March has been an incredibly eventful month for me. It started with two intense days at HR Tech Europe and continued throughout the month with discussions on the topic of AI and HR in various settings. I’ve had meetings with HR managers, HR tech specialists, consultants, and AI experts. I have also had time to reflect on my own thoughts regarding how we can derive value from AI, which led me to write this month’s column addressing the question: How can we benefit from AI in HR?
During March, we also compiled data from the 2025 salary survey for HR tech roles. Are you interested in the results? Register your interest here, and you will receive a link to the findings.
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Lately, I have been involved in many discussions about how HR can truly leverage AI and why we haven’t progressed further. We are still in the early stages, and many HR leaders are facing the same question from their management teams:
– How can we benefit from AI in HR?
The answer is twofold.
On one hand, it is about the individual – every employee's ability to use generative AI to improve their work. This could involve streamlining job advertisements, analyzing data more efficiently, or receiving support in formulating policies. Employees who actively experiment with AI become more efficient, communicate more clearly, and make better decisions.
But that’s not enough.
For AI to create real value in an organization, more than individual skills are needed. We need system support, smart processes, and a strategic approach to scale the impact.
HR and Vendors Share the Responsibility
If AI is to truly transform HR, individual initiatives won’t suffice. AI must be an integrated part of HR systems and workflows to genuinely change how work is done.
Vendors play a crucial role here. Adding AI superficially isn’t enough – the solutions must be genuinely effective. Automated analyses, better decision support, and AI-driven insights should enhance recruitment, competency development, and the employee experience.
But we, as buyers, also have a responsibility. We must be knowledgeable purchasers and set clear requirements. AI cannot be something that “someone else” handles. Just as with previous technological shifts, we need to understand the fundamentals to make the right decisions.
Two Perspectives on AI in HR
There is a crucial difference between using AI in one’s own work and ensuring AI is strategically deployed across the organization:
The value of AI in HR is therefore both about the individual’s ability to use the technology and HR’s ability to create structures where AI truly makes a difference. Understanding both perspectives is key to making AI more than just a trend – instead, a real competitive advantage.
Need Help with the Next Step?
Many HR leaders are currently struggling with how to navigate the AI landscape – both at the individual and organizational levels. I am happy to help create a strategy that makes AI a real asset in your organization. Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss how to put this into practice:
March is almost over, and we are in the middle of podcast season. There are always plenty of topics to cover. Among this spring’s episodes, the most popular so far is:
Pay Transparency Directive: New Requirements for Managers and HR in 2026 – Daniel Edenholm
March Episodes:
Find all episodes on our website: https://www.hrdigi.se/podcast
Several reports analyzing data from 2024 have been released in March. Below are some key highlights:
Recruitment: Focus on Potential, Not Just Skills
A new report from Gartner shows that recruitment based on learning ability and development potential yields 1.9 times better results than solely focusing on existing skills. However, 51% of managers still require a perfect skill match, hindering internal mobility and making critical hires more difficult.
HR Barometer 2024 Sweden
Conducted by HRnytt in collaboration with HejEngagemang, Teamtailor, and Epassi, this report includes a section on technology and digitalization.
Job Redesign in the AI Era – Josh Bersin
Instead of using AI merely for cost-cutting or layoffs, Bersin emphasizes a thoughtful job restructuring strategy to enhance productivity and efficiency.
The Flex Report is part of the SD Worx Navigator Series, based on a survey conducted in 18 European countries. Their interactive e-book includes a section focused on Sweden, highlighting eight key insights, one of which is:
What are the biggest HR challenges for Swedish organizations?
Find the link here!
IDC, in collaboration with Cegid, has released the 2025 HR Maturity Index, mapping HR’s digital maturity and strategic role based on phone interviews with 840 HR leaders across Europe, North America, and Latin America in 2024.
If you don’t have time to read the full report, here are five key recommendations for HR leaders (which I completely agree with!):
Find the link here!
The EU has now proposed easing the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). For many organizations, this is a relief, but what does it actually mean in practice? Read more here!
For years, TA leaders have wondered: Do social media channels really deliver more qualified candidates?
Now, Adway has the answer. Their annual Social Recruiting Report 2025 provides over 80 pages of industry data, showing how AI-powered recruitment campaigns on social media result in better candidates and faster hiring.
Are we naive to think that there’s no espionage, theft, or competitive interference among HR tech vendors? Currently, a debate is unfolding about whether Rippling and Deel’s “business dealings” are affecting the industry—or how they might change our perception of vendors. What do you think?
Read more here!
To wrap up, I want to highlight an exciting new Swedish tech solution this month. Artemis is a structured and efficient automated workflow platform designed to help companies find and connect with the right candidates for open positions.
With humans at the center and AI enhancing the process, Artemis speeds up recruitment while improving match quality.
💡 Less time sourcing, more time interviewing! – Maryam Engelbrecht, Co-founder
It’s time for House for People’s event at Skandia Cinema in Stockholm (and online). I’m honored to be the moderator, guiding you through a morning filled with inspiring speakers and HR insights!
Exciting to share the stage with Johannes Sundlo again—link here! 👏🏻
What’s on your agenda? Are you exhibiting, attending, or looking to grow your expertise? You’ll find most of what you need in this list.
Chefstidningen’s report is available—link here!
(🇬🇧 = på engelska, 🇸🇪 = på svenska)
🇸🇪 April 3, 2025 – Stockholm + Digital – The Employee Behind the Data
Read more here!
🇸🇪 May 6 - June 3, 2025 – Digital – HR Loves 💜 Tech & AI
Read more here!
🇬🇧 🇸🇪 May 20, 2025 – Stockholm – People Analytics Summit
Sign up here!
🇬🇧 🇸🇪 September 10, 2025 – Malmö – Nordic Edtech Summit
Read more here!
🇸🇪 🇬🇧 September 17-18, 2025 – Stockholm – Learning Conference
Read more here!
🇸🇪 October 14-15, 2025 – Stockholm – The Future of HR: AI, Data & Digitalization
Read more here!
🇸🇪 October 2025 – Stockholm – HR Days
🇸🇪 November 2025 – Stockholm – HR Systems Day
📅 April 23 – Digital – People Success & the Future of Work
👉 Sign up here
📅 April 23-24 – London – HR Tech & Learning Technologies UK
Reportedly an amazing event according to a colleague! Two events in one:
📅 September 16-18 – Las Vegas – HR Tech Global
THE event of the year – always! Register now 👇
👉 HR Technology Conference
🎯 This year’s theme: "Be the Change"
📅 October 21-22 – Paris – Unleash World
👉 Get your pass here!
The goal of this newsletter is to cover news in the HR Tech market, as well as digitalization and innovation for leadership and HR. Additionally, I share insights from the latest episodes of the HR Digitalization Podcast.
My name is Anna Carlsson, and I am a curious HR Tech analyst with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of business, people, and technology. I believe that technology is not a side activity within HR—digitalization and AI are fundamental to enabling a more people-centric workplace.
My passion is driving the transformation of future HR by co-creating solutions with clients and colleagues, as well as educating and developing organizations and individuals.
I run HR Digi, where we provide advisory services, consulting, training, and inspiration to help organizations build a modern, digital HR function. The HR Digitalization Podcast is one of my key platforms for sharing knowledge.
I am also proud to be recognized as one of the Top 100 HR Tech Influencers of 2024.
Book a virtual coffee with me, and let’s discuss how I can support your work.
(And yes, I use AI to help write this newsletter—this time, I even included an AI-generated image of myself! 😉)
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