The future of HR is unfolding before our eyes, and it's being shaped by data, skills, and artificial intelligence. In this enlightening conversation, Melissa Bowden, Senior Director for People and Purpose at Workday APAC and Japan, takes us deep into the transformation happening at the intersection of human resources and technology.

Melissa shares Workday's pioneering journey toward becoming a skills-based organization, revealing how they've leveraged machine learning since 2018 to create tangible benefits for both employees and the business. The results speak for themselves: 42% higher internal mobility rates for employees participating in skills development "gigs" and an 11% increase in career growth sentiment across the organization.

What makes this conversation particularly valuable is the practical application of cutting-edge tools. Workday's employee listening platform delivers weekly pulse checks that provide granular, real-time insights—enabling HR leaders to make immediate adjustments rather than waiting for annual survey results. Meanwhile, their AI-powered recruitment tools are transforming how talent acquisition teams operate, with interview scheduling time reduced from three days to just seven hours.

But perhaps most fascinating is Melissa's perspective on the emerging reality of managing both human and digital workforces simultaneously. As AI agents take on increasingly complex role-based functions, HR leaders must develop new frameworks for oversight, governance, and integration. Despite these technological advances, Melissa emphasizes that AI's purpose isn't to replace humans but to "amplify the human experience" by freeing people to focus on higher-value work.

Whether you're a CHRO planning your organization's AI strategy, an HR professional wondering how your role might evolve, or a business leader seeking to understand the future of work, this episode provides a compelling glimpse into what's possible when human insight meets technological innovation. The revolution is here—are you ready to embrace it?

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