Recap: Agile Workforce Planning in the Age of AI with Chief People Officer Courtney Cherry Ellis

 Workforce planning has always been a balancing act—aligning business needs, financial realities, and employee expectations. But with AI and automation reshaping the way we work, the traditional approaches are evolving. In a recent CandorIQ webinar, Haris Ikram, Co-Founder & CEO, sat down with Courtney Cherry Ellis, Former CPO & Current Talent Advisor, to explore how HR leaders can embrace agile workforce planning in this new era.

I highly recommend watching the full conversation, but I’ve highlighted five key takeaways below. 

1. More Than Just Headcount

Courtney set the stage by emphasizing that workforce planning isn’t just about numbers—it’s a core business strategy. “Workforce planning is your people strategy, but at its core, it’s your business strategy,” she noted early in the conversation. This means moving beyond just benchmarking data and static plans. Instead, HR leaders need to think critically about how to apply workforce insights to drive long-term success.

2. The Shift to Agile Workforce Planning

One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation was how workforce planning is changing. Traditionally, organizations created annual workforce plans, but that approach is no longer sufficient. Courtney highlighted the shift toward agile planning—an ongoing, iterative approach that allows companies to adapt to real-time changes. “Planning is people-dependent, and people are agile and ever-changing,” she pointed out. This flexibility is key as organizations navigate evolving business needs and emerging technologies.

3. AI as a Workforce Planning Tool

When discussing how AI fits into this transformation, Courtney shared a compelling example of using AI models to streamline workforce planning processes. She worked with a company that integrated AI into its workforce planning efforts, saving significant time while making smarter, data-driven decisions. “What would you do differently? Use AI to do it better,” she stated.

AI isn’t just about automation—it’s about elevating HR’s role. New tools can help HR teams move beyond administrative tasks and focus on strategic business partnerships. “There’s so much work we wish we could get to, and new tools can help us elevate that work,” Courtney explained. She also emphasized that AI adoption is an opportunity for HR to lead: “I think of the introduction of AI into work as a time for People teams to shine because they’re often the leaders of change management.”

4. Creating the Right Environment for AI Adoption

For AI to be successfully integrated into workforce planning, organizations need the right cultural foundation. Courtney outlined three key factors for AI adoption:

1. A high-trust environment
2. A learning-focused, feedback-centric culture
3. A growth mindset that embraces feedback and iteration

Without these elements, even the best AI tools won’t drive meaningful impact. Haris reinforced this point in his closing remarks, stating that “if you’re using AI as an organization, you need to be high trust and have feedback and support learning.”

5. The Future of HR and Workforce Planning

Both Haris and Courtney agreed that AI will change HR roles—but in a positive way. “I think our jobs will change,” Courtney noted. However, instead of replacing HR professionals, AI enables them to focus on strategic initiatives. “As People team leaders, we need to lean into the job as a strategic partner, and that gives us more job security. The more we change our jobs now to be more strategic, the better off we are.”

That shift might not be immediate. In the short term, doing things manually may feel faster, but over time, AI will prove to be more efficient and impactful. “The first time you do it manually will probably be faster than using AI,” Courtney acknowledged, “but in the long run, it will be faster and better.”

Haris wrapped up the discussion by reinforcing a few key points:

• Workforce planning isn’t just about P&L and headcount; it’s about aligning people strategy with business strategy.
• AI adoption requires a strong foundation of trust, feedback, and continuous learning.
• People teams have a critical role in driving this mindset shift and leading organizational change.
• Effective workforce planning isn’t just about workflows and processes—it’s about embedding agility into the workforce itself.

As AI continues to reshape workforce planning, HR leaders have a unique opportunity to step up, embrace new tools, and drive meaningful business impact. 

Missed the live session? Watch the full webinar on demand here.