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Jay Polaki is the Founder and CEO of HR GeckosTM and the host of the HR BytesTM Podcast. In this episode, Jay unpacks HR trends that everyone should be following in 2025, what happens when AI gets assigned the role of administrative assistant, and how AI will realistically contribute to HR once the hype settles.

This conversation took place at the HR Tech 2024 conference in Las Vegas.

[0:00] Introduction

• Welcome, Jay!
• Today’s Topic: What AI Can (and Cannot) Do for HR

[3:16] What’s the latest HR tech trend everyone should be following in 2025?

• Why AI is more than just the latest trend
• What an HR AI assistant could offer employees

[11:27] How does HR change if AI is used for administrative assistance?

• HR will never be fully automated, but HR workflows will need to integrate AI
• How AI could simplify HR jargon for non-HR employees

[17:16] What will AI be bringing to the table once the hype cycle dies down?

• AI “ownership” within an organization
• How different generations perceive AI

[32:44] Closing

• Thanks for listening!

Quick Quote

“HR can never be automated 100% . . . the ‘H’ in ‘HR’ [stands for] ‘human,’ but the way AI is evolving, we can’t just sit back and say we’re not going to embed it into our workflow.”
Resources

HR Geckos

HR Bytes podcast
Contact:
Jay's LinkedIn
David's LinkedIn
Dwight's LinkedIn
Podcast Manager: Karissa HarrisEmail us!Production by Affogato Media

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Summary:

Kevin M. Yates, also known as the L&D DetectiveTM, has 30 years of experience working in training, learning, and talent development. In his current role, he investigates the extent to which training and learning contributes to workplace performance. In this episode, Kevin talks about how training is measured today; how that might change in the future; and how organizations can start measuring the impact training has on business and employee performance.

Chapters:

[0:00 - 5:34] Introduction

• Welcome, Kevin M. Yates!
• Today’s Topic: Measuring L&D’s Impact on Business Performance

[5:35 - 18:19] How is training measured today?

• All the different ways training can be measured
• How learning outcomes are affected by the tools and resources used

[18:20 - 32:06] What is the future of training measurement?

• It rhymes with “yay bye”... It’s AI!
• Using new tools to measure how learning and development contributes to workplace performance

[32:07 - 36:28] How can organizations begin measuring the impact training has on business and employee performance?

• Why you should intentionally plan for impact from the beginning
• How to approach ROI questions related to training programs or learning solutions

[36:29 - 39:29] Closing

• Thanks for listening!

Quotes:

“We have tools that measure outcomes and then we have actual outcomes, and those two aren’t necessarily related.”

“For some [L&D] goals, you’re going to be very specific with how you’re trying to move performance . . . that’s where you have to have a hypothesis [about the ROI].”
Resources:
L&D Detective
Contact:
Kevin's LinkedIn
David's LinkedIn
Dwight's LinkedIn
Podcast Manager: Karissa HarrisEmail us!Production by Affogato Media

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Summary:

Suzanne Wertheim, Ph.D. is a researcher, consultant, and educator of strategic and effective language in business. She’s talked at conferences, annual events, and leadership summits about the why’s, the how’s, and the power of adopting inclusive language. She’s also the author of The Inclusive Language Field Guide.

In this episode, Suzanne talks about addressing fears surrounding poor communication; how context affects what might be considered acceptable (or offensive) language; and how we can strive for inclusive language without falling victim to politically-motivated narratives.

Chapters:

[0:00 - 6:01] Introduction

• Welcome, Suzanne!
• Today’s Topic: How to Communicate Better by Using Inclusive Language

[6:02 - 17:53] Suzanne’s response to people’s worries about poor communication

• Why humans feel so compelled to comment on differences even if we know we shouldn’t
• Communication dos and don’ts may look different for different people

[17:54 - 33:03] How does context influence how you should communicate?

• Identifying and replacing existing biases
• The key to replacing insensitive linguistic habits for good

[33:04 - 47:49] How do recent political events affect how we communicate?

• The number one rule of inclusive grammar: reflect reality
• How status affects how we communicate

[47:50 - 49:25] Closing

• Thanks for listening!

Quotes:

“[One] principle of inclusive language is ‘show respect.’ . . . and showing respect for some people shows up differently than showing respect for other people.”

“Language skills build up slowly over time . . . it just takes time to get to that pattern recognition and get enough data into your brain.”
Resources tab

The Inclusive Language Field Guide

Dr. Wertheim’s Newsletter

Contact:
Dr. Suzanne's LinkedIn
David's LinkedIn
Dwight's LinkedIn
Podcast Manger: Karissa HarrisEmail us!Production by Affogato Media

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Summary:

Jackie Ferguson is a certified diversity executive and the Co-founder and VP of Content and Programming at The Diversity Movement. She is also the author of The Inclusive Language Handbook: A Guide to Better Communication and Transformational Leadership. Inc. magazine named Jackie to their 2023 Inc. Female Founders 200 list which comprises the 200 women leaders across America who are “shaping the world into a better place.”

In this episode, Jackie talks about some of the challenges companies might face when adopting new DEI practices and how they can succeed by starting with an effort to better communicate.

Chapters:

[0:00 - 11:13] Introduction

• Welcome, Jackie!
• Today’s Topic: Creating an Opening in the DEI Conversation for Late Adopters

[11:14 - 16:32] The Diversity Movement’s special sauce

• How the Diversity Movement approaches DEI consulting differently
• Helping companies communicate to their employees in ways that they understand

[16:33 - 27:07] Challenges surrounding company-wide adoption of DEI practices

• Staying committed to the work is critical—DEI is a long-term commitment
• Why pay equity is such an important part of DEI

[27:08 - 36:55] What are some examples of how we can work toward DEI best practices?

• DEI can be overwhelming, so start with yourself and how you communicate
• Awareness and asking questions is a great first step toward DEI

[36:56 - 40:02] Final Thoughts & Closing

• Remember the importance of mental health both in our society and in DEI practices
• Thanks for listening!

Quotes:

“Gen Z . . . they’re doing so much research on companies that they are supporting from a customer perspective and the companies that they’re considering working for.”

“One of the reasons we have a skew [in pay equity] is that some people are given opportunities based on what organizations think their ability to do the work is. People that look like me are given jobs based on a proven track record.”
Resources:
The Diversity Movement
Diversity: Beyond the Checkbox podcast
Contact:
Jackie's LinkedIn
David's LinkedIn
Dwight's LinkedIn
Podcast Manger: Karissa HarrisEmail us!Production by Affogato Media

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Summary:

Wendy Sellers (also known as The HR Lady®) is a speaker, trainer, consultant, podcast host, and author. In her over 25-year career, she has worked in many areas such as HR operations, downsizing, change management, corporate culture, coaching, training, education, and leadership development.

In this episode, Wendy talks about employers’ top concerns regarding attracting and retaining talent; how managerial roles have changed in the last few decades; and why experienced managers should continue to receive training (even if they don’t want it).

Chapters:

[0:00 - 5:53] Introduction

• Welcome, Wendy!
• Today’s Topic: How to Attract and Retain Amazing Employees

[5:54 - 16:04] What are employers’ top concerns these days?

• Why finding great employees seems so difficult
• The importance of valuing employees and fostering their skillsets

[16:05 - 29:04] How has the manager-employee relationship changed over the years?

• How managers should approach employee reviews
• The effect that changing workplace demographics has on managerial roles

[29:05 - 36:06] How can managers benefit from recurring training

• Mental health and managers’ fear of managing what they don’t know
• Training managers in a large business vs. a small business

[36:07 - 38:23] Closing

• Thanks for listening!

Quotes:

“Finding [employees] alone—never mind amazing [employees]—is very difficult, and it’s expensive since the pandemic.”

“Managers shouldn’t feel bad about going to training, because the world has changed . . . and we need to keep those managers [up-to-date].”
Resources:
The HR Lady
Suck It Up, Buttercup: Be a Leader People Will Follow
Contact:
Wendy's LinkedIn
David's LinkedIn
Dwight's LinkedIn
Podcast Manager: Karissa HarrisEmail us!Production by Affogato Media