Workday Chief People Officer Ashley Goldsmith discusses new research from Workday on elevating uniquely human skills and what she’s most looking forward to as the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, kicks off.
In this article, we discuss:
Amplifying Human Potential: The latest Workday study found that AI is changing how we work by streamlining processes and maximizing productivity, and that workers believe AI can enhance human creativity and allow them to focus on higher-level responsibilities.
Desire for Human Connection: The data shows a disconnect between individual contributors and managers on the importance of human connection as AI usage grows and highlights the need to develop key leadership skills, particularly cultural sensitivity and adaptation, to navigate AI’s impact.
Leadership Elevated by AI: AI adoption will impact leadership by enhancing data-driven decision-making, upskilling teams, reallocating resources, and helping organizations prioritize their people.
As the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting kicks off, I’m looking forward to connecting with leaders from across the globe and discussing our shared opportunities and challenges. At the top of that list is how companies are leveraging AI to optimize talent and build a workforce for the future.
AI is revolutionizing how we work, providing powerful tools to streamline processes, accelerate the skills-first transformation, and maximize productivity. As we enjoy the benefits of these new technologies, it’s also becoming clear that AI has the potential to amplify our uniquely human skills.
According to a recent Workday global study, a large majority of full-time workers surveyed believe that AI will enhance human creativity, support their ability to develop new skills, and free them up to focus on higher-level responsibilities. The more employees use AI tools, the more likely they are to see its benefits and embrace its potential—among respondents actively using AI, 93% agree that it allows them to focus more on higher-level responsibilities.
The study also reveals the top skills that are deemed irreplaceable by technology, as reflected in the following chart.
While there is cause for optimism around AI, our data shows a significant disconnect—82% of individual contributors believe employees will crave more human connection as AI usage grows but only 65% of managers share the sentiment. This suggests a potential blind spot and reinforces the importance of prioritizing relationship building, collaboration, and team dynamics in the age of AI.
As organizations lead their teams through the massive transformation that AI will bring, there are key skills that need to be cultivated among leaders at all levels. The biggest gap identified in our survey is cultural sensitivity and adaptation.
When asked how AI adoption will impact leadership and management priorities in their department, respondents identified three areas:
Enhancing data-driven decision-making
Upskilling and reskilling teams to maximize the benefit of AI tools
Reallocating resources to critical and strategic areas as AI automates routine work
At Workday, we’ve seen firsthand the power of AI in helping leaders focus their energy around building great teams and bringing out the best in their people. This is especially important because some of the most significant pressures facing leaders today center on human factors such as managing a global, multigenerational workforce and helping employees adapt to rapid change. Essentially, AI can help organizations prioritize what matters most—their people.
The decisions that organizations make around AI today will have implications for the workforce of tomorrow. Here are three considerations for leaders who are deploying AI to increase productivity and drive success.
Embrace human-centric leadership: Model the importance of human skills such as empathy, creativity, and ethical decision-making, and create opportunities for your teams to practice and refine these skills.
Invest in skills development: Identify the skills your organization needs in order to adapt to the changing demands of AI and support employees in developing those skills.
Practice transparency: To maintain trust with your employees, bring them along for the journey—explain your decision-making and share your roadmap for the future.
There is no doubt AI is transforming the way we do business, but AI is more than just algorithms and automation. At its best, AI empowers individuals, elevates capabilities, and unlocks skills, which in turn unlocks new possibilities.
I’m excited to continue these discussions in Davos and beyond as we work together to shape a future where AI and human potential thrive hand in hand.
Read “Elevating Human Potential: The AI Skills Revolution” and dive into all things AI in our AI Masterclass series.
Workday leaders predict the top AI trends for 2025, including the growing importance of human-machine collaboration, strategic AI investments, and the need for uniquely human skills in the age of automation.
Workday leaders predict the top HR trends for 2025, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, human skills, and upskilling to build a thriving, human-centric workplace.
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