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Adaptability is a key trait for any successful CHRO. As AI is rapidly adopted in organizations, CHROs are taking on the brunt of managing that change and ensuring employees are on board. Today, we'll look at different strategies to mitigate qualms and motivate employees to boost company success. Also in this issue:

🛃 Online payment for H-1B visas
🧑‍⚖️ Legal standing for religious accommodations
🌲 Dollar Tree's modernization strategy

Here's a look at what we're seeing, what it means, what we're anticipating, what's resonating and what you think about today’s workplace. Let's get SMART!

Workplace transformation often involves major changes that can be uncomfortable for employees. It's important to consider the human element from the outset to foster resilience and well-being. With the "five Cs" of transformation -- care, communication, connection, coping and customization -- CHROs can prioritize employee support and psychological safety to create a more successful and sustainable transformation process.

Jay Shetty, chief purpose officer at Calm, emphasized the importance of adaptability amid ongoing change driven by AI at LinkedIn's Talent Connect conference. Shetty advised HR leaders to cultivate a conscious mindset through thankfulness, insight, mindfulness, and exercise to navigate uncertainty. He also highlighted the value of a coaching mindset and connectedness in fostering adaptability, urging HR professionals to remind themselves and leaders of the broader impact of their work.

HR leaders are adapting to the rapid adoption of AI by focusing on upskilling, workflow redesign and transparency, like Jacqui Canney at ServiceNow, who's guiding her organization by adopting product management mindsets and prioritizing transparent communication. Similarly, Workday and IBM are encouraging experimentation and peer learning through collaborative platforms and innovation challenges, aiming to make AI adoption less intimidating and foster enthusiasm for new technology.

Despite widespread agreement among leaders about AI's importance, a persistent gap exists in employee readiness, according to an Oct. 22 report from Express Employment Professional and Harris Poll. Over half of surveyed companies report lacking resources to train staff on AI, while only about 12% of workers received AI training in the past year, according to a Pew Research Center report. This ongoing skills gap challenges companies' ability to leverage AI effectively, even as usage is up six percentage points from the year prior.

AI is taking center stage in Dollar Tree's modernization efforts, says CEO Mike Creedon, who highlighted the replacement of older systems with AI-powered platforms to streamline assortment planning, inventory management and workforce hiring processes. The use of AI, such as agentics for multi-stage employee screening, is enabling greater efficiency and helping the retailer adapt to a rapidly changing retail environment.

The US Treasury has launched an online payment system for President Donald Trump's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, clarifying that the fee applies to petitions for beneficiaries outside the US. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has clarified that the fee does not apply to amendments, changes of status, or extensions for noncitizens already in the U.S.