Episode Details

The Human Last Mile: Empower Pharmacy’s CHRO on AI Fluency, Ethics, and HR Transformation

Summary

AI in HR isn’t about replacing people—it’s about redefining excellence and freeing humans to do higher-order work.

Valerie Capers Workman, Chief Human Resources Officer at Empower Pharmacy and author of two books on AI, shares how she’s leading company-wide AI transformation while rebuilding the HR tech stack with human-in-the-loop design.

Valerie tackles the real blockers—fear, security, ethics, IP, and inequity—and explains why “excellence now requires AI” and how leaders can communicate that without triggering defensiveness. She breaks down a practical operating model: use AI for task work, keep humans as the “last mile” decision-makers, and build AI fluency through structured, role-based training so no one is left behind.

Expect candid stories, from coaching a team member past “AI is cheating” to using saved time for strategic thinking, plus how to set guardrails for sensitive areas like employee relations.

Timestamps

[00:45] – Guest intro: CHRO role at Empower Pharmacy and leading AI across HR and the business

[02:16] – The real challenges: fear of replacement, ethics, security, and IP concerns

[03:24] – Redefining excellence and leveling the field: reluctance, inequity, and access

[06:16] – Coaching in practice: moving from “AI is cheating” to standout work—and time back

[08:42] – What leaders must do: shift routine to AI to create space for strategic thinking

[10:24] – Managing risk: automation misfires, ER sensitivity, and designing for control

[11:48] – Design principle: human-in-the-loop “last mile” for all critical HR decisions

[15:45] – Building AI fluency: pilot curriculum, company-wide training, and starting before perfect

Takeaways

- Design AI with humans as the last mile—keep judgment, empathy, and final decisions with leaders.

- Build AI fluency by role; launch a pilot curriculum and scale it so no one is left behind.

- Reframe AI as a performance multiplier: use it for tasks to create room for strategy and EQ work.

- Set clear guardrails (ethics, security, IP) and choose platforms that preserve human control.

- Start now with small experiments; momentum beats perfection in a fast-changing tech landscape.

- Normalize failure and iteration—use “bad” outputs to sharpen prompts, thinking, and processes.

Sponsor

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