Josh Bersin

This week we announce the deep integration of Galileo, the world’s AI Assistant for HR, into ServiceNow (Now Assist) and the fast-growing HCM system HiBob. This means you can now access Galileo in the flow of work. Additional Information Announcement Details The Mercury Release of Galileo Signals a New Era for Intelligent Agents Q&A: Get Galileo for ServiceNow Q&A: Get Galileo for HiBob

This week, in advance of major announcements from us and other vendors, I give you a good overview of the AI Agent market, and discuss the new role of AI governance platforms, AI agent development tools, AI agent vendors, and how AI agents will actually manifest and redefine what we call an “application.” I discuss ServiceNow, Microsoft, SAP, Workday, Paradox, Maki People, and other vendors. My goal today is to “demystify” this space and explain the market, the trends, and why and how your IT department is going to be building a lot of the agents you need. And prepare for our announcements next week! Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI Agents and Market Trends 02:55 Understanding Intelligent Agents and Their Applications 05:48 The Role of Agents in HR and Business Workflows 09:09 Agent Management and Governance Challenges 11:46 ServiceNow’s Evolution and AI Integration 15:06 The Future of Custom Agent Development 17:55 Upcoming Events and Industry Insights 20:46 The Impact of AI on HR and Workforce Dynamics Additional Information The Mercury Release of Galileo Signals a New Era for Intelligent Agents The End of HR As We Know It (long read on AI’s impact on HR) The Rise of The Superworker: Four Stages of AI Explainer Video Microsoft Launches People Skills In Copilot, Altering The HR Tech Market Irresistible 2025: Join Us (almost full)    

In this episode of the WhatWorks podcast, Dara Engle, CHRO of ORIX USA, speaks with Kathi Enderes to explore the power of systemic HR in transforming a global organization. Discover how Dara navigates the complexities of leading HR in a multinational context, leveraging her extensive experience to drive strategic alignment and transformation. From building resilient cultures to managing change in a fast-paced environment and coaching senior executives, Dara shares invaluable insights and advice for HR leaders and aspiring CHROs. Additional Information Systemic HR: The New Operating Model Designed for the Age of AI

In this week’s podcast I discuss my meetings with many companies in Europe about “how to rapidly implement AI” to improve productivity and scale. And every single company is being asked to do this now, some with very mature and sophisticated plans. So the first question I ask is “how do we implement AI to improve the productivity of the company” and then “how do we also do this within HR?” Well now that we’re a few years into this journey, the land mines and lessons are becoming clear, and I discuss what’s going on in some of the largest companies in the world. And yes, everything you know about HR itself is changing at a rate I’ve never seen before. The second question I discuss is “what is about to happen to Corporate Learning?” And in this case I walk through the large session I had at the L&D Tech conference and how radically L&D is about to be revolutionized. A big research report on this is coming soon, but in the podcast I discuss “the end of the publishing model” in L&D, and all that implies. For those of you still a bit confused by AI and Agents in general, I urge you to Get Galileo, our ready-made AI assistant for HR. You’ll learn everything you need to know about agents and you’ll also have the world’s best “digital HR consultant” at your desk. Come see us at Unleash Vegas or Irresistible over the next few weeks, and next week I’ll cover some more in-depth case studies I want to share. Sound Bites “AI threatens the HR profession as we know it.” “Every employee is going to have their own large language model.” “We need to redesign the work to use AI.” “The AI push is forcing us to clean up our roles.” “AI can change 70 to 80% of the L&D process.” “This is a revolution, not a step change.” Additional Information Microsoft Skills Agent Disrupts the Skills Tech Market The Mercury Release of Galileo Signals a New Era for Intelligent Agents The White Collar Recession Is Real: What Should We Do About It?

This week I discuss this massive shift toward “AI-Native” applications and systems which are radically different from traditional HR Tech, with a particular focus on L&D. I also explain how new AI architectures are so completely different from our traditional types of HR platforms, and how vendors have to be more expansive with their thinking. Vendors here include Sana, Degreed, Docebo, CodeSignal, Arist, Uplimit, Eightfold, and many other pioneers to come. (I recorded this on a walk today so it sounds like I’m outside, but hopefully you enjoy the new ideas here.) I’m going to be diving into this at L&D Technology in UK this week and much more at Unleash Vegas the first week in May. Additional Information The Mercury Release of Galileo Signals a New Era for Intelligent Agents A Revolution In Corporate Learning Begins, Join The Journey

Alfredo Thompson, Chief People Officer at Royal United Hospitals Bath, NHS Foundation Trust, talks with Kathi Enderes about how he is leading an end-to-end transformation of talent acquisition and onboarding for the Trust. Built on principles of customer orientation and systemic HR®, the organization shifted recruitment from a compliance-oriented fulfillment center to a business growth function, using a combination of mindset shift, process redesign, technology enablement, and cross-functional collaboration. The results are outstanding, significantly reducing the healthcare organization’s vacancy rates and increasing employee retention while also improving hiring manager and candidate satisfaction. Additional Information Emerging Trends in Talent Acquisition: Factbook Talent Acquisition at a Crossroads Systemic HR Overview Transforming the NHS, by Sonia Mooney

This week I detail the whole story: how the $360 billion corporate learning market is being blown up by AI. This tidal wave has now arrived, with every major company asking “how can I get rid of a third of my training department and deliver skills faster in the flow of work?” What happens to the Chief Learning Officer? What happens to the LMS? Is Instructional Design going away? What happens to needs analysis? And What are the new jobs in L&D being created? And in this new world, will we even call it “Learning and Development” any more? In this podcast I explain the history, the new role of AI, and the ten top implications for L&D, training professionals, HR teams, and employees around the world. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Learning and Development 03:01 The Business Landscape and AI’s Role 06:04 The History of Learning and Development 08:53 Challenges in Learning and Development 11:45 The Future of Learning with AI 15:05 Transforming Learning and Development Practices 17:56 The Impact of AI on Corporate L&D Teams 21:11 Redefining what L&D does 24:06 Dynamic Learning Systems and AI Architectures 26:48 A Fundamental Shift in Learning and Development Paradigms 30:10 Don’t Get Caught In The Past Additional Information The Mercury Release of Galileo Signals a New Era for Intelligent Agents A Revolution In Corporate Learning Begins, Join Us On The Journey New Research: Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO Artificial Intelligence in HR (Josh Bersin Academy) The Rise of the Superworker: Delivering On The Promise Of AI

Introducing the Galileo Mercury Release: a new reasoning model, extensive new data and information from Lightcast, the Universal Competency Framework from SHL, and our first “consultant mode” feature, Intelligent Benchmarking. Galileo is now the essential AI tool for HR professionals around the world. Get Galileo Today!

This week the economic environment changed, with new US reciprocal tariffs launched on 180 countries. The net impact, which is hard to predict, is lots of strategy discussions about manufacturing, redeployment of resources, price increases, and possible economic slowdown. In today’s podcast I explain what this means to you, as an HR leader or HR professional. Additional Information The White Collar Recession Is Real: What Should We Do About It? The Rise of the Superworker: Reinventing Jobs, Careers, and Organizations The Organization Design SuperClass (Certificate Program) Systemic HR: The Lean, Mean HR Department

Jörg Dersch, CHRO at XPAY, joins Kathi Enderes to discusses innovation in HR and how CHRO’s can stay ahead. He also shares advice to CEOs about their role in HR issues. He shares his journey into HR leadership and how HR leaders can become true strategic partners in their organizations. From navigating digital transformation to building business acumen, Jörg offers valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in today’s highly-innovative, tech-enabled HR landscape. Jörg’s advice – “You own the company. Operate as if the company is your company” XPay is a fintech company that offers various payment solutions, including international payments APIs, embedded payment solutions, and white-label payment card solutions, aiming to simplify and streamline payment processing for businesses. Additional Information New Research: Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO CHRO Insights Research Report CHRO Insights Benchmarking Survey CHRO Insights Video (Youtube) CHRO Insights Program Overview

What’s the solution to political, economic, and global conflict? It’s not more anger and competition, it’s kindness. In this podcast I try to convince you that Kindness, the act of listening, caring, and helping, is a real secret weapon. Additional Information The World Happiness Report (which proves that trust and social connections matter more than money) Edelman Trust Barometer 2025: Crisis of Grievance Kindness at Work: Our Research and UC Berkeley Research Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World’s Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations (my book) The Atlantic Article I mention

Today I wanted to briefly discuss the impact of US Tariffs on manufacturing talent. As many of you know, decisions about where to locate manufacturing are very big and very important. As you’ll hear, much of your company’s response may come down to talent and skills issues, since manufacturing skills are in short supply. I hope this conversation helps you think through the fast-changing economic issues our companies face. Additional Information New Certificate Program: Building A Skills Strategy That Works Job Redesign Around AI: Work Intelligence Tools Arrive Understanding Talent Intelligence: A Primer How To Take A Pragmatic (and winning) Approach To Skills

Today I talk with Vijay Swaminathan, the CEO and co-founder of Draup, one of the most amazing data and insights providers in HR. Vijay and his partner Vamsee Tirukkala were the original founders of Talent Neuron, a pioneer in talent planning. Now, with Draup, they’ve gone an order of magnitude beyond to build a data platform that identifies skills, technologies, competitors, labor market trends, and a myriad of financial and organizational data to help companies benchmark themselves, plan, hire, and prepare for AI transformation. You’ll learn a lot about skills inference, workloads, and much more about the role of data and talent intelligence in all areas of HR. For more information on AI transformation, read some of the links below and sign up for our new Josh Bersin Academy course “Building a Skills Strategy That Works.” Additional Information New Certificate Program: Building A Skills Strategy That Works Job Redesign Around AI: Work Intelligence Tools Arrive Understanding Talent Intelligence: A Primer How To Take A Pragmatic (and winning) Approach To Skills  

In this podcast I describe the massive AI-powered revolution starting in corporate L&D, and give you some history, context, and a mandate for the future. This is based on a massive research program we’ve been doing for the last year and I’m now convinced that this entire $360 Billion market is going to reinvent itself. Vendors mentioned include Sana, Uplimit, Docebo, Arist, CodeSignal, 360Learning, Cornerstone, LinkedIn, Microsoft, as well as Workday, SAP, and Oracle. This is a huge space so I can’t cover them all but we will be launching much more on the Corporate Learning Revolution in the coming months. If you want to experience this revolution, join The Josh Bersin Academy and get Galileo because we’ll be exposing you to all this soon. If you’re a vendor and you want us to know about your fantastic innovations, please reach out here and we’ll talk with you. As you’ll hear in the podcast, I see this as one of the most exciting applications of AI in the coming years, so stay tuned and join us in the revolution! Additional Information Learning in the Age of AI Benchmarking Study A Revolution In Corporate Learning Begins, Join Us On The Journey Please join me at the L&D Technology Conference on April 23 in London Irresistible: The Global Conference for HR Leaders And Their Teams

Tigran Sloyan, CEO of CodeSignal, talks with Kathi Enderes about his company’s mission to transform skills assessment and development with AI. He shares insights from his experience at Google, where he recognized flaws in hiring practices that prioritize resumes over actual skills. Tigran explains how CodeSignal evolved from technical skills assessments to AI-driven personalized learning. He emphasizes the importance of a skills-based approach and using generative AI to make skills development more engaging. And as you’ll hear, it’s now possible to assess an employee’s skills through conversational AI. Additional Information Definitive Guide to Dynamic Organizations Building a Skills Strategy That Works Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic Than Others? Assess and Develop Your Skills in HR: The Global Capability Assessment

Everyone is talking about productivity, layoffs, and job redesign. In this week’s podcast I share much of what we’re learning in AI-based job design, all with a focus on productivity. I discuss the role of Reejig, Gloat, Draup and the shift from “skills-based organization” strategies to “task and activity” redesign. And I also share my experiences with the “chainsaw” model of layoffs. Additional Information Busting Bureaucracy: Are Layoffs The Only Way To Go? How To Create Talent Density The Road To AI-Driven Productivity: Four Stages of Transformation Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR  

In this episode of the WhatWorks podcast, Caryn McGarry, CHRO of ICF, describes her journey to CHRO how she manages HR in a highly competitive professional services company. Caryn shares insights on the detailed nature of the C-suite partnership and how her unique career path contributes to her C-level business role today. ICF is a large professional services company headquartered in Washington, DC with over 7,000 employees globally. Additional Information Why Is It So Hard To Be A Chief HR Officer (CHRO)? New Research: Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO Systemic HR Overview How Systemic HR shapes TomTom’s Strategic HR Journey

After an intense week in Europe at an HR Technology conference, I want to share my deep perspectives on Trust, which is in very short supply these days. Not only do European leaders mistrust the US right now, the Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 2/3 of employees no longer trust the CEOs of their own companies. In an effort to help you think this through, I share the three dimensions of trust and give you some important things to think about in your own career and in your role as an HR professional, leader, friend, or advisor to other leaders in your company. Additional Information 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer: A Crisis of Grievance Citizenship At Work: Dealing With Politics Inside and Outside The Company (podcast) Corporate Citizenship Defined: Trust, Inclusion, and Responsibility Giving Voice to Values: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy  

After a long week of meetings about AI transformation with many companies, I want to highlight the big paradox we face. On one hand, AI is now seen as a proven, pragmatic solution to productivity, growth, and customer experience. So every company is pushing for AI transformations in every domain. But on the other hand, AI is also likely to eliminate many routine jobs, already leading to a white-collar recession. (White collar and college educated workers are having a hard time finding new jobs.) How do we deal with this paradox? Listen in and I’ll tell you the story, and also explain how companies are redesigning their entire job architectures to accommodate the AI change. Additional Information First HR AI Success Metrics Beyond “Saving Time” Emerge from Josh Bersin Company Analysis The Rise of the Superworker: AI Imperatives for 2025 Meet Galileo, your essential AI assistant for everything HR.

This week I summarize some of the hard-hitting AI transformation and productivity stories we’re hearing from clients, and I explain the various ways to approach these topics. I also discuss the surprising pushback on DEI and how workforce fear and stress has risen in our companies. All this leads to a new and important new role for HR leaders: driving and leading the push toward productivity and automation throughout the company. And finally I try to give you some perspective on the Elon Musk DOGE work going on in Washington and how this impacts our business strategies. Additional Information Busting Bureaucracy: Are Layoffs The Only Way To Go? New Research: Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO Despite Political Firestorm, Diversity Investments Are Alive And Well The Rise Of The Superworker: Delivering On The Promise of AI Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 Resources For You The Organization Design SuperClass (Josh Bersin Academy certificate program) Elevating Equity: Comprehensive Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Get Galileo®, The Essential AI Assistant For Everything HR  

This week I interview CEO of Arist Michael Ioffe, one of the most innovative entrepreneurs I’ve met. Michael and his team have built an astounding message-based learning platform that uses AI to build content, distribute content, and even do needs analysis. For those of you who are L&D or learning geeks, you really need to listen to this podcast. Arist was developed for “learning in the war zone,” and that’s pretty much what business is like. Additional Information Experience Arist: HR Predictions and Imperatives for 2025 (Josh Bersin Academy – Free) Autonomous Corporate Learning Platforms: Arriving Now, Powered by AI The Rise of the Superworker: Delivering On The Promise Of AI    

This week I share perspectives on the huge theme of “taking a chainsaw to bureaucracy” and improving productivity. Is it fair to “Blame the Workers” for the bureaucracy we face? There is a growing trend toward strategic layoffs and workforce redeployment around AI, and this is just the beginning. But rather than blaming the workers for the problem, I suggest the problem starts at the top. When leaders over-hire, fail to clarify goals, and under-invest in strong leadership alignment, bureaucracy grows as a result. Along our new theme of “Creating the Superworker Organization,” I try to explain a new way of thinking about this challenge, and push for CEOs and CHROs to take responsibility. Additional Information The Rise of the Superworker: Delivering On The Promise Of AI New Research: Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO The Road To AI-Driven Productivity: Four Stages of Transformation

“The moment your HR organization can be ‘replicated’ into another company, you’ve failed as a CHRO.” In this podcast Arne-Christian explains why the CHRO is no longer an HR leader, but now a business transformation executive. Arne-Christian describes his career path to becoming a CHRO, identifies the key behaviors and characteristics that helped him become a high-performing CHRO, and discusses the evolving role of the CHRO and how it can shape the journey to Systemic HR®. He also provides actionable guidance for rising HR leaders, current CHROs, and CEOs to create business impact. If you’re a senior HR leader and would like to join our podcast, please reach out to us. Additional Information Why Is It So Hard To Be A Chief HR Officer (CHRO)? New Research: Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO CHRO Insights Research Report CHRO Insights Benchmarking Survey CHRO Insights Video (Youtube)

In this podcast I want to talk about Jamie Dimon’s recent town-hall at JP Morgan Chase. He describes his frustration with remote work, bureaucracy, and lack of productivity in vivid language. As you’ll hear from my comments, I have 100% sympathy for his feelings, but the answer is not as simple as forcing people into the office or laying off 10% of the workforce. Stay tuned I promise you’ll learn something. This is a problem in job design, culture, middle management roles, and overly complex job architecture. And we’re witnessing this precise situation with layoffs at Salesforce, Workday, Meta, and other fast-growing companies. Additional Information New Research: Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO Understanding Organization Design AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR  

In this week’s podcast I introduce our new research on the important and fast-changing role of CHRO, or Chief People Officer. Over the last decade this role has exploded in scope and importance, leaving many CEOs and CHROs working to keep up. After a year of research studying the career history and performance of more than 20,000 senior HR leaders, I explain how the role has changed and share our new research on the backgrounds, experiences, and capabilities of the world’s leading Chief HR Officers. If you’re a senior HR leader, please join our benchmarking survey to learn more. Additional Information New Research Unlocks Secrets Of The High Performing CHRO (article) CHRO Insights Research Report CHRO Insights Benchmarking Survey CHRO Insights Video (Youtube)  

This week I discuss the rapid evolution of AI Agents in the Enterprise, and how they’re starting to replace billions of dollars of legacy enterprise software. It won’t happen overnight, but using our four-stage model, companies are rapidly looking at ways to use AI platforms to assist, automate, and integrate business workflows in ways that ERP and HCM systems failed. (PS: this disruption is why Workday and Salesforce just had layoffs.) The four stages are discussed in The Rise of the Superworker. And you can get all the details in Galileo. Additional Information Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere The AI Trailblazers! HR Technology Outlook 2025. AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR

Lloyds Banking Group, the largest bank in the UK, is undergoing a £3 Billion business transformation focused on enhancing customer experiences, integrating products and services, and leveraging technology to improve service delivery. Holly Quincey, Chief Talent Officer, describes the company’s accompanying talent transformation, particularly its skills-based hiring strategy. Talent Acquisition: This includes bringing executive hiring and leadership development in-house, saving millions. A program called “Prescient” was developed for the top 340 leaders, incorporating tools like Hogan and Raven assessments, 360 feedback, and external benchmarking to build leadership capabilities and align with future skills needs. Cultural Transformation: Lloyds is shifting from siloed thinking to a more collaborative, customer-obsessed, and growth-oriented culture. This involves fostering a mindset where the bank sees itself as a tech company that does banking, rather than a traditional bank with good technology. Recruitment and Workforce Planning: The recruitment function was remodeled in 2024, with a focus on reducing agency dependency and aligning talent acquisition with strategic workforce planning. This included hiring leaders with experience in campaign hiring and demand planning. Financial and Operational Impact: The transformation has already generated significant financial savings, including £20 million in 2024 alone from in-house initiatives like talent acquisition and leadership development. The organization continues to hire thousands annually while embedding innovation and efficiency across its operations. This WhatWorks interview will give listeners the inspiration to “think big” in your talent transformation strategy. Additional Information Leadership Development Insights, Human-Centered Leadership, Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic than Others?

Change and transformation is the theme for 2025. 53% of CEOs believe their company will not exist in ten years, with iconic brands like Starbucks, Boeing, Nike, Intel, Southwest, and Target going through turnarounds. And 93% of CEOs believe AI will totally transform their operating model. (PwC CEO Survey.) At the same time we’re witnessing a massive “change management” push in the US Federal Government, driven by 200+ executive orders and other communications. The big issue i discuss is “will this form of change even work?” Do “Executive Orders” help people understand and embrace mandates for change? While political change is not the right model for business, I want to point out how risky this approach may be. Putting aside political issues themselves, I think we’re about to learn a big lesson on “how to create enduring change.” Yes, sometimes things have to happen fast, but in most cases culture is built over years and individuals must be included in the process. And that goes for AI transformation too, as I discuss in the podcast. If you want to learn more about the topic of change, I encourage you to check out our Josh Bersin Academy program “Change Agility.” And please read my book Irresistible, which is now one of the highest rated business books on Amazon. Additional Information Despite Political Firestorm, Diversity Investments Are Alive And Well The Rise Of The Superworker: Delivering On The Promise of AI Elevating Equity: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Get Galileo®, The Essential AI Assistant For Everything HR  

Jim Hemgen, Director of Talent Development at Booz Allen Hamilton, talks with Kathi Enderes about how the company creates validated skills across hundreds of domains, including AI. This success story defines the journey for every company. Using skills validation provided by Workera, and content from Udemy and HackerRank, Booz Allen has created a highly trusted, validated skills process that credentials employees in a trusted and verified manner. And Jim explains how he works with these vendors to put together a powerful, working solution. As you’ll hear, the key to success is engaging managers (and employees) to encourage learning and focus on the most important new skills. Jim also describes how story-telling and rewards contribute to the company’s success in ongoing skills development. Today more than one third of Booz Allen staff have completed validated credentials for their career. Sign up today for our newest course “Building a Skills Strategy that Works,” filled with case studies and a step-by-step guide to skills-based learning, recruiting, development, and career management. Additional Information How To Take A Pragmatic (and winning) Approach To Skills The Rise of the Superworker: Delivering On The Promise Of AI AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR

In this conversation, I discuss the DEI firestorm, the evolution and current state of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the corporate world, the alarming decline in trust towards businesses, and the necessity for companies to reinvent themselves in the face of changing market dynamics and the rise of the ‘super worker’. I also explain how much of our HR research is now clearly playing out in the PwC CEO Survey, which puts a financial picture on much of our HR and workplace research. Takeaways DEI programs have historical roots and are essential for business. The political climate has influenced DEI initiatives significantly. Trust in business has seen a significant decline recently. Many employees feel disillusioned with the American dream. Reinvention is crucial for companies to thrive in the future. Companies that redeploy talent see better financial outcomes. The Edelman Trust Barometer reveals alarming trends in public trust. Diverse and inclusive workplaces lead to better performance. The rise of AI is transforming business operations. Engagement in DEI is a business necessity, not just a social agenda. Important Resources The Rise Of The Superworker: Delivering On The Promise of AI January 28 Predictions Webinar Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 PwC 2025 CEO Survey Get Galileo®, The Essential AI Assistant For Everything HR    

In this podcast I explain the four-stages of AI transformation and detail why and how “AI Pacesetters” will far outperform others in their AI business transformations. The Rise of the Superworker research explains this in more detail. The Rise of the Superworker predictions report is available to all users of Galileo, The Josh Bersin Academy, or Corporate Members. (A Galileo Pro membership is only $39 per month, and JBA membership is $49 per month.) If you want to learn more and follow our ongoing case studies, briefs, and AI tools, download the Rise of the Superworker Overview today. You will be registered for regular updates. And please register for our launch webinar where I will detail this entire story. Chapters 00:00 The Super Worker Effect and AI Transformation 06:54 Re-engineering Work with AI 13:14 Change Management and Training for AI Adoption 17:14 The Future of Work in an AI-Driven World Additional Information Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR

How do you deliver on the promise of AI in your team, your company, and your career? Welcome to The Rise of the Superworker, our new research on the organizational adoption of AI. This research explains how organizations and leaders can redesign work, jobs, and customer experiences to deliver on the promise of AI. And as you’ll hear, job opportunities will expand for everyone. AI is not a technology to eliminate jobs, rather its a platform to empower every role. And the result will be orders of magnitude improvements in revenue, productivity, service, and creativity. Download the Infographic overview here. You can get the detailed report by subscribing to our AI platform Galileo, joining The Josh Bersin Academy, or our joining our Corporate Membership. Additional Information The Rise of the Superworker: In-Depth Article AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Galileo Professional, The AI Assistant for Everything HR

How do you build precision leadership skills at scale? Kendra Goldbas, Global Head of Learning & Development at PayPal, describes the world-class new manager development program at PayPal, MAPS (Managing at PayPal Successfully). During the pandemic PayPal grew rapidly and needed a world-class leadership development program for remote leaders. The MAPS program, which is based on “learn | practice | teach,” builds managerial skills quickly. The program starts with a 6-week cohort based learning experience covering technical and leadership topics, and then encourages leaders to focus on a six-month precision development journey. By encouraging leaders to focus on “one major skill,” the company creates a high level of accountability and continuous growth. The company uses Growthspace’s precision development platform to personalize leadership skills across the entire company. Additional Information The Surprising Facts About Leadership Development, Human-Centered Leadership, Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic Than Others? Leading with impact: How PayPal is shaping its new managers with Growthspace

Welcome to 2025, where I discuss the five big challenges ahead. These include (1) economic uncertainties, bifurcated labor market, (2) the impact of AI on the workforce and the Rise of Superworkers, (3) the new “soup” of issues in employee experience, which lands in HR’s lap, (4) the changing nature of leadership and leadership development, and (5) the urgent need to HR transformation from the inside out. Every CEO, CHRO, and individual HR professional is going to deal with these five challenges, and I hope this roadmap helps you prioritize your time in the year ahead. Remember that Galileo, The Josh Bersin Academy, and our corporate membership services are here to help! Additional Resources A Tumultuous Year Behind: A Challenging, Important 2025 (the 2025 article in detail) Introducing The AI Trailblazers! HR Technology Outlook 2025. AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Introducing Systemic HR® The Road to AI-Powered Productivity: Four Stages of Transformation Galileo Professional, The AI Assistant for Everything HR Systemic HR and Galileo are registered trademarks of The Josh Bersin Company.

Welcome to 2025. Today I give you a sneak preview of Galileo as a voice assistant, powered by our upcoming mobile app. And I give you a preview of your enormous 2025 role in embracing, adopting, and optimizing the use of AI in your company. I highlight three major themes for the year. First, the use of intelligent agents in your own work throughout HR; second, the new world of “productivity-based job design,” which will create enormous changes in job titles, roles, structures, and skills; third, the exciting new dynamic cultural shifts required in organizations to facilitate this transformation. Throughout this conversation I discuss many of the “100 Use Cases for Galileo in HR” which details many of the exciting innovations you can bring to your company this year. And at the end I share a brief conversation I had with Galileo, the AI-Powered Assistant for Everything HR. Additional Resources How AI Will Revolutionize The HR Department, In Detail. E205 (Podcast) Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere Introducing The AI Trailblazers! HR Technology Outlook 2025. Can AI Do Performance Reviews? Rippling Says Yes. AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR

In this discussion I reflect on the significant events and trends of 2024, highlighting the impact of global conflicts, economic change, labor market dynamics, and the transformative role of AI in organizations. What has changed? I discuss the evolving nature of DEI, the new model of leadership which emerged, and the transformation of HR into a more integrated and essential function within businesses. I also describe the two-edged labor market, with severe labor shortages in hourly and blue collar work yet a lack of opportunities in white collar jobs. In fact I argue that our employment situation is not as happy as one may believe: the hyper low unemployment at the low end is masking unemployment fears among white collar workers. And as I discuss, 77% of employees are now fearful that AI could negatively impact their jobs and careers. I also point out the enormous opportunity for AI-driven change in 2025, which will not be easy or simple for companies to adopt. And I celebrate the central role of HR, moving to the Systemic HR® model ahead. To all our listeners: stay tuned for our major report on “The Rise of the Superworker” coming in January, an in-depth discussion about the 15 imperatives for change and AI transformation in 2025. This groundbreaking report and related tools will be available to Galileo users and our corporate members. Sign up for Galileo today. Key Points 2024 was marked by global conflicts affecting employees around the world Economic growth has been uneven, despite inflation’s impact Labor shortages continue, particularly in hourly jobs, while white-collar jobs are hard to find The low unemployment rate is misleading: many workers cannot find jobs AI is barely beginning to revolutionize work processes and organizational structures. DEI initiatives are being reframed as business priorities rather than social agendas. Leadership has become a responsibility for every employee, not just management. HR is evolving from a support function to a strategic partner in business. Organizations must focus on data management and governance as AI grows. Well-being in the workplace has plummeted, yet it remains essential for business success. HR is now taking on a very different role in our companies. Chapters 00:00 Reflections on 2024: A Year of Conflict and Change 03:32 Economic Landscape: Growth Amidst Challenges 07:32 Labor Market Dynamics: Shortages and Opportunities 12:05 AI Revolution: Transforming Work and Organizations 16:14 DEI and HR Tech: Evolving Strategies for Inclusion 20:35 Well-being and Leadership: Cultivating Healthy Organizations 24:52 The Future of HR: Strategic Integration and Transformation Additional Resources 100 Amazing Use-Cases for Galileo, The AI-Powered Assistant For Everything HR AI in HR: Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy The Road to AI-Powered Productivity: Four Stages of Transformation Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere Adecco: Adapting to an AI-Driven World of W

How has Deel grown from zero to 4,500 employees in 100 countries in less than five years? It’s an amazing story of hyperscale growth and passionate customer focus. In today’s podcast Alex Bouaziz, CEO of Deel, talks with Kathi Enderes about his own journey from environmental engineer to founder of an HR tech company. Alex explains how he started Deel as an EOR (Employer of Record) company, and how the company has expanded into HCM and payroll around the world. He explains the EOR market and what global employment providers do, and also discusses their AI assistant, Deel AI, which can help answer any question by pulling from Deel’s knowledge base. Additional Information EOR Provider Deel Expands into HCM HR Tech Workshop Certificate Program | Josh Bersin Academy AI HR Tech Trailblazers, 2025 HR Tech Outlook  

In this conversation I share insights from my recent trip to Europe, focusing on the Workday Rising event, the current state of talent acquisition, and the evolving role of CHROs in strategic workforce planning. I discuss the importance of systemic talent acquisition, the emergence of “Precision Talent Acquisition” and the entire redefinition of this function. And I also explain why the term “Hiring Manager” is such a terrible concept. Finally I share my amazing conversation with one of the most high-powered, inspiring CHROs I’ve ever met. Takeaways Workday is integrating its products into a cohesive solution. The hiring cycle is slowing down due to economic factors. AI is increasing the value of existing workers, creating ‘super workers’ Talent acquisition should be viewed as a growth function. Precision in hiring is essential in a tight labor market. Cultural fit is as important as technical skills in hiring. Strategic workforce planning should align with business goals. The role of CHRO is evolving to include strategic planning, not “workforce planning” alone. Additional Information Klarna CEO Explains How AI-Driven Headcount Reduction Fuels Superworkers and Growth How To Make Productivity Soar: Four Stages of AI Transformation How AI Will Revolutionize The HR Department, In Detail. Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR AI in HR Certificate Program: The Josh Bersin Academy Irresistible 2025: Sign Up Early

I know most of you have used ChatGPT, Galileo, or other AI tools in your job, but you haven’t seen anything yet. In this podcast I walk through a complete end-to-end scenario to show you precisely how AI agents will automate, scale, integrate, and vastly improve the process of hiring, onboarding, performance management, internal mobility, and more. As you’ll hear in this scenario, AI agents are going to revolutionize the talent process. Recruiters, HR Business Partners, and CHROs watch out. And this is just the beginning. Our upcoming “100 Use-Cases for Galileo in HR” will explain this in greater detail (Galileo is designed for all these use-cases and more.) Every HR professional should listen to this podcast to see the future of HR. Join our certificate program to learn more! Additional Information Become an AI Expert: AI in HR Certificate in The Josh Bersin Academy How To Make Productivity Soar: Four Stages of AI Transformation Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere Introducing The AI Trailblazers! HR Technology Outlook 2025. Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR

What do we do about the American Dream? This week I discuss the explosion of employee and citizen activation (NYC UHG CEO, for example) and how the US economy has not been delivering for 2/3 of the workforce. And in that discussion I challenge HR and business leaders to re-engineer jobs and work around what we call Superworkers, all with a goal of using AI to increase customer service, scale, quality, and value. I try to warn and give examples of what happens when companies use technologies like AI to eliminate jobs and simply reduce labor costs. Employees will give you feedback, they can “rage quit.” Automation to reduce labor can backfire. Our job as leaders is to help build a company of Superworkers. Additional Research and Reading Donald Trump Will Do Nothing to Bring Back Our Dying American Dream (NYT research column) What Gives Poor Kids a Shot at Better Lives? Economists Find an Unexpected Answer (Raj Chetty’s research on lack of upward mobility in the US) How To Make Productivity Soar: Four Stages of AI Transformation Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere Galileo Professional, The Essential AI Assistant for Everything HR

Linda Kirchhevel, Director, Talent & Leadership Development at Sanford Health talks with Kathi Enderes about their leadership development program. Linda discusses how the organization’s frequent mergers caused them to prioritize creating a unique leadership framework centered around the mission of the organization. (Sanford Health is the largest rural healthcare provider in the United States.) The Sanford Leader Framework (“The Sanford Leader”) is applicable to anybody in the organization, focused on developing behaviors and capabilities at scale for all 45,000 employees. Built in collaboration with FranklinCovey, the leadership development model, assessment, orientation, and development plan delivers a customized leadership program at all levels. (Leading self, leading others, leading mission.) As Linda explains, this program has driven a 13 point increase in employee engagement measured through NetPromoter. And the program continues to drive high levels of employee engagement, retention, and alignment during a series of acquisitions. It exemplifies the “Irresistible Leadership” model we highlight in our research. Additional Information Human-Centered Leadership, Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy (Join today!) Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic Than Others? The Surprising Facts About Leadership Development (podcast)

AI tools are rapidly sweeping across our companies in every job function, and most of us see them as “productivity tools.” Well, that’s a very limited view of the future. While AI may make you 15-20% more productive, the big payoff comes when we rethink work entirely and let AI systems take over as “autonomous agents,” albeit with our support. In this podcast I discuss the four stages of AI adoption, and help you think about the important job-redesign work we’ll do in 2025. And I would argue that “doing existing work faster” is going to become a commodity quickly. And at levels 3 and 4 we will be re-engineering jobs and work, developing new skills, improving pay, and empowering people to do more! You can read more about this in our upcoming 2025 Predictions report, but the best next step is get your hands on Galileo, the AI Expert Assistant for Everything HR. (And Join the Josh Bersin Academy!)

Companies have been investing in People Analytics and Industrial Psychology since the late 1800s, going back to Fredrick Taylor (time and motion studies) and Carl Jung (psychological types). The original idea was to scientifically manage work, using data to measure labor, strength, motion, and later engagement, skills, and leadership. All this effort resulted in thousands of books and tools to measure employee engagement, employee experience, productivity, and organization design. Ultimately where we landed was a new domain we call People Analytics: using people-related data to monitor, improve, and optimize business outcomes. And this journey, which I’ve been a part of for 30 years, resulted in a massive investment in HR technology platforms, engagement surveys, sentiment analysis tools, and more and more models for trust, leadership, management, wellbeing, and employee growth. All that energy, deep thinking, and investment now lands in a new world, one we call “Systemic Business Analytics.” We use this name because it’s time to stop isolating people data from business data and running this domain as “projects,” rather think about it as an integrated analytics system. In other words, as I explain in the podcast, let’s move forward and take all the people data we capture and embed it right into our existing business measurement systems. Instead of creating a “people data warehouse” to run reports and analysis on HR information, we can use that valuable information and put it right in the hands of business leaders and managers. Our new research, “The Journey to Systemic Business Analytics,” details this journey and shows you our four level maturity model. (You can view the maturity model here.) Today fewer than 10% of companies are doing this well, but that’s still a large number. And as I describe in the podcast, AI is going to light a bonfire under this space and rapidly accelerate this direction. Additional Information People Analytics, A Complex Domain, Is About To Be Transformed by AI. People Analytics Certificate Course in The Josh Bersin Academy Systemic Analytics: A New Approach Galileo, The AI Assistant for Everything HR

This week I summarize my meetings and discussions with clients in NYC and you can see we covered many topics. Here’s the AI summary, which is pretty good. In this conversation, Josh Bersin discusses the evolving landscape of AI platforms, particularly focusing on Microsoft’s positioning and the challenges of creating a universal AI agent. He delves into the complexities of government efficiency, emphasizing the institutional challenges faced in re-engineering government operations. The conversation also highlights the automation of work tasks and the need for businesses to decompose job functions for better efficiency. Bersin stresses the importance of expertise in HR, advocating for a shift towards full stack professionals who possess a broad understanding of various HR functions. Finally, he addresses the impending disruption in Learning and Development (L&D) due to AI advancements, predicting a significant transformation in how L&D professionals will manage knowledge and skills. Additional Information Inside Microsoft’s struggles with Copilot (Business Insider Exclusive) Hyper-Growth Through Efficiency: Theme For The New Era Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere Chatbot Architecture: MS Copilot, Joule, Galileo, and The Future of L&D

In today’s podcast I discuss the organizational, institutional, and societal impacts of AI. And I’m not predicting what “could happen” but rather sharing “what is happening now.” As you’ll hear, AI plays a role in our political issues but an even greater role in our careers, pay, rewards, organization structure, and culture. A recent AI adoption study by McKinsey found that 74% of companies have at least one AI application in place, and 20% have 3 or more. So we’re already seeing the impact. As you’ll hear, this is a technology that people are worried about at the moment, so we need to consider many levels of change management throughout our organizations. Chapters 00:00 The Rapid Rise of AI and Automation 05:13 Job Transformation and AI Impact 08:56 Privacy Concerns in the Age of AI 12:47 Organizational Design and Talent Density 20:48 Leadership in the AI Era 29:54 Embracing AI: The Path Forward Additional Information Hyper-Growth Through Efficiency: Theme For The New Era How To Create Talent Density Were These Layoffs Inevitable? Perhaps, But Here’s How It Happened. People as Competitive Advantage: Certificate Course In The Josh Bersin Academy

After decades of effort and growth, only around 10% of People Analytics teams deliver strategic business value. Many are still focused on traditional analysis of engagement, retention, leadership pipelines, and other HR measures. In this WhatWorks podcast I talk openly with Paul Rubenstein, the Chief Customer Officer at Visier, about how this market has evolved. And in the conversation you can learn about Visier and the role of integrated, AI-platforms for the important topic of managing corporate HR and work data. Our newest research on People Analytics is coming out this month, stay tuned for much more detail on this topic. Additional Information People Analytics, Evolved: A Systemic Approach Certificate Course in People Analytics from The Josh Bersin Company    

This week I discuss the issue of DEI (must it DIE?), inclusion, and corporate culture in the Trump Era. We just completed a 1.5 hour discussion with 30+ companies on the impact of the 2024 election and regardless of your political position, some people are worried. It’s clear to me that DEI (or whatever you call it) is not going away, but in this podcast I reframe the topic and give you perspectives from some of the largest companies in the world. Additional Information Are Diversity And Inclusion Programs Going Away? Elevating Equity: A Certificate Program From The Josh Bersin Academy Chief Diversity Officer: The Toughest Job in Business

In this episode of the WhatWorks podcast, Paul Walker, CEO of FranklinCovey, talks with Kathi Enderes about FranklinCovey’s history, his own journey of 25 years with the company from frontline employee to CEO, and how the company helps large organizations like Marriott enable transformational change through individual behavior change, execution excellence, creating a culture of trust and performance, and developing new leadership capabilities. FranklinCovey (FC) is one of the only publicly traded learning and leadership companies in the world. Learn about how FC helps Marriott deliver one of the most highly esteemed customer experiences in the hospitality market. Interviewee: Paul Walker, CEO FranklinCovey Additional Information The Surprising Facts About Leadership Development, Human-Centered Leadership, Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic Than Others?

This week I discuss how major new AI use-cases have emerged. Imagine if every employee had a personal AI assistant? It’s going to happen. I also discuss LinkedIn Hiring Assistant, Galileo, SuccessFactors Joule, AI for performance management, and a big question: what are you going to do with the 35% productivity you gain? Coming back from multiple weeks on the road with clients and vendors, this podcast will expand your thinking and help you build your own business case for AI tools and agents in your own HR organization. While many of us believe AI is a productivity tool, I explain how AI use-cases in HR are for expansive than you realized. Watch this YouTube to learn about the two ways to think about AI applications. Keywords: AI in HR, recruitment, productivity, coaching, job descriptions, LinkedIn, generative AI, HR technology, innovation, use cases Additional Information LinkedIn Enters AI Agent Race With LinkedIn Hiring Assistant Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere SuccessFactors Leapfrogs HCM Capabilities: AI, Skills, Talent Intelligence, And More Introducing Galileo Pro, Your Personal AI Assistant for HR a9W3O0GjMWKbGryeXy5J  

In this week’s podcast I discuss the trend (and need) for job task re-engineering: breaking down our jobs into tasks, so we can effectively use AI and Agents to speed things up. As more and more vendors announce AI Agents to assist with work, our best opportunity for massive improvement is to “re-engineer” how we do things, not just “add agents” to our current jobs. As I describe, most companies build job titles in a “mashed potato” approach where we squash a bunch of things into one job description. Thanks to AI we can now think about work differently, and this will impact sales, marketing, HR, engineering, and just about every other function in our companies. In some ways this is a return to the old ERP model of “designing work around the software” but this time the Agents are smart, programmable, and learning! So if we do this well we’re going to see massive improvements in productivity. I talk about Rolls Royce, EPAM, and the PR battle between Salesforce and Microsoft for “Agent-Tech.” Plus I talk about why Chief Learning Officers have a new role in 2025! Lots of new ideas to think about here. Please watch this video for more on this topic. Additional Information Get your hands on Galileo Professional: your personal AI assistant for HR Digital Twins, Digital Employees, And Agents Everywhere Redesigning Work with AI Vendors Mentioned Agentforce by Salesforce Copilot Agents by Microsoft Sana Labs (the platform under Galileo)