As organizations face rapid change, CHROs are uniquely positioned to ensure transformation centers on people, not just AI, tech tools or processes. From workforce planning to reskilling, HR leaders have multiple levers to guide employees through uncertainty while shaping long-term business outcomes.
Brandon Roberts, group vice president of people insights at ServiceNow, emphasizes that transformation is fundamentally about people. “We believe this is not a technology shift. It’s a human shift,” he says.
“People talk about features and functionality” of new HR tech tools, says Roberts, “but not enough about whether the workforce has the skills to support transformation or how it will change the way we actually do work.”
Here are 10 ways Roberts says CHROs can bridge this gap and lead the human side of change.
Many HR leaders struggle to determine their role in enterprise change. However, a 2024 academic study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology provides evidence that the authors say, “strengthens the legitimacy of HR professionals in AI-related transformations.” The authors analyzed 27 years of research on AI in human resource management and presented insight into how the technology has influenced the field of HR.
When undergoing AI-driven or other change, Roberts suggests focusing on three pillars: reimagining HR through new ways of working, enabling the broader workforce and transforming roles and planning across the organization. “Some [leaders] are thinking only about capacity for their HR team or just the HR piece,” he says. Others are thinking about the broader workforce transformation. “I hope this helps clarify that HR has multiple roles to play.”
2. Act as a cross-functional connector
AI, automation and digital tools are changing the enterprise, but successful transformation requires alignment across departments.
“AI is as cross-functional as you can get,” Roberts says. “Legal, IT, HR—everyone needs to be aligned on priorities and governance from the beginning.” CHROs can act as connectors, ensuring workforce strategies align with operational, legal and ethical considerations.
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3. Focus on foundational readiness
Slow adoption is often a sign that organizations are skipping essential groundwork. Roberts says many initiatives fail to address data quality and workflow alignment upfront. “[Adoption] is moving more slowly than people were imagining,” he says. “There’s been a lack of focus on foundational components like data quality and managing data before implementing technology.” CHROs can help their organizations build these foundations by clarifying roles, preparing teams and embedding readiness into planning.
4. Prioritize workforce skills
Reskilling is a central component of human-focused transformation. Roberts encourages HR leaders to identify current and future skill needs and create developmental programs that empower employees rather than judge them. CHROs must assess what skills the org has today and where they want to go in the future. “I really believe employees want to build these skills,” says Roberts. “No one wants to be left behind.”
5. Connect changes to daily work
For employees to embrace transformation, they must see its practical impact on their roles. Roberts notes that tools that streamline administrative tasks free employees for higher-value work. “It’s incredible how the conversational interface works now,” he says. “It understands intent. The people in analytics don’t want to be doing that kind of work either. They’d rather focus on more strategic analysis.” CHROs should help managers demonstrate how changes affect day-to-day work and improve job satisfaction.
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6. Measure value deliberately
Efficiency gains alone are insufficient if they don’t create tangible business or workforce impact. Roberts suggests tracking both productivity and redeployment of talent.
“If everyone saves 30 minutes on a task and no one does anything additional with that time, it’s not valuable,” he says. By measuring adoption, outcomes and workforce impact, CHROs can make transformation accountable and evidence-based.
7. Redesign roles and workforce planning
Transformation often changes the nature of work itself. CHROs should anticipate how roles evolve and ensure career pathways and planning align with organizational needs. Roberts notes that sometimes this requires pulling employees from their current role and helping them move into different work, rather than hiring externally. “That’s what transforming the workforce really looks like,” he says.
8. Communicate clearly and specifically
General statements about change, especially when referring to AI, often fail to resonate. Roberts recommends using concrete examples and role-specific explanations. “It’s very hard to talk about at an aggregate level,” he says. “It’s more useful to say, this technology saves 15% of your time, and here’s where that time will be reinvested.”
Effective communication reduces anxiety, builds trust and increases adoption.
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9. Lead with culture and engagement
Successful transformation depends on culture. CHROs should reinforce engagement, trust and psychological safety as employees navigate change. “When employees see the company investing in their growth, they’re more likely to embrace the change,” Roberts says.
Embedding culture into transformation ensures that change is sustainable and human-centered.
10. Keep people at the center
Ultimately, transformation succeeds when people succeed. Roberts emphasizes the long-term benefits of promoting worker growth. “You have to be willing to invest in building employees’ skills,” he says. “There’s a short-term cost, but over the long term it pays off. The more we can drive outcomes for the business while bringing employees along and helping them grow, the better it is for everyone.”
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