Vision Highlights: What Does HR Need to Start Prioritizing Now?

The age of AI is still going strong. How can HR strategize to stay ahead of the curve?

Picture the HR leader of the future: they’re probably equipped with an arsenal of cutting-edge tech and a serious knack for bringing out the best in their workforce. That leader is going to be you. And you won’t just be keeping up with the times; you’re going to stay ahead of them. The Vision 2024 Conference gave us a glimpse into what’s to come. One thing is clear: HR professionals must make bold moves today to shape tomorrow’s winning workforces.

In HR, the future is always closer than it appears. If HR starts investing in these crucial areas of technology, their workplace culture, and in themselves, they’ll step into a future that’s built for success.

Investing in technology: the AI advantage for personalization

Personalization has been and will continue to be a main focus for HR to help combat benefits confusion, low engagement, and misutilization. AI is critical to making the employee experience feel more personal and ultimately empowers strategies that were previously unimaginable. For example, imagine a workplace where every benefit, every piece of training, and every incentive is tailor-made for you. AI can make this dream a reality, but only when powered by people. 

You see, the emphasis shouldn’t be 100% about AI or any new-age technology, but about what truly matters—how it expands the human touch. 

At the end of the day, a successful benefits technology and engagement partnership lies in the ability of how people are able to better serve HR and benefits teams with personal connections powered by best-in-class technology. While there’s no denying the significance of AI and other advancements in technology, the focus should remain on supporting HR and their objectives. Integrating technology usefully, without letting it overshadow the human element, is crucial to any function.

Jon Shanahan, CEO of Businessolver, explains how it’s not AI’s primary role to make personalization happen, it’s up to humans to drive the best outcomes.

The role of AI in shaping the future workplace 

AI doesn’t just personalize; it predicts. Its role in crafting the future isn’t just in improving what’s already there; it’s about building what’s next. When HR can leverage predictive data, it’s like having a crystal ball for employee satisfaction and productivity, allowing us to pre-emptively tackle issues and nurture growth. The workplaces that win will be the ones that balance these powerful tools with robust ethics and guidance.

Strategizing for the future of technology never has a destination, it’s always a journey. At Businessolver’s Vision 2024 Conference, during the product roadmap session, one theme that shone through was the continual need to always do better. Currently, “Sofia’s cognitive search helps the user fetch related benefits documents from the system. But that’s not good enough. So we are working towards making Sofia an even more powerful benefits assistant.” The workplaces that win will be the ones that balance these powerful tools with robust ethics and guidance.

Hear Sony Sung-Chu, Head of Science and Innovation at Businessolver, explain what the future of our AI-powered benefits assistant, Sofia looks like:

Investing in people and partnerships: the empathy revolution

The crux of future HR isn’t just about tech; it’s about the heart too. HR operates in a realm that’s, well, fundamentally human, and no amount of AI can change that. That’s why it’s critical to invest in partnerships and technologies that augment our innate ability to understand and empathize.

In Jon Shanahan’s keynote about the Future of Work, he stated the importance of “making a continuous investment in partners that have the same high standards and expectations as we do…to deliver the very best experience.” 

When HR leaders prioritize the development and wellbeing of their workforce, they’re not just creating a more pleasant place to work; they’re building an environment primed for success. The truly revolutionary partnership isn’t just between HR and tech; it’s between HR, tech partners, and the employee, creating a dynamic that not only understands the individual but actively supports and promotes their growth.

Investing in yourself as a strategy for success: the power of self-care

HR leadership can be an all-consuming role, and we often put our team’s needs before our own. But the visionary HR leader understands that self-care isn’t selfish. It’s a strategic necessity. The decisions we make about our own well-being have a ripple effect across the organizations we lead.

When we asked Grammy-award winning rapper and Vision 2024 keynote speaker Common, how can HR, who’s “literal job it is to put others before yourself, prioritize their own self-care?” He responded, “if your purpose is service, or serving others, which is one of the greatest things you can do, you have a duty to yourself to work on yourself…Practicing that will better our communities and our world and our families.”

With the importance of HR in future business strategies, it’s paramount we lead by example in adopting a mindset of self-care and personal investment. After all, the HR leader who takes care of themselves is the leader best primed to take care of their team and company.

How do you strategize? Take the first step

The question isn’t just what we need to prioritize in our strategies. It’s why we need to prioritize it. Investments into technology, our partnerships, and the personal investments in our own lives form a trio of ingredients for success.

The future isn’t a destination; it’s a journey we help shape with every decision we make. The HR strategies that will define the next era won’t be found in some far-off boardroom. They’ll be fostered now, by the leaders with the courage to explore new technologies, to form partnerships that resonate, and to look after themselves. The HR leader of the future won’t just respond to changes; they’ll set the pace.

HR has a unique opportunity to mold the future of work into something breathtakingly bold and incredibly human. It’s a future that rewards those who demonstrate foresight, creativity, and an unwavering dedication to their team. The future of HR is bright and brimming with possibilities. It’s time to wield our influence with purpose and vision. The future starts now.

To dive deeper into workplace trends, check out our Benefits Pulse Vodcast