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80% Employees Report A Positive Experience With AI At Work. How Can HR Build On That?

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80% Employees Report A Positive Experience With AI At Work. How Can HR Build On That?

By Mary Rizzuti, Partner at EisnerAmper

As the use cases for artificial intelligence in the workplace have multiplied, so have questions about how organizations can use this technology most effectively. A recent survey by EisnerAmper of 1,000 employees across a range of industries, who have used AI at work in the past year, found that 80% reported a “positive” experience. Furthermore, 64% of the employees said they are using the time saved through AI to do more work – confirming the potential of the technology to automate and accelerate repetitive tasks, while freeing users to focus on higher-value activities.

And yet, it is not clear that the majority of employers are building on these positive outcomes to maximize the benefits of AI platforms. Let’s look at some key reasons why this is the case – and what HR professionals can do about it.

One challenge is that a sizeable number of employees, 27%, claim they don’t know who is leading the AI efforts at their company. This “leadership vacuum” implies that employers could be doing more to actively encourage the use of AI, and to focus on its most relevant and productive applications.

Another obstacle to the wider adoption of AI is its underutilization in onboarding. Fewer than 20% of the survey respondents said their organizations use AI for onboarding. Yet, nearly 92% of employees who did experience AI during onboarding described the process as “very positive” or “somewhat positive”. This disconnect suggests that employees might be more comfortable using AI – and using it in ways most beneficial to their employers – if they experienced the technology from the “get go” at onboarding time.

Employees Outpace Employers in AI Adoption

There are a number of other complications related to the use of AI in a corporate environment. One of the most significant issues is whether the company plans to employ internally developed AI systems, or adopt off-the-shelf products. Employees need clear direction on what the corporate policy is in this case, and whether the use of externally sourced AI programs is permissible.

Last, but certainly not least, employees need to have greater clarity about the implications of AI for their jobs, in order to alleviate concerns and foster more “buy-in”. More than half of the employees surveyed (almost 52%) were “strongly” or “somewhat” concerned about potential job changes or displacement due to AI. And 74% said that “people should be compensated” for their AI experience and skill.

Clear Direction Needed from Company Leaders

Given the findings noted above, organizations should consider the following actions:
We strongly advise companies to establish a Steering Committee to take the lead in AI adoption. Ideally, the Steering Committee would consist of members from across the organization, representing a range of responsibilities and functional capacities. It is important to include employees at different levels of seniority, not just senior executives, as newer team members are more likely to be active users of AI.


– The Steering Committee should assess all the ways that AI may be (or is already) applied to the company’s operations and develop an appropriate deployment strategy, including clear priorities. For example, is AI being used for internal functions, such as an HR chatbot, or in external-facing roles, such as customer service, among other uses? Understanding how employees “on the ground” are utilizing these systems will be essential to adopting an effective AI strategy.


– Apply AI more broadly to the onboarding process so employees “get the message” early on that it is intrinsic to the organization. One caveat, however, is that the AI-driven onboarding process should not take place in a vacuum. Use of AI during onboarding will be most beneficial if the company is truly committed to and delivers on the use of artificial intelligence on an ongoing basis.


– Once the Steering Committee has established the AI strategy and top priorities, leadership needs to frankly assess the impact on employees. While some functions will likely be replaced by AI systems, there may be opportunities for upskilling some employees or shifting some team members to other areas. Over the long term, it will be important to implement clear processes for transitioning employees who AI displaces.


– As for whether or how to compensate employees who acquire advanced AI skills, an increase in base pay is probably not the best option, as it may lead to long-term structural salary inflation. A better solution might be a spot bonus or stipend, which would incentivize AI mastery without up-ending pay scales.


– As with all change, clear, consistent communication is key to managing concerns, encouraging engagement and acceptance, and soliciting input for continued improvement.

The above observations show that, in many cases, employees are actually ahead of their employers in unlocking the value of artificial intelligence. To realize AI’s vast potential, organizations would be well-advised to take a more strategic and intentional approach to deploying the technology in the workplace.

Assess, Prioritize and Communicate

Mary Rizzuti is a Partner at EisnerAmper and Practice Leader of HR Advisory and Outsourcing and Compensation Resources. With over 25 years of experience in compensation and human resources consulting, Mary has gained significant expertise in evaluating, designing, and developing creative compensation and human resources programs across all industries and business sectors.

Mary coordinates and executes business development initiatives while building strong working relationships with clients and strategic partners. With extensive experience within the not-for-profit and private company sectors, Mary provides clients with comprehensive consulting in executive compensation, salary administration, sales compensation, and performance management. Also included in her scope of expertise is interpreting market data and providing guidance to senior leadership and boards of directors on applying best practices and aligning market data to each company’s unique environment.

About Mary Rizzuti

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The Resume X-Factor: Standing Out in a Crowded Market

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The Resume X-Factor: Standing Out in a Crowded Market

In today’s competitive hiring landscape, a resume that highlights industry-specific achievements can set candidates apart. 

This HR Spotlight article gathers insights from business leaders and HR professionals on one unique element they seek in a candidate’s resume tailored to their organization or industry. 

From measurable digital marketing wins to hands-on experience with niche platforms and evidence of adaptability or crisis response, these experts reveal what makes a resume stand out. 

Their insights provide a roadmap for job seekers to showcase relevant, impactful skills that align with organizational needs, ensuring they shine in fields ranging from tech to humanitarian aid.

Read on!

Jared Bauman
Co Founder and CEO, 201 Creative, LLC

In digital marketing, especially SEO and content strategy, one unique standout is a resume that includes specific keyword wins or performance-based case studies. 

We look for candidates who can point to rankings they helped achieve, traffic increases they drove, or revenue they influenced. Generic phrases like “managed SEO campaigns” don’t impress us. 

We want to see measurable results tied to actual work because it shows they understand how to drive outcomes, not just complete tasks.

Show Measurable SEO Results on Resumes

Mike Stafiej
CEO, ERIN

One of the most unique elements we see on resumes in the HR tech industry is direct, hands-on experience with modern Applicant Tracking Systems or Human Capital Management platforms like Workday, iCIMS, or Greenhouse.

Unlike most industries, where technology experience tends to be more general, success in HR tech often hinges on a deep understanding of these systems, integrations, and how they impact talent acquisition outcomes.

ATS Experience is Key in HR Tech

Samuel Huang
CEO, TeleAdsAgency

In performance marketing, we look for candidates who include measurable outcomes tied to paid media experiments—not just duties.

For example, if someone writes, “Launched A/B creatives that improved CTR by 42% and reduced CPL by 18%,” that’s gold. It tells me they’re not just executing—they’re testing, learning, and thinking in terms of business impact.

We also love seeing links to live ads, landing pages, or even failed experiments with a quick “what I’d do differently” note. It shows real curiosity and accountability—two traits you can’t teach.

Portfolios are nice, but thoughtful data speaks louder.

Performance Marketing: Showcase Measurable Outcomes

Marin Cristian Ovidiu
CEO, Online Games

One resume element that stands out in our industry is a link to a personal game, mod, or interactive prototype—especially one built outside formal education or work. In gaming tech, creativity and initiative matter just as much as technical skill.

When a candidate shares a passion project—whether it’s a browser game, a map mod, or a small system built with Unity or Godot—it shows us how they think, build, and solve problems without a rigid roadmap.

Even unfinished or quirky projects speak volumes. We’ve hired multiple developers whose personal game jam entries impressed us more than polished portfolios. In an industry driven by iteration and play, showing your experiments—not just job titles—is often the biggest differentiator.

Personal Projects Trump Polished Portfolios

Eugene Leow Zhao Wei
Director, MarketingAgency

In the agency world, especially in SEO and digital strategy, one unique element we value is what I call “client proof”—evidence that the candidate knows how to communicate results in business terms. That could be a link to a campaign report, a dashboard they built, or even a short note on how their work impacted traffic or conversions.

It’s not just about keywords like “growth” or “engagement.” We want to see if they can connect technical work (like metadata audits or content briefs) to outcomes that matter. If a resume mentions “helped client double leads in 3 months by improving landing page load time,” that tells us more than any certification.

That kind of real-world framing stands out immediately.

Client Proof Matters More Than Keywords

Dr. Kirk Adams
Disability, Equity & Inclusion Advisor, Innovative Impact LLC

Retention, innovation, and safety sit high on every leader’s wish list. This is why we look for lived experience on a résumé.

Especially people who navigate disability every day bring proven resilience, creative problem-solving, risk awareness, and clear communication. They earn degrees, build careers, lead teams, and master assistive tools that keep them productive with any group.

The payoff shows up in the numbers — lower turnover, fewer absences, safer operations, and a happy team. When you spot that line on a résumé, lean in: it may be the hire that lifts your entire organization and measurably fuels truly inclusive cultures.

Lived Experience Fuels Inclusive and Resilient Cultures

Mark Niemann
CEO & Co-Founder, Mein Office

In entrepreneurship and business development, a unique and highly valued resume element is demonstrable adaptability across industries.

Entrepreneurs often wear multiple hats, and someone who showcases success in transferring skills—such as marketing, sales, or operations—across unrelated sectors brings proven versatility.

For example, a candidate who has scaled processes in both a SaaS startup and a consumer goods company demonstrates agility and depth.

Another unique element is evidence of intrapreneurship—launching new business units, products, or strategies within larger organizations, showing initiative and ownership.

These resume attributes stand out as they indicate someone who thrives in ambiguity, learns fast, and contributes to growth from day one.

Adaptability And Versatility are Key Skills

Dionne Jayne Ricafort
Marketing Manager, CSO Yemen

One element we often see on resumes of candidates well-suited for roles at CSO Yemen is prior experience in crisis response and humanitarian aid.

Given the complex, dynamic nature of the challenges we address across Yemen, we look for individuals who have demonstrated the ability to adapt quickly, think strategically under pressure, and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Candidates who have served in roles such as emergency response coordinators, humanitarian logistics managers, or community outreach specialists tend to stand out.

Their unique combination of technical expertise, cultural sensitivity, and problem-solving agility allows them to thrive in our fast-paced, mission-critical environment.

We value this specialized background as it enables our teams to deliver vital support to vulnerable populations with maximum efficiency and impact.

Crisis Experience is Key in Humanitarian Aid

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

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What HR and Leaders Look for to Ensure Remote Teams Thrive

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What HR and Leaders Look for to Ensure Remote Teams Thrive

By Stanley Anto, Chief Editor, HRSpotlight.com

The past few years have felt like one huge, involuntary experiment in remote work. The initial shock has faded, but here’s the question many of us are still figuring out: How do we, as leaders, truly know if our teams are not just getting by, but actually thriving?

For a long time, the instinct was to keep an eye on every move—video calls, chat activity, login hours. The thinking was simple: if you can’t see your team, are they working at all?

But as we’ve all gained experience, a new truth has emerged: the most effective remote teams aren’t built on surveillance. They’re built on trust, clear communication, and focusing on results, not hours logged. It isn’t about dashboards; it’s about a leadership mindset that believes professionals will do their work well.

So what does this new style of leadership actually look like? I spoke with leaders who have mastered it. Their key insight: focus on outcomes, not on activity, and watch for real signals of engagement rather than digital presence.

The old model was all about clock-watching. Were people logged in? Did they hit their eight hours? But anyone who’s worked remotely knows that hours don’t equal productivity. You could be “online” for eight hours but accomplish very little.

Top remote managers have moved on. They judge success by the final product, not by when or how it was made.

Edward Hones, an employment lawyer and founder of Hones Law PLLC, says it best: “We don’t rely on invasive monitoring to measure remote team effectiveness. We focus on outcome-based KPIs and the timely delivery of high-quality work.”

In Edward’s world, it’s the quality and timeliness of deliverables, whether drafting legal memos or managing cases, that count. This breaks through the noise of digital footprints and focuses on what actually moves the business forward.

But it’s not just about outputs. Edward also pointed out a vital human element: engagement. “A big part of success is responsiveness. Team members who quickly reply to internal questions or client needs tend to be more engaged. They raise red flags early, ask good questions, and take meaningful part in meetings.”

Engaged employees are proactive. They don’t wait to be told what to do. Their communication becomes a clear sign that they’re not just working, but truly invested.

From Hours Logged to Outcomes Delivered

Great teams share a common mission. When work is spread out, informal watercooler chats fade away. Some leaders find that a well-chosen business metric becomes their team’s rallying point.

Gunnar Blakeway-Walen, Marketing Manager at The Heron, Edgewater, explains: “Our conversion rate from marketing leads to signed leases became our key remote team KPI. I stopped tracking hours and started obsessing over this because it demanded perfect coordination between marketing, leasing, and operations.”

When conversion dips, the whole team feels it. They rally to find the issue—whether lead quality is down or follow-ups are slow.

That kind of shared accountability removes the need for micromanagement. The metric drives productivity and collaboration naturally.

Shared, Measurable Goals Unite Teams

Beyond KPIs, consistency matters. Gary Harutyunyan, CEO of SleepyBaby, who manages 28 remote employees across states, discovered that “consistent delivery timelines are the most reliable remote team indicator.”

If a team meets deadlines reliably, you know they’re productive. This isn’t about being wired to the clock 24/7. It’s about honoring commitments—and that means both quality and timeliness.

For teams that do more than just meet expectations, Dhawal Shah, Co-Founder of 2Stallions Digital Marketing, looks for continuous improvement.

He shared, “I track how fast work gets done and watch whether my team improves. Completing tasks quicker while maintaining or improving quality shows they’re gaining mastery and efficiency.”

This kind of progress tracking isn’t surveillance. It celebrates growth and pushes mastery, which fuels long-term success.

Productivity Shows in Consistency and Growth

If you want a roadmap for managing remote teams in 2025, here it is:

– Build a culture of trust. Treat your employees like professionals who can manage their time and workload.

– Set clear, outcome-driven goals and metrics that everyone understands and supports. This could be a shared business KPI or a simple weekly deliverable checklist.

– Keep an eye out for genuine engagement—how quickly your team responds, how proactive they are, and whether you see steady improvement.

By shifting away from surveillance and towards these principles, your remote teams will be more productive, innovative, and resilient.

In our evolving work world, leadership isn’t about watching every keystroke. It’s about empowering people. When you focus on trust, shared purpose, and continuous growth, you build teams that don’t just survive remotely—they thrive.

What Should Leaders Focus on Today?

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Improving Workforce Skills: Optimal Training Methods and Delivery Formats

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Improving Workforce Skills: Optimal Training Methods and Delivery Formats

On-the-job training is pivotal for building skilled, engaged teams, yet traditional methods often fall short in delivering real-world impact. 

This HR Spotlight article compiles insights from business leaders and HR professionals on the most effective training formats and methods for their workforces. 

From immersive bootcamps and case studies to shadowing and micro-learning, these experts share what works, driven by past challenges like disengagement and knowledge gaps. 

Their strategies emphasize hands-on application, immediate feedback, and cultural fit, offering a blueprint for organizations to enhance retention, productivity, and adaptability in today’s dynamic business environment.

Read on!

Corey Harlock
Founder, KeyHire Solutions

Over the past decade, I’ve worked with all kinds of companies, from manufacturing to tech to hospitality, and I’ve learned that finding the right person for the job is about a lot more than resumes and interviews. 

I talk with small business owners across the country in my KeyHire Small Business Podcast, and one thing that keeps coming up is this disconnect between hiring and expectations. 

A lot of companies hire someone with minimal experience, don’t really train them, and then wonder why they’re not performing at a high level.  

Here’s what I’ve found: if you’re hiring based on potential, that’s great! But you’ve got to invest in that person by building a solid, structured training program. Think: job shadowing with a high performer, clear KPIs, weekly check-ins, progress benchmarks, and hands-on coaching. If that kind of training isn’t something you can commit to right now, then the better move is hiring someone with the experience to hit the ground running. 

Experienced candidates can provide faster ROI and make an immediate departmental impact. Whichever decision, you just need to be honest about what your business can support.

Hire For Potential, or Hire Experience

Wes Wakefield
Founder & CEO, Pro Coffee Gear

We have landed on live machine troubleshooting demos and interactive digital checklists as our go-to training methods.

Back in the day, we had techs fumbling through repairs because written guides were too vague, and one-size-fits-all classes left them bored or confused.

So, we switched to real-time problem-solving such as diagnosing a leaky group head on the spot and paired it with step-by-step checklists on tablets, flagging common pitfalls like over tightening bolts. It’s turned chaos into confidence, and our crew’s never been sharper.

Live Demos Build Confident Techs

Marcus Denning
Senior Lawyer, MK Law

The obvious truth is that traditional training programs often fail to engage employees in meaningful ways.

Would you rather watch a training video that feels like a lecture or tackle a real challenge with immediate feedback?

After struggling with disengagement in lengthy training sessions, we changed to a mix of micro-learning and on-the-job coaching.

According to a survey by LinkedIn, 58% of employees say micro-learning helps them retain more information. This method allows employees to apply what they learn instantly and gives them the support they need when they need it.

Micro-Learning Beats Traditional Training

Christopher Pappas
Founder, Earning Industry

Traditional onboarding sessions led to information overload, so we switched to learning in the flow of work.

Instead of front-loading everything in the first week, we use just-in-time training, where employees receive short, task-specific lessons at the moment they need them.

For example, customer service reps now access quick reference guides and video walkthroughs embedded in their workflow. This reduced ramp-up time by 40% and allowed employees to learn without disrupting productivity.

The best training? The one employee doesn’t feel like they’re talking.

Learning in the Flow of Work

Vukasin Ilicn
Serial Entrepreneur, Digital Media

After building three businesses, I’ve found that our ‘shadow-then-lead’ approach with immediate feedback cycles outperforms traditional training methods hands down.

We pair new team members with veterans on actual client projects—first watching, then gradually taking control while getting real-time guidance.

We developed this after seeing a painful disconnect between classroom training and real work.

New hires who aced our formal programs would freeze when facing actual client challenges.

Last year, when we shifted to this experiential model with one of our content teams, they became client-ready in about a month instead of the typical three months.

The magic happens in those daily five-minute feedback conversations. When someone makes a mistake handling a client request at 10 AM, we address it by 10:30—not during Friday’s review meeting when the lesson’s already cold.

Learning by doing with immediate course correction simply sticks better than any manual or training video we’ve ever created.

Immediate Feedback is Key to Training

Christian Bullas
Owner & Director, Senior Home Care By Angels

At Senior Home Care By Angels,I believe the most effective on-the-job training methods are shadowing, mentoring, and scenario training that are hands-on.

New caregivers learn best by shadowing experienced staff, watching real interactions, and taking on duties progressively with guided support. This supports confidence-building, compassionate care, and an easy transition into our model of individualized caregiving.

One of the things we’ve overcome over the years is ensuring that training is not just procedure-driven—it’s learning the human aspect of care.

Caregiving is not about going down a checklist; it’s about building trust and being adaptable to address unique needs. That’s why role-playing real-life scenarios and ongoing coaching are a critical part of our training.

By coupling formal training with hands-on experience, we provide caregivers with both the technical knowledge and emotional intelligence to provide the high-quality, personalized care our clients demand.

Hands-On Training is Key to Caregiving

Justin Fox
Digital PR & Outreach Manager, coursesonline

From my experience the most effective approach to training are methods which place an emphasis on why we opt for a certain approach, rather than just getting team members to memorise an approach without question.

This way they are encouraged to think creatively and point out any gaps that they see in our current approach.

Therefore we like to utilize case studies, to put our new employees in the shoes of their predecessors and have them work out the same issues but with their own methodologies. Will they think the same way and reinforce the idea that we already adopt best practices? Or will they find a way which we didn’t think of? Either way the result is beneficial for us to build up our collective institutional knowledge.

Training the “Why,” Not Just “How”

Sahil Kakkar
CEO & Founder, Rank Watch

Case studies provide real-world business insights. Employees analyze scenarios to develop problem-solving skills.

Practical examples enhance critical thinking abilities.

Decision-making improves through exposure to past successes. Learning from real cases refines strategic approaches.

Previous methods lacked real-world application, and employees struggled to connect theory with practice.

Case studies bridged the knowledge gap, and exposure to industry challenges built confidence. Analyzing real cases significantly improved business decision-making.

Case Studies Bridge Theory and Practice

George Burgess
Serial Entrepreneur, Modern Day Talent

At Modern Day Talent, we’ve designed our upcoming SDR training initiative as an immersive, one-week bootcamp in Cape Town.

This intensive, in-person format creates an effective environment for developing sales talent. By bringing candidates together in a collaborative setting, we develop both technical proficiency and team cohesion.

Previous remote training approaches showed limitations: reduced knowledge retention, less peer learning, and increased early-stage turnover. We found that technical skills transfer is only one component of successful onboarding—team cohesion and resilience are also important factors.

Our bootcamp model addresses these challenges by engaging candidates in practical scenarios while building peer relationships. Participants learn essential skills—from CRM navigation and cold calling to objection handling and active listening—in a collaborative environment.

This prepares professionals with both technical competence and the resilience needed in sales environments. The in-person training format improves knowledge retention and employment satisfaction.

Immersive Bootcamps Build Sales Team Cohesion

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

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The Productivity Problem No One Talks About: Working Against Employee Instincts

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The Productivity Problem No One Talks About: Working Against Employee Instincts

By  David Kolbe, CEO, Kolbe Corp

The marketing team wasn’t working, and Sarah was the star hire everyone expected to transform it. Stanford MBA, five years at top agencies, glowing references. The team and the company were data- and process-driven. The Chief Marketing Officer looked forward to Sarah’s new energy and insight to drive fresh analysis.

Sarah had access to all the market data and a budget for gathering whatever else she needed. There were well-established systems to keep the team on track. But nothing changed. Sarah’s proven knack for intuitive insight and bold yet calculated risk-taking was nowhere to be seen.

The CMO wondered what was wrong with Sarah. The truth was, nothing was wrong with her. The problem was that she wasn’t given the chance to use her strengths in simplifying complex problems and experimenting with novel solutions.

This is what happens when you keep hiring smart, capable people but don’t let them use their strengths. Spending months trying to fix them with coaching, training, and performance improvement plans isn’t going to be the solution.

You’re trying to solve the wrong problem.

For decades, organizations have measured two things about employees:

Skills – how smart they are and what training and experience they have

Temperament – how they interact with others and if they’re a culture fit

Both matter. But there’s a third part of the mind that actually drives performance:

Instinctive Strengths – how they naturally take action when solving problems; specifically, how people execute on the tasks of their job (what’s also known as conation)

The Key Factor People Don’t Know

Here’s what’s been missing from most productivity initiatives: they’ve been built on an incomplete understanding of how people actually work.

While Myers-Briggs® tells you whether someone is an introvert or extrovert and CliftonStrength® identifies what energizes them at work, the Kolbe A™ Index tells you how they will take action when free to do things their way.

Some people instinctively need to research thoroughly before acting. Others need to dive in and learn by doing. Neither is right nor wrong, but when you force someone to work against these instincts, productivity collapses.

Sarah wasn’t failing because she lacked intelligence or drive. She was pulled down when she was forced to operate in a way that thwarted her strengths.

The Missing Foundation

I worked with a sales team that was missing every quarterly target despite having experienced reps and solid leads. The Sales Director was convinced his team lacked discipline and follow-through.

The Director was naturally wired to create detailed processes and systematic tracking procedures. His team was full of people who thrived on taking risks and adapting quickly to opportunities—exactly what you need to close deals under pressure.

The Director expected everyone to work like he did, saddling the risk-takers with detailed procedures and constant reporting. They initially followed his systems, which sapped their energy and quickly became counterproductive. Eventually, they gave up and started ignoring the processes entirely, focusing on what actually moved deals forward. He saw this as insubordination. They saw his processes as obstacles to results. The relationship deteriorated while systems broke down.

When Good Teams Produce Poor Results

We made three strategic changes:

– Moved their best innovators into outbound roles where they could prospect and open new accounts, with systematic coordinators ensuring company processes and CRM requirements were handled


– Put process-oriented people in account management roles where they could provide consistent service and systematic follow-up for existing clients


– Created clear handoffs between hunting and farming so each person worked in their natural sweet spot while still being accountable for defined results

The results? The Director stopped feeling like he was fighting the team. People finally understood their different approaches to getting results. Rep satisfaction scores improved significantly. Most importantly, the team exceeded the next quarter’s targets.

The Solution That Actually Worked

You’ve been addressing surface-level behaviors instead of understanding the fundamental ways people operate. It’s like treating a fever without diagnosing the infection.

Once you understand how someone instinctively approaches problems, you have new, durable solutions to problems that seemed unsolvable:

– Leadership development actually sticks when it aligns with natural strengths

– Change management initiatives become easier and smoother when they adapt to how people naturally handle change

– Team collaboration improves when people understand each other’s approaches

Why Your Current Solutions Keep Failing

Leadership Development That Actually Develops

Before investing in more leadership training, understand how your emerging leaders naturally approach problems. Some instinctively drive innovation and change. Others naturally stabilize and improve existing systems. Both are valuable, but they need different development paths.

Making Distributed Work Actually Work

Remote collaboration fails when you force everyone to work the same way. Some people need detailed planning and structure to be effective remotely. Others thrive with flexibility and autonomy. Design systems that accommodate both styles instead of fighting against them.

Hiring for Performance, Not Interviews

Start hiring people whose instinctive problem-solving approach fits what the job actually requires. Which marketing role needs breakthrough innovation? Don’t hire the thorough researcher who wants to analyze every data point just because they have impressive credentials.

What This Means for Your Biggest HR Challenges

Start with your most persistent productivity problems—the teams that seem stuck, the high-performers who suddenly plateau, the conflicts that keep recurring despite intervention.

Instead of asking “What training do they need?” ask “Are we tapping into people’s strengths?”

Look at Sarah’s story. Once her manager understood she was built to simplify and innovate, they restructured her role. She became the catalyst that drove the team to break away from analysis paralysis and risk aversion. Unshackled, she fulfilled her promise and became the team’s greatest asset.

This doesn’t mean letting people do whatever they want. Leaders still define deliverables and hold people accountable for outcomes. The freedom is in how people achieve those defined results, not whether they achieve them.

A Simple Place to Start

You’ve been trying to change people instead of understanding them. You’ve been building productivity solutions on an incomplete foundation.

As you navigate leadership challenges, distributed teams, and pressure to deliver more with less, here’s what remains constant: people still need to solve problems and make decisions. The question is whether you’re working with their instinctive problem-solving abilities or against them.

When you align roles with how people are naturally wired to act, those persistent productivity problems finally start solving themselves.

The Bottom Line

About David Kolbe

David Kolbe, CEO of Kolbe Corp, has lived and breathed the Kolbe Concept® his whole life. He is an author, speaker, and visionary behind many of Kolbe’s products and innovations. He is known for his ability to help business leaders unleash innovation through their people. David has assisted thousands of professionals through seminars and speaking engagements on topics such as hiring, organizational design and team building. His expertise in legal, financial, intellectual property and management issues gives him an edge when turning innovation into profit. David’s lasting mark on Kolbe Corp began with helping to develop the original algorithm for the company’s flagship Kolbe ATM Index. Along with Kolbe Corp President Amy Bruske, David penned Do More, More Naturally, the go-to guide for effortless success.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

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Flexing Forward: Meeting Gen Z’s Demand for Flexible Schedules

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Flexing Forward: Meeting Gen Z’s Demand for Flexible Schedules

With 46% of Gen Z prioritizing flexible schedules, organizations are rethinking work policies to attract and retain talent.

This HR Spotlight article gathers insights from business leaders and HR professionals on how they’re meeting this demand while balancing the needs of other generations and business goals.

From hybrid models and async tools to outcome-focused cultures, these experts share innovative strategies like flexible shifts, clear deliverables, and mentorship to foster collaboration.

They also address challenges like maintaining accountability and preventing burnout, offering actionable solutions to create inclusive, productive workplaces that align with modern workforce expectations.

Read on!

Adam Wagner
COO, Raindrop Agency

We’ve baked flexibility into our culture with a hybrid model, async tools like Notion and Slack, and a clear focus on outcomes over hours. Gen Z values autonomy, but so do our senior team members.

We bridge generations with weekly creative reviews, open mentorship, and in-person connection points that keep collaboration strong. Our biggest challenge? Preventing drift.

When you give people freedom, you also need intentional structure to keep them rowing in the same direction. That’s where we win—with clarity, trust, and a high bar for both creativity and performance.

Hybrid Success: Autonomy with Intentional Structure

Mike Michalowicz
Founder, Mikemichalowicz

Flexible scheduling is the new healthcare. It’s not a perk anymore—it’s an expectation, especially for Gen Z. The best part? Any business can offer it, regardless of size or budget.

We shifted to a 4-day flex schedule after seeing Friday was the most requested flex day. Now, the entire company benefits from a rhythm that supports both performance and well-being.

We measure results, not hours. It’s not about time spent in a chair—it’s about what gets done. That shift in mindset empowers our team to work smarter, not longer.

We hold bi-weekly one-on-ones between each team member and their manager. These regular check-ins allow us to support personal goals, make performance tweaks, and stay aligned—no waiting for annual reviews.

The impact? A more motivated, productive team across all generations. Flexibility isn’t a tradeoff—it’s a strategic win.

Flexible Schedules are a Strategic Win

Austin Rulfs
Founder, Zanda Wealth Mortgage Brokers

With the emergence of Gen Z in the workforce, we have witnessed a significant trend toward flexible schedules.

In order to satisfy their need for work-life balance, we have adopted flexible scheduling and hybrid work models. This has involved giving our employees the freedom to work from home or modify their schedules to accommodate personal obligations, all the while making sure that we fulfill client demands and corporate objectives.

It can be challenging to strike a balance between Gen Z’s demands and those of older generations, such as those who want more conventional work schedules.

We prioritize outcomes over hours done, and open communication and trust are essential. Maintaining team cohesiveness and ensuring that cooperation is still effective are some of the issues we’ve encountered, but we’ve overcome them by utilizing real-time communication technologies like Slack and Zoom.

This strategy has kept our firm on pace while contributing to a 22% improvement in employee satisfaction.

Flexible Work Boosts Gen Z Satisfaction

Wes Wakefield
Founder & CEO, Pro Coffee Gear

When I saw that almost half of Gen Z values flexible schedules, it pushed us to rethink how our team works. We shifted away from strict office hours, letting people choose their work times based on when they feel most productive.

One team member loves starting before sunrise to get deep focus, while another prefers wrapping up late at night. Tools like Slack and Zoom keep everyone connected and in sync, no matter the hours they keep.

Balancing this flexibility with colleagues who prefer a more traditional routine requires ongoing conversations.

We set clear expectations around communication and deadlines so the whole team stays aligned. Having a shared mission, delivering high-quality coffee accessories, helps smooth out any differences.

This approach has kept morale high and productivity steady, even as work styles differ. It feels like a natural way to respect individual needs without losing sight of our goals.

Versatile Schedules Boost Morale and Productivity

Hayley Gillman
CEO, BOTI

Generation Z desires the flexibility to work in their way; on the hand; older generations typically lean towards more organized schedules and routines.

At BOTI; we have adopted a performance driven approach that allows our staff to select their work hours and locations while emphasizing on results rather than hours spent at a workstation.

Platforms such as Slack and Asana facilitate communication among team members; regardless of whether they’re working early in the morning; late at night; or from the comfort of their homes.

We strike a balance between independence and effective communication through timetables and designated team collaboration days to ensure that teamwork remains strong.

This method enables each generation to flourish by fostering a work environment where trust and productivity are closely intertwined.The key isn’t selecting one over the other between autonomy and organization—it’s combining them to establish a driven team.

In trying to keep up with the newest trends, in the workplace environment it’s important to pay attention to the unique needs of each generation, within your team.

Develop systems that allow individuals to tailor their work to fit their lives while also providing objectives and regular feedback.

The key is not providing everyone with offerings. Rather ensuring each person has what brings out their best qualities.

Balance Autonomy and Organization for All

John Wilson
Owner & CEO, Wilson Plumbing and Heating

To meet their needs, we’ve implemented flexible scheduling for our technicians, allowing them to choose shifts that fit their lives better. This has improved morale and productivity.

We also use a mobile app for scheduling, which helps everyone, regardless of age, manage their time effectively. Balancing Gen Z’s needs with our business goals means ensuring that we still meet customer demands while giving our team the freedom they want.

One challenge was getting our more traditional staff on board with these changes. We addressed this by showing how flexibility can lead to better service and happier employees. Overall, it’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and can thrive.

Adaptable Scheduling Boosts Morale and Productivity

Rachel Tuma
Director For Human Resource, cesa6

We know flexibility matters to employees, especially to Gen Z, so we’ve made it a key part of how we work.

While not every role can be fully flexible, we offer adjustable schedules where possible. One popular option is our Summer Friday program, where employees can work a bit longer Monday through Thursday and take Fridays off.

We also offer floating holidays so people can take time off when it’s most meaningful to them. It’s about giving our employees control over how and when they work to support high performing teams.

Pliable Work Empowers High-Performing Teams

Maham Waqas
Head of Marketing, Chiri

At Chiri, our travel platform, we’ve adapted to Gen Z’s demand for flexibility by shifting to a results-oriented work culture. Instead of fixed 9–5 hours, team members can structure their day if they meet weekly goals and maintain clear communication.

We use async tools like Notion, Loom, and Slack to keep collaboration flowing without constant Zoom fatigue.

We allow hybrid options to balance this with other generations, some prefer structured in-office days, while others go fully remote.

The key challenge has been setting boundaries to avoid burnout from always being “available,” so we’ve implemented core hours (11 am–3 pm) for meetings and deep work blocks.

Flexibility isn’t about working less, it’s about working smarter across different lifestyles.

Flexible Work: Results Over Hours

Carla Niña Pornelos
General Manager, Wardnasse

I remember chatting with one of our youngest team members, who shared how her creativity flourished during late-night hours, while another teammate thrived in early morning bursts. That conversation made me realize that flexibility isn’t just a perk—it’s a productivity driver, especially for Gen Z.

At Wardnasse, we’ve embraced asynchronous work as a core part of our culture. Tools like Slack, Notion, and Loom allow our team to communicate and collaborate effectively without being tied to a strict 9-to-5 schedule.

For creative roles, we offer project-based deadlines instead of rigid daily hours, empowering individuals to work when they feel most inspired.

Balancing Gen Z’s flexibility needs with the expectations of other generations has required ongoing conversations and clear communication. Some team members prefer structure, so we hold optional weekly syncs and set non-negotiable deadlines to keep projects on track.

The challenge lies in ensuring accountability without micromanaging, but we’ve found that fostering a culture of trust—paired with clear deliverables—helps bridge generational preferences while keeping business objectives front and center.

Flexibility is a Productivity Driver

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

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