AI and the Future of HR: Enhancing Engagement and Productivity with Scott Morris

In this Episode…

Introduction: Rethinking Employee Engagement

What if employee engagement depended less on perks and culture and more on clarity in defining roles? Scott Morris, founder and CEO of Propulsion AI, joins Innovation Tales to share how artificial intelligence can help HR professionals move beyond routine tasks to focus on designing roles that drive engagement, retention, and performance.

In this conversation, Scott brings two decades of experience in people operations and his mission to revolutionize job design. Discover actionable insights into leveraging AI to solve workforce challenges and explore the practical applications of Propulsion AI’s digital assistant, Athena.

Guest Introduction: Scott Morris and Propulsion AI

Scott Morris is no stranger to HR challenges. With 25 years as a people operations executive, Scott has a track record of delivering measurable results across industries. At Propulsion AI, he leads the charge in transforming role design into a streamlined, efficient process. His platform reduces the time spent creating job descriptions from hours to just 15 minutes, empowering HR professionals to become strategic partners instead of administrative task managers.

“We have people that come into the profession [of HR] largely through administrative roles. That hurts the profession because the people I’ve seen succeed are those who marry workforce productivity, turnover reduction, and employee engagement with business outcomes.”

The Evolution of HR with AI

Scott believes that HR is at a pivotal moment of evolution. Traditionally, many HR professionals have been more focused on compliance and policy than on workforce productivity. While these aspects are important, they do little to directly enhance engagement and business outcomes.

“A lot of HR people are focused on compliance and policy. It’s not that these things are unimportant, but they’re more connected to risk management than workforce enhancement,” Scott said, noting that HR’s transformation requires a rethinking of priorities.

AI tools, such as those developed by Propulsion AI, are reshaping the landscape by automating administrative tasks. This allows HR professionals to spend more time aligning workforce strategy with business goals, creating a path to improved outcomes.

Challenges in HR and Workforce Productivity

One key barrier in HR is the lack of operational knowledge within the profession. Many HR professionals enter the field from administrative backgrounds, which can limit their ability to truly partner with business leaders. Scott highlights that great HR happens when practitioners understand both the operational demands of a business and the intricacies of workforce productivity.

“The best HR people are the ones that come from functional backgrounds and then learn human capital and engagement,” Scott said. “But too often, the ‘urgent’ crowds out the important, and HR professionals miss the chance to understand the business functions they support.”

Strategic, Consultative, and Administrative Layers in HR

HR operates across three layers: strategic, consultative, and administrative. While the administrative layer is essential, it often consumes the majority of HR professionals’ time. This imbalance limits the capacity to engage in more valuable consultative and strategic work.

“Most really good HR people want to spend their time in consultation—coaching managers on interview techniques, ensuring top candidate experiences, and helping design roles that support business goals,” Scott said. “But instead, administrative tasks get in their way.”

By automating these tasks, HR can reclaim time for higher-value activities, transforming their role from administrative support to strategic partners.

The Role of Technology in HR Transformation

Technology has the potential to transform HR by addressing inefficiencies in the administrative layer. Scott emphasizes that while automation may feel intimidating, it creates opportunities for HR professionals to redefine their roles.

Rather than replacing HR roles, technology like Propulsion AI enhances them by enabling practitioners to focus on outcomes rather than tasks. This shift allows HR teams to become trusted partners who deliver meaningful results aligned with organizational objectives.

Mindset Shifts for Embracing Technology

Adopting new technology requires a shift in mindset at all levels of an organization. Leaders must embrace experimentation, fail fast, and iterate. This pivot from traditional approaches can unlock significant potential.

Scott explains, “Transformation doesn’t happen overnight, and it most certainly doesn’t happen in a single iteration. Managers and teams need to experiment and pivot—failing fast and learning along the way.”

Introducing Athena: The Digital Human

Propulsion AI’s digital assistant, Athena, is not just another GPT wrapper or template generator. Athena engages hiring managers in structured conversations, helping them clarify roles, define outcomes, and establish performance metrics in just 15 minutes.

This approach ensures job design is not only efficient but also aligned with business strategy. By focusing on outcomes rather than tasks, Athena enables organizations to hire more effectively and improve employee retention.

The Importance of Job Design

Scott highlights the critical role of thoughtful job design in driving engagement. Poorly defined roles filled with task-based descriptions fail to inspire employees. Instead, roles designed around outcomes empower employees to take ownership of their contributions.

“When people are clear about what’s expected of them, understand the standards they’re measured by, and see outcomes that are meaningful to the business, it builds pride,” Scott said.

Propulsion AI’s Impact on HR Efficiency

The impact of Propulsion AI is transformative. In one case, Scott’s team rewrote 400 job descriptions over 13 weeks during a merger. With Athena, this task could have been completed in an afternoon.

By automating the writing process, Athena allows HR teams to focus on consulting with managers, aligning job descriptions with career progression, and ensuring clear performance metrics. This not only improves efficiency but also elevates the strategic role of HR.

The Future of HR and Leadership

As AI becomes more integrated into HR processes, the nature of work will continue to evolve. However, Scott is optimistic about the future. Technology will not eliminate HR jobs but will shift focus toward higher-value tasks that drive organizational success.

“HR should be using technology to make people able to deliver more value—not to replace them.”

Leadership, he argues, is about constant evolution—helping organizations adapt at a pace they can absorb. By embracing tools like Propulsion AI, HR leaders can create clarity and purpose in the workplace, fostering engagement and delivering meaningful results.

Conclusion

Scott’s insights reveal a powerful truth: the future of HR lies in embracing technology to redefine value delivery. By automating administrative tasks, HR professionals can focus on strategic priorities, driving engagement and performance.

Stay tuned for more Innovation Tales episodes, where we share stories that challenge, inspire, and transform. Until next time!

Try Propulsion AI Today

Curious to see how Propulsion AI can revolutionize your hiring and talent management processes? Explore the platform for free. No credit card is required, and you can design as many roles, job descriptions, and postings as you’d like.

Resources Mentioned

• Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading by Ronald A. Heifetz