{"id":29035,"date":"2025-03-04T16:39:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T16:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/certn.co\/?p=29035"},"modified":"2025-04-24T19:27:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T19:27:16","slug":"ai-in-hr-the-strategic-opportunity-hr-leaders-cant-afford-to-miss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/blog\/ai-in-hr-the-strategic-opportunity-hr-leaders-cant-afford-to-miss\/","title":{"rendered":"AI in HR: The Strategic Opportunity HR Leaders Can\u2019t Afford to Miss"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this week\u2019s episode of <\/em>What the FTE?<\/em><\/a>, a podcast where we explore the tough questions surrounding the future of work, risk management, and employee experience, Certn\u2019s CEO, Andrew McLeod, sits down with Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn’s first Chief HR Officer and a renowned talent advisor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve advocates for HR leaders to embrace AI as a strategic tool to enhance talent management and organizational performance. Though, while AI presents immense opportunities for efficiency and scalability, the true potential of AI lies in how we balance its power with a human-centric approach. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI is transforming the HR landscape, but it\u2019s not just about automating processes; it\u2019s about making smarter, data-driven decisions. As Gartner<\/a> highlights, AI offers new ways for CHROs and HR leaders to enhance efficiency, innovation, and employee engagement. For years, HR leaders have wrestled with the question, \u201cHow do we get a seat at the table?\u201d With AI, the question is shifting. Now, the real challenge is, \u201cHow do we lead the AI-driven transformation of work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As AI reshapes skills development and employee experience, talent leaders have a choice: embrace AI as a strategic advantage or risk falling behind. But how exactly can HR become more strategic using AI? And, more importantly, how can AI help HR shed the \u201ccost center\u201d label and start being seen as a true business leader? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My conversation with Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn\u2019s first Chief HR Officer and renowned talent advisor, is full of ideas, unpacking how HR leaders can harness AI to drive business impact, not just cut costs. Steve has been at the forefront of the talent space for over 30 years, from shaping LinkedIn’s early culture to advising some of the biggest companies on the future of work, so I was excited to get his views on how AI is shaking up HR in a way we’ve never seen before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive into the smart ways HR leaders are leveraging AI today, and how you can, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using AI to Increase HR\u2019s Strategic Impact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many HR professionals see AI as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it promises to automate repetitive administrative tasks (and help shed the \u201cpaper pusher\u201d stereotype), enhance decision making, and surface powerful insights. On the other, it raises fears about job displacement and diminishing the human element of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve argues that the real danger isn\u2019t AI itself, it\u2019s failing to adapt. Instead of seeing AI as a tool for eliminating jobs, he thinks HR leaders should focus on how it can enhance roles, unlock potential, and enable employees to do higher-value work. I couldn\u2019t agree more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to look at AI not as a cost-cutting mechanism, but as a way to make jobs more dynamic, more interesting, and more impactful,\u201d<\/em> says Steve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Steve<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Cost Center to Business Driver<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For decades, HR has fought to be recognized as a business driver rather than a cost center. AI presents an opportunity to make that shift permanent, but only if HR leaders take ownership of AI\u2019s implementation in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI is redefining how organizations measure success, moving beyond traditional hiring metrics to track employee learning velocity, adaptability, and long-term growth. Instead of asking, \u201cHow do we hire the best Python developer?\u201d<\/em>, forward-thinking HR leaders are asking, \u201cHow do we find people who can learn, pivot, and solve problems in an AI-driven world?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve <\/em>suggests HR teams double down on learning velocity\u2014the ability to acquire and apply new skills quickly\u2014as a core hiring and development metric. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most valuable employees aren\u2019t necessarily the ones who\u2019ve mastered today\u2019s skills, but the ones who can learn tomorrow\u2019s,\u201d<\/em> Steve explains. \u201cBusinesses don\u2019t just need skilled workers; they need adaptive learners.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning velocity is the new competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Future of Talent Strategy: AI + Human Potential<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jobs are changing. There\u2019s no doubt about it. To stay competitive, companies must move away from static job descriptions and embrace dynamic, skill-based talent models to find curious people who can solve complex problems quickly. Though, it\u2019s also important to tap your existing employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At LinkedIn, Steve and his team used AI to identify employees with high learning velocity, equipping them with in-demand skills rather than always looking externally for talent. That approach created a pipeline of adaptable, future-ready employees, something he argues, more organizations should be prioritizing today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HR\u2019s AI Playbook: Where to Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AI-powered HR platforms such as HiBob<\/a>, Aura<\/a>, and Cornerstone<\/a> allow organizations to track workforce skills in real time, map internal talent pipelines, and make data-driven workforce decisions. While it\u2019s easy to get overwhelmed by AI, especially when there\u2019s a flood of new tools, software, and platforms hitting the market, the key is to start small. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus on one or two areas where AI can make the most impact, whether it’s improving your recruitment efficiency, predicting employee churn, or developing personalized learning pathways. From there, you can scale up your AI initiatives in alignment with your broader business objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Steve, here are some other ways to show proactive leadership around AI: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Build an AI Council<\/strong> \u2013 Take the lead in cross-functional AI discussions, ensuring AI is implemented ethically and strategically across the organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Prioritize Learning Over Experience<\/strong> \u2013 Shift hiring strategies to focus on learning velocity rather than rigid qualifications. AI gives HR leaders the ability to use data to develop talent strategies that align directly with business goals, improving both employee outcomes and business performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Experiment and Iterate<\/strong> \u2013 AI is still evolving. Start with pilot programs in areas like recruitment, learning and development, and even performance management.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Align AI with Business Impact <\/strong>\u2013 Some HR teams work and operate separately from the business strategy. But, as Maya Bellay highlighted in last week\u2019s conversation on the RTO debate<\/a>, the business strategy should always inform the HR strategy. HR needs to demonstrate an impact on things like growth, revenue and innovation. Focus on customer experience, workforce enablement, and competitive differentiation rather than cost-cutting alone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Communicate Openly with Employees<\/strong> \u2013 Address AI anxiety by positioning it as an enabler, not a threat. Provide learning opportunities so employees feel empowered, not displaced.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    HR\u2019s Moment to Lead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    As made obvious through Steve\u2019s comments in our conversation, the impact of AI on HR isn\u2019t coming, it\u2019s already here. Embracing AI is no longer optional; it\u2019s a strategic imperative that will separate the innovators from the followers. HR leaders who lean into AI as a business enabler will drive the next generation of workplace transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Certn\u2019s approach to AI and automation-powered background checks mirrors this shift: faster, smarter, and built to support hiring teams, not replace them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    HR\u2019s role has never been more important. The question isn\u2019t if AI will change work, but how HR will lead the charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tune into the full podcast: https:\/\/certn.co\/podcast\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    On this week’s episode of Certn’s What the FTE? podcast, HR influencer and strategist Steve Cadigan joins us to discuss AI in HR.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":29036,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[284,285],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai-technology","category-what-the-fte"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29035"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29096,"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29035\/revisions\/29096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certn.co\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}