At a glance
- AI transformation challenges are human before they become technical
- Overcoming employee resistance to AI starts with safety, not pressure
- The role of managers in AI transformation is to create space, not enforce mastery
- AI adoption without resistance requires addressing the head, heart, and hands
- Measurement should support growth, not police behavior
AI transformation is a trust journey
If you’re leading AI initiatives right now, you’ve probably felt it.
Not the technical complexity. The human hesitation.
A pause before someone tries the tool. A half-joke about being replaced. A sense of quiet resistance from people who are usually curious and capable.
These reactions can feel like blockers, but they’re not signs of failure—they’re signs of change.
In Episode 3 of AI Mind Talks, HiBob’s Chief People Officer, Nirit Peled-Muntz, and Senior Director of Organizational Development and Learning, Rami Tzafrir, unpacked a truth many HR leaders are living through.
That AI transformation succeeds or fails on the human side. And that resistance isn’t the enemy. Ignoring it is.
Why resistance is a natural response
The fear of AI in the workplace is rarely about the tool itself. It’s much more about what the tool represents.
For some, it’s fear of replacement: If this can do what I do, where do I fit?
For others, it’s fear of falling behind: What if everyone else adapts faster than I do?
And for many, it’s both.
The emotional impact of AI on your people is real. Most roles weren’t built with AI in mind—then, almost overnight, it becomes an expectation. That shift isn’t purely operational. It hits at identity—how people define their value, how they judge their performance, and how they picture what comes next.
And it doesn’t simply fade with time. It has to be named, addressed, and worked through.
As Nirit put it, “Whenever we look at people challenges, we always look at people first. And we focus on how this journey can be the best and most supportive for them.”
That mindset reframes AI transformation challenges as leadership challenges. This becomes much more than simply a rollout of new technology. It becomes almost a trust journey.
Recognizing resistance as a natural response—not a blocker—is the first step toward overcoming employee resistance to AI.
People first, always
At HiBob, our approach to AI transformation is grounded in a people-first philosophy.
“We always believe that people are really good, curious. They want to learn, they want to develop themselves,” Nirit shared. “We need to create the best facilitation for that. We need to give them the safety.”
And that’s such an important word—safety.
A people-first approach to AI transformation doesn’t assume people are lazy or resistant. It assumes they are capable and curious, if the environment supports them.
Instead of pushing compliance, leaders focused on enablement:
- Creating space to explore
- Normalizing experimentation
- Making it clear that no one is expected to master every tool
- Reinforcing that this is a supported journey, not forced change
And soon, you’ll see the growth as curiosity starts to replace anxiety.
From push to pull
One of the most practical lessons from the episode was the shift from push to pull.
Rami described it clearly: “We knew this wasn’t going to be a forced change. It’s not throwing tools at them, but getting them engaged.”
Rather than relying on heavy governance or strict compliance, the team designed experiences that sparked curiosity. Initiatives like AI Day were about lowering those key emotional barriers.
When people are invited to explore—rather than pressured to perform—AI adoption without resistance becomes possible.
For HR leaders navigating AI change management, the takeaway is that early wins should build confidence, not create pressure.
Because curiosity scales better than compliance.
The head, the heart, and the hands
Overcoming resistance requires addressing three dimensions of change:
- Head. Understanding what AI is (and what it isn’t).
- Heart. Acknowledging emotions, whether that’s fear or excitement.
- Hands. Building role-specific skills and practical capability.
“You have to think of the head, the heart, and the hands,” Rami explained. “Not just the technical aspect.”
Too often, organizations focus only on the hands—rolling out tools and training—without addressing the heart.
At HiBob, our leaders speak openly about fear. They don’t pretend it doesn’t exist. They name it. They create psychological safety around it.
And that in turn creates transparency.
When team members feel allowed to experiment and fail safely, engagement rises.
In fact, one of the most encouraging survey insights from the journey was that people felt they were “allowed to experiment and fail.” That signal alone reduces defensive resistance.
The role of managers in AI transformation
Managers are culture carriers in any change effort. AI transformation is no different.
But their role isn’t to be technical experts.
It’s to be facilitators.
“I tell managers your role is to make sure your team has the space and time to work it out,” Rami said.
It shifts the manager’s role in AI transformation—away from pushing output, toward enabling growth.
Here’s how managers can support AI adoption effectively:
- Lead with curiosity, not mastery
- Model experimentation
- Give teams permission to explore
- Protect time for learning
- Recognize progress, not just performance
Leading by example doesn’t mean knowing every tool. It means demonstrating openness and resilience.
When managers create the conditions for learning, resistance softens naturally.
HR must walk the talk
One powerful moment in the episode was when we realized we had focused so much on enabling the company that we hadn’t fully transformed our own workflows.
The question “What about us?” became a turning point.
HR realized it needed to transform itself, not just support others.
That required a rethink—of processes, of priorities, of where AI genuinely earns its place. It also meant being honest about variation.
The impact won’t look the same across roles. Talent acquisition might experience AI’s influence in practical, visible ways, while HR business partners continue to operate in work that is inherently relational.
That kind of consistency—saying one thing and doing it—builds credibility with managers and teams.
When HR experiments in the open, shares what it’s learning, and adjusts as it goes, it signals something important. This transformation isn’t happening to the organization. It’s something everyone is part of.
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Measuring impact without creating fear
As organizations move from experimentation to impact, measurement becomes part of the AI transformation journey.
But measurement can easily trigger anxiety if positioned incorrectly.
We introduced the idea of an AI Index. At first glance, it can sound like a policing mechanism. In reality, it’s designed to support development. The focus is on aggregated visibility—giving leaders a clearer view of where extra support may be needed and where momentum is already building.
And transparency is key here.
When people understand why something is measured and how the data will be used, fear decreases.
The AI myth HR leaders must let go of
There’s one myth that continues to fuel fear.
AI will replace people.
We believe a more accurate framing is that AI amplifies people. It can raise productivity, surface insight, and strip out manual friction.
Curiosity. Empathy. Judgment. Trust. Those stay human.
For HR leaders navigating this moment, the invitation is clear:
- Lead with empathy
- Create safety
- Equip managers to facilitate—not dictate
And remember, resistance is a signal to listen better.
If you’re reflecting on your own AI transformation challenges, pause and ask, where might your people need more clarity, more space, or simply more reassurance?
Because really, the future of AI at work isn’t technical.
It’s deeply human.
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