
Recent research by Eser Rizaoglu and Stephanie Clement for Gartner provides a helpful roadmap for CHROs steering their organisations through AI transformation, by focusing on HR's pivotal role in shaping the future of work. The report highlights three key actions for CHROs to enable their organisation's AI approach: (1) Assist in delivering business outcomes using AI: Leverage GenAI for HR productivity first, then expand to drive enterprise-wide improvements with a broader AI portfolio. (2) Manage behavioural outcomes of AI: Cultivate a culture of innovation, build human-centred change management plans, and introduce new HR roles to foster human-machine partnerships. (3) Enable workforce readiness for AI: Implement AI literacy programs for all (see FIG 10), while targeting upskilling efforts on segments most impacted, building empathy, and tracking readiness indicators. For CHROs in Steady-AI-Pace organisations, the focus is on foundational AI literacy and policy. Those at an Accelerated-AI-Pace must deepen this by targeting high-impact workforce segments and deploying AI champions to drive effective, human-centric change.
FIG 10: AI Literacy Program Roadmap (Source: Gartner)
DAVE ULRICH - Navigating Eight Paradoxes of AI for HR
When algorithms combine with human empathy, judgement, and creativity, sustained progress occurs.
In his article, Dave Ulrich highlights eight paradoxes on the AI for HR agenda that he believes business and HR leaders need to navigate to move up the s-curve and waves of HR impact (see FIG 11) to deliver more value. As Dave explains: “Navigating (not just managing) paradox means highlighting and working through opposing ideas—each of which is valid—that combine to create more value.” The eight paradoxes identified in the article are: (1) AI and AI: Artificial Intelligence * Authentic Intimacy. (2) Remove jobs and redefine work. (3) Bottom line efficiency and top line growth. (4) Distribute and concentrate power. (5) Lower and increase risk. (6) Expand perspective and reduce cognition. (7) Provide answers and explore questions. (8) Isolate and connect.
FIG 11: Five stages of AI for HR evolution (Source: Dave Ulrich)
EMPLOYEE LISTENING, EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE, AND EMPLOYEE WELLBEING
JARED WEINTRAUB - A day in the life of a GenAI-enabled workforce
Deloitte forecasts that 25 percent of companies currently using GenAI will launch agentic pilots this year, rising to 50 percent by 2027
Jared Weintraub, PhD, SPHR's article for Deloitte paints a tantalising picture of a 'Gen-AI enabled workforce,' showcasing how AI agents are already transforming our daily work. Through a fictional Fortune500 company, Jared brings to life three key personas: (1) New Hire (Riley): Experiences personalised onboarding, with AI agents helping her navigate culture and quickly excel in her role. (2) VP (Taylor): Sees optimised leadership workflows, receiving instant summaries, personalised action items, and even real-time feedback on calls. (3) CEO (Angelina): Gains powerful support for strategic decision-making, with AI agents providing real-time insights and even coaching for high-stakes events like public town halls. These examples demonstrate AI's profound potential not to replace workers, but to fundamentally enhance human potential, leading to a significantly improved employee experience where individuals, teams, and organisations can thrive and perform at their absolute best. Thanks to Brian Heger for highlighting in his excellent Talent Edge Weekly.
WORKFORCE PLANNING, ORG DESIGN, AND SKILLS-BASED ORGANISATIONS
SCOTT REIDA AND KRISTIN SABOE - Applying the Rule of 72 to Workforce Skill Obsolescence and Productivity Degradation
Amazon's Scott Reida and Google's Kristin Saboe, Ph.D. introduce a powerful financial concept to HR: the "Rule of 72." Traditionally, it's a shortcut to estimate how long an investment takes to double, by dividing 72 by its annual growth rate. They ingeniously flip this, applying it to skill evolution: by dividing 72 by a role's weighted average 3-year Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of its skills, one estimates the "years to obsolescence" if no upskilling occurs. This provides critical directional clarity on how fast job competencies are shifting. Their framework, illustrated in FIG 12, categorises skills into four key zones: (1) Emerging (low adoption, high growth, representing the cutting edge). (2) Table Stakes (widely adopted, foundational must-haves with steady growth). (3) On the Cusp (moderate adoption, sustained expansion, offering long-term value). (4) Sunset (declining demand, requiring intentional upskilling). This enables smarter workforce planning. HR can now target training budgets where skill erosion is rapid, shifting from reactive to proactive strategies. It transforms talent into a dynamic portfolio , informing sharper hiring and career development in our accelerating world.
FIG 12: Categorising skills into four key zones (Source – Scott Reida and Kristin Saboe)
McKINSEY - The new rules for getting your operating model redesign right
When people feel invested in and supported, they are more likely to embrace change, contribute meaningfully, and sustain the behaviors that drive long-term impact.
New research from McKinsey updating their nine golden rules for operating model redesign, which finds that five original (evergreen) rules have stood the test of time while four new (evolved) rules have emerged (see FIG 13). The study identifies a key finding: redesign success jumps from 59 percent when using all nine original rules to 97 percent when using all nine in the refreshed set. The article also presents four broad redesign themes for leaders to focus on: (1) Create alignment among leaders and decision-makers, grounded in strategy. (2) Invest deeply in rewiring workflows. (3) Make significant investments in people. (4) Create a performance-oriented culture for durable impact. For Chief People Officers, the key takeaway is that they need to become the architects of dynamic, human-centric operating models. Their focus shifts from traditional talent management to proactively designing how work gets done, emphasising skills and capabilities over static roles. CPOs should also lead on ethical AI integration, foster a culture of continuous learning, and empower leaders. This creates a workforce built for perpetual reinvention, driving sustained value in an increasingly uncertain world. Kudos to the authors: Brooke Weddle, J.R. Maxwell, Tristan Allen, Deepak Mahadevan, Elizabeth Mygatt, and Olli Salo.
FIG 13: The refreshed golden rules of organisational redesign (Source: McKinsey)
LEADERSHIP, CULTURE, AND LEARNING
JEFF WETZLER - The Right Way to Prepare for a High-Stakes Conversation
Curiosity increases your ability to process new information and respond creatively to complex problems. It activates the brain’s learning and reward centers, increasing your capacity for insight and creative problem-solving.
In his recent HBR article, Jeff Wetzler introduces a helpful concept for leaders: The Curiosity Check (see FIG 14). This diagnostic is designed to fundamentally shift your mindset from defensive certainty to productive curiosity, and so improve your effectiveness in high-stakes discussions and boost your influence. It’s all about unlocking crucial, often hidden, insights. Wetzler outlines three actionable steps: (1) Choose Curiosity Over Certainty: Actively ask yourself "What am I missing?" challenging your assumptions. (2) Make It Safe to Speak Up: Create an environment where people feel secure sharing their true thoughts, proving safety through action, not just words. (3) Pose Quality Questions: Shift from shallow or leading questions to open-ended, neutral, and deeper inquiries that encourage genuine reflection. Wetzler brings this to life with examples, highlighting how leaders often miss critical information when they assume team alignment, never probing for the "unspoken thoughts" that hold the real insights. This approach empowers you to tap into wisdom you might otherwise completely overlook. Thanks to Amy Edmondson for highlighting.
FIG 14: The Curiosity Curve (Source: Jeff Wetzler)
MCKINSEY RESEARCH AND INNOVATION LEARNING LAB – Reimagined: Development for the Future of Work – Evolving Trends in L&D Article | Full report
Leaders must prepare for a future defined by radical candor regarding the impacts of AI on work and the workforce.
The 2025 McKinsey Learning Perspective spotlights three interconnected themes crucial for people development in a rapidly changing world: (1) Fluid Development Ecosystems: Organisations must design work to be inherently developmental, shifting from rigid structures to dynamic, data-driven ecosystems. This means de-siloing HR functions and embedding learning into daily work, making growth continuous and seamless. The goal is to make daily challenges catalysts for growth, supported by real-time data and foresight. (2) Responsible AI Adoption: This defining moment demands leaders preserve employee trust by showing AI will help them thrive, not just automate work. It's about fostering powerful human-AI collaboration, offloading repetitive tasks to AI to unlock human creativity and higher-order skills. Responsible adoption hinges on equipping employees with uniquely human capabilities like critical thinking and judgment. (3) Resilient and Adaptable Individuals and Organisations: Thriving organisations anticipate challenges, adapt, and grow, building structural and cultural foundations for resilience. This involves unlocking the potential of diverse, multigenerational workforces, supporting recuperation to prevent burnout, and enabling organisational resilience through sustainable workflows. It means seeing resilience as a shared, cultivated capability, not just an individual trait. Read the article by Heather Stefanski, Benjamin Hall, Jake Gittleson, and Jessica Glazer, and then dive into the full report, which also includes contributions from the likes of Sandra Durth.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING
ROBERT D. AUSTIN, NEIL BARNETT, CHLOE R. CAMERON, HIREN SHUKLA, THORKIL SONNE, AND JOSE VELASCO - How Neuroinclusion Builds Organizational Capabilities
Leaders should consider neuro-inclusion as a strategic capability-building opportunity rather than a diversity initiative
In a rapidly evolving world, neuro-inclusion is emerging as a critical organisational capability, as highlighted by Robert Austin, Neil Barnett, Chloe Cameron, Hiren Shukla, Thorkil Sonne, and Jose Velasco in the MIT Sloan Management Review. This isn't merely a diversity initiative; it's a strategic imperative that unlocks competitive advantage by leveraging the rich, natural variation in human cognition. By intentionally designing processes for neurodistinct individuals, organisations can profoundly improve: (1) Hiring, by tapping into overlooked talent pools with unique skills (as seen with SAP attracting highly credentialed candidates often missed by traditional interviews); (2) Innovation, through diverse perspectives that spark novel solutions (Microsoft's Teams ‘Blur’ feature emerged from a neurodistinct engineer's insights); and ultimately, (3) Culture, by fostering a more adaptive and truly inclusive environment for everyone. As the article reveals, EY, Microsoft, and SAP are prime examples of organisations already reaping these benefits, demonstrating that embracing neurodiversity enhances collective intelligence and drives superior business outcomes.
FRANK DOBBIN AND ALEXANDRA KALEV - Achieve DEI Goals Without DEI Programs
Many management innovations designed to improve performance actually boost workforce diversity as well, without inviting the backlash of formal DEI programs.
Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev, in their recent HBR article, challenge the traditional view of DEI. They argue that as formal DEI programs face headwinds, HR leaders can still drive significant diversity, equity, and inclusion by focusing on high-performance management techniques that naturally foster inclusion and improve business outcomes, all without the ‘DEI program’ label. They highlight five powerful techniques and provide examples of how these have been implemented by companies: (1) Referral programs: Companies like Oracle use these effectively, often boosting representation organically. (2) Skills upgrading: Walmart exemplifies this, investing in employee upskilling that broadens opportunities for diverse talent (see FIG 15). (3) Mentoring programs: IBM has long leveraged robust mentoring to support career progression across all groups. (4) Scheduling flexibility and stability: Gap demonstrates how providing predictable yet flexible schedules empowers diverse workforces. (5) Performance-based retention: Amazon uses data-driven approaches to identify and retain top performers, inherently benefiting those who excel regardless of background (also see FIG 15). This approach embeds DEI within the fabric of how we manage and develop our people, making it an undeniable component of business success. It’s about doing good by doing well.
FIG 15: Walmart and Amazon’s changing workforces (Source: Dobbin and Kalev)
HR TECH VOICES
Much of the innovation in the field continues to be driven by the vendor and analyst community, and I’ve picked out a few resources from July that I recommend readers delve into:
LISA K. SIMON - How Much Is a Skill Worth?
In her article, Lisa K. Simon, Chief Economist at Revelio Labs, presents the findings of a new paper, she co-authored with David Dorn, Ludger Woessmann, Moritz Seebacher and Florian Schoner, which finds that the number and type of skills workers report are strong predictors of how much they earn: “In fact, differences in skills predict earnings better than differences in education or past experience. Workers who list more skills tend to be in better-paid jobs. On average, each additional skill listed on a resume is associated with 0.67 percentage points higher earnings.” Another finding is that not all skills are valued equally, with occupation-specific and managerial skills providing the largest boost to income, while a higher prevalence of general skills is associated with lower earnings (see FIG 16). Thanks to Seth Hollander, MBA for highlighting the article and paper.
Workers who list more skills tend to be in better-paid jobs. On average, each additional skill listed on a resume is associated with 0.67 percentage points higher earnings.
FIG 16: Only having general skills on a resume is associated with lower earnings (Source: Revelio Labs)
WARDEN AI - State of AI Bias in Talent Acquisition
This is an excellent new report from Jeffrey Pole and the team at Warden AI, which provides a comprehensive and data-driven review of AI bias, compliance and responsible AI practices in talent acquisition – the area of HR, which perhaps has the most significant adoption of AI. With a foreword by Kyle Lagunas, and contributions from the likes of Hung Lee (see quote below) and Sarah Smart, Sultan Murad Saidov and Trent Cotton, key findings include: (1) 75% of HR leaders say bias is a top concern when adopting AI. (2) 15% of AI systems fail to meet fairness metrics for one or more demographic group. (3) AI scores 0.94 vs 0.67 for humans, outperforming on average across fairness metrics (see FIG 17). (4) AI is up to 45% more fair than humans for women and racial minority candidates. Congrats too to Jeff and the team for raising $1.6m in a recent funding round.
We are right to worry about AI bias, but we should not forget that the baseline, human only judgment, is far from bias-free - Hung Lee
FIG 17: AI outperforms humans across fairness metrics (Source - Warden AI, State of AI Bias in Talent Acquisition)
COLE NAPPER - From HR Skills…to HR Jobs
When new trends emerge at work, they are likely to first appear as skills. As skills evolve, they consolidate into job titles and full occupations.
The prolific Cole Napper highlights Lightcast data to paint a compelling analysis on the journey of people analytics, workforce planning and talent intelligence from trends to skills to jobs: “When new trends emerge at work, they are likely to first appear as skills. As skills evolve, they consolidate into job titles and full occupations.” In the article, Cole presents data visualisations and analysis on how job postings mentioning each of the three skills fluctuated over time, how this translated into job titles, and the wage premium (see FIG 18) that these three categories have on HR salaries in general (on the theme of people strategy and analytics salaries, read this post by Pallavi Narang) Look out for Cole’s book, People Analytics: Using data-driven HR and Gen AI as a business asset, which is available for pre-order now ahead of being published on August 26.
FIG 18: Median salaries in HR areas (Source: Lightcast)
PODCASTS OF THE MONTH
In another month of high-quality podcasts, I’ve selected four gems for your aural pleasure: (you can also check out the latest episodes of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast – see ‘From My Desk’ below):
PETER FASOLO - Leading with impact as a chief human resources officer – In this must-listen episode of Capital H, Peter Fasolo, Ph.D., former chief human resources officer at Johnson & Johnson, joins host Kyle Forrest to discuss the power of systems thinking, board collaboration, aligning your people agenda with enterprise strategy, and more.
ANGELA LE MATHON - AI-Native HR Operating Model & AI Agents for Skills/Tasks – The brilliant Angela LE MATHON joins Cole Napper to discuss how AI is transforming the work that people analytics does and how the function operates as well as envisioning a new AI-native operating model for HR.
SVENJA GUDELL, BROOKE WEDDLE, AND BRYAN HANCOCK - What the labor market isn’t telling you—yet – Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Indeed, joins Brooke Weddle, Bryan Hancock, and host Lucia Rahilly, on an episode of McKinsey Talks Talent to help leaders make sense of the current collision of labour market trends: generative AI, agentic AI, an aging workforce, shifting priorities, and more.
BEN WEIN – How Bristol-Myers Squibb used skills data to solve a life-or-death talent shortage – Ben Wein, Director of Workforce Skills Enablement at Bristol Myers Squibb, joins Julius Schelstraete ? on The TechWolf Podcast to share how BMS is becoming a skills-based organisation—starting with a business-critical talent shortage in cell therapy manufacturing. Ben explains how BMS uses skills data to drive faster hiring, smarter workforce planning, and ultimately, patient impact.
VIDEO OF THE MONTH
DJ PATIL - Data, Decisions, and the Future of Work: How AI and Curiosity Are Redefining Careers
Many of the videos of the talks at the recent Wharton People Analytics Conference are now available on the Wharton School YouTube channel, including my talk on How Top Companies Scale People Analytics Adoption. There are some wonderful talks from the likes of Amy Edmondson, Ravin Jesuthasan, CFA, FRSA, Ben Waber, Karalee Close, Guru Sethupathy and Michael Fraccaro, but perhaps my favourite session of the two days was former US Chief Data Scientist DJ Patil’s fireside chat with Eric Bradlow on how firms can harness data science to navigate the future of work. They explore the evolving relationship between AI and human collaboration, the promises and pitfalls of algorithmic management, and how leaders can build ethical, resilient, and high-performing organizations in an increasingly data-driven world.
BOOKS OF THE MONTH
Given it’s the summer in Europe and North America, here are two books to read while you are getting some well-earned relaxation time:
PETER HINSSEN – The Uncertainty Principle - Peter Hinssen's The Uncertainty Principle, his fifth book, is a vital read for HR leaders. It argues we're in a "Never Normal" world, where constant change is inevitable. Hinssen transforms uncertainty from a threat to an opportunity, urging us to move faster and think bigger. For HR, this means embracing ambiguity, leading cultural shifts, leveraging people data, and redefining talent and leadership for relentless evolution. It's about equipping our people to thrive and transform every challenge into a strategic advantage. For a preview of the book, I recommend Peter’s recent discussion with me on the Digital HR Leaders podcast: Uncertainty as an Opportunity: HR's role in Shaping the Future.
JENNY DEARBORN AND KELLY RIDER - The Insight-Driven Leader: How High-Performing Companies are Using Analytics to Unlock Business Value - Jenny Dearborn, MBA and Kelly Rider's The Insight-Driven Leader is an inspirational guide to unlocking serious business value through people analytics. This book shows how to transform raw data into powerful workforce insights, solving critical challenges and driving success. You'll learn: (1) How to move beyond traditional rear-view HR metrics to actionable insights. (2) Real-life case studies from leading organisations, as well as cautionary tales. (3) Recommendations for becoming an insights-driven organization using workforce analytics. The book is a must-read for leaders aiming to align data with strategy and build a truly insight-driven culture.
FROM MY DESK
July saw four new episodes of the Digital HR Leaders podcast – all sponsored by our friends at Mercer (thanks IŞIL ÇAYIRLI KETENCI):
ANSHUL SHEOPURI - How People Analytics is Powering Business Strategy - Anshul Sheopuri, Executive Vice President of People Operations & Insights at Mastercard, joins me for a conversation on how to embed analytics into enterprise-wide decision-making at scale. Thanks to Sasha Houlihan for organising.
PETER HINSSEN - Uncertainty as an Opportunity: HR's role in Shaping the Future – As highlighted in the Books of the Month above, Peter Hinssen joined me to discuss what it really takes for HR to embrace uncertainty and lead in this era of the ‘Never Normal.’
RAVIN JESUTHASAN AND BRIAN FISHER - The Skills Revolution: Your Playbook for Workforce Agility – Ravin Jesuthasan, CFA, FRSA and Brian Fisher join me to explore why skills-based workforce planning has surged to the top of the HR agenda - and what leading companies are doing to turn intent into action.
AMY BAXENDALE - How Arcadis Built a Skills-Powered Organisation – Amy Baxendale , Global Future of Workforce Director at Arcadis, provides a detailed guide on the journey the company has embarked to become a skills-powered organisation. The episode includes discussion on the business case, securing sponsorship, setting up governance, the partnership with Mercer and Eightfold, and the early benefits:
We are early in the journey, but we are seeing some promising signs of progress. Our time to hire is trending downwards - that has a direct commercial impact for the business. We've also actually been able to calculate the financial impact of work that's being completed through gigs and show the actual impact on EBITDA
LOOKING FOR A NEW ROLE IN PEOPLE ANALYTICS OR HR TECH?
I’d like to highlight once again the wonderful resource created by Richard Rosenow and the One Model team of open roles in people analytics and HR technology, which now numbers over 525 roles with half of these being new.
THANK YOU
To HR magazine and Charissa King for including me again in their annual HR Most Influential list as one of the ten most influential practitioners
The Talent Games for including the Digital HR Leaders podcast at #6 in its 27 Best Leadership Podcasts for HR Leaders.
Steve Sands for including my work as part of his Human Resource Management Analytics night class at the National College of Ireland.
A huge thank you to the following people who either shared the June edition of Data Driven HR Monthly and/or posted about the Digital HR Leaders podcast, conferences or other content. It's much appreciated: Emmanuel Duncan, Rob Baker, FCIPD, MAPP, Richard Hall, Robert Rogowski, Catherine de la Poer, Caroline Lambe, Jeremy Sholl, Narelle Burke, Edan Halili, Francesca Caroleo (SHRM-SCP, ICF-ACC), Uwe Gohr, Joseph Frank, PhD CCP GWCCM, Randeep Kaur, Aaron Chasan, Danial Singh Kang, Jorge-Luis Gonzalez, Anisha Moosaأنيشا موسى?????, Carlos Lopes, Danielle Farrell, MA, CSM, Kris Saling, Hiroyuki MIYAI, Ph.D., Yukiko Hosomi, Dr. Christoph Spöck, Joachim Rotzinger, Kevin Le Vaillant, Seung Won Yoon, Alexis Fink, Timo Tischer, Dr. Tobias Bartholomé, Jose Luis Chavez Vasquez, Meg Bear, Abhinav Tiwari, Esther Abraas, Gareth Flynn, Elizabeth Musso, Jana Glogowski, Maarten van Beek, K Nair, Joonghak Lee, Sameer Tahir, Robert Allen, Volker Jacobs, Bilal Laouah, Florent Maire, Oliver Kasper, Jaap Veldkamp, Patrick Coolen, Jeff Wellstead, Jean-Francois (Jeff) BOUBANGA MIGOLET, Dan George, Shujaat Ahmad, Alexandra Nawrat, People Edge Consulting Ltd., Andrew Spence, Roshaunda Green, MBA, CDSP, Phenom Certified Recruiter ?, Austin Brockert, MBA, Dan Riley, Sanja Licina, Ph.D., Anna A. Tavis, PhD, Stela Lupushor, Jeremy Shapiro, David Simmonds FCIPD, Catriona Lindsay, Aravind Warrier, Michael Arena, Greg Pryor, Isabella Cheshire, Amardeep Singh, MBA, Aline Costa, Anis Alexandros El Namparaoui, Adam Treitler, Helder Figueiredo, Sebastian Knepper, Sebastian Kolberg, Lewis Garrad, Kerry Ghize, Preetha Ghatak Mukharjee, Jacob Nielsen, Pete Jaworski, Søren Kold, Prabhakar Pandey, Avani Solanki Prabhakar, Ian Grant FCIPD, Erik Samdahl, Max Blumberg, Sergey Puchka, Romy Hobson, Bettina Dietsche, Hernan Chiosso, CSPO, SPHR ?, Paola Alfaro Alpízar, Sergio Garcia Mora, Hanadi El Sayyed, David van Lochem, Maria Nolazco Masson, David McLean, Clara W Estanqueiro, Shonna Waters, PhD, Kevin Martin, Kathi Enderes, Serena H. Huang, Ph.D., Smadar Tadmor, Tobias W. Goers ツ, Dr. Denise Turley AI.Impact.Equity, Stella Ioannidou, Apeksha Awaji, Evan Franz, MBA, L N Divya Mudundi, Ross Sparkman, Salman Farooq, Megan Reitz, Todd Tauber, Heather Muir, AJ Herrmann, Priyanka Mehrotra, Oliver Auty, Priya Subrahmanyan, Naotake Momiyama, Bill Banham, Matthew Yerbury, Prachi Agasti, Robin Haag, Fabian Stokes, MBA, SWP, Monika Manova, Barry Swales, Dean Carter, Ian OKeefe, Ying Li, Alexandre Monin, Mike Zarrilli, Natasha Fearon, Pedro Pereira, David Balls (FCIPD), Naomi Verghese, Geetanjali Gamel, Frankie Close, Warren Howlett, Stephanie Murphy, Ph.D., John Gunawan, Jesse Clark, MBA, Caitie Jacobson Mikulis, Meghan M. Biro, Dan Trares, Kouros Behzad, Kathleen Kruse, Nick Lynn, Mariana Allain Carrasqueira, Marina Pearce, PhD, Dawn Klinghoffer, Raquel Mitie Harano, Delia Majarín, Deborah M. Weiss, Courtney McMahon, Nirit Peled-Muntz, Hanne Hoberg, Adam McKinnon, PhD., Don Dela Paz, Matt Elk, Sophia Houziaux, Danielle Bushen, Nabil Dewsi, Sai Bon Timmy Cheung 張世邦, Dolapo (Dolly) Oyenuga Agnes Garaba, Wouter Minten, Olly Britnell, Nick Hudgell, Roxanne Laczo, PhD, Claire Masson, Daisy Grewal, Ph.D., Laura Cole, Brian Elliott, Erin Eatough, PhD Henrik Håkansson Gabe Horwitz Russell Klosk (智能虎)
The final note this month is a sad one - rest in peace Diogo Jota and André Silva.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Green ?? is a globally respected author, speaker, conference chair, and executive consultant on people analytics, data-driven HR and the future of work. As Managing Partner and Executive Director at Insight222, he has overall responsibility for the delivery of the Insight222 People Analytics Program, which supports the advancement of people analytics in over 100 global organisations. Prior to co-founding Insight222, David accumulated over 20 years experience in the human resources and people analytics fields, including as Global Director of People Analytics Solutions at IBM. As such, David has extensive experience in helping organisations increase value, impact and focus from the wise and ethical use of people analytics. David also hosts the Digital HR Leaders Podcast and is an instructor for Insight222's myHRfuture Academy. His book, co-authored with Jonathan Ferrar, Excellence in People Analytics: How to use Workforce Data to Create Business Value was published in the summer of 2021.
MEET ME AT THESE EVENTS
I'll be speaking about people analytics, the future of work, and data driven HR at a number of upcoming events in 2025:
July 31 - August 1 - People Matters TechHR India 2025, Delhi
August 13-16 - GCHRA Africa, Accra, Ghana (I will join virtually)
September 25 - Visier Outsmart Local London, London
October 7-9 - Insight222 Global Executive Retreat, Atlanta (exclusive to the people analytics leader in member companies of the Insight222 People Analytics Program®)
October 15-16 - People Analytics World, New York
October 21-22 - UNLEASH World, Paris
November 12-13 - HR Forum 2025, Oslo
More events will be added as they are confirmed.
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
NACSHR活动
David Green
