AI, Economic Uncertainty, and Workplace Civility with Dr. James Atkinson, SHRM

What happens when 19 million jobs face potential displacement from automation and AI? And why aren't half of all workers using AI at all? Dr. James Atkinson, Vice President of Thought Leadership at SHRM, uncovers these startling insights and more in our illuminating conversation about workplace transformation.Fresh from celebrating his one-year anniversary at SHRM after an impressive 11-year tenure in HR research at Gartner, Dr. Atkinson separates AI hype from reality. While headlines focus on job losses, James explains to Bill Banham how his team's research reveals a more nuanced future, one where success hinges not on competing against AI but learning to work alongside it. "It's not just about displacement," he explains. "It's really about the transformation of jobs."Beyond technology, James and Bill explore how SHRM's research team tackles today's most pressing workplace challenges, from macroeconomic uncertainties to the shocking $2 billion daily productivity loss caused by workplace incivility. Dr. Atkinson shares exclusive insights from SHRM's economics team on wage inflation, labor market trends, and how HR professionals can navigate these complexities. With SHRM25 in full swing, he also previews the cutting-edge research his team will unveil on multiple stages.Whether you're concerned about AI's impact on your career, struggling with workplace culture issues, or simply trying to stay ahead of workplace trends, this episode delivers actionable intelligence from one of HR's foremost thought leaders. Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here.Follow us on LinkedInSubscribe to our newsletterCheck out our in-person events