Can AI fuel a people-first transformation at global scale? At UPS, the answer is a resounding yes.

While many companies view AI through the lens of automation and efficiency, UPS is taking a radically different approach: treating AI as an enabler of human growth, not a replacement for it.

In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, host David Green is joined by Danelle McCusker, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Talent, Learning and Culture at UPS, to explore how the company is redefining what workforce transformation looks like in the age of AI.

With over half a million employees and a deeply rooted culture of promotion from within, UPS faces a unique challenge: how to prepare its people for a future defined by emerging technologies - while preserving trust, purpose, and opportunity.

Join them as Danelle and David explore:

• Why UPS is designing AI implementations to relieve frontline burdens and elevate the value of human work - not eliminate it.
• How a pilot with Valence’s AI coach Nadia is creating access to consistent, personalised development for employees well beyond the executive tier.
• The role of psychological safety and experimentation in successful AI adoption
• How HR and technology teams are partnering to drive cultural and capability transformation
• What other HR leaders can learn from UPS’s intentional, business-first approach to AI

Whether you're in the early stages of your AI journey or looking for practical ways to align tech with talent strategy, this conversation offers both inspiration and actionable insights from the front lines of change.

This episode is sponsored by Valence.

Imagine if every employee had a world-class coach in their pocket. That’s exactly what Valence has created with Nadia - the AI-powered coach helping Fortune 500 companies scale development, boost performance, and support leaders at every level.

Learn more at valence.co/insight222

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Performance expectations are rising - but the systems designed to support people haven’t kept up.

In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast, host David Green is joined by Parker Mitchell, CEO and Founder of Valence, to explore how AI is transforming the way organisations think about performance.

Tune is as they explore:

• Why traditional performance management still feels broken
• How AI coaching can support real-time performance improvement at scale
• How trust, context, and timing make the difference in effective AI tools
• What changes when every employee has access to a personal coach
• The signals that show AI coaching is driving real performance impact
• How HR leaders can start small - but smart - when exploring AI coaching

This episode is sponsored by Valence.

Imagine if every employee had a world-class coach in their pocket. That’s exactly what Valence has created with Nadia - the AI-powered coach helping Fortune 500 companies scale development, boost performance, and support leaders at every level.

Learn more at valence.co/insight222

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, Katarina Berg - CHRO at On, former CHRO at Spotify, and author of Bold: A New Era of Strategic HR - joins David Green to explore what modern, strategic HR leadership truly requires.

Together, they dive into the evolving partnership between the CHRO and CEO - a relationship that has never been more critical as organisations navigate AI, workforce transformation, culture, and business growth. Katarina shares how HR leaders can bring both insight and humanity to the executive table, shape decisions that drive business outcomes, and intentionally design a culture that empowers people to perform.

The conversation covers:

• What a genuinely strategic CHRO-CEO relationship looks like - and how to build it
• How Katarina approached her first 100 days as CHRO at On, and the lessons she’s bringing into the next phase of growth
• Why “putting the H back in HR” is essential in the AI era
• How people analytics teams can evolve into true insight and decision-driving partners
• Why intentional leadership - not just tools or trends - will define the next era of HR

This is a must-listen for HR leaders who want to elevate their strategic influence and lead with courage, clarity, and humanity.

This episode is sponsored by Valence.

Imagine if every employee had a world-class coach in their pocket. That’s exactly what Valence has created with Nadia - the AI-powered coach helping Fortune 500 companies scale development, boost performance, and support leaders at every level. Learn more at valence.co/insight222

Links referenced in the conversation:

Bold: A New Era of Strategic HR

2025 HR Predictions: Looking Into the Crystal Ball

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.