Will You Engage & Retain Your Gen AI Talent?

According to recent McKinsey research Gen AI skills are much in demand. Those in your workforce who regularly use?generative AI for their work are likelier to be more productive and more efficient, and some of the potential impacts from their work can be transformative. This puts a premium on their skills, which also makes them a potential flight risk unless you know how to engage and retain them.

Gen AI Talent splits into two types of worker. Around 12% see themselves technical employees, creating Gen AI and Next-Gen AI platforms, programmes, and software. The 88% majority though, don’t consider themselves technical workers. They are primarily in areas such as corporate comms, sales and marketing, messaging, technical reporting and customer services. This majority aren’t highly technical, but more their focus is on creativity, productivity and efficiency.

Gen AI Talent are mobile and likely to move companies if they aren’t being engaged. Compensation isn’t seen as a driving factor; it’s more about having flexibility and opportunities for meaningful work, with supportive colleagues and a clear sense that their employer is focused on their health and wellbeing.

So, if our Gen AI Talent are flexible, mobile and constantly looking for challenge and engagement, how can organisations retain them? Research indicates five ways:

1. Creating a Supportive and Flexible Work Environment

A supportive work environment is critical for retaining Gen AI Talent, along with flexibility in work schedules. This isn’t about remote or hybrid work models, but giving them a degree of autonomy and agency in how their work schedules allow them to balance their professional and personal lives effectively.?

In this case flexibility means reimagining work shifts and understanding diverse needs, such as those of working parents, carers or older employees. Flexibility is also about giving meaningful autonomy, where people feel they have control over their work processes, leading to higher engagement and job satisfaction, and reducing the likelihood of attrition.

2. Focus on Meaningful Work and Wellbeing

Compensation isn’t seen as a primary motivator for Gen AI Talent. What really matters is the nature of the work and the environment in which it’s done. Providing meaningful work that aligns with their skills and interests is crucial, so assign them projects that will allow them to utilise their skills creatively and strategically.

Wellbeing is a key driver. This includes mental health support, promoting a healthy work-life balance, and creating a culture where employees feel valued and appreciated. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions can help in understanding their concerns, which should be addressed promptly.

3. Redefining Productivity Metrics

The era of measuring productivity through inputs such as hours worked or tasks completed is now obsolete. Retaining Gen AI Talent means measuring productivity on quality and impact of the work. Organisations have to develop new approaches to performance management that recognise and reward innovative use of AI.

Productivity isn’t about the volume of work, interactions or reports generated, but the effectiveness and insights derived from those reports. This shift in focus is crucial for encouraging employees to leverage AI tools to their fullest potential, whilst helping to foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

4. Investment in Leadership and Training

Strong leadership is vital in creating an environment where Gen AI Talent can thrive. Leaders at all levels should be equipped with the skills to manage and inspire their teams effectively, which now includes them having a full understanding of the potential of Gen AI and how it can be? integrated seamlessly into their teams’ workflows.

Increased investment is also needed in continuous training and development programmes for employees - including upskilling and reskilling initiatives to ensure that all employees, not just the technical ones, can benefit from AI tools. This will help to broaden the base of Gen AI specialists within organisations, reducing dependency on a few core individuals, and will also help mitigate potential negative impact of flight risks.

5. Create a Collaborative and Inclusive Culture

A collaborative and inclusive work culture is essential for retaining Gen AI Talent. Employees need to feel part of a supportive community where they can share ideas, collaborate on projects, and learn from each other. Inclusivity in the workplace ensures that diverse perspectives are valued, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement among employees.

Organisations also need to focus on creating opportunities for mentorship and peer learning. This will not only help in skill development but will also strengthen the bonds within teams, making employees more likely to stay.

Retaining Gen AI skills within an organisation calls for a multifaceted approach that prioritises flexibility, meaningful work, wellbeing, and strong leadership. By redefining productivity metrics and fostering a collaborative culture, organisations can create an environment where Gen AI Talent feels valued and motivated, which will not only help in retaining the talent you need, but also help drive innovation and growth throughout the organisation.

HR vs Employees - Perceptions of AI in the Hiring Process

I try to feature interesting stats each week and, given that AI leads the newsletter today, I've been looking into HireVue 's 2024 AI in Hiring research report that published earlier in the week.

One stat jumped out - 73% of HR professionals say they trust AI to make the right hiring recommendations...whilst 75% of employees say they don't trust AI to make the right final hiring decisions.

Is human bias simply being replaced with discrimination built into the technology? And what precautions do you - or your vendor - take to make sure it doesn't?

Talking Engagement and Retention in Istanbul and Las Vegas

Talking Engagement and Retention in Istanbul and Las Vegas

Excited to confirm that I will be keynoting at Global HR Summit & Exhibition in Istanbul next month and speaking at HR Technology Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas in September about the latest data, analysis, insights and trends into employee experience, talent experience and retention. Glad to see that my 'Is Retention the New Recruitment' question from a few weeks ago has been getting some traction through LinkedIn too!

If you're going to either event it would be great to catch up with you there!