Josh Bersin

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)  

In this episode of the WhatWorks podcast series, Nick Benaquista, SVP, People and Capability Partner, Chief Administration Office and Strategic Growth at Mastercard, shares how Mastercard has transformed HR from a static, siloed, overlapping model towards the product and consulting-oriented model of Systemic HR. Now in year 2 of the ongoing transformation, the company is continuing to change HR roles, jobs, operating models, and skills, and is using technology and AI to elevate the employee experience and its continuous business transformation. Interviewee Nick Benaquista, SVP, People and Capability Partner, Chief Administration Office and Strategic Growth at Mastercard Company Mastercard, a leading US-based global payment solutions provider with 33,000 employees Additional Information The Systemic HR Operating Model Why The World Needs A New Operating Model for Human Resources The Mastercard HR Transformation Story Keywords: Employee Experience, HR Technology, Systemic HR, AI in HR, HR capabilities, HR roles

White collar robots have arrived: digital twins, digital assistants, and AI-powered agents. In this podcast I discuss what I learned about at Unleash, Sana, and Spotify this week. My big message is this: AI in HR is even more powerful than we expected. And AI platforms and tools are transforming HR right this minute – across every domain in HR. Digital Twins in the insurance industry. AI-powered L&D and change management solutions. AI-powered candidates battling it out with AI-powered selection and recruiting platforms. Scheduling bots unleashing energy in healthcare. End-to-end employee knowledge and learning systems at Spotify. For two years we’ve watched AI evolve from predictive analytics to AI assistants to AI agents to Digital Twins. And these tools are now here for you to use, as long as you just get your hands dirty trying these tools out. Bottom line: this is no longer a market of waiting for just the right solution – many of the new AI tools in HR can already do much more than you expected. Get your hands on Galileo and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Additional Information Introducing The AI Trailblazers! HR Technology Outlook 2025. Introducing Galileo Professional, Your Personal AI Assistant for HR Can AI Do Performance Reviews? Rippling Says Yes.

Delta Air Lines understands the importance of its employees, managers, and leaders, so the company has built one of the airline industry’s most advanced “skills-first” strategies. Built on its investment in SAP technology (Talent Intelligence Hub) and a focus from the top, the company fully embraces an agile cross-functional career model, all built around skills. In this episode Tim Gregory, Managing Director of HR Innovation and Technology at Delta, walks Kathi Enderes through the company’s strategy, describing how Delta uses skillstech and AI to help employees advance their careers across job families in the company (we call this The Dynamic Organization). Delta is a pioneer in this effort: most airlines fall far behind in their talent and HR strategies. As Tim describes, this strategy not only helps employees grow and develop, it gives Delta a foundation of sustainability and customer service others only emulate. Delta is rated the #1 airline for passenger service in the US, and we believe this HR strategy is foundational to its market success. Join our course Career and Talent Mobility to learn more. Additional Information Delta Now Rated As Customers’ Favorite Airline SAP SuccessFactors Delivers on HXM and The Promise of AI Career and Talent Mobility: Certificate Program from The Josh Bersin Academy    

I just finished a long meeting with 15 senior HR leaders in Silicon Valley, so in the context of AI, I discuss the themes of forgiveness, growth, and leadership these organizations are facing. And these issues are acute right now. 2025 is shaping up to be a “Year of Redesign” throughout business, and as we do this we have to rethink about how we think about people. Are we ready to support, forgive, and help our people adapt? Leadership trust is at an all time low, so we definitely have some work to do. I also describe how Satya Nadella embraces this idea of continuous growth as a very senior leader. I also discuss the growing value of “Vertical AI” solutions and how they will complement and add value in a world of large AI providers, and give you a sense of where I believe the AI market is going. Takeaways: Forgiveness and growth are essential for business transformation. Personal reinvention is part of embracing AI. Company skills strategies may fail if people don’t feel safe and empowered. Vertical AI solutions will outperform horizontal solutions. “Always learning” is a necessary part of building a high-performing company. Additional Information Corporate Citizenship Redefined Leadership Trust Is Dropping (PwC) The Value of Values As Organizations Build on Trust Introducing Galileo Professional, Your Personal AI Assistant for HR    

This week we are so excited to launch Galileo Professional, the personal AI platform designed for HR professionals, consultants, vendors, and investors in the global Human Resources industry. As you’ll hear in my introduction, Galileo Pro is Your Personal AI Assistant for everything HR. For $39 per month you now have access to the most trusted corpus of HR research in the world, including every research study, maturity model, case study, vendor profile, and benchmark we’ve done for 26+ years. This corpus is powered by the Sana advanced AI platform to give you personalized advice, education, and tools to help you in every area of HR. Our trusted content providers (Lightcast, Oyster, Visier, Heidrick & Struggles) add global data on regulatory practices, skills, salary and turnover benchmarks, and leadership models, and we are adding more trusted content every week. And best of all, Galileo Pro is an open Gen AI platform for you to add your company’s policies, procedures, hiring guides, and other internal tools so you have your own personal (or company) Gen AI system to help with every HR topic you face. Listen to the podcast, along with an AI-generated (thanks to Google Notebook LLM) Q&A on Galileo Professional, including a discussion of the Galileo Success Center, your place to learn about AI and share world-class ideas, innovations, and solutions built on the Galileo Platform. You can purchase Galileo Professional today for yourself, your team, or your organization. Join us on this exciting journey of AI-powered HR, leadership, and management solutions in the decade ahead.

In this week’s podcast I give you some insights on HR tech in 2025, perspectives on jobs, and what you’ll be dealing with in 2025. We just had two weeks of HR Tech announcements and next week you’ll see a big one from us! (The biggest product announcement in my career, to be a little hyberbolic!). Topics include: the verticalization of AI, whey OpenAI will compete with Microsoft, how agents will change our jobs, and the implications of the low unemployment rate on pay equity, DEI, talent density, recruiting, and organization design. For those of you who agree with me on Organization Design in 2025, here is the Org Design SuperClass, which is a “must consume” offering for the coming year. Watch this space for our Big Reveal Next Tuesday! Additional Information Understanding The Job Market (video) The Org Design SuperClass How To Create Talent Density The Definitive Guide to Building a Dynamic Organization Galileo, the world’s AI-powered expert assistant for HR.    

Aimbridge manages 1100 hotels around the US and employs more than 45,000 employees. In this podcast, Conrad Riddle, VP of HR Shared Services at Aimbridge Hospitality, discusses how the company empowers employees (“Uberizing the Workforce”) and delivers a flexible, highly engaged workforce with dynamic workforce scheduling. The company leverages UKG Workforce Management to give employees a centralized app that lets an employee manage their schedule dynamically. As you’ll hear, Ambridge employees can now “bid and ask” for new shifts without going through management. Through schedule sharing across locations and bidding on shifts in an online platform, employees have more flexibility in their schedules and empowers them to manage their own shifts. It also enables managers to easily approve requests and effectively manage labor to avoid costly contractors. Additional Information Employee Experience: The Definitive Guide New Research: Cloud-Based HCM Can Redefine Employee Experience Join The Employee Experience Workshop: A Certificate Program In The Josh Bersin Academy  

In this week’s podcast I go through the 30 HR Technology AI Trailblazers in some detail. You’ll hear about all the companies in the Trailblazer Report, as well as some of my personal thoughts on their leadership teams, centers of innovation, and differentiating capabilities. My keynote at HR Tech was 75 minutes long and you can hear it or get access to the materials if you join our corporate membership (or come back to HR Tech 2025 next March). For those of you in Europe, I will be speaking at Unleash Paris on Thursday October 17 and I will also be discussing many of these topics at Workday Rising EMEA on Wednesday December 11 at the RAI Conference Center in Amsterdam. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy hearing about these 30 amazing companies, each of which is delivering on AI in high-value, high-ROI solutions. I also spent some time talking about the COST of AI and why and how you can work on a business case for these new AI capabilities and make sure you have a clear use-case and implementation plan for these new, exciting, high-value innovations. AI in HR has reached a tipping point: it’s here and it’s delivering real value. Now we all have to figure out what to buy, which major players to standardize on, and which use-cases to address first. Vendors Discussed ADP Lyric HCM, Arist Creator and Teammate, Cornerstone Galaxy, Disprz Learning System, Draup Talent Intelligence, Deel Employment of Record Platform, Docebo Creator, Eightfold Career Navigator and Talent Intelligence, Galileo: The Expert AI Assistant for HR, Gloat Workforce Agility, Growthspace Precision Skilling, Heidrick & Struggles Navigator, HiBob, Lattice, LinkedIn Learning, Lightcast Skills, Medallia, Oracle HCM, Oyster Global Employment Platform, Paradox, Rippling Talent Signal, Sana Labs, SAP SuccessFactors and Joule, SeekOut, ServiceNow, SHL Global Assessments, UKG Bryte, Visier Vee, Workday Illuminate AI Platform (and HiredScore), Workera Skills System. Additional Information The Trailblazer and HR Tech 2025 Report Josh Bersin Company Announces 30 AI HR Tech Trailblazer Vendors the CHRO Really Needs to Know About  

This podcast details what Workday’s new AI platform, Workday Illuminate, and also describes Workday’s momentum coming out of Rising. I also discuss why Salesforce slams Microsoft, the new tsunami of Agents, including Microsoft, Salesforce (who is charging $2 per conversation), SAP, Workday, UKG, ServiceNow, and others. I also discuss the near-term job disruption we’re seeing from Agents and what you should do to prepare. Then I discuss the strikes at Boeing and why “growth at any cost” is such a dangerous business strategy, and how we may avoid this problem in our companies. Read Irresistible to learn more. Additional Information What Is Workday Illuminate? Galileo Selected As Workday Innovation Partner Benioff Slams Microsoft as he Promotes Salesforce Agents Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World’s Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations

In our latest WhatWorks podcast, Samantha Garvie, HR Safety and Compliance Director at Rowley’s Wholesale, speaks with Kathi Enderes from The Josh Bersin Company. Rowley’s Wholesale, a Michigan-based distributor of automotive and industrial products, has been in business for over 100 years and is currently in its third generation of ownership. With 125+ employees across three locations, the company utilizes UKG-Ready for its HRIS system, covering benefits, timekeeping, payroll, succession planning, and learning management. The mobile app has been widely adopted by employees, enabling them to access important information and complete tasks remotely. Samantha shares insights on how they deployed this important platform and discusses her plans to explore AI to improve fatigue management, stress management, retention, and succession planning. This episode offers valuable lessons on leveraging HR technology to support a distributed workforce. Interviewee: Samantha Garvie, HR Safety and Compliance Director, Rowley’s Wholesale Company: Rowley’s Wholesale, a US-based distributor of automotive and industrial products with 125 employees

This week Klarna, a buy-now pay-later company in Sweden, announced plans to terminate its Workday and Salesforce relationships and build it themselves. A bunch of tech pundits are big fans, but I have my doubts. As you’ll hear in the podcast, many big companies (much bigger than Klarna) have tried this, only to retreat to vendor solutions. And I do question the business strategy of putting high-powered engineering talent on mature, enterprise products like HCM and CRM. Obviously AI is getting smarter and more capable by the minute. As I explain in the podcast, there are better ways to think about this problem, and this conversation opens up the door to a big discussion about the future of enterprise apps, agentic AI, and the role of large-scale incumbent vendors in our corporate IT stacks. Additional Information Klarna Cuts 50% of Workforce, Ends Partnerships with Salesforce and Workday Amid Generative AI Overhaul Klarna Plans to ‘Shut Down SaaS Providers’ and Replace Them With Internally Built AI. The Tech World Is Pretty Skeptical AI Agents, The New Workforce We’re Not Quite Ready For (Agentic AI)

Agentic AI is the next big wave in AI, where AI systems and chatbots can take actions on our behalf. These agents can perform tasks such as composing emails, creating documents, building courses, and even recruiting. They can be seen as virtual employees or teammates that can be trained and managed. These agents will change the technology landscape and the stack of tools in our organizations. They will require onboarding, training, and governance to ensure they are effective and secure. And Agentic AI has the potential to improve productivity and provide measurable ROI. Keywords agentic AI, AI systems, chatbots, virtual employees, virtual teammates, training manager, recruiting agent, technology landscape, productivity improvement, measurable ROI Takeaways Agentic AI allows AI systems and chatbots to take actions on our behalf, performing tasks such as composing emails, creating documents, building courses, and recruiting. These agents can be seen as virtual employees or teammates that can be trained and managed. Agentic AI will change the technology landscape and the stack of tools in organizations, requiring onboarding, training, and governance. These agents have the potential to improve productivity and provide measurable ROI. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Agentic AI 01:11 Agentic AI in Training Management 05:56 Agentic AI in Recruiting 09:03 Onboarding and Training Agentic AI 12:08 Changing the Technology Landscape with Agentic AI 16:31 Measuring the ROI of Agentic AI Additional Information AI Agents, The New Workforce We’re Not Quite Ready For Artificial Intelligence in HR: Certificate Course From The Josh Bersin Academy Introducing Galileo, The World’s First AI-Powered Expert Assistant For HR Autonomous Corporate Learning Platforms: Arriving Now, Powered by AI    

In this podcast I discuss the ever-changing role of Labor in our economy, our companies, and our own personal lives. The word “labor” is really an old-fashioned idea, but we still have the US holiday, so I wanted to unpack what it now means. As you’ll learn Labor Day is a time to think about hiring, pay, development, and diversity as well as productivity, labor unions, the impact of tips and income inequality, and the enormous role of HR as an ombudsman between “labor” and “management.” And yes, AI is going to force us to think deeper about what “people” do in our companies. Remember that we’re all “labor” and every employee is a human being. So while US Labor Day was originally a way to celebrate unions and organized labor, let’s also think broader about all the value-based investments we make in every person in our companies. Keywords: Labor Day, labor movement, workers, economy, automation, technology, labor shortage, skills shortage, investment in employees, unions, fair pay, benefits, working conditions, income inequality, HR professionals, Boeing, Starbucks, employee activation Chapters: 00:00 The Importance of Workers in the Economy 02:11 Automation and the Changing Labor Force 04:07 Investing in Employees to Attract and Retain Talent 14:37 The Role of Unions in Advocating for Fairness 17:48 Addressing Income Inequality 20:08 The Role of HR in Supporting Employees   Additional Information When Will The Trillions Invested In AI Pay Off? Sooner Than You Think. With Thoughtful Design And Culture, Dropbox Proves Remote Work Is A Winner AI in HR Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy Learn about Galileo: The World’s AI Assistant for HR

In this WhatWorks podcast I interview Andy Bradshaw, the CEO of SHL. SHL is one of the world’s largest psychometric assessment vendors, bringing together psychology, skills assessment, and other forms of measurement to identify the capabilities, and potential of an individual at work. These highly scientific assessments are widely used for pre-hire screening, job-fit analysis, development planning, leadership development, and succession planning. But in a world of AI, where large HR platforms are “inferring” skills and capabilities, where do they fit? Andy, who has led SHL for many years, explains how psychometric assessment fits into the new world of AI and Talent Intelligence. He also shares how SHL itself has amassed a large data set on skills and roles that makes SHL a big data vendor as well. Keywords SHL, talent intelligence, assessments, AI, talent acquisition, talent management, leadership assessment, benchmarking, data-driven decisions Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:57 SHL: A Talent Intelligence Business 02:21 Psychometric Assessments and Tailored Solutions 03:47 Customization and Defensibility of Assessments 06:37 Consolidation in the Assessment Market 07:07 The Complementary Role of AI and Assessments 08:56 Assessments vs. AI: The Value of Insights 12:49 Assessing Leaders: Experience, Ability, and Potential 16:09 Benchmarking and Data-driven Decisions 19:03 Talent Intelligence: Aggregating Data for Better Decisions 21:17 Conclusion Additional Information Introducing the HR Career Navigator The Talent Intelligence Primer When Will The Trillions Invested In AI Pay Off? Sooner Than You Think.

In this week’s podcast I describe the HR Career Navigator and the role of HR skills and capabilities in HR and business transformation. Then, as we approach HR Tech season, I give you my three steps to evaluating HR Tech vendors. Additional Information Introducing The HR Career Navigator Why Is It So Hard To Be A Chief HR Officer (CHRO)? Research Shows That High Growth Large Companies Have Distinct HR Skills

This week I recap the idea of a “Corporate Learning Architecture” and give you some of my historic perspectives on why this is so important in the age of AI. A Learning Architecture is a constrained approach to corporate L&D that gives employees a clear and memorable approach to learning, and also gives you the “freedom within a framework” to use AI without creating chaos. We are in the middle of deep interviews, case studies, and vendor research on the impact of AI on L&D, so as I discuss here if you’d like to talk with us please let us know. Some of this podcast will be a good overview of the basics, but this is important because we don’t want our business training environments to look like TikTok! Contact us at https://joshbersin.com if you’d like to join in our Pacesetter Program for Corporate L&D. Additional Information Oldie: The Need For A Learning Architecture Autonomous Corporate Learning Platforms: Arriving Now, Powered by AI The $340 Billion Corporate Learning Industry Is Poised For Disruption AI in HR Certificate Program in The Josh Bersin Academy

In this episode, Susan Podlogar, former CHRO at MetLife, talks with Kathi Enderes about the transformative impact of an AI-based talent marketplace (powered by Gloat). You’ll learn what a talent marketplace is, how to implement, and why these solutions are rapidly growing around the world. Podlogar explains how they implemented this solution and how it unleashes energy for individuals and the organization. MetLife’s talent marketplace democratizes access to projects, mentoring, and roles, fostering an inclusive culture and enhancing skill development. She also explains how this HR solution drives critical skills development (ie. actuaries) for competitive advantage. As Susan explains, today 60% of employees participate and more than 400,000 of work hours have been saved – driving productivity, engagement, and financial returns. Additional Information The Mad Scramble To Lead The Talent Marketplace Market The Definitive Guide to Building a Dynamic Organization Career and Talent Mobility: Certificate Program In The Josh Bersin Academy

The NYT published an article explaining how hard it is to be an HR professional. “The job has become an exasperating ordeal. People hate us.” While many people don’t know this, HR is a complex, difficult, and highly strategic profession. And given that HR professionals are caught between leadership and employees, it can often be very frustrating. Despite the challenges, HR is more important than ever. I hope this podcast (and the NYT article) is an inspiration for HR professionals to build your sense of confidence and professional capabilities. (Learn more about Systemic HR.) Additional Information NYT Article “So, Human Resources Is Making You Miserable?” Redefining HR’s Role As A Consultant, Value-Driver, And Center of Innovation: Systemic HR The Josh Bersin Academy: Upping The Game of Thousands of HR Professionals Every Day Read About Systemic HR in Action