We recently sat down with AI expert Christina Kucek, Executive Director of Intelligence Automation at CAI, to talk about the myriad ways artificial intelligence is shaping the employee experience (EX), what to consider when implementing AI in the workplace, and lots more.
Keep reading for highlights and listen to the podcast for the full story!
Note: Some quotes have been gently edited for clarity.
Leveraging AI to improve the employee experience
We know that a positive employee experience paves the way to overall organizational outcomes like improved employee engagement and retention, increased productivity, and higher revenue.
Artificial intelligence can enhance EX starting on day one by streamlining the tasks and training associated with onboarding new hires to create a positive, frictionless first impression.
“The impression that you make as a company on new employees will help retain our best talent,” Christina says.
Consider this example: After the talent sourcing and interviewing processes are complete, and the HR rep presses the hire button, AI can automate the series of onboarding steps that follow by triggering API calls or automated scripts that go through the user interface. The best conversational AI can still provide a personalized experience for the new employee, while empowering the HR rep to move onto more strategic work.
“As long as we get all of these steps completed, it’s welcome to our family! Welcome to the organization! I just don’t think the HR representative needs to be held hostage to click all those buttons,” Christina says.
AI as an accelerator
She views AI as an accelerator to help HR professionals enhance EX — augmenting, not replacing, the human intelligence that fuels processes ranging from hiring and onboarding to managing employees’ HR service requests. “We use AI as an accelerator, but it’s still those folks in recruiting and HR and talent that need to be that integral piece,” Christina says. “The experience just wouldn’t meet our expectations without the human brain involved.”
Beyond onboarding and task automation, AI can support HR activities such as payroll management, benefits administration, and resolution of support tickets. The goal of AI-powered digital workplace solutions like Simpplr’s conversational AI Assistant is to simplify complex workflows and create a seamless employee journey — making employees’ and HR teams’ lives easier.
Discover how an AI-powered EX platform can revolutionize the employee experience
Using AI to do more with less
Another way AI can improve EX? Helping employees accomplish more in less time and with fewer resources — relieving stress and freeing up bandwidth to focus on more meaningful activities inside and outside of work.
“What I have seen is that most people have way more than 40 hours of work to do every week. So you have to really peel back that onion, layer after layer, to get them to be able to accomplish the things that are on their plate today,” Christina says. “We’re asking a lot more for our people than I think we used to ask.”
From taking notes in meetings to screening resumes and drafting content, AI can serve as an always-on personal assistant to lessen the burden of mundane work. And less time spent on routine and repetitive tasks means more time for self-care and strategic work — which builds happier, healthier employees.
At CAI, “we’re leading with technology. We’re accelerating our people,” Christina says. “I haven’t written a proposal in a long time on my own without using one of these [AI] tools. It helps me in myriad ways to be the professional I want to be.”
Enabling ‘anywhere’ work
Working more efficiently with the help of technology like Simpplr’s AI-powered employee experience platform also promises more freedom and flexibility for employees. And employees who feel empowered to embrace their preferred work model and trusted to get their sh*t done are more likely to stay.
“I have always had a work-from-anywhere policy with my team, which is like, ‘I need you to get this many things done this week. If you can pull things from next week into your queue this week, great. As long as you get this amount done, I’m a happy manager. So whether you are in the U.S. or India or on a beach in Bali, it doesn’t really matter to me as long as that work gets done. If AI is giving you a superpower and you’re able to get more done in that time, and there’s a golf appointment that you need to go to, great. You got your work done,’” Christina says. “That’s just my personal perspective and I feel like that should be everyone’s perspective because it’s just way cooler to work for that person than for somebody that’s not like that. And it’s better to work for that company — it instills loyalty and all of those great things.”
It’s a win-win. Organizations that find ways to integrate AI into their workflows can see huge gains in productivity and operational efficiencies.
Take a deeper dive into the role of GenAI in employee-facing applications
Ethical implementation of AI
The ethical considerations of AI implementation are a serious concern for many organizations, and Christina echoed this during the discussion — posing the question, ”How are you going to address AI concerns from energy consumption to security?”
She believes clear communication and transparency can diffuse a lot of the reservations surrounding AI, especially with security and data management. “It’s really important in order to dispel the fear of AI and of these technologies to be really clear and say it loud, say it proud: This is how we intend to use this data.”
Christina’s team at CAI follows this methodology with their own implementations, making sure employees and clients are fully aware of how their AI tools are being used.
“We implement our own solutions. We’re not going to use it for feedback unless we explicitly tell you,” she says. “Big Brother isn’t watching you. We’re just trying to give you these capabilities to accelerate your work.”
Simpplr, a member of the Responsible Artificial Intelligence Institute, also stands by the core principles that guide product development and AI implementations. This includes prioritizing privacy and security, and strictly adhering to rigorous data privacy regulations.
This upfront and transparent approach helps build trust and mitigates reservations about adopting AI — while also fostering a more ethical work environment.
Explore ethical AI in software development
Subscribe to keep learning
Be sure to watch the full podcast to learn more about the topics above and other insights related to the transformative role of AI and automation in the workplace, including:
- Christina’s predictions for the future of AI in the workplace, including in software development (ala Rabbit)
- Insights into CAI’s playground, like hyper-automation in the IT service desk space
Connect with Christina on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the Cohesion Podcast to hear from other IT, internal comms and professionals, providing structured, high-value, quick-hitting strategies and tactics.
