As HR leaders reassess their priorities in a rapidly changing world of work, one question is emerging: How should employee experience (EX) evolve?

No longer limited to engagement surveys or well-being apps, EX today demands a deeper redesign: one that’s intelligent, efficient, and truly responsive. In an AI-powered world, the new EX playbook blends operational precision with personalised, human-centred design, transforming how organisations recruit, develop, and support their people.

As part of the Future of Work and Skills Virtual Week on the theme “Strategic HR, Powered by AI”, a thought-provoking panel featuring Zenith Nayar (L&T Technology Services) and Sri Lakshmi Kodali (ServiceNow), moderated by Pallavi Verma, unpacked what this employee experience evolution looks like in practice. The discussion explored how leading organisations are using AI not just to automate tasks, but to reimagine end-to-end journeys that scale with empathy, insight, and impact.

The shift to strategic, enterprise-wide EX

Zenith Nayar opened the conversation by emphasising the crucial distinction between employee engagement and employee experience. “These are two different worlds,” she noted. Engagement typically emerges from top-down management, organisations implement initiatives and then ask employees how satisfied they are with those decisions.

EX, on the other hand, begins with design thinking. It’s about watching, listening, and asking open-ended questions to understand what truly matters to employees. “Employee experience is not about telling, it’s about asking. It’s not about how happy you are with what we’ve given you; it’s about co-creating the journey from day one.” According to Zenith, this journey starts as early as the first candidate call and continues long after an employee leaves, as they become brand ambassadors for the organisation.

Sri Lakshmi agreed that EX is moving far beyond the HR function. “Today, it’s a business imperative,” she said. “The talent market is getting tougher, technology is evolving, and employees’ expectations are shifting rapidly.”

Hyper-personalisation: The hallmark of modern EX

The idea of a “one-size-fits-all” employee journey is no longer sustainable. As the panel reflected on how AI enables hyper-personalised experiences, from onboarding to learning and career development, Sri Lakshmi highlighted that the shift is already underway.

“Roles are changing, workplaces are evolving, and so are employee expectations,” she said. “To truly improve employee experience, we have to acknowledge that people have different needs based on where they are, who they are, and what they want.” From flexible work models to customised benefits and development plans, ServiceNow is embedding AI across the employee lifecycle to tailor experiences to individual contexts.

A standout example from ServiceNow’s EX transformation is the ServiceNow University, an AI-powered learning ecosystem designed as a “playground for learning.” Inspired by the science of play, it creates a psychologically safe space for employees to explore, grow, and shape their own career paths.

“This isn’t just another L&D platform,” Sri explained. “It’s a vibrant, gamified community built around learner profiles that understand each employee’s strengths, preferences, and goals.” With more than 3 million learners targeted, this initiative isn’t just personal—it’s scalable. And it’s already delivering ROI, with 43% faster project implementation and more agile, high-performing teams.

Zenith Nayar emphasised that today’s workforce is not just multi-generational, but multi-modal, comprising full-time employees, gig workers, freelancers, retirees, and more.

Each employee group has different expectations. “A fresher might want public recognition on social media. A veteran employee may prefer a quiet thank you. If we’re not tuned into those preferences, we’re missing the mark,” she noted. That’s where AI becomes essential—helping HR understand diverse needs and deliver experiences that truly resonate.

Agentic AI: From command to proactive care

Zenith also spoke about the shift from traditional GenAI to Agentic AI, a more proactive, human-like system that not only responds to requests but also anticipates needs. “It’s like a modern genie,” she said. “Not just waiting for instructions, but suggesting, nudging, supporting. Like Netflix recommending the next show, it learns from you, for you.”

This, she argued, is the future of EX. But it also requires HR to listen deeply, across platforms like Glassdoor, surveys, and internal tools, and act meaningfully. “Technology makes listening easier. But it’s only useful if we act on what we hear.”

AI and ROI: The talent equation

AI is driving real results, and nowhere is this more evident than in recruitment. Zenith Nayar reflected on her early days in HR: “Twenty-five years ago, filling a niche tech role could take three to four weeks just to shortlist candidates. Today, AI helps us cut that turnaround time by 65%.” With stack ranking, intelligent screening, and automated matching, talent acquisition has become faster and more precise, contributing directly to business outcomes.

She noted three areas where AI delivers clear, measurable ROI: hiring, recognition, and career development. Employees want to feel valued. They want to know where their career is headed. If we can give them that clarity using AI, we’re not just improving EX—we’re fuelling growth.” However, she cautioned that while the value is evident, most organisations still lack structured mechanisms to continuously measure and refine ROI from AI investments.

Balancing speed with fairness: The ethical AI imperative

With AI embedded deeply in core HR processes, the conversation inevitably turned to ethics and fairness. Sri Lakshmi outlined a robust framework for ethical AI use across the enterprise:

• Bias Mitigation: Ensuring AI tools are trained on diverse datasets and regularly audited to prevent discriminatory patterns.
• Transparency: Clearly communicating how AI systems make decisions, especially in sensitive areas like hiring and performance management.
• Human Oversight: Keeping humans in the loop, particularly in high-stakes decisions, and upskilling HR to play new roles as AI collaborators.

At ServiceNow, this framework takes the form of an “AI Control Tower,” providing visibility into every AI deployment across HR, finance, and customer operations. “Efficiency is important,” said Sri, “but so is governance. We need structures in place to ensure AI doesn’t compromise trust, privacy, or compliance.”

Zenith added a cultural perspective: “EX is not just about efficiency. Moments that matter—like maternity leave or bereavement, can’t be handled by a chatbot. For those, we’ve deliberately kept the human touch.” She also shared examples of audit processes to catch unconscious bias in AI-driven screening, reinforcing that ethics must be embedded, not assumed.