Weekender Digest
WEEKLY EDITION BY ZIHAN LYU
Welcome to your latest HRD Connect's Weekend Digest, your go-to source for the week’s top insights tailored for HR professionals.
Here’s what’s inside:
◾ Exclusive Insights from MHR CEO on the State of Work in an AI-Driven World
◾ Top 10 AI HR tools every business needs in 2025
◾ Preparing HR for the age of human-AI collaboration
TOP LONG WEEKEND READS
EXCLUSIVE Q&A
Anton Roe doesn’t mince words about the state of work in an AI-driven world. The MHR CEO warns that organizations clinging to rigid job descriptions and linear career ladders are setting themselves up for stagnation.
Entry-level vacancies are drying up not because junior roles are disappearing, but because businesses haven’t reimagined what those roles should be. Roe argues that adaptability—not tenure—must become the foundation of workforce planning. He says the companies that thrive will be those willing to break old models and put skills, not titles, at the center of talent strategy.

AI HR TOOLS
AI is now reshaping how HR hires, supports, and retains talent. With adoption rates soaring, this guide highlights 10 standout AI tools making an impact right now.
From Paradox streamlining candidate screening to Degreed personalizing learning at scale, and Lattice co-writing your performance reviews, these platforms are already changing the way HR operates. Get familiar with the tech your peers are testing—and the results they’re seeing.

FUTURE OF WORK
As agentic AI moves from theory to practice, HR leaders face a new reality: the rise of a hybrid workforce made up of both humans and autonomous AI agents.
Org charts may soon list digital co-workers alongside employees, with some functions operating as “zero-FTE departments.” In this new landscape, HR will need to oversee, onboard, and evaluate AI agents. From AI-led coaching and performance feedback to automated recruitment flows, agentic AI is already transforming key people functions.
The shift brings both promise and pressure—and HR has a pivotal role to play. This article also explores five proactive steps HR teams can take today to lead their organizations.

MORE THAN A NEWSLETTER
Editorial
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