With AI transforming the workplace so rapidly, it has huge implications for not only employee productivity, but also health and wellbeing. For this week’s episode we’re joined by Sheila Champion-Smeeth, Cisco’s Global Head of Wellbeing, People, and Communities, who calls on professionals to “take a beat” and consider these implications carefully:
“It’s about taking a beat, a pause, to think about the fact [AI has] created some space. Yes, it could be for business, but imagine the beauty of spending that time to actually focus on you as a human, and building your own skills, or focusing on your wellbeing? But as humans we are pushing ourselves further, faster and harder than we’ve ever done before.”
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She argues AI should build capability and free time, but leaders and individuals must consciously use that space for strategy, skill-building, wellbeing, and human connection, rather than simply producing more. “We all have a responsibility to think about this,” she says.
She also talks about burnout – a topic close to her heart, having suffered personally – as well as the need for leadership role modelling and balancing automation with key human skills. “Role modelling is a really important part of this, and what we do at Cisco,” says Champion-Smeeth.
After her own experience, she urges others to “Or the most important thing, Susie, I would say, is “please ask for professional help; I took too long to ask for help, and it has been such a game changer”. What I mean is professional help.”.
Link between burnout and AI?
Fear of AI taking jobs is also addressed, with many practical tips for managers on how to lead constructive conversations. She also believes AI could be contributing to an overall trend she’s noticed of more employers hiding burnout at work:
“If you think about how [some] people are fearing for their jobs and you layer on the fact they’re exhausted from the tech world we’re living in, they’re not going to speak pu potentially and say ‘I’m really struggling’,” she says.
Champion-Smeeth also shares her biggest learning from her recent attendance at the recent Happiness Summit in Lisbon.
Lastly, she advocates both a “growth” and “courageous” mindset in approaching the current, complex challenges in workplace wellbeing.
Timeline of the conversation:
00:00 Welcome to Leaders Podcast
00:35 This Week’s Challenge
01:15 Meet Sheila at Cisco
02:48 AI as Human Opportunity
04:38 Pause and Recharge
08:59 Role Modeling Wellbeing
10:16 Fear and Uncertainty
10:56 Three A’s Mindset
13:15 Automation vs Augmentation
17:38 Keeping Human Connection
21:44 AI and Burnout
24:57 Hiding Struggle at Work
26:31 Happiness Summit Takeaways
28:10 The Alien Pitch
29:57 Wrap Up and Subscribe
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