HR has never been just about payroll or policies. It’s about people. And in 2025, people expect more, more personalization, more responsiveness, and more purpose. The real question is: how can HR teams meet those rising expectations without burning out or breaking budgets? GenAI is the force quietly supercharging how top HR teams operate.
It’s transforming employee engagement, automating the repetitive, and making HR more strategic than ever before. So, when we say how top HR teams are using GenAI to boost engagement and efficiency in 2025, we’re not just talking about theory; we’re talking about what’s working right now.
And if you’re a CHRO, HR tech leader, or someone neck-deep in workforce transformation, this read might just help you rethink what’s possible. Let’s dive into seven strategies that build genuine demand, spark engagement, and pave the way to lasting partnerships in the HealthTech space.
What’s Changing in HR with GenAI?
The Hackett Group’s latest research shows that top-performing HR teams, what they call “Digital World Class,” are operating at 29% lower cost and serving three times more employees than peers, thanks largely to GenAI and intelligent automation.
It’s not that these teams have more resources. They’re just using them better.
As Jessica Haley, a senior HR advisor at Hackett, put it: “What separates high-performing HR teams today is not just digital tools, it’s how they combine human insight with AI to create truly scalable impact.” They’re automating smartly, but staying human where it matters most.
GenAI’s Human Side
You might think “AI” and “engagement” sound like opposites. But in HR, they’re a surprisingly powerful pair.
a) Onboarding That Feels Personal, at Scale
Imagine you’re starting a new job, and instead of waiting days for your laptop, login credentials, and team intros, it all happens seamlessly on day one. That’s what Hitachi pulled off using a private GenAI assistant: it cut onboarding time by four days and saved HR 8 hours per new hire.
Faster for the company, and smoother for the employee. Everyone wins.
b) Real-Time Listening
GenAI-powered tools now scan feedback, Slack messages, and helpdesk tickets for patterns in sentiment. That means HR doesn’t have to wait for the next employee engagement survey to know if something’s off.
It’s proactive people care, not reactive clean-up.
c) Smarter Learning & Development
What if training weren’t just a course dump but a Netflix-style, AI-curated experience tailored to your skills and career goals? GenAI is making that happen. According to McKinsey, 92% of executives plan to increase AI investments, much of it tied to personalized learning paths and workforce enablement.
Efficiency Matters Too
Engagement is great, but nobody has unlimited bandwidth. That’s why efficiency is the other half of this equation.
a) Goodbye to Repetitive Tasks
Top HR teams are 2.3 times more likely to offer digital self-service for things like benefits, time-off requests, and compliance reporting. GenAI tools handle it in seconds.
It’s not about replacing people, it’s about letting your team focus on what only humans can do.
b) Fast Data, Better Decisions
Whether it’s predicting attrition or spotting hiring trends, GenAI makes analytics fast and accessible. No more drowning in spreadsheets.
And leaders are noticing: a Deloitte study reports that 69% of companies plan to expand their GenAI teams this year.
c) Meet Your (Virtual) HR Assistant
From answering PTO policies to helping schedule interviews, AI chatbots are doing real work and doing it well. A report from Master of Code found that 62% of employees now prefer using virtual HR assistants for quick support.
It’s the support that’s always on, always polite, and never on vacation.
GenAI Makes HR More Strategic
Here’s where things get interesting. GenAI isn’t just making HR faster or cheaper. It’s helping teams think bigger.
a) Talent Strategy with a Seat at the Table
Top HR leaders now spend twice as much time partnering with business units. Why? Because GenAI feeds them real-time data, they can show up with solutions, not just questions.
b) Forecasting the Workforce of Tomorrow
Need to know when you’ll need more software engineers in Detroit? Or how many customer success reps might churn next quarter? GenAI can help predict that before the gap becomes a crisis.
c) Elevating HR Capability Usage with GenAI
World-class HR teams use 71% of their platform capabilities. Most others? Just 30–40%. GenAI helps unlock the full value of your systems, meaning better ROI and fewer wasted licenses.
Leading the Transformation to Hybrid Roles in a GenAI World
The GenAI era is redefining what work is. As AI takes over repetitive tasks, the demand is rising for roles that blend human judgment with digital fluency. HR isn’t just adapting to this shift; it’s leading it. Here’s what every forward-thinking HR team needs to keep in mind:
a) The War for Talent Isn’t Over
We’re still in a highly competitive labor market. And employees aren’t just choosing companies based on pay. They’re choosing based on experience. GenAI helps you deliver that consistently.
b) Skills Are Changing Fast
AI isn’t just affecting HR; it’s changing the roles your teams need to fill. Deloitte says GenAI will drive new hybrid roles that combine data, people, and creativity. HR must lead that transformation.
c) Responsible AI Is Non-Negotiable
You can’t just deploy AI and hope for the best. A SHRM survey shows 87% of CHROs are investing in GenAI, but they’re also demanding transparency and fairness from vendors. Trust is the real currency here.
Transformative Automation in Banking
GenAI is delivering measurable impact across industries. In banking and financial services, where precision and speed are critical, forward-thinking organizations are using GenAI to reimagine internal operations, HR processes, and employee productivity. Here’s how top players like Hitachi, Texans Credit Union, and Goldman Sachs are putting GenAI to work, efficiently and at scale.
Hitachi & Texans Credit Union
By deploying GenAI-powered onboarding, Hitachi shaved days off the process and reduced HR hours per hire. Texans CU took it a step further: automating access credentials, they cut setup time from 20 minutes to under 1.
Goldman Sachs
Their internal GenAI tool helps 10,000 employees summarize reports, generate briefs, and analyze documents. What started in investment banking is now influencing internal HR and operations, quietly increasing productivity across teams.
Want to Be a Top HR Team? Here’s Your To-Do List
a) Start small, but start now.
Try GenAI in onboarding, feedback, or analytics.
b) Educate your team.
GenAI isn’t here to replace HR; it’s here to amplify it. Upskill accordingly.
c) Keep ethics in view.
Make bias audits and explainability part of your rollout plan.
d) Don’t chase trends, chase results.
Pick tools that tie directly to your business or talent goals.
e) Measure relentlessly.
Track metrics: time saved, engagement lift, cost reduction. Then optimize.
GenAI Is Your Competitive Edge
The real story here isn’t about AI taking over HR; it’s about HR taking charge with AI.
The most successful teams in 2025 aren’t just adopting GenAI tools; they’re rewriting what great HR looks like. They’re building more human, more responsive, and more strategic organizations, not despite technology, but because of how they’re using it.
The future of work won’t wait. And the future of HR? It’s already being led by those bold enough to combine data and empathy, efficiency and personalization, automation and imagination.
You’re not just here to manage processes, you’re here to shape culture, inspire people, and drive growth. GenAI can help you do all three at scale. Let’s stop watching from the sidelines and build the next chapter of HR together, powered by AI.
FAQs
- Is GenAI only useful for large HR teams?
GenAI is just as valuable for small teams. It helps automate tasks so lean HR teams can do more with less.
- Will GenAI replace the human side of HR?
Not at all. GenAI handles the busy work so HR pros can focus on people and strategy, not get replaced.
- What’s a simple way to start using GenAI in HR?
Start with easy wins like onboarding automation or chatbots for employee questions.
- Can GenAI boost engagement beyond onboarding?
Yes. It tracks sentiment, recommends learning, and flags disengagement early, keeping people connected.
- How do we ensure GenAI is used ethically in HR?
Choose ethical vendors, monitor for bias, and keep human oversight in key decisions.
HR tech is evolving fast, are you keeping up? Read more at HR Technology Insights
To participate in our interviews, please write to our HRTech Media Room at sudipto@intentamplify.com
