AI-enhanced workforce strategies
Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force reshaping organisations across all sectors. For business leaders, understanding this shift is imperative to lead organisations through a landscape where AI integration is not just an advantage but a necessity. Historically, HR transformation focused on transitioning from manual, paper-based processes to digital systems to increase speed and reduce costs. However, today’s transformation requires more than digitisation; it demands a comprehensive rethinking of HR’s operating model to take full advantage of AI-enabled work.
This shift emphasises strategic outcomes such as enhanced productivity, improved employee performance, and a strong return on investment, positioning HR as the driving force behind an internal AI revolution.
Key Focus Areas for AI-Enabled HR Transformation
1) Leadership Synergy—Aligning Talent Strategy with Tech Innovation
To truly integrate AI into HR, organisations must ensure leadership synergy between talent strategy and technological innovation. AI-savvy leaders must collaborate to align their vision and deploy both human and AI talent strategically.
2) Workforce Agility—Orchestrating a Human and Digital Workforce
Organisations must adapt their workforce to meet the demands of both the company and an AI-driven market. Flexibility and agility are key to optimising productivity and maintaining a competitive edge.
3) The Human Element—Elevating Employee Performance in an AI World
AI-enhanced tools and insights empower employees to work more effectively and productively. Leveraging AI for performance insights will elevate individual contributions, ultimately driving company growth and ensuring a competitive advantage.
The Role of People Analytics in AI Transformation
"A people analytics team cannot sit on the side-lines while AI is poised to transform the world of HR. If you don't embrace AI to surface insights and support data-driven decisions, you may miss out on the ability to scale decision intelligence. Companies that fail to integrate AI could risk being left behind." Eric Bokelberg, Senior Manager and Visier Alliance Leader, Workforce Analytics at Deloitte Consulting
HR and business leaders need real-time insights to make the best decisions for their organisations. However, these insights are only as good as the data infrastructure behind them. Generative AI is transforming how insights are accessed, making advanced analytics more accessible than ever. According to Gartner, 76% of HR leaders believe that without adopting AI solutions like generative AI within the next 12 to 24 months, their organisations will fall behind.
The Power of Work Data
Forward-thinking companies are investing in infrastructure designed to handle both work data and people data, transforming raw data into actionable insights. This isn't just about faster reporting—it’s about creating a dynamic analytical environment that adapts to emerging patterns, predicts workforce trends, and enables leaders to shape organisational strategy with precision.
For example, combining sales data from systems like Salesforce with HR data allows leadership to predict employee resignation risks, highlight top performers, and automate routine tasks. This enables strategic talent decisions to reward top sellers and identify coaching opportunities for others.
Work Data in Action
The most successful companies blend people data and work data to better understand both their workforce and the outcomes they drive. Work data could include data points such as:
AI transformation demands more than technology upgrades; it requires alignment across the C-suite. Leaders must unite to craft a vision that integrates AI into both technological infrastructure and talent strategy, unlocking its full potential to drive better decision-making, productivity, and employee engagement.
The New World of Work: AI Skills & Productivity
The new world of work will be dominated by the demand for both AI skills and increased productivity—a tough combination to satisfy during a labour shortage. To retain a competitive edge, organisations must develop and deploy their workforce in the most agile way possible, using data, insights, and the ability to react quickly to ever-changing market demands.
As Kevin Liang, Director of Analytics at TELUS, puts it:
"Data is the secret sauce that transforms HR from the 'people department' into a real power player in the business. With the right data, we can predict trends—like how many people we’ll need next year or what’s driving employee happiness (or frustration). When HR can show how our work impacts productivity and profit, we’re not just fixing problems anymore—we’re helping drive the business forward. Data gives us a seat at the big table, and we love it!"
Leaders must focus on building an adaptable workforce by investing in continuous learning programmes that upskill or reskill employees to thrive in an AI-enhanced work environment. Acquiring AI talent is just one part of creating an agile workforce. The other, equally critical, is effectively deploying the best skills for the job—whether human or artificial.
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The ABCD Framework for AI-Driven Workforce Strategy
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Conclusion
AI is not just an emerging trend in HR—it is the future of workforce strategy. Organisations that embrace AI-driven insights will thrive in an evolving market, while those that resist will struggle to keep up. By investing in data infrastructure, fostering leadership collaboration, and implementing AI-enhanced workforce strategies, companies can position themselves at the forefront of the AI revolution, ensuring sustained success in the future of work.
Source: Visier Work Force Trends Report