Dessalen
Wood
Chief People Officer at Syntax
"Balancing Humanity and Automation: The Dual Dilemma for Leaders"
"Balancing Humanity and Automation: The Dual Dilemma for Leaders"
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Session: Balancing Humanity and Automation: The Dual Dilemma for Leaders
In today's rapidly evolving workplace landscape, People Leaders are navigating two seemingly contradictory narratives: The critical need to address the well-being crisis affecting managers and employees, and the parallel rise of AI and automation, which is often discussed as a replacement for human roles. On one hand, the well-being crisis demands immediate action, burnout, mental health challenges, and increasing workloads are creating a workforce in need of care, empathy, and support. On the other hand, AI and automation are being heralded as the future of work, bringing efficiency but also raising fears of redundancy and job displacement.Through this lens, we will ask the provocative question: Should we be focusing on caring for our people or preparing to replace them? Is there a world where these two objectives can coexist? Can leaders champion both the human-centric approach to employee well-being while embracing the opportunities AI brings to enhance, rather than replace, the workforce?
Let’s explore how we lead the charge in creating a workplace that is both human and future-ready.
Key Takeaways
- *Understand the wellbeing needs and why thy have intensified, *How to co-create an AI strategy with your employees, *Examples of co-created agents from 3 hackathons Syntax has held
Bio
Dessalen Wood, CHRP, is the Global Chief People Officer at Syntax, a global provider of cutting-edge cloud and managed IT solutions. Dessalen leads company-wide human resource strategies, fostering a vibrant culture for over 2,800 employees in 15 countries.With over 25 years of experience, Dessalen has built and developed People & Culture teams, creating customized professional development initiatives at renowned Canadian and US enterprises like Reitman’s Canada, Hudson’s Bay Company, and The Disney Stores. Before Syntax, Wood served as Chief People Officer at ThoughtExchange and Vice President of Talent Development at Cineplex Entertainment. Recognized with multiple awards, including the Retail Council Award for Talent Development, Waterstone Top 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, and most recently, is proud to announce that Syntax has been named a Great Place to Work in all the countries they operate.
