Enhancing Employee Engagement and AI Integration with Russ from Stibo SystemsIn this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Russ, a seasoned HR executive, to discuss his career journey from teaching to HR leadership at Stibo Systems. Russ shares insights on leveraging the PECON survey to improve employee engagement, especially during periods of growth and organizational challenges. He outlines strategies for maintaining trust and morale during workforce reductions and detailed initiatives like focus groups and refreshed employee branding. Russ also dives into the future of AI in the workplace, advocating for treating AI agents like employees to ensure smoother integration. He provides early results from AI deployments, emphasizing transparency and employee reassurance. Russ highlights the importance of strategic navigation in HR to embrace technological advancements for workforce augmentation and business scalability.00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast00:38 Meet Russ: From Teacher to HR Leader02:16 Challenges in Employee Engagement03:09 Implementing the PECON Survey04:11 Driving Higher Engagement Scores06:38 Navigating Workforce Reductions09:30 AI in the Workforce: Digital Workers11:10 Early Results and Challenges with AI12:32 Parting Advice for HR Leaders