AI and Automation: Graig Paglieri Of Randstad Digital On How To Effectively Harness AI Technology In People Operations
An Interview With Rachel Kline
Prioritize proper change management. It is crucial to proceed step by step, with an agile mindset, ensuring intelligent automation projects are supported by a cohesive, company-wide digital transformation strategy that is directly communicated.
With technological advancements, particularly in the AI space, an increasing number of tasks can be either fully or partially automated. In this series, we are talking to People experts about how they’re utilizing new technologies to make their jobs easier and provide greater strategic value. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Graig Paglieri.
Graig Paglieri is the CEO of Randstad Digital Americas, where he is responsible for day-to-day operational leadership and strategic direction for Randstad’s professional workforce solutions, including Technologies, Engineering, Life Sciences, Celerity (advisory), Cella (creative/marketing), Offshore Services and Federal. Graig also leads Randstad’s Central Delivery team, which develops disruptive, industry-leading delivery capabilities and technology-enabled business solutions. As the Managing Director of Global Professionals, he serves as a strategic executive advisor aligning business processes, systems and growth plans.
Each of these business units serves Fortune 1000 clients across multiple industry verticals by providing specialized and customized solutions to their complex STEM-related challenges.
Graig previously served in several professional services executive roles. He has an outstanding track record of applying an innovative vision to lead transformative business initiatives in the professional staffing and services sector.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Before we drive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Boston College and a Master of Business Administration in General Management from Wake Forest University. I started my career with the U.S. Marine Corps after college and have since spent the last two decades in professional staffing, IT managed services and management consulting.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I had a 1-on-1 meeting with the President of my company early in my career. He asked me what I hoped to glean from our discussion, and I told him “Just enough knowledge to take over your job someday.” He was not amused and the meeting ended rather abruptly. I would say a bit more awkward than funny.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I am fortunate to have had so many great influencers in my life both professionally and personally. After my time in the Marine Corps, and during a very rough time in the economy post Sep 11th, I was struggling on an important project and client for our firm. It was only my second job, and I was at a management consulting firm and a Senior Partner really took me under his wing. Although the position continued to be a struggle and I almost quit or got fired numerous times, I found myself stronger and significantly more capable as a result.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Fake it until you make it.” There is much to be said about being confident and calm through adversity in all areas of your life.
Thinking back on your own career, what would you tell your younger self?
Listen to your parents more, be nicer to your sister, and never sell yourself short, ever.
Let’s now move to the central part of our interview. How have recent technological advancements such as AI made your job easier?
There are too many to count that have become pervasive and second nature in the way we conduct business, travel, healthcare, leisure, and more.
In which processes do you utilize automation the most?
Currently, ChatGPT is fun for me, and I use it to validate certain ideas or concepts. However, the practical business applications of automation are limitless.
What should people bear in mind when automating processes?
When introducing automation, or frankly any new technology to the workplace, people must give credence to the principles of “digital” and “transformation”. “Digital” alone, without a focus on “transformation”, can and often does lead to failure. Some strategic examination is needed including determining overall objectives and defining what success looks like.
That can include questions such as “How can I make my company evolve to keep up with the market direction and meet customer requirements and expectations?” to a more specific set, such as “Why is automation essential to this particular process?” or “How can I generate more efficiency and profit by doing this?”
Digital transformation comes with a long-term commitment to improve and streamline business performance and make peoples’ daily lives easier. Simply deciding to automate a process one day won’t net meaningful results or have true buy-in from all stakeholders involved. The more involved employees are in organizing and reorganizing a technology, the more constructive and valuable the human-machine connection is considered.
From there, data security, privacy, and proper governance are other significant concerns that should be top of mind. Generative AI leveraged for company purposes obviously comes with large sets of proprietary data — which then leads to the risk of data breaches or risks to intellectual property. Leaders need to ensure that there are clear guardrails in place that dictate how these tools should be used, particularly when it comes to public tools like ChatGPT. The tech is exciting, but it’s still very much a “wild west” in which proper caution must be taken when implementing new technology.
What are your “Top Five Tips For Harnessing AI Technology to Propel People Operations”?
First, and perhaps most importantly, approach AI deployment with a people-first mentality. Artificial intelligence is the most promising field of research today, opening new horizons for everyone from salespeople and managers and aiding in typically monotonous, time-consuming tasks. It’s a revolution that employees need to be trained for and highly involved in as they are fueling the transformations that stand as the backbone of digital success.
Prioritize proper change management. It is crucial to proceed step by step, with an agile mindset, ensuring intelligent automation projects are supported by a cohesive, company-wide digital transformation strategy that is directly communicated.
Randstad Digital recently released a white paper in partnership with the Everest Group in which we found that nearly three quarters (68%) of enterprises surveyed have still not been able to realize the desired impact of their digital initiatives. What’s worse, 44% of enterprises witnessed worsening or no improvements in their operational capabilities and/or metrics in the last two years. Traditional IT structures simply aren’t built with the right amount of agility or outcome orientation to produce meaningful results. Simply introducing the latest buzzy technology like AI means nothing without the right IT model and business infrastructure in place.
This leads me to my next tip for success: clarity is the linchpin of a successful AI strategy. Enterprises should clearly outline what they hope to achieve with AI, from improving internal operations or enhancing customer engagement. Externally, be transparent with customers about how and why AI is used, especially in customer interactions. Regularly update AI usage as legal frameworks and technologies change, and communicate that to all relevant stakeholders. Have a clear accountability structure in place that dictates who fixes what when something goes wrong.
Team up with an experienced partner. Kickstarting and implementing an effective, enterprise-wide AI/GenAI ecosystem is no easy feat and likely beyond the capabilities and resources of most organizations, who often lack the deep expertise and specialization required to scale effectively. GenAI use cases will only continue to grow more advanced, making the journey of digital transformation even more daunting — and necessary. Tapping the right network of specialized partners could mean the difference between simply experimenting versus unlocking business value with AI/GenAI. They provide organizations with the right insights, support, and services needed to gain a competitive edge and stay at the forefront of AI innovation. A capable partner can elevate enterprises’ potential for bringing forth expertise, experience, while accelerating the implementation of new technologies.
Finally, set assumptions aside — every company can benefit from automation. From automating repetitive tasks to consolidating workloads — AI-driven solutions are undeniably a gamechanger, regardless of industry. The key is proper analysis and making sure we’re optimizing tasks in a way that offers a positive impact. At Randstad Digital, we have an in-house Discovery Tool through which we ask clients questions like “What are your bottlenecks?” or “What problems do you currently come up against?” and from there, convert those answers into actionable, technical solutions.
How do you see technology impacting the HR space in the future?
Technology continues to evolve at a breakneck speed, so much so that it’s difficult to conceive of ways it won’t impact HR in the future. The role of technology and talent in helping businesses drive value has never been more strategic — or more consequential.
That means the structure and remit of teams — the way they work and the skills they need — can and will shift in an instant. HR departments must be prepared to grapple with a growing shortage of next generation digital skills. Our recent white paper with the Everest Group estimated that the current global skill gap for AI/ML technologies is 25%-30% — and for cloud skills and cybersecurity, that skill gap stands at 20–25% and 30% percent, respectively. Expect these numbers to continue to increase, since rapid technological evolution is consistently shrinking the shelf life of IT skills, while creating new roles every day.
Thus, enterprises must be prepared to look inward and take steps to ensure staff are future proofed. AI training is a critical key in this direction. We found in our Randstad Digital Q3 pulse survey that 55% of employees believe they need AI learning opportunities to future proof their careers and earning potential, and 53% believe it will impact their role and industry. Despite this, the largest training gap lies in AI itself: it’s the third most sought-after skill set but one of the lowest provided. Investing in upskilling and reskilling initiatives for talent will be critical to ensure they are well-prepared to adapt to and maximize the potential of new and emerging technologies.
Technological change will also give rise to an increasingly global talent pool. New global tech hotspots like Romania are on the rise, meaning the process by which talent is identified, recruited and retained will increasingly transcend borders. The way we conceive of talent — i.e., who is the right fit, where are they from, what skills do they specialize in — is undergoing a seismic shift.
A key approach for enterprises to combat the challenges presented by technological change — is through what’s called a digital enablement framework: a talent-first approach to scaling and accelerating digitalization by partnering with a third party organization that provides specialized digital talent supply through global deployments, continuous upskilling, and progressive career architectures that help enterprises keep strategic control amid these digital transformations. Unlike traditional staffing, the digital enablement staffing model is agile, helps eliminate overhead governance costs, and gives enterprises more strategic control over their objectives and key results. It also focuses on the long-term buildup of in-house digital talent, always putting people first — which, as I established earlier, is key in helping enterprises stay competitive, focused, and ready to tackle all the technological change and challenges of today and tomorrow.
We are very blessed to have some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have a private lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this.
I think about the amazing experience accumulated over many decades from the likes of a Robert Iger and his tenure at an iconic brand like Disney. To come back and take the CEO gig after having done it for many years, to then serving on the board. I would love to hear his learnings and perspectives from that amazing cycle! And enjoy a nice whiskey or glass of wine!
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Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
