Why human skills matter more in the AI era
Interview with our Chief People Experience Officer, Tania Garrett
As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in everyday work, technology alone will not determine which organisations thrive. The real differentiator will be how people think, learn and adapt. The key to success is using AI to strengthen, rather than replace, human judgement.
To explore this shift, we spoke with our Chief People Experience Officer, Tania Garrett, about how AI is reshaping the workplace and the skills people need to succeed. She highlights the importance of adaptability and explains why our response to change can set us apart.
In this conversation, Tania shares her perspective on how AI is reshaping work and why investing in human skills matters more than ever.
How is AI transforming the workplace?
AI is transforming the workplace faster than many of us have ever experienced before.
It's changing how we access information, make decisions, complete work and collaborate with others.
The real opportunity is not to compete with AI, but to learn how to work alongside it.
Adaptability helps us embrace new tools, experiment with different approaches and continuously develop our skills. Those who are willing to learn, unlearn and evolve will be best placed to take advantage of the opportunities AI creates.
At Unit4, we're already seeing this through initiatives that are helping us rethink how work gets done, where technology can add value and how we can create more capacity for higher-value activities.
As new tools and ways of working emerge, adaptability helps us embrace change and focus on the uniquely human skills that technology cannot replace.
What's exciting is that AI can free us from repetitive tasks and allow us to spend more time on creativity, problem-solving, innovation and building meaningful connections with colleagues and customers.
That's why adaptability is no longer a nice-to-have. It's becoming a critical capability for success in the future of work.
So, what does adaptability look like, and why is it important?
For me, adaptability is about being open to change, staying curious and being willing to learn. It doesn't mean having all the answers or being comfortable with every change straight away.
It's about having the mindset to adapt, embrace new ways of working and move forward when circumstances change.
In today's world, adaptability is one of the most important skills we can develop because change is constant. Whether it's new technologies, new ways of collaborating or changing customer expectations, adaptability helps us remain effective, resilient and successful.
How do we become more adaptable?
Building adaptability starts with taking small, deliberate steps every day. Be curious, ask questions, try new tools and volunteer for different experiences.
Seek feedback and learn from both successes and setbacks. It's also important to create space for continuous learning. We don't need to become experts overnight, but we do need to stay open to developing new skills and perspectives.
My advice is to view change as an opportunity rather than a threat.
The more we embrace learning and growth, the more confident and adaptable we'll become.
Keep asking: could we do this differently?
In the AI era, competitive advantage won't come from simply using AI. It will come from how effectively we combine AI with human judgement, curiosity and critical thinking.
AI should help us rethink workflows and processes, not just improve them incrementally. When embedded thoughtfully, it can increase speed and accuracy while freeing people to focus on higher-value work, innovation and customer outcomes.
The key is being intentional about how we apply AI. Success comes from creating opportunities for people to learn, grow and contribute more strategically, while building workflows that deliver greater effectiveness across the business.
What does success look like in the future?
Ultimately, the organisations and individuals that thrive in the AI era will not simply be those that adopt the latest tools, but those willing to rethink how work gets done.
Success will depend on our ability to learn new skills, challenge established ways of working and evolve as technology creates new possibilities.
The real differentiator will be how we think, how well we understand our customers, partners, employees and teams, and how effectively we combine human judgement with AI.
Technology alone will not create success. Skills such as adaptability, resilience, curiosity and sound judgement will be essential to ensuring AI enhances human potential rather than replaces it.