Using AI To Improve Employee Engagement

I’m so curious about how people are using AI tools in their day-to-day work within the People/HR space. Selfishly, I’d love to see more LinkedIn posts in my feed with practical tips -- the small ways people use tools like ChatGPT, NotebookLM or Perplexity (or others). The little hacks or useful prompts can be just as valuable as the new products that seem to be launching every day. There’s so much to learn! I find myself asking almost everyone that I run into to share a recent prompt they used that surprised them with what came back. One tip I’d like to share comes from Jessie Lloyd Roberts, PHR, my teammate on the People Team here at Nextdoor. Like many teams, we use personality assessments to help with team development (we use SDI from Core Strengths), and Jessie took it a step further by feeding our team’s profiles into a Google NotebookLM. This turned the AI into an informed partner that offers insights on how we can collaborate better. After a recent offsite where we reviewed our profiles, we uploaded those notes to the AI as well. Now, we have an AI partner—our own AI HRBP—ready to offer tips on working together. For example, I can prompt it with, “I need to have a direct conversation about a challenging issue that's come up. What are 2-3 things I should consider with my approach to the discussion?” or "I really want to celebrate this person, what are some ideas that takes their profile into account in how they like to be recognized?" As a people manager, it's been a really useful tool for me to quickly remember the different styles on the team and what to look out for....

Think AI will steal your HR Job? Ignore AI and its capabilities and you'll create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Don't fear it, learn it. Here’s how AI is changing HR and what you need to do to stay relevant. 1. AI Is Revolutionizing Recruiting 📌 What’s changing: AI-powered tools are screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and assessing candidates faster than ever. ⚠️ What it means for HR: Recruiters who rely on outdated manual processes will struggle to keep up. ✅ How to stay relevant: Learn how to use AI-driven ATS (e.g., HireVue, Paradox, Eightfold AI). Use AI to reduce bias in hiring (but don’t trust it blindly—always audit AI decisions). Focus on candidate experience—AI can automate tasks, but humans build relationships. 2. AI Is Reshaping Employee Engagement & Retention 📌 What’s changing: AI can analyze employee sentiment, predict turnover risks, and personalize engagement strategies. ⚠️ What it means for HR: If you’re still guessing why employees leave, you’re behind. ✅ How to stay relevant: Use AI-powered surveys (e.g., Peakon, Culture Amp) to track engagement in real-time. Leverage AI to identify burnout risks before they become resignations. Balance AI insights with human connection—people don’t want to be managed by algorithms. 3. AI Is Streamlining HR Operations 📌 What’s changing: AI is automating HR paperwork, compliance tracking, and benefits administration. ⚠️ What it means for HR: If you’re spending hours on admin work, AI can do it faster. ✅ How to stay relevant: Learn AI-powered HRIS tools (e.g., Workday AI, BambooHR, UKG). Automate onboarding workflows to free up time for strategic HR. Shift from HR admin to HR strategy—let AI handle the paperwork. 4. AI Is Changing Learning & Development 📌 What’s changing: AI is personalizing training, recommending career paths, and predicting skill gaps. ⚠️ What it means for HR: Generic, one-size-fits-all training is dead. ✅ How to stay relevant: Explore AI-driven LMS platforms (e.g., Coursera for Business, LinkedIn Learning). Use AI to create tailored career development plans for employees. Focus on coaching and leadership development—AI can teach skills, but humans mentor. 5. AI Is Transforming HR Analytics 📌 What’s changing: AI can predict workforce trends, analyze DEI progress, and optimize workforce planning. ⚠️ What it means for HR: If you’re only looking at past HR data, you’re missing out on AI’s ability to forecast trends. ✅ How to stay relevant: Learn AI-powered HR analytics tools (e.g., Visier, ChartHop). Use predictive analytics to forecast turnover, pay gaps, and hiring needs. Partner with finance and operations—data-driven HR pros will lead the future. The best HR pros won’t fear AI, they’ll learn how to use it. Agree or disagree? ⬇️ ♻️ Repost to inspire change in your network. ➕ Follow Ricardo Cuellar for more content like this.

Prediction for how AI will be used to better reach and engage employees: ✨Hyper-Personalized AI Communicators✨ Imagine you’re a new employee at a large corporation. Part of your onboarding process will be taking an assessment to determine your personality style, communication preferences, learning style and cultural/social affinities. That assessment will create a Hyper-Personalized AI Communicator specifically for you. A super realistic AI character who will look, speak and sound like a real human being. Your Personal Communicator will interact with you via video and chat - not just sharing one-way messages but capable of live conversation. Every employee’s Communicator will be a bit different in appearance, style, energy and tone. All based around what will cultivate trust, make the employee feel comfortable, and convey authority without being demeaning. Imagine the variability in reaching and engaging a 25 year old woman working at an entry level desk based job in marketing vs reaching and engaging a 50 year old frontline manager who spends most of his day on the factory floor. The former may be matched with a Communicator who looks and sounds like her older sister. The latter may be matched with a Communicator who looks and sounds like my blue collar dad. When company communications, HR announcements or leader messages need to go out, they’ll be passed through these Personal Communicators so that every employee receives the message in a unique way that works for them. AI Communicators will highlight key points relevant to that employee’s specific role, answer questions and talk them through things. They’ll leverage a database of already approved core messaging to ensure everything shared perfectly aligns with the company mission, vision, values and strategic priorities. Over time, AI Communicators will learn about their employee partner personally as well. If that employee loves baking, the Communicator may occasionally share highly rated recipes. If the employee has a heart for animals, the Communicator may prompt the employee to take 5 minute breaks here and there to watch funny cat videos. These personal touches will only strengthen the feeling of connection between employee and Communicator, which will ultimately drive greater engagement and retention (the same way having friends at work keeps people in their jobs longer). And where does all this leave our communications leaders and teams? We’ll still be desperately needed. We’ll steer and shape the technology behind the scenes, adding human perspective and nuance along the way. There will still be a role for us in this new reality, but the role will be significantly different than it is today.