“When you look at it, every single industry is changing, right? It doesn’t matter what industry it is. AI has affected every single one,” said Rebecca Warren, director of talent center transformation at Eightfold AI.

The prominence of AI in boosting human productivity is stark. But the gap between companies using AI and those mastering it is widening daily. During a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s September virtual conference, Warren spoke with Kathi Enderes, SVP of research and global industry at The Josh Bersin Company on AI’s impact on organizations and the workplace transformation following it.

The Rise of the Superworker

One shift is the rise of the “Superworker,” a term coined by industry analyst and thought leader Josh Bersin. A Superworker is an employee who uses AI to improve their productivity, performance, and creativity. “When I think about using AI in a lot of the things I do, it actually forces me to be more creative,” Warren said.

Similarly, Superworker companies create a culture of adaptability where workers learn new skills and reinvent themselves. It involves using AI to make tasks easier, automating tasks to increase scale, integrating processes to enhance productivity, and leveraging autonomy to do more people-oriented work. 

Enderes says this shift emerged out of understanding that AI and humans can use their unique skills to broaden their reach and get more done. It becomes “all about powering every employee in the organization, from the frontline to mid-level managers all the way to executives, to do 10 times more and to get 10 times more value for the organization,” she said. 

The Superworker embodies growth, replacing the slashing and burning concept associated with the first wave of AI workplace integration. Enderes advises viewing AI as more than just a cost-cutting solution. Ask yourself, “How can I use these tools that I already have, to do more of the stuff that I like to do, and less of the stuff that I don’t like to do?” she said. 

Pacesetters in Dynamic Organizations

Warren and Enderes also spoke about the rise of dynamic organizations that have become pacesetters. These organizations have become high-performing leaders in the market by being “dynamic in design.”

Pacesetter organizations focus on skills velocity: honing in on how quickly workers can learn different skills and adapt to newer demands and roles. Essentially, employees adapt to rotating roles, responsibilities, and cross-functional teams. This enhances the organization’s productivity.

Previously, organizations were more static in structure and rewards. While dynamic organizations, on the other hand, adopt a “dynamic operating system” featuring a new management and rewards system. This newer system encourages, empowers, and trains employees to create new ideas, learn skills everywhere, and reward employees with strong skills. According to data from the Josh Bersin Company, pacesetters have 31 times higher employee retention and engagement scores and score 20 times higher in workplace productivity.

Obstacles to Refining Productivity 

Organizations that aren’t keeping up with Pacesetters must confront obstacles to change agility. They must shift from a fearful perspective to a curious one, says Enderes. According to their research, 45% of change management programs fail, and 72% are because of people's resistance. 

Organizations that aren’t keeping up with pacesetters must confront obstacles to change agility. They must shift from a fearful perspective to a curious one, says Enderes. “There’s all these multi-functional, cross-functional, autonomous agents already out there. So it’s not about the technology availability. It’s really a problem of people, culture, organization, and change adoption,” she said. 

AI training in steps rather than in one giant shift can minimize impact. HR leaders can lead by example with an effective change adoption curve and cultivate an environment where trial-and-error is encouraged. 

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Eightfold AI, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. 

Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.

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