The Human Element

The Human Element, presented by Wisq, is a podcast hosted by Barb Bidan where CHROs and senior HR leaders share candid stories and practical perspectives on how AI and innovation are shaping the future of HR. In this episode, Barb sits down with David Hanrahan, SVP of People Success at SolarWinds, to talk about where AI is already making a difference in talent acquisition, performance management, and HR service delivery — and what's coming next. Subscribe today.

The familiar rhythm of HR operations often hits a snag. People teams are deluged with inbound inquiries, recruiters bogged down by endless candidate profiles, and managers struggle to offer timely, actionable performance feedback. For too long, the people function has been trapped in a reactive cycle, often relying on "chicken scratch notes" and fragmented information. But what if there was a way to move beyond this, to create an "omniscient view" that elevates every aspect of the employee experience?

David Hanrahan, SVP of People Success at SolarWinds, is convinced that AI holds the key. He's implementing AI solutions to not only streamline routine tasks but also to fundamentally reshape how organizations support their people, from the initial spark of talent attraction to sustained performance and growth. This isn't just about efficiency; it's about making the employee experience more human, more transparent, and ultimately, more effective.

🎧 Listen to the full episode.

Elevating the Recruiting Experience with AI

Recruiting historically consumes a significant chunk of HR's time and resources. Hanrahan notes that a vast majority of Human Capital Management (HCM) innovation and investment currently sits in the recruiting space, and for good reason. "The human mind just can't process all this complicated information, synthesis of information; sourcing is a really ideal use case," he explains. AI excels at mining vast datasets, sifting through millions of potential candidates that a human recruiter simply cannot.

Consider the journey of a candidate today: wading through clunky applicant tracking systems, uploading information already on LinkedIn, and often facing an opaque, stop-and-go process. Hanrahan envisions a future where AI makes this process "more frictionless, faster, and, counterintuitively, more human."

He paints a picture:

Frictionless Applications: Imagine an application process as smooth and delightful as booking an Uber. AI can automate the data entry and initial screening, moving past the "clunkiness of a lot of ATS systems."

- Transparent Communication: Candidates often feel left in the dark. AI can provide "automated updates" and "little nudges" throughout the application process, proactively informing candidates about their status. This eliminates the dreaded "application black hole."

- Human Connection: With AI handling administrative tasks, recruiters can shift from "pure mining of information" to becoming "talent advisors." They can dedicate their time to building genuine connections, guiding hiring managers, and focusing on the human elements of talent acquisition. Hanrahan highlights, "Is there room for... a virtual recruiter who is talking with you, is giving you guidance, who's kind of creating human connection because the human recruiter is very busy?"

One immediate impact Hanrahan is already seeing at SolarWinds is with AI-generated assessment summaries. After a panel interview, AI can quickly parse interview feedback, highlighting key strengths and concerns that might otherwise be missed. "This candidate scored well on this, but interviewers commented on a concern around X. I've seen that just in a couple of cases where I didn't pick that up. That's amazing," he recounts. This means an organization will get "premium insights" where humans might have just focused on what "catches your eye."

Beyond Recruitment: AI's Impact on Performance and Belonging

The impact of AI extends well beyond the initial hire, particularly in the realm of performance management. David Hanrahan sees AI as a powerful tool for creating a truly human-centered employee experience, fostering both high performance and a sense of belonging. The current state, he argues, often relies on incomplete data and stretched managers. "Performance is not just what's written in the self-review, the peer feedback, and the manager review, but it's all the notes. It's all the notes that exist. It's the slacks, it's the teams' messages, the transcripts of our calls," he says.

AI can aggregate this disparate information, turning fragmented data into a comprehensive view of an individual's contributions and challenges. This isn't about surveillance; it's about equipping managers with the full picture, allowing them to intervene proactively and offer more timely, constructive feedback. "The goal would be that we help the employee in a much more effective way than what we can do now," Hanrahan emphasizes.

He envisions:

- Persistent Performance Feedback: AI can act as a "persistent performance feedback assistant" for managers. By synthesizing data from various sources, including project communications, team interactions, and formal reviews, AI can identify emerging patterns and suggest nudges.

- Proactive Coaching: Instead of waiting for annual reviews, AI could prompt managers with observations like, "It seems like this person is struggling with communication within the XYZ team. You should bring this up in your next one-on-one." It could even suggest "an example that you might use or a nugget or an anecdote that you might touch on or a question you could ask."

- Higher Performing Teams: This real-time, data-driven approach means managers are no longer relying on "chicken scratch notes" or biased memories. They can provide targeted coaching that truly helps people grow, leading to a "higher performing company" where people feel continuously supported and engaged.

This shift moves away from retrospective, often subjective, performance evaluations to a system that continuously supports people managers. When managers have a clearer, data-informed perspective on their team members' performance, they can foster a culture of open communication and continuous improvement, ultimately strengthening team cohesion and individual belonging.

The Future of Employee Service: From Tickets to Dialogue

Hanrahan's people team, like many, faces a high volume of inbound inquiries. "A thousand emails... about one topic," for instance. These inquiries, ranging from contractor onboarding to payroll questions, often consume precious human time despite being "low complexity."

His solution: Conversational AI. "We've first started with as a pilot and now looking to implement within our own HRS is effectively a chatbot," he shares. This AI-powered chat system can instantly provide answers to common questions, freeing up HR teams to focus on more strategic, high-value work. This drastically improves the employee experience by delivering immediate responses, especially for urgent matters like benefits or payroll, creating a more responsive and human-centered support system.

The Imperative for People Leaders: Engage with AI Today

Hanrahan uses AI daily, particularly ChatGPT, to swiftly gather insights and prepare for strategic discussions with leaders. "I'm quickly just typing in what is best in class for an XYZ department and a company of this size with a revenue rate of this? And what are some important implications?" he explains. This enables him to engage more effectively, saving immense time formerly spent Googling or polling his network.

His advice for people leaders embarking on their AI journey is direct and actionable: "Take the demo pitch. Keep yourself apprised of what's going on in the market." He suggests dedicating at least 30 minutes each week to explore a new AI tool or concept. This regular engagement is crucial for forming informed opinions and understanding AI's potential to shape the employee experience.

The integration of AI is about enabling a truly human-centered workplace. By offloading routine tasks and providing richer, more timely insights, AI empowers HR teams and managers to focus on what matters most: building meaningful connections, fostering growth, and cultivating environments where everyone feels engaged and belongs. The future of the employee experience isn't about replacing humans with AI; it's about augmenting human potential with intelligent tools, moving from fragmented data to an "omniscient view" that benefits everyone.

To hear more conversations like this one, subscribe to The Human Element wherever you get your podcasts.