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AI-powered personalisation can "dramatically improve employee engagement, retention, and overall satisfaction," says Vinay Verma, Head of IT, ASEAN, Siemens.
Technology is no longer just a tool for business efficiency — it’s a driving force behind how companies attract, develop, and retain talent. As AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making reshape workforce management, the role of HR is evolving faster than ever.
In this edition of Faces of HR, Mary Ann Bundukin puts on a different lens for a new perspective on the critical technology trends reshaping HR by speaking to IT leader Vinay Verma, Head of IT, ASEAN, Siemens.
Vinay is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of extensive experience in the information technology sector, encompassing both management and technical roles across regional and country-specific domains. He currently serves as the Head of IT for Siemens in ASEAN.
He is a strong advocate for the pivotal role of technology in enhancing productivity and unlocking new business opportunities, driven by a firm belief that organisations must foster a growth mindset coupled with a technological perspective to achieve success.
In this interview, he delves into technologies growing presence in the HR sphere — from AI-powered learning to proactive digital HR assistants, and how organisations can prepare for a more innovation-driven talent strategy.
Q Thinking back to your first day in IT, what is the most important learning that sticks with you until today?
Looking back, the biggest takeaway from my first day, which still holds true, is the necessity of adaptability and continuous learning. The rapid changes in technology means one needs to constantly reskill, upskilling and embrace changes.
Additionally problem-solving skills and collaboration are equally as vital as technical expertise. Working in IT involves understanding the business requirements, working with different teams, communicating effectively, and finding solutions for their requirements and challenges.
Q What steps do you believe are necessary to transform today's talent into the talent that the business needs?
I believe there are three key areas that organisations must focus on:
Align with the business strategy
- Every business has a unique vision and strategy, so the first step is to identify the skills needed for their future success.
- Assess and analyse existing skills and identify gaps. Then develop an employee development strategy that aligns talent growth with business goals.
- Regularly analyse the outcomes and be ready to adapt to changing business, technology, and market conditions.
Invest in reskilling & upskilling
- Equip employees with future-critical skills through structured learning programmes.
- Foster a growth mindset, encouraging adaptability and continuous learning.
- Leverage digital learning platforms to provide cost-effective, easily accessible, and self-paced learning opportunities for employees.
Foster a culture of innovation
- Create an environment where employees feel safe to experiment with new technologies.
- Encourage learning from failures rather than penalising mistakes.
- Recognise and reward early adopters who embrace innovation and drive change.
Q Could you share emerging technology trends that you believe will have the most significant impact on HR in the next few years?
a. Personalisation using AI and advanced analytics: leverages AI and advanced analytics to understand individual employee needs, preferences, and career aspirations at a granular level and tailor experiences accordingly.
This can dramatically improve employee engagement, retention, and overall satisfaction, making companies more attractive and competitive in the talent market.
It allows HR to move from a "one-size-fits-all" approach to genuinely employee-centric strategies.
Example:
- Recruitment: AI matching not just skills, but also career goals, work style, and cultural fit with specific teams and roles for each candidate.
- Learning & development: AI-driven, dynamic learning paths that adapt in real-time to an employee's skill gaps, performance, and career interests. Micro-learning content delivered just-in-time based on individual needs.
- Performance management: Continuous feedback that is highly personalised, focusing on individual strengths and areas for growth, tailored communication styles for different employees, and AI-powered coaching prompts for managers.
b. AI agents: it is rapidly developing aspect of AI that will indeed have a profound impact on HR, likely even more transformative. It is designed to be proactive, autonomous, and goal oriented.
AI that can:
- Understand complex goals: Not just execute instructions but interpret broader objectives.
- Make decisions and take actions: Independently choose the best course of action to achieve its goals.
- Learn and adapt: Improve its performance over time based on experience and feedback, without explicit reprogramming for every scenario.
- Communicate and collaborate: Interact with humans and other AI systems to gather information, seek feedback, and coordinate actions.
Example:
Autonomous talent acquisition agent: Not just sourcing, but proactively engaging with passive candidates, conducting initial screening and assessments, scheduling interviews, and managing candidate communication autonomously – all while optimising for speed, quality, and diversity goals.
Personalised onboarding agent: Guiding new hires step-by-step through onboarding, answering questions proactively, connecting them with relevant colleagues, and ensuring a smooth and engaging first experience, adapting to individual learning styles and pace.
Employee wellbeing agent: Proactively monitoring employee sentiment, work patterns, and communication to identify early signs of burnout or disengagement and autonomously suggest resources, recommend workload adjustments, or even initiate manager check-ins.
HR process optimisation agent: Continuously analysing HR processes (e.g., performance reviews, leave management) to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement, autonomously suggesting and even implementing process changes to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
Q What are you most looking forward to in your session at #TalentTechAsiaSummit?
Digital transformation is happening everywhere and I’m eager to hear how different companies are navigating this. What are the challenges they’ve faced, the technologies they’ve adopted, the metrics they use to measure success, and the key lessons they've learned along the way.
Beyond that, I’m interested in knowing the innovations companies are actively exploring and investing in.
Lastly, fostering meaningful connections is essential engaging in insightful discussions, exchanging ideas.
I want to attend the conference: If you're keen to attend this closed-door conference, kindly register your interest here. For speaking opportunities, please write in to Mary Ann Bundukin. We look forward to welcoming you!
I want to sponsor: Engage in meaningful dialogue through dedicated speaking slots, roundtable discussions, and at your booths! If your organisation provides any talent, leadership, or HR technology solutions and products that you'd like to showcase, you’ll fit right into this event. To learn how you can sponsor, please reach out to a member of our team now, or fill in your interest here and our team will be in touch.
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