Leading HR Transformation through People and Technology

Patricia Herrera, HR Transformation Sr. Manager, Aeromexico

Patricia Herrera is a People Enablement Leader dedicated to driving digital HR transformation by aligning innovative talent strategies with overarching business goals. Collaborating across Centers of Excellence (COEs), she leads change management initiatives, champions the adoption of digital platforms, and fosters agility fundamental components for sustainable growth, ongoing innovation, and building a future-ready workforce.

Anticipating Workforce Shifts: Powering Predictive Talent

Effective talent management solutions need to help organizations stay ahead by connecting the most relevant data and insights. Although we are still refining this approach, I believe leveraging our legacy and historical information such as employee trends, engagement survey results, and turnover patterns can be instrumental in early risk detection. Identifying skills gaps or potential attrition upstream allows organizations to act preemptively, rather than reactively.

My role was specifically crafted to empower the HR team to enhance strategic initiatives and lay the foundational groundwork necessary for successful technological integration. By analyzing this data, we develop predictive capabilities that facilitate proactive decisionmaking, enabling us to optimize workforce strategies, increase agility, and support business continuity in a rapidly changing environment.

Tech-Enabled Growth: Driven by People-Centric Leadership

Technology plays a vital role in creating dynamic, personalized career pathways that adapt to each employee’s evolving strengths, ambitions, and developmental needs. At the core of my philosophy and our company’s is the unwavering belief that people must remain at the heart of all talent decisions.

Leveraging advanced HR technologies, we could gather and analyze a holistic view of individual skills, interests, and growth aspirations. This data will empower us to co-create personalized, flexible development plans that can be adjusted as employees grow. Such approaches will foster deeper engagement, motivation, and resilience building a workforce prepared for the future.

But the success of these initiatives hinges on leadership. The most advanced tools are ineffective without committed, visionary leaders who see themselves as enablers of growth. Their dedication to serve their teams, champion development, and build platforms of opportunity is what transforms technological capabilities into meaningful progress. Without such genuine commitment, even the most sophisticated systems will fall short.

Leading with Values: Fairness in the Age of AI

From my experience, organizations must focus on providing opportunities and growth based on skills, performance, results, and potential. Leaders play a critical role in fostering a culture where talent is empowered and evaluated fairly regardless of background.

“Ultimately, HR transformation is about more than just adopting new tools and processes. It centers on empowering leaders to foster fairness, inclusion, and continuous growth making talent the true guiding force of organizational resilience”

Technology, including AI, should serve as an enabler to highlight individual strengths and potential. However, human judgment and leadership commitment remain essential to responsibly interpret insights. Creating an environment rooted in empowerment also involves fostering fairness, ensuring equal access to development opportunities, and making decisions grounded in observable results and capabilities.

Ultimately, the most effective way to promote diversity and mitigate biases is by aligning talent initiatives with core values of meritocracy and potential. This approach ensures that everyone has a fair chance to succeed based on their real abilities an essential pillar of inclusive leadership and sustainable organizational success.

Evolving HR: Talent as a Living Ecosystem

My advice to HR leaders is to embrace a holistic, interconnected approach. Talent should be seen as part of a dynamic system where skills, aspirations, and potential are continuously assessed and aligned with the organization’s evolving needs.

A concept that recently resonated with me borrowed from a TV series based on a top chef redefining his restaurant is the importance of “vibrant collaboration.” Leaders must foster a culture of energy, openness, and inclusivity setting an example for teams to follow. This collaboration isn’t limited to people; it also involves leveraging technology, data, and AI to orchestrate talent and strategy more seamlessly and effectively.

The Heart of HR Transformation: People and Technology in Harmony

Ultimately, HR transformation is about more than just adopting new tools and processes. It centers on empowering leaders to foster fairness, inclusion, and continuous growth making talent the true guiding force of organizational resilience.

When leaders commit to these values, technology becomes a powerful enabler not a substitute that strengthens human connections, promotes mutual understanding, and drives informed, agile decision-making.

By synthesizing people and technology in this way, organizations can build a vibrant, adaptive talent ecosystem ready to thrive in an ever-changing world.

AI

Agile

Business Continuity