HR priorities shift as employees seek human-centred features amid AI push

New research reveals employees prioritise wellbeing and recognition over pay, challenging leaders to balance human-focused initiatives with ongoing AI-driven technological transformation.

An emerging contradiction is shaping how organisations prioritise people and technology. New findings from the Building Human Workplaces report by Reward Gateway | Edenred show employees are increasingly seeking human-centred workplace features such as wellbeing, belonging and schedule...

The report finds that since 2023 the proportion of workers who prefer an employer that cares about their wellbeing over a 10% pay increase has risen to 58%, a 14‑point jump. Demand for greater control over schedules has climbed 13 points, manager concern for wellbeing is up 12 points and interest in learning and development has increased 10 points. According to the report, 84% of managers say technology eases their workload, while formal recognition programmes lift employee net promoter scores to levels similar to bonuses but at a much lower cost. Three-quarters of employees report recognition makes them work harder and 78% value it even when it does not carry a financial reward.

Those figures underline a pragmatic lesson for HR leaders: investment in tools that help managers coach, communicate with and recognise staff is delivering measurable return now, even as corporate strategy conversations remain dominated by AI. According to Gartner research cited earlier by HR Executive, AI projects in HR frequently fall short unless basic engagement and people‑management needs are met. Deloitte has warned that AI spending alone does not guarantee returns without parallel investment in skills and culture, and McKinsey has highlighted talent deficits that slow AI adoption. Together these analyses point to a gap between AI ambitions and the foundational people capabilities that enable them.

The HR technology marketplace reflects both impulses. Vendors continue to roll out AI-enabled products , from cultural coaching bots to skills‑first hiring platforms , while less flashy systems for recognition and everyday manager support persistently show strong outcomes. Industry projections also suggest continued growth in adjacent services: Everest Group estimates the US B2B earned-wage access market will expand from more than $400 million in 2023 to over $1.5 billion by 2029, driven largely by uptake among small and mid‑market employers.

Meanwhile, corporate leadership moves underscore how AI is shaping executive agendas. Workday has reinstated co‑founder Aneel Bhusri as chief executive, replacing Carl Eschenbach. The change is effective immediately as the company begins its fiscal 2027 year. Workday’s shares have fallen roughly 40% over the past year, and the firm is refocusing on artificial‑intelligence‑led initiatives, combining product development and acquisitions aimed at AI capabilities. CNBC reports Bhusri framed the technology as a major generational opportunity and intends to steer the company through a new strategic phase. Workday’s own leadership page confirms Bhusri’s return and his long tenure with the firm since its founding in 2005.

The juxtaposition is instructive for HR decision‑makers. While boards and investors ask for AI road maps and scale, workers are signalling immediate preferences that are relational rather than technological. Investing in recognition, manager enablement and flexibility can produce near‑term boosts to engagement and retention, and strengthen the people foundation required for future AI investments to succeed. At the same time, firms such as Workday indicate vendors will continue to push AI into HR systems, making the coming months a test of whether companies can balance urgent human needs with longer‑term technological transformation.

Source: Noah Wire Services