Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo, North America: Day 2 Highlights

We are bringing you news and highlights from the Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo taking place through tomorrow, Wednesday, October 29 in Orlando, FL. Below is a collection of the key announcements and insights coming out of the conference. 

On Day 2 from the conference, we are highlighting pay equity, how to train an AI-ready workforce, and how to become a digitally effective CHRO.

Be sure to check this page throughout the day for updates.

• Gartner Says CHROs Must Become an Enterprise Leader of How Work Should Change in the AI Era
• Gartner Survey Shows 88% of HR Leaders Say Their Organizations Have Not Realized Significant Business Value from AI Tools

Presented by Augustus Vickery, Director, Advisory, Gartner 

Emerging legislation and continued employee and candidate pressure are leading organizations to increase pay transparency, leading to a renewed focus on pay fairness. In this session, Augustus Vickery, Director, Advisory at Gartner, discussed how CHROs drive pay equity and minimize legal and reputational risks to the organization.

• "Just one-third of employees perceive their pay as fair.”
• “Pay inequities come at a cost: 58% of employees would stop working as hard and 66% would look for a new job if they believe their pay is unfair.”
• “Pay equity is a driver of top performance: when employees think their pay is fair, they are 19% higher performing and 53% more highly engaged.”
• “To ensure pay equity is a performance driver, CHROs must take three actions:
  • Redefine pay equity. HR needs to revalidate pay principles with their leadership team, prioritize performance-linked pay differentiators and align executive teams to a performance-based pay philosophy.
  • Equip managers to drive pay equity. HR must enable managers to take ownership for pay decisions, create personas to enable pay discretion and require justification for pay decisions based on performance linked criteria.
  • Increase employee pay visibility. HR leaders need to communicate both pay philosophy and how employees can influence pay, reinforce pay philosophy at key moments in the pay cycle and support transparent conversations."

Journalists can receive additional information and/or request an interview with the Gartner expert by contacting Gerri Weinberger at gerri.weinberger@gartner.com. 

Presented by Ania Krasniewska Shahidi, Group Vice President, Gartner

Everyday, AI further transforms what it means to be an “employee," and HR has the opportunity to help their workforce thrive in this new AI era. In this session, Ania Krasniewska Shahidi, Group Vice President at Gartner, discussed how to target AI training to address different needs for executives, managers and employees, and help them realize AI-enabled value.

• “AI readiness refers to both the workforce’s ability to effectively use AI to create value, and the state of data and organizational processes supporting effective use.”
• “AI readiness starts with AI literacy – the ability to effectively and responsibly utilize AI in business and societal contexts.”
• “Achieving AI readiness requires AI literacy training, as well as partnership with IT to solve AI functionality obstacles and inspire deeper employee thinking.”
• “55% of HR leaders say their organization offers AI skills training, but one-size-fits-all AI training is ineffective.”
• “Organizations need a targeted approach that aligns training to specific roles, specifically:
  • Ensure executives can operationalize AI at the enterprise level. Only 26% of the C-Suite report high comfort with AI.
  • Enable managers to navigate AI change. Half of managers feel equipped to lead their team through changes at the pace the organization requires.
  • Help employees see AI relevance at work. Less than half of employees know where AI can be used to improve their work.”

Journalists can receive additional information and/or request an interview with the Gartner expert by contacting Gerri Weinberger at gerri.weinberger@gartner.com. 

Presented by Beth Schumaecker, Practice Vice President, Gartner

As organizations navigate this new age of AI, it’s imperative that CHROs go from digital novices to digital powerhouses. In this session, Beth Schumaecker, Practice Vice President at Gartner, shared the mindsets and behaviors that will propel CHROs to the forefront of transformation, ensuring their strategies drive impactful transformation. 

• “77% of CEOs foresee AI significantly affecting their industries within the next three years, while another 62% believe it will define the next business era.” 
• “Talent and culture top the list of critical challenges CEOs face when leading and growing a large-scale organization, making up 36% of CEO concerns.” 
• “CEOs currently perceive CHROs as the least AI-savvy executive team member, ranking them at the bottom when it comes to tech and AI readiness.” 
• “Only 15.1% of CHROs are actively shaping AI and digital transformation strategies. CHROs must shift from reactive to proactive to drive talent strategy, workforce transformation, and culture change.” 
• “Focus on three dimensions to become a digitally effective CHRO: 
  • Awareness: Cultivate digital awareness by embracing a growth mindset, leveraging connections in your network, and integrating hands-on experience into your routine.
  • Change Outlook: Shape digital change outlook by adopting change-oriented mindsets and behaviors, articulating value effectively, and co-creating change with employees. 
  • Influence: Amplify your influence by building your digital brand, demonstrating your digital presence through AI in HR strategy, and partnering with your CIO on digital initiatives. 

Journalists can receive additional information and/or request an interview with the Gartner expert by contacting Gerri Weinberger at gerri.weinberger@gartner.com.