As AI reshapes jobs, skills and organisational structures, the role of HR is evolving beyond technology adoption to ensuring people remain at the centre of transformation.
For Reena Talla, who recently joined Hilti Malaysia as Head of HR, the future of work must be more human, with new technologies used to augment people rather than diminish them.
A vocal advocate for lifelong learning and ethical leadership, Reena believes organisations must also rethink how they support employees affected by AI-driven restructuring. For her, the challenge is not simply to prepare for technological change, but to ensure people can thrive alongside it.
Read the edited excerpts below:
Why Hilti, and the leadership legacy ahead
Throughout my career, I've been very fortunate to lead across diverse markets, industries and cultures. And what ultimately drew me to Hilti was the authenticity of its people-first culture.
Many organisations endorse people-first policies and keep people at the centre of their business strategy. But at Hilti, this is embedded in how we operate every day. It is deeply reflected in how our leaders make decisions, how we focus on developing talent and how we create long-term value.
Hilti is an organisation where purpose and performance are not competing priorities, but mutually reinforcing, and that strongly aligns with my own leadership philosophy.
Speaking of my leadership legacy, I hope to build one where HR continues to be recognized as a strategic business enabler and a driver of business growth, while creating an environment where every employee feels trusted, challenged and empowered to do their best work.
Because such a legacy leaves a long-lasting impact on people’s experience. And even when they decide to move on, they should leave feeling more capable, more confident and better equipped to lead than when they joined. Then I definitely believe we’ve created a meaningful experience for our employees.
Why listening, trust and curiosity matter in AI-driven leadership
Today’s leaders don’t need to have every answer. Instead, they need to create the conditions where the best answers can emerge. And for that to happen, listening becomes one of the most strategic leadership capabilities to build trust in the first place.
When people feel heard, they contribute ideas, challenge assumptions and innovate with confidence. And that becomes especially important in an AI-driven world where change is constant.
Additionally, I believe the organisations that will thrive are those that cultivate curiosity rather than certainty. Leaders should reward experimentation, encourage learning from failure and demonstrate vulnerability by continuing to learn themselves.
AI will change how we work, but it cannot replace human judgement, empathy, creativity or ethical decision-making.
In the end, technology will accelerate businesses, but culture will really determine whether people accelerate with it.
Rethinking employee experience: What organisations get right and wrong
Exceptional employee experience is no longer defined by perks or even office design. It's defined by how people feel every day when they come to work.
Employees today want clarity, meaningful work, opportunities to grow, supportive leaders and the flexibility to perform at their best. So, every interaction, from recruitment and onboarding to development and career progression, shapes the overall employee experience.
And one critical mistake organisations continue to make is designing employee experience only from the organisation's perspective, instead of the employees'. They often optimize processes rather than focus on the moments that matter to employees.
Similarly, the best organisations continually listen, measure sentiment and co-create solutions with employees rather than simply assuming that leadership always knows what is best for employees.
Employee experience must evolve alongside the business strategy and not operate independently from it.
The mindset shifts shaping the next era of HR and work
The future truly belongs to organisations that transform into learning organisations rather than simply high-performing organisations. Skills are important, but mindset ultimately determines whether people continue developing those skills.
We need to move away from a culture that rewards expertise to one that rewards adaptability, curiosity and continuous reinvention, particularly with the onset of AI.
I believe leadership also needs to evolve from directing people to enabling them. And that means creating environments where diverse perspectives are welcomed, decisions are increasingly data-informed, and psychological safety allows innovation to flourish.
And HR's role is to help organisations become more agile, more human and more resilient simultaneously.
And that requires redesigning some structures, upgrading and upskilling leadership capabilities, and also rethinking the different ways of working, rather than simply introducing new technologies.
HR’s defining role in driving business and workforce transformation
HR should be the real architect of organisational capability. Our responsibility as a team extends well beyond talent management. Earlier, HR Business Partners were viewed simply as partners to the business, focused on specific talent-related topics.
But today, HRBPs help organisations anticipate future workforce needs. They help build leadership capabilities. They work with organisations to shape culture, strengthen resilience and ensure that businesses remain competitive through people.
And as technology accelerates, HR must become increasingly comfortable using data and AI while never losing sight of humanity, because that is a big component of who we are as a team.
And organisations that succeed will not simply have better technology. They will have stronger work cultures, more adaptable leaders and workforces that are prepared for continuous change.
So, HR could be the bridge between business strategy and human potential.
Rethinking hiring, learning and careers through a skills-first lens
HR needs to stop hiring candidates only for their experience and start hiring for the capabilities they bring and their potential to excel in a role. I believe potential, learning agility and adaptability will become increasingly valuable alongside technical expertise.
Career paths will also become less linear, with employees moving across functions, projects and experiences rather than simply climbing the traditional ladder.
Learning should become embedded in work instead of being treated as a separate activity. And AI can support this by personalising learning, identifying emerging skills gaps and trends, and creating more dynamic development opportunities for our employees.
I believe organisations must also encourage employees to take ownership of their own growth. Because the future of work will be defined by continuous capability building rather than static job descriptions.
What global leadership teaches us about building high-performing organisations
I feel every region has its own culture and is different, but what remains common across all regions are the human needs.
People everywhere seek the same things – respect, meaningful work, growth opportunities and, most importantly, leaders they can trust.
While leadership styles may vary across regions, authenticity, integrity and empathy remain universal. For me, leading across multiple countries has reinforced the importance of balancing global consistency with local relevance.
Organisations need to have clear values and strategic direction while allowing enough flexibility to respect cultural differences. And the most effective leaders are those who remain curious. Those who ask more questions than they give answers. They seek diverse perspectives and also recognise that leadership is ultimately about enabling others to succeed.
And when mistakes happen, the approach to course-correct truly defines leadership. People make mistakes, and especially when building strategies for people. But, the capacity to make mistakes and learn – fail fast, learn fast – is also important.
And therefore, psychological safety is critical for everyone, regardless of their role. As leaders, we are not immune to making mistakes, and creating an environment where people feel safe to make mistakes is equally important. That is how meaningful learning and growth can take place.
Building a more human, inclusive and resilient future of work with strong commitment
I hope the future of work becomes more human and not less. Technology should eliminate or automate repetitive work so that people can invest their time in creating value, solving complex problems, developing solutions, collaborating and building meaningful relationships.
Productivity shouldn’t be the only measure of success or business growth. Rather, success should also be measured through sustainable performance, well-being and positive societal impact.
And one bold commitment that every HR leader should make, if they’re not already, is this: never allow technology to replace humanity. Use AI to augment people’s capabilities rather than diminish their roles.
We, as HR leaders, also need to continue investing in trust, inclusion, ethical leadership and lifelong learning. Because the organisations that lead in 2030 and beyond will not necessarily be those with the most advanced technology, but those that have built cultures where people and technology thrive together.
This kind of mindset will really define successful organisations, leading them towards long-term, sustainable growth. The world today is witnessing AI-driven restructuring and business strategies, but throughout this transformation, humanity should not be compromised.