Summary

If your HR team is buried in inbox requests, you’re leaving no time for the moments that truly need a human touch. Preet Michelson, Chief People Officer at TMS and Morgan Street Holdings, shares how she’s using AI to modernize global HR operations across 44+ countries—without losing the human element. 
A former CPA at KPMG who later moved into commercialization, Preet brings a business-first lens to HR, supporting a creative, fast-moving company known for Happy Meal toys and programs like T‑Mobile Tuesdays. She breaks down a practical, two-part approach: centralize and summarize inquiries with AI to spot training gaps and service needs, then route tier-0/1 questions to a chatbot (Jewel in SAP SuccessFactors) while protecting time for complex, sensitive issues. 

Preet also details a goal-led performance process powered by AI—goal suggestions, a living goal library, an “on/off track” mid-year, and year-end summaries pulled from emails and decks—which drove 96% review completion and 97% manager 1:1s. Expect clear criteria for bot vs. human, change management lessons after a global HCM rollout, and how HR shifts from “push” to “pull” by showing up with data, empathy, and a strategic POV.

Timestamps

[00:36] – From CPA to CPO: why HR must be business-first

[02:22] – Inside TMS and Morgan Street Holdings: a “buy and hold” model and global footprint

[03:25] – Creative, fast-moving culture: Happy Meal toys, T‑Mobile Tuesdays, and geopolitics

[04:41] – Fixing manual HR ops with AI: SAP SuccessFactors + Jewel, and the case for logging everything

[06:46] – Centralize, summarize, then go deep: using AI to bucket inquiries across EU/APMEA/NA

[09:44] – Bot vs. human: timeliness/accuracy vs. nuance/sensitivity (immigration, FMLA, family)

[13:19] – Goal-first performance: AI goal suggestions, a goal library, on/off-track mid-year, AI-aided year-end

[16:46] – Outcomes and brand shift: 96% review completion, 97% 1:1s, and moving HR from push to pull

Takeaways

- Centralize and summarize HR inquiries with AI to uncover training gaps, policy fixes, and regional needs.

- Route tier-0/1 transactions to a chatbot; reserve experts for nuanced, sensitive, or multi-path issues.

- Redesign performance around a few clear goals; use AI to suggest goals, craft feedback, and surface accomplishments.

- Simplify checkpoints—“on track/off track”—to focus manager time where it matters most.

- Measure adoption and communicate wins; high completion and 1:1 rates signal cultural momentum.

- Use AI as a time-saver, not a truth source; validate outputs and keep humans at the center of decisions.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

Human-First AI in Healthcare: Guardrails, Frontline Wins, and HR's New Playbook

How do you make AI feel human-first in a mission-driven, frontline environment? Ashley Ridgeway-Washington—CEO and Principal Advisor at Leverage Group and former CHRO at JPS Health Network—shares a leadership-led approach to AI that elevates patient care by improving the employee experience. A rare blend of HR strategist, attorney, and executive coach (JD, MHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP), Ashley has led global DEI at Amazon and is a Deloitte Next Gen CHRO Academy alum. She breaks down high-impact frontline use cases—from real-time materials management to patient de-escalation in the palm of a caregiver's hand—and why AI fails when it's treated as a tech project instead of an operating model change. Ashley details the leadership behaviors AI now demands (humility, problem clarity, decision rights, and governance), how to redirect time from admin to high-touch work, and why "train AI like an intern" is a powerful design principle. She also tackles AI literacy and guardrails (including deepfake risks), what healthcare can borrow from Amazon's customer obsession and speed-to-value, and how HR can automate the rote (absence management, onboarding, off-cycle pay) to focus on coaching, succession, and talent. Plus, lightning-round advice on what to delegate to an agent tomorrow and the digital mindset HR leaders need next.

TIMESTAMPS
[00:45] – Guest intro: Ashley's path (JPS Health Network, Amazon, Leverage Group) and why healthcare needs human-first AI
[02:00] – Frontline use cases: materials management, patient experience de-escalation—beyond diagnostics and rev cycle
[02:44] – Where AI fails: unclear problems, weak data, no change management, and skills atrophy risks
[05:35] – From admin to empathy: freeing leaders' time; using AI to check bias and tone while guarding against hallucinations
[08:58] – Automating HR: "Ask Ashley," RPA for absence management, labor planning, onboarding, and off-cycle pay
[12:46] – Lessons from Amazon: customer obsession, speed-to-value—without importing a ruthless edge
[15:57] – Design principles: train AI like an intern (voice, tone, context); set "never delegate to AI" decisions and guardrails
[18:22] – Literacy first: deepfakes, ethics, and why healthcare must invest in AI education for staff (and kids)

TAKEAWAYS
- Treat AI as a leadership and operating-model shift—define the problem, decision rights, data readiness, and change plan before tools.
- Redirect admin time to human touch; use AI for both enterprise efficiency and individual productivity (bias/voice checks for leaders).
- Automate the rote with RPA—absence management, labor planning, onboarding, and off-cycle pay—to unlock strategic HR work.
- Borrow tech's customer obsession and speed-to-value while anchoring to mission, empathy, and clinical competence.
- Train AI like an intern: codify voice, tone, and context; publish a "never delegate to AI" list; enforce governance and ethics.
- Build AI literacy and guardrails across the workforce to prevent misuse (e.g., deepfakes), audit outputs, and avoid skills atrophy.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

From Purpose to AI Workers: CCC's CHRO on Scaling AI Without Losing Humanity

If you're embedding AI "everywhere," how do you move fast without losing your human center—or burning out your leaders? Christy Harris, SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at CCC Intelligent Solutions, shares how the 45-year-old, $1B+ AI-powered SaaS company is modernizing the auto claims ecosystem while transforming how its own people work. Christy explains CCC's consumer-first "tiebreaker" for tough trade-offs, why "AI everywhere" means embedding AI in daily workflows (not turning everyone into data scientists), and how purpose and storytelling keep teams grounded amid change. She dives into the emerging reality of leading both humans and AI workers, the importance of clear feedback loops (for agents and people), and how AI can coach managers in the moment. Christy also tackles leader capacity—what it takes to move with pace without tipping into burnout—and why internal AI adoption is a cultural shift, not just a technical one. Expect practical moves, from building AI fluency to launching CCC's first AI worker in T&E, plus a call for HR leaders to be architects of the future, not bystanders.

TIMESTAMPS
[01:09] – The problem CCC solves and why auto claims need modernization now
[03:01] – Balancing product AI with workforce change; the consumer-first tiebreaker
[04:06] – "AI everywhere" defined: embed in drafting, analysis, and prioritization; anchor in purpose
[09:53] – Move with pace and "fall in love with the problem, not the solution"
[12:37] – Leading humans and AI workers: feedback clarity and AI as a coach for managers
[17:59] – Leader capacity and burnout: supporting managers through fast change
[24:14] – Internal vs. product AI: adoption is cultural; build AI fluency and lead from the front
[24:38] – CCC's first AI worker in T&E: removing a high-friction employee pain point

TAKEAWAYS
- Anchor change in purpose and customer impact to reduce fear and keep teams aligned.
- Enroll, over-communicate, and create open forums—then listen and iterate.
- Embed AI in daily work (drafting, analysis, prioritization) so people focus on judgment and relationships.
- Train leaders to manage humans and AI workers; practice clear, corrective feedback and use AI to coach better.
- Move with pace and a challenger mindset—fall in love with the problem, not the solution.
- Treat internal AI as a culture change: build AI fluency, start with high-friction processes (e.g., T&E), and protect leader capacity to prevent burnout.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

Summary

How do you build a people strategy for a high-trust, high-stakes environment where your “customers” are caregivers? 

Colette Brown, Chief Human Resources Officer at Stony Brook University Hospital, shares how her team centers HR on mission, fixes pay with data, and uses practical AI to return time to human moments. With strong alignment from CEO Carol Gomes, Colette led a compensation overhaul grounded in market reviews and role prioritization—driving vacancy down from 18% to 3%, turnover from 22% to 7%, and engagement from the 7th to the 55th percentile. She unpacks how Stony Brook avoids the “poof, you’re a leader” trap with hands-on manager development, a prescriptive 90-day onboarding and buddy program, and a culture of gratitude—right down to a dedicated Resilience Room. 

Colette also details where AI already works in healthcare HR and clinical workflows: policy analysis, job descriptions, tone checks, and ambient scribes that improve listening while preserving human review. She closes with hiring for values and aptitude (teach the rest) and a coaching approach that targets behaviors—not attitudes—so leaders build performance and dignity at the same time.

Timestamps

[00:45] – Guest intro and the reality of “caring for the caregivers”

[03:45] – Centering HR on mission: linking engagement to patient experience

[07:10] – Compensation overhaul: market reviews, prioritization, and leadership alignment

[10:10] – Results from pay investments: vacancy, turnover, and engagement turnarounds

[12:33] – From star clinician to capable manager: building real leadership development

[14:52] – Culture that sticks: 90-day onboarding, gratitude, and the Resilience Room

[17:25] – Practical AI: policy analysis, job descriptions, and ambient scribes with human review

[25:21] – Coach behaviors, not attitudes: “pinpointing” to drive change

Takeaways

- Anchor HR decisions to mission and patient experience to sustain alignment and energy.

- Fix pay first: run market reviews, prioritize high-impact roles, and secure CEO/CFO sponsorship.

- Replace “poof, you’re a leader” with structured, hands-on manager training and clear expectations.

- Design culture into the first 90 days—buddy programs, frequent check-ins, and visible recognition.

- Use AI to shed tedium (policy comparisons, JDs, tone checks) and adopt ambient scribes to improve listening—always with human validation.

- Hire for values, curiosity, and aptitude; teach the rest. Coach on observed behaviors, not attitudes, to improve performance with dignity.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

• (00:45) - Guest intro and the reality of caring for the caregivers

Summary

In mission-driven organizations, trust isn’t optional—so how do you adopt AI without losing the human element or opening new risks? 

Elizabeth Mattila, Chief Human Resources Officer at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), shares a pragmatic playbook for using AI in HR while protecting culture, candidates, and company data. From her first “wow” moment with ChatGPT to today’s realities—deepfakes, resume automation, and high-volume recruiting—Elizabeth explains where AI adds real value and where humans must stay in the loop. 

She details how EDF is training recruiters to spot synthetic identities, exploring vendor partners for deepfake detection, and factoring AI’s environmental footprint into tech decisions. Elizabeth also digs into practical wins: using AI for executive summaries after workshops, triaging inbox overload, and translating employment-law changes into plain English. 

Expect a grounded approach: pilot AI to speed resume screening, keep interviews live and conversational, and set clear guardrails so AI assists—but never replaces—sensitive people work.

Timestamps

[00:45] – Guest intro: EDF’s mission and Elizabeth’s first “wow” with ChatGPT

[03:43] – Tool with caution: resume help vs. overuse and the rise of deepfakes

[06:05] – Security risk in hiring: training recruiters and why AI education is table stakes

[08:36] – Vendor landscape and EDF’s lens: spotting deepfakes and weighing environmental impact

[11:49] – AI in recruiting: where to automate—and why prerecorded video isn’t the answer

[17:05] – Practical wins: inbox triage, exec summaries, and boiling down legal changes

[19:33] – Guardrails that keep AI from “doing your job” while preserving speed and trust

[22:50] – Lightning round: protections, misconceptions, and AI red lines in HR

Takeaways

- Train recruiters to detect deepfakes; evaluate specialist vendors and bake controls into hiring.

- Pilot AI for resume triage and legal summarization, then layer human review for fit and nuance.

- Keep first-round interviews live; avoid prerecorded video screens that strip out human signals.

- Set clear guardrails: AI can draft resumes and summaries—never run sensitive employee relations.

- Weigh AI’s environmental impact alongside ethics, security, and business value.

- Invest in AI education for HR teams to move thoughtfully—not fearfully—at the right pace for your org.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

Summary

How do you embed AI into HR across a complex, manufacturing-led enterprise without losing momentum, or quality? 

Jill Wrobel, Chief Human Resources Officer at Brunswick Corporation (Mercury Marine, Boston Whaler, Sea Ray), shares how her team is turning survey insights (“we have too much work”) into structured pilots and end-to-end redesigns. 

Jill explains why HR must pair quick wins—LLMs for TA notes, job descriptions, and policy queries—with deeper process rethinks like onboarding. 

She details a “future of HR work” hackathon, lessons from an HR Q&A bot that needed a quality reset, and how HRBPs are co-innovating with supply chain using multimodal AI to analyze tens of thousands of CAD drawings for tariff/material modeling. 

On the product side, she spotlights AutoCaptain—autonomous docking—and the skills engine behind it. Jill also covers AI in service workflows to handle seasonal spikes, the staffing realities of Freedom Boat Club, and where AI can accelerate M&A diligence and integration planning.

Finally, she unpacks governance with IT, legal, privacy, and cyber; why HR houses Brunswick’s Enterprise Transformation Office; and the leadership mindset shift from “speeding up current tasks” to true end-to-end transformation.

Timestamps

[00:45] – Guest intro: Brunswick’s global footprint and why boating builds community

[02:13] – From “too much work” to AI pilots: building a compensation agent and early hiccups

[04:45] – Redesign before you automate: onboarding, TA with LLMs, and lessons from an HR Q&A bot

[07:42] – HRBPs as innovators: multimodal AI on CAD drawings to model tariffs and upskill teams

[10:47] – Product-side AI: AutoCaptain and the skills behind autonomous docking

[13:09] – Rethinking ROI: beyond efficiency tweaks to end-to-end transformation and cultural agility

[18:51] – Seasonality and service ops: AI for manuals/parts; Freedom Boat Club hiring at scale; where M&A gains from AI

[27:50] – Governance that works: aligning HR, IT, legal, privacy, and cyber; HR’s Enterprise Transformation Office

Takeaways

- Run a “future of HR work” hackathon to surface pain points and co-build targeted AI agents.

- Redesign fragmented processes (e.g., onboarding) before layering automation; measure quality and iterate.

- Apply multimodal AI to complex files (CAD, service manuals) to free experts for higher-value strategy.

- Build cross-functional AI governance and prioritize investments; centralize momentum via a transformation office.

- Upskill leaders on AI fundamentals and shared definitions to reduce confusion and improve decisions.

- Treat adoption as change management: over-communicate, support longer than you think, and aim for employee self-service to relieve HR.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

Summary

Buying the shiniest AI won’t transform your org—redesigning the work will. 

Maggie Ruvoldt, Chief People Officer at Learn Behavioral, a national leader in ABA therapy for children and young adults with autism, lays out a practical, people-first blueprint for AI adoption that HR should lead. 

She reframes success away from headcount cuts and toward real operating gains—think shipped automated workflows, automation coverage, and organizational fluency. 

Maggie shares the “magic wand” exercise to surface repetitive, low-value tasks and, crucially, how to redeploy the time saved into innovation, empathy, and proactive work. She walks through process-mapping techniques, why fresh eyes and cross-functional “customers” matter, and how lightweight partners like Zapier can accelerate early wins. 

You’ll also hear why starting in Talent Acquisition is risky for culture and candidate experience, and how HR can build credibility by piloting AI within its own team before scaling with IT and operations.

Timestamps

[00:45] – Guest intro: Learn Behavioral’s mission and Maggie’s people-first lens on AI

[01:06] – Biggest misconception: tool-first thinking vs. redesigning the work

[02:31] – Beyond job cuts: workflow impact, automation coverage, and fluency as core metrics

[04:55] – The “magic wand” exercise: creating capacity and deciding how to use it

[08:36] – Case study: a resistant team embraces AI when time saved funds “dream projects”

[12:18] – Process mapping: end goals, fresh eyes, and cross-functional customers (plus Zapier)

[17:18] – Why HR should lead AI: build fluency in-house and partner with tech on shared goals

[23:46] – Don’t start with TA: protect candidate experience and automate the right moments

Takeaways

- Start with the work, not the tool—redesign roles and workflows before selecting technology.

- Measure what matters: ship automated workflows, track automation coverage, and raise team fluency.

- Use the “magic wand” exercise to identify low-value tasks and pre-plan how saved time will be reinvested.

- Redesign end-to-end processes with cross-functional customers and fresh eyes; don’t just “plug in” bots.

- Pilot AI inside HR to build hands-on fluency and credibility; share small wins to spark demand.

- Protect candidate experience—avoid leading with TA; automate thoughtfully while keeping real human connection.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

In this episode of The Human Element, Fred Skinner, Chief Human Resources Officer at Eversana, shares a playbook from life sciences commercialization, where compliance and speed must coexist. He explains “Project Windex,” the company’s multi-year effort to clean data to create a more trustworthy AI. Fred details where they started and how AI in HR is changing the game.

He also covers governance, the tools they use, and early steps in employee sentiment analytics with a roadmap for retention. Fred breaks down change management that accelerates adoption and the metrics he trusts most to judge pilots: productivity and quality. His advice for HR leaders is simple: just try it and measure.

Chapters

[Start] Guest Introduction: Barb introduces Fred Skinner, and they discuss his roles in HR leadership.

01:31 Defining AI-for-HR Strategy: How companies like Eversana are defining AI in HR spaces to change the workspace.

07:56 IO Psychology and AI in HR: How Fred is using his background to redefine the use of AI in HR.

16:42 Employee Retention and Appreciation: Different tools available to help companies gauge their employee interest and how to improve.

20:12 Driving Adoption: The biggest changes Eversana has made to increase their adoption of AI in HR workflows.

Links and Resources

Eversana

Connect with Fred Skinner on LinkedIn

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

Summary

How do you accelerate AI without losing the human element? 

Erica Koenig, Chief Human Resources Officer at SPS Commerce—the leader in supply chain cloud solutions—shares how her team is co-creating an AI-enabled future with employees while staying grounded in values and customer impact. 

Erica explains why curiosity, adaptability, and critical thinking are the leadership capabilities that matter most, and how SPS is using practical pilots to prove value—like Gong-powered sales coaching and an AI “performance management coach” that improves feedback and goal setting. 

She breaks down scaling HR in a global, acquisitive business with Workday as a single source of truth, the role of predictive people analytics, and how compliance and risk get easier with AI. 

Expect candid guidance on transparency, human-first design, ethical guardrails, and “perpetual beta”—plus what HR must unlearn to become capability builders in an AI era.

Timestamps

[00:45] – Guest intro: Erica Koenig, SPS Commerce’s CHRO and the people-first approach to AI

[01:13] – Co-creating AI with employees: pilots, leadership capabilities (curiosity, adaptability, critical thinking), and aligning to values

[04:11] – Global scaling with AI: workforce planning by market, acquisitions, Workday, and predictive people analytics

[06:45] – Compliance and risk: using AI to track regulations and reduce administrative load

[07:59] – Real pilot: Gong insights → targeted sales coaching and self-learning

[09:30] – AI “performance management coach”: better reviews, continuous feedback, and stronger goals

[11:22] – Building trust: transparency, human-in-the-loop, and why the conversation matters more than authorship

[14:00] – Human-first design and personalization at scale: reducing bias, designing guardrails, and tailoring development

[18:54] – What HR must unlearn: change fatigue, “perpetual beta,” and shifting from process owners to capability builders

[25:00] – Lightning round: AI isn’t a project, measuring adoption/sentiment, and why SPS chose a consolidated platform

Takeaways

- Involve employees early—run pilots and co-create to increase adoption and reduce fear.

- Build leadership capabilities for AI: curiosity, adaptability, and critical thinking.

- Use AI to remove low-value tasks so people can double down on relationships, innovation, and customer impact.

- Stand up practical use cases: call coaching from conversation data and an AI-assisted performance review/goal process to enable continuous feedback.

- Consolidate core systems (e.g., Workday) for a single source of truth, then plug in specialized tools as needed.

- Measure what matters: track employee adoption and sentiment; be transparent, set ethical guardrails, and test for bias with humans in the loop.

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.

Summary

What does it take to build a culture that embraces AI without fear?

In this episode of The Human Element, Barb sits down with Diane Sanford, Chief People Officer at Unleashed Brands, the franchise platform behind Urban Air, Snapology, and The Little Gym. With over 25 years of HR leadership experience, Diane shares how she’s guiding her organization through a new era of AI adoption anchored in trust, curiosity, and clarity.

Diane reveals how her team is preparing leaders and employees for AI by fostering psychological safety, creating guardrails, and embedding AI into everyday workflows.

From automating recruiting and onboarding to rethinking productivity and purpose, this conversation is packed with actionable ideas for any HR leader navigating the future of work.

If you're looking to future-proof your workforce and lead through change with intention, this episode is for you.

Timestamps

• [00:45] – Meet Diane Sanford and her role at Unleashed Brands
• [01:15] – Why psychological safety is key to AI adoption
• [03:56] – Hiring a work automation specialist and building AI fluency
• [06:46] – Leading with values across multiple brands
• [11:57] – Practical ways AI is streamlining recruiting and onboarding
• [16:40] – Blending data, AI, and human judgment in decision-making
• [20:18] – Guardrails for responsible AI use: the note-taker example
• [24:43] – Lightning round: misconceptions, metrics, and AI tool choices
• [29:40] – Diane’s advice for HR leaders just starting with AI

Takeaways

• Create psychological safety so employees feel empowered—not threatened—by AI
• Build AI readiness by aligning leadership, using common language, and offering clear guidance
• Redesign roles to eliminate redundancy and amplify high-value, human-centric work
• Leverage AI tools to improve hiring, onboarding, and engagement without losing the human touch
• Lead with values—your team’s experience will shape the customer’s experience
• Balance speed with scrutiny—always validate AI outputs through human context and conversation

Sponsor

Wisq is the AI platform for HR. We built Harper, the world’s first AI HR teammate — designed to handle the judgment-heavy work that has historically consumed HR teams: job changes, performance concerns, leaves of absence, onboarding, and employee relations issues. Where HCM bolt-ons and chatbots deflect the easiest questions, Harper resolves full cases, end-to-end. The result is an HR function with the capacity and strategic bandwidth to focus on the work that moves the business.

Companies get Harper live in weeks, not quarters, with implementation support built on deep HR domain expertise. Wisq serves HR leaders at leading companies across industries, helping them raise the bar on employee experience and expand what their teams are capable of.

For more information, visit https://www.wisq.com.