Flash interview with Gabriela Rosca about SMART HR and a discount for you

Gabriela Rosca, founder of SMART HR, guides organizations and leaders through an era of rapid innovation and change. With a clear perspective on the fears and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, Gabriela emphasizes the urgent need to harmonize the human workforce with artificial intelligence, highlighting that the future of work is not only about coexistence but also about close collaboration between humans and technology.

Her role in promoting and implementing strategies that facilitate a smooth transition to a technology-dominated future underscores a profoundly human approach to HR, demonstrating that the true strength of an organization lies in its ability to embrace change, value human talent, and cultivate a culture of innovation that benefits from human-machine collaboration. Gabriela Rosca is an authentic and inspirational leader in the field of HR, showing the way to a smarter, fairer, and more sustainable world of work.

C&B: How do you see the future collaboration between humans and technology in organizations, and what steps do you consider essential to efficiently harmonize the human workforce with artificial intelligence?

Gabriela Rosca: Collaboration between humans and technology is something we’ve had in our lives for a very long time, practically since humans crafted their own weapons and tools. There’s nothing new in that regard. Technology has gradually taken over parts of human activity without anyone seeing it as a way to eradicate humanity. What’s different now is the speed at which things are happening, and the challenge lies in keeping pace. Harmonization, in my view, starts with choosing our “battles”. We don’t need to do and know everything. We don’t need to experiment with everything. The contribution of humans will not be replaced, just transformed. Probably the most important thing we need to do is to get rid of fear and see everything as an opportunity. An opportunity to learn, an opportunity to have more time, an opportunity to evolve.

C&B: What specific strategies do you recommend for encouraging continuous education and professional reorientation in the context of increasing AI influence and automation in the labor market?

Gabriela Rosca: I believe that the simplest and yet vital strategy is exactly that: continuous education. Its implementation, however, needs to be personalized from individual to individual because, you see, technology offers us the opportunity to demonstrate that we are different. In the case of education and learning of any kind, we can perhaps talk about how technology works for us and not against us. It’s not bad that some of our work is automated, quite the opposite. Yes, some people will lose their current jobs… but that just means they need to learn something else… maybe even more interesting, maybe even more challenging, maybe even more attractive to them.

C&B: How can organizations leverage and develop deeply human skills, such as empathy and creativity, in an era dominated by technology?

Gabriela Rosca: The era is not dominated by technology. It’s a false perception and maybe a marketing issue. It’s like saying that now, because people have so many transportation options, they no longer have homes. The more options people have for transportation, the more they travel, but that doesn’t make them nomads. Yes, technology is advancing very quickly and is becoming increasingly present around us, but it primarily takes over things that consume time and effort. And precisely because this is happening, we have the opportunity to develop other aspects, such as genuine empathy and creativity. And organizations, in my view, could develop these skills by creating and supporting communities among employees, communities that undertake projects, promote activities whose main objective is precisely to demonstrate and develop these skills.

C&B: Faced with the challenges and opportunities brought by remote work and the gig economy, how should HR leaders adapt their strategies to remain relevant and efficient?

Gabriela Rosca: Adapting to these transformations requires not only technical adjustments but also a mindset shift among HR leaders and organizations in general. Essentially, it’s an innovation in thinking. HR leaders need to promote flexibility and customization of policies, investing in technology to facilitate remote work and ensure data security. Emphasis should be placed on continuous development and learning through accessible online programs, encouraging an adaptable organizational culture. Performance evaluation should focus on goal achievement and regular feedback, maintaining a balance between professional and personal life. Wellness programs and strategies that support diversity and inclusion are vital for employee well-being and engagement in the new reality of work. It’s very likely that soon we’ll move away from contracts with salaries paid for hours worked and shift towards contracts based on objectives achieved. But this will require courage from both sides.

C&B: How do you define the role of HR in cultivating a culture of innovation that benefits from human-machine collaboration?

Gabriela Rosca: HR plays a crucial role in cultivating a culture of innovation by preparing employees for effective collaboration with technology, promoting an environment that encourages experimentation and values innovation. By organizing training programs and supporting flexibility in work, HR facilitates the harmonious integration of humans with machines. Moreover, maintaining an open organizational culture and employee well-being ensures that technology amplifies human potential, not just operational efficiency, thereby promoting innovative collaboration between humans and machines. For this reason, among others, HR should be a strategic partner at the board level, but that’s another discussion.

C&B: You are the founder and host of the SMART HR event. Can you tell us why people should participate in this event?

Gabriela Rosca: SMART HR events stand out by providing a context where participants can access up-to-date and relevant information in the field of human resources, benefiting from concrete and applicable examples in practice. These sessions are characterized by a deeply interactive approach, encouraging the exchange of direct experiences between participants and HR specialists with rich professional experience and a SMART solution-oriented mindset. By facilitating open dialogue and supporting knowledge sharing, our events aim to empower HR professionals to effectively implement innovative strategies tailored to the current needs of the industry.

Event details: here!