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More Human Than Ever: How HR Can Redefine Work Through Adaptability and AI
About this episode
Transcript
About this episode
In this episode of the Future Proof HR Podcast, Thomas Kunjappu, CEO of Cleary, sits down with Sabrina Sdao, Chief Growth Officer at Thursday Strategy and former corporate strategist at Deloitte, to discuss how organizations can thrive in the age of AI through adaptability and human-centered growth.
With over a decade of experience advising companies on transformation, Sabrina shares how adaptability has become the single most important skill for every worker. From the C-suite to the front line. She explores how AI can free people from mundane tasks, allowing them to focus on creativity, problem-solving, and building more meaningful employee experiences.
Sabrina also breaks down why HR must play a central role in guiding AI adoption, how to build a culture of adaptability from the top down, and what it takes to prepare Gen Z and early-career workers for an AI-driven future without losing essential human skills.
Topics Discussed:
Why adaptability is the meta-skill for the future of work
How HR can lead AI adoption through example and experimentation
Building a culture that rewards learning, curiosity, and agility
The balance between human skills and technical fluency
The risks of skipping foundational learning in the AI era
Making work more human through personalization and purpose
How HR can stay strategic amid economic volatility
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About the guest

Sabrina Sdao
Sabrina Sdao is an experienced business leader and advisor, passionate about enabling high performance individuals and workforces. She has spent 14+ years working with and advising clients on the capabilities and skills required to enable their corporate strategies, foster innovation and define a high performance culture. Sabrina has worked across various industries such as financial services, healthcare, government, and HR Services to make work better for humans, and make humans better at work. She spent 11 years at Deloitte Consulting in Canada and is currently leading growth at Thursday Strategy.
Sabrina Sdao is an experienced business leader and advisor, passionate about enabling high performance individuals and workforces. She has spent 14+ years working with and advising clients on the capabilities and skills required to enable their corporate strategies, foster innovation and define a high performance culture. Sabrina has worked across various industries such as financial services, healthcare, government, and HR Services to make work better for humans, and make humans better at work. She spent 11 years at Deloitte Consulting in Canada and is currently leading growth at Thursday Strategy.
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Listen to the Episode

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Future Proof HR Podcast

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Listen to the Episode

The New Shape of HR: AI, Shared Services, and the Human Element
Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

Beyond the Seat at the Table: Claiming Authority through Cost Savings and Psychological Trust
Listen to the Episode

Human Connection Is the Product: Why This HR Leader Won’t Let AI Touch the Core
Listen to the Episode

Judgment Over Tools: Leading HR Through the AI Noise
Listen to the Episode

From Service to Predictive: How HR Leads AI as Business Strategy
Listen to the Episode

Future-Proofing HR in a High-Risk Industry: Lessons from the Power Grid
Listen to the Episode

Future-Proof HR Isn’t About Tools: Learning, Judgment, and Communication
Listen to the Episode

People First, AI Forward: Rethinking HR for a Faster, Smarter Future
Listen to the Episode

Learning, Thinking, Adapting: The Human Skills That Keep HR Evolving
Listen to the Episode

The Business Athletes: How HR Leaders Bring AI to Life Without the Hype
Listen to the Episode

Co-Creating AI-Ready, Truly Human Workplaces: HR as Strategic Partner, Connector, and Humanist
Listen to the Episode

AI in the Middle, Humans in the Lead: Inside a Lean, Analytics-Driven, Disaster-Tested HR Function
Listen to the Episode

Led by Curiosity: From Accidental HR to Building the Company’s GPT
Listen to the Episode

Future of HR and AI: The Mindset and Skills You Need Now
Listen to the Episode

Reinventing HR: Courage, Curiosity, and the AI-Ready Workforce
Listen to the Episode

Human at the Core: How HR and AI Drive Care, Culture, and Change
Listen to the Episode

Spreadsheets, Stories, and Strategy: What Moves HR Forward with AI
Listen to the Episode

HR’s New Era: Leading with Data, Empathy, and AI
Listen to the Episode

Stay Curious, Get Creative, Build What’s Next: The Future Proof HR Mindset
Listen to the Episode

How HR Evolved: From Paperwork to Partnership
Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

Beyond Automation: How HR Balances Speed, Trust, and the Human Touch
Listen to the Episode

The Wild West of HR Tech: Compliance, AI, and Employee Trust
Listen to the Episode

AI at Work: 7 Takeaways from OpenAI’s ChatGPT Study for HR Leaders
Listen to the Episode

Small Sessions, Big Shift: How L&D Scales AI Habits
Listen to the Episode

The People-First Pivot: From Post-Merger Chaos to a Great Place to Work
Listen to the Episode

From Chaos to Strategy: How HR Shapes Adaptive, AI-Ready Organizations
Listen to the Episode

HR in the Shadows: The Struggles and Future No One Talks About
Listen to the Episode

The Divide Is Real: Why Some HR Teams Embrace AI Change and Others Stay Stuck
Listen to the Episode

HR’s AI Reality Check: Risk, Fear, and the Case for Human Judgment
Listen to the Episode

The Adaptability Imperative: Redesigning Work and Leading Through AI Disruption
Listen to the Episode

The AI Anxiety Antidote: How HR Can Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity
Listen to the Episode

Breaking The Fear Barrier: How HR Can Lead the AI Revolution
Listen to the Episode

HR Across Decades and Industries: Building Trust, Leveraging AI, and Leading Tomorrow’s Workforce
Listen to the Episode

Distrupt The Process, Not The People: Building Human-Centered HR with AI
Listen to the Episode

HR Under Pressure: What Small Teams Can Teach Us About the Future
Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

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Listen to the Episode

From HR to Business Powerhouse: Scaling for What’s Next
Listen to the Episode

The leading podcast for the future of HR
The leading podcast for the future of HR
The future of HR is being shaped by real operators doing the work.
If you’ve led change, navigated challenges, or learned valuable lessons in people operations, we’d love to hear your perspective.
Apply below to be considered as a guest on the show.
The future of HR is being shaped by real operators doing the work.
If you’ve led change, navigated challenges, or learned valuable lessons in people operations, we’d love to hear your perspective.
Apply below to be considered as a guest on the show.