'How can we focus people's time and resources on where we need people the most?'
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a practical tool that is already influencing how organisations operate and plan for the future, according to one expert.
“AI is a hot topic for all sorts of reasons,” says Meghan Lavallee, chair of the board of directors at CERIC. “The way that I see AI in our current workforce development, but also in terms of career development, is it’s an opportunity for a new tool to be utilised by people in all sorts of different contexts.”
While AI can streamline processes and support decision-making in day-to-day operations, it goes far beyond administrative convenience.
Lavallee believes that AI’s true potential lies in how it can help organisations and employees maximise their capabilities. “It’s also an opportunity for people to really think about where in their positions AI could be a bit of an assistant or an additional tool that they might be able to use to help them in their day,” she says.
HR is evolving in its role and its use of technology, and that includes integrating AI into the HR function, according to a previous report.
Integrating AI into workplace planning
For Lavallee, effective workforce planning in the age of AI means understanding where human skills are most needed, and where AI can provide the most value. “How can we focus people’s time and resources on where we need people the most?” she asks.
She urges HR leaders to view AI as an “additional tool that could be used in their workplace,” rather than a replacement for human talent. The goal, she says, is to “complement the work that people are already doing and then expand from there.
Lavallee emphasises that the best way to unlock AI’s potential in workforce planning is through direct engagement and experimentation. “The best way that we learn about a new tool is by using it and seeing where in our spaces it can add a benefit and where in our spaces it’s actually a bit of a detractor from the work that we do,” she says.
She encourages HR professionals to foster a culture of trial and error, allowing employees to explore how AI can be integrated into their roles. “AI is still in early days for many folks. We’ve got more and more people who are using AI technology in different and unique ways, not just in their workdays, but in their personal lives as well,” Lavallee notes.
Most employers are still far from benefitting from the full potential of AI, according to a previous IBM report.
Privacy, security concerns
A critical part of integrating AI into workforce planning is ensuring employees are properly trained and that privacy concerns are addressed, she says. “Organisations need to understand any privacy and security concerns that can come along with AI. So you need to understand what implications there could be as a part of your organisation and the use of AI,” Lavallee cautions.
She recommends that once appropriate AI platforms are selected, HR should “allow your team some time and space to pilot the tool, to use it in their work and start to develop a bit of it, even a community of practice within your organisation, and share ideas about how AI could work and explore ideas of where you could go in the future.”
Lavallee believes that a growth mindset is essential for both employers and employees as they adapt to AI-driven change. “A growth mindset really does speak to that idea of continuous improvement, opportunities for change, and also opportunities for embracing change in different ways,” she says.
She encourages HR professionals to support employees in developing new skills and to create an environment where learning and adaptation are valued. “Sometimes it’s a really great opportunity for you to develop skills within your organisation and allow people to stretch, expand, and develop their own skills to take on more responsibility, different leadership roles, and really advance their own careers through these types of opportunities,” Lavallee explains.
Canadian businesses could face an uphill battle harnessing AI as one research reveals the country’s workforce trails much of the world in both confidence and literacy related to AI systems.
CERIC will be hosting Cannexus 26, Canada's largest bilingual career development conference, on Jan. 25-28, 2026.
Some of the topics to be covered during the event are:
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Using AI to support clients in confident career decision-making
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Micro-credentials and workforce readiness
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Cultivating real growth mindsets at work
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Resources for workplace advancement
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The importance of soft skills
