Earlier this fall, I attended the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas. Not surprisingly, generative AI stole the spotlight, with two out of three keynotes and most breakout sessions revolving around the subject.
AI topics ranged from how HR tech organizations can help employees develop AI-related skills to how this evolving technology holds the potential to impact every stage of the employee lifecycle — from recruiting, hiring and onboarding to performance management, learning & development and everything in between.
But while AI dominated the conversation, it wasn’t the only topic discussed. In addition to generative AI, the conference offered several other takeaways for today’s HR leaders and the marketers who are reaching these decision-makers.
HR Is a Driving Force in Generative AI Implementation
Without a doubt, genAI was the focal point at HR Tech 2024. Session after session delved into various aspects of AI, with keynote speakers, panelists and attendees agreeing that HR now holds a key role in leading AI implementation in their organizations. However, like other organizational stakeholders and employees themselves, many HR professionals are still grappling with how to make the most of the technology.
Most of the sessions discussed how to experiment with, use and understand generative AI tools in HR departments. Charlene Li’s opening keynote, “Unlocking The Future: Transform HR With Generative AI,” focused on practical advice for using the technology to be more productive and effective in HR roles. I even jotted down a few AI tips and prompts that I can begin using myself – though I’m still some time away from creating and using my own digital twin like the one Charlene created and interacted with on stage!
The overarching takeaway? Generative AI is here to stay. The challenge for HR departments lies in equipping employees with the necessary generative AI skills — striking a balance between encouraging experimentation and managing fears of AI replacing jobs. Products and solutions that address this challenge will be highly relevant to HR professionals and organizations around the world as they address the impact of generative AI on the modern workplace.
Skills Are the New Workforce Currency
In addition to generative AI, skills emerged as a major theme at HR Tech. Topics like skills taxonomies, skills-based hiring and upskilling were big topics of conversation, both on the expo floor and in sessions.
The consensus is that skills are the future and will become the new currency in the workplace. This will likely have a significant impact on how we structure and manage workforces. However, HR departments and organizations are still working to determine how to hire, document, keep track of and organize workforces by skills rather than the traditional role-based structure.
In his keynote, Ravin Jesuthasan, Mercer’s Global Leader for Transformation Services, discussed how to design organizations around skills rather than jobs. He offered practical tips for doing so across a variety of industries. His points on re-envisioning collaboration to meet talent where they are and create more inclusive workplaces made me excited about the equitable, skills-based future of work.
Although it will take time to get there, skills are the future. Much like generative AI, they’re the next disruptive force that will hit the workplace. As this shift gains traction, organizations will need to focus on skills-based development — an area that will resonate with the C-suite executives and HR leaders grappling with these challenges each day.
What About the Employee Experience?
Despite the focus on AI and skills, one critical area was noticeably lacking in conversations this year — employee experience.
Lance Huan captured this sentiment well in his recap of the conference, urging HR professionals to remember what’s most important about HR in the first place: people. Since the end of the Great Resignation and the onset of the generative AI boom hit in late 2022, it feels like work has become more transactional (both from the employee and employer perspectives). As a result, employee experience has taken a bit of a backseat.
Employee burnout, disengagement and heightened productivity demands are all on the rise. With this in mind, employee experience is something I suspect both HR leaders and C-suite leaders will have to contend with in 2025 and beyond, especially as AI and skills bring additional and rapid changes to the workforce.
HR professionals and C-suite executives can’t afford to let the employee experience slip through the cracks. After all, human resources is fundamentally about people. The HR industry needs to keep in mind how new technology adoption will impact their people.
The past few years have marked a period of rapid change, growth and development in the world of HR technology –– and this year’s conference proved there’s no slowing down. While topics like genAI and the skills-based workforce are top of mind for HR professionals, remembering the importance of employee well-being and experience during this time remains critical.
To hear more about HR tech insights and key takeaways from HR Technology 2024, get in touch with our team today.
