The organizations that thrive in a future shaped by AI won't be those with the most advanced technology — they'll be the ones that best cultivate uniquely human capabilities. In this conversation, Cisco Global Innovation Officer Guy Diedrich explores why skills like critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and learning agility are becoming essential drivers of innovation, leadership, and business success. From rethinking talent development to preparing employees for constant technological change, Diedrich shares practical insights for leaders building a workforce ready for what's next. Tune in to learn: 

Resources from this Week's Episode -  

The State of AI in HR 2026 

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/state-of-ai-hr-2026/full-report

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

Traditional definitions of workplace success centered on titles, productivity, and performance are becoming outdated. As burnout, constant connectivity, AI adoption, and shifting societal values reshape the workplace, employees are increasingly seeking work that aligns with their values and provides a deeper sense of meaning and belonging. 

In this episode, Charles Lee, Founder & CEO of Ideation and author of Design Your Good Life, explores why leaders must move beyond task management and intentionally design more human-centered work environments. From emotional connection in hybrid workplaces to the role of culture and leadership in the future of work, this conversation unpacks what it takes to build organizations where people truly feel they matter. Tune in to learn: 

Why purpose-driven work and belonging are becoming business imperatives. 

How leaders can create more human-centered cultures without sacrificing performance. 

Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

Rising healthcare inflation, shifting workforce expectations, and increasing benefits complexity are challenging leaders to rethink how they design programs that support both employees and organizational performance. In this episode, Mercer’s Tracy Watts, Senior Partner and U.S. Leader for Healthcare Policy, explores the major forces reshaping employee benefits. She breaks down how leaders can build flexible, future-ready benefits strategies that improve access, strengthen workforce resilience, and adapt to a rapidly changing healthcare and policy landscape. Tune in to learn: 

Why benefits strategy has become a critical business decision for leaders. 

The forces driving rising benefits complexity — from affordability pressures and workforce demographics to AI-driven navigation tools and evolving employee expectations. 

Ways to balance affordability, flexibility, and workforce resilience.  

Resources from this Week's Episode -  

Advocacy: SHRM’s Top Five Workplace Policy Issues for 2026 

https://www.shrm.org/advocacy/2026-top-five-workplace-issues  

Research: 2025 Employee Benefits Survey 

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/employee-benefits-survey  

 
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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

In this special episode of Tomorrowist, Cal Engstrom, Senior Researcher at SHRM, and Kenny Pyle, HR Technology Lead Analyst at SHRM, explore the HR technology trends reshaping the future of work — and what they mean for organizations navigating rapid transformation. From the evolving role of AI and automation to the growing need for connected HR and IT strategies, this conversation unpacks how leaders can modernize responsibly while building more agile, future-ready workplaces. 

Drawing from SHRM’s webinar “HR Tech Trends: Navigating Today and Shaping Tomorrow,” this episode equips business and HR leaders with actionable insights to stay ahead of accelerating change, strengthen workforce strategy, and drive business value in an increasingly tech-driven world of work. 

Access the full webinar: https://www.shrm.org/events-education/education/webinars/hr-tech-trends-navigating-today-shaping-tomorrow# 

Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

As change becomes more constant and less predictable, leading organizations are learning to design for change, rather than simply manage or contain it. This week, host Jerry Won speaks with futurist and bestselling author Heather McGowan about why adaptability is becoming a core strategic capability. McGowan challenges the belief that people resist change, arguing instead that the real barrier lies in how organizations lead, structure work, and define success. Tune in to learn: 

Why adaptability is the ultimate competitive advantage. 

The difference between flexibility and true adaptability. 

How curiosity, empathy, and trust drive performance. 

Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

Organizations are navigating a paradox. Digital acceleration and AI adoption are reshaping how work gets done, yet leaders are doubling down on the physical workplace. In this episode, host Jerry Won speaks with Dr. Yasmeen Coning, a globally recognized business transformation leader, about why offices are becoming more important in the age of automation. They explore how AI is shifting work toward more collaborative, human-centered moments, and why leading organizations are redesigning spaces to support innovation, culture, and performance. Dr. Coning also introduces the concept of “workplace identity,” and why fostering a deeper connection between employees and their work may be the key to driving long-term business outcomes. Tune in to learn:  

Resources from this Week's Episode - 

2025 SHRM Global Worker Project 
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/global-worker-project-2025  
 

Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

As pressure to move faster and “AI everything” intensifies, many organizations are missing a fundamental advantage: systems thinking. Without clear goals, feedback loops, and a deep understanding of how people, processes, and technology interact, leaders risk reinforcing silos and making decisions that don’t hold up over time. This conversation with Sam Timothy, senior systems engineer at Sysfleet Consulting, explores how to design intelligent, adaptive, and human-centered systems for better business outcomes. Tune in to learn: 

How systems thinking blends strategy, human behavior, and technology to drive performance. 

Why organizational challenges like silos are often feedback failures — not structural ones. 

Why there’s no one-size-fits-all operating model — and how leaders should assess before acting. 

How continuous feedback and learning loops enable organizations to successfully adapt and evolve over time. 
 

Resources from this Week's Episode: 

Toolkit: Building a Strong Organizational Culture 
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/building-strong-organizational-culture 

Organization Design and Change Management 

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/topics/organization-design-change-management#member-resources  

Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

Pay transparency is reaching a tipping point. What began as a compliance requirement is quickly becoming a strategic advantage for organizations competing for talent and trust. As salary data becomes easier to access — through new regulations, job postings, and AI-powered tools — employees and candidates are gaining new insight into how pay decisions are made. For leaders, that shift creates both risk and opportunity. By embracing pay transparency strategically, organizations can strengthen their reputations and attract the talent that will drive the future of work. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

Why pay transparency is shifting from compliance to competitive advantage. 

Why many organizations lack clean compensation data — and how transparency is forcing change.  

What leaders can do now to build a smarter pay transparency strategy and strengthen trust.

Resources from this Week's Episode - 

Recruiting Executives Priorities and Perspectives Report 

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/recruiting-executives-priorities-and-perspectives-report 

Toolkit: Managing Pay Equity 

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/managing-pay-equity  

Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

When emphasis on AI efficiency outpaces long-term thinking, organizations can face talent gaps, leadership risks, and decisions they’ll later regret. This conversation with SHRM’s Kenny Pyle, HR Technology Lead Analyst, unpacks the hidden costs of AI‑driven work and what leaders should ask before moving forward. What happens next could define work for the decade ahead. Tune it to learn: 

The strategic tradeoffs and long-term risks, including overlooked talent development and shrinking leadership pipelines. 

How AI is reshaping work, people systems, and the future of organizational resilience. 

What leaders can do today to make smarter, more sustainable technology and workforce decisions for tomorrow.

Resources from this Week's Episode - 

SHRM HR Technology Research 

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/topics/hr-technology#research  

 
SHRM AI + HI Specialty Credential 

https://www.shrm.org/shop/product.html/shrm-ai-hi-specialty-credential-p  

Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

Change can either happen to your organization — or you can lead it. This week, Bill McCarthy, Executive Chairman of Logos, shares what it takes to navigate change management and lead business transformation from a position of strength, not crisis. From reinventing a business model and maintaining customer satisfaction, to aligning leadership and reinforcing culture, this conversation unpacks how executives can proactively embrace change and scale for long-term growth. Tune in to learn: 

Why leading change early is a competitive advantage. 

How transparency and communication stabilize organizations during disruption. 

Resources from this Week's Episode - 

Seminar: Managing Change 

https://www.shrm.org/events-education/education/seminars/strategy-leadership/managing-change  

Toolkit: Managing Organizational Change 

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/managing-organizational-change  
 
Subscribe to Tomorrowist to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r