Employee Engagement in the Age of. Generative AI

Generative AI empowers employees to assess their own

engagement levels and take necessary actions. Instead

of relying solely on employer-led engagement surveys,

employees can have access to AI-powered tools that provide

self-assessment and personalized recommendations. This

shift puts the power of engagement back in the hands of the

employees, enabling them to take ownership of their own

engagement and well-being

Picture this …..

Alvin, a committed employee of a leading MNC, walked into his office on a sunny morning in the summer of 2025. As he approached the entrance gate, he noticed something different — a new notification on his Mirano Office App on his “wrist phone” caught his attention. The ping read, “Hey Alvin, you look tired and worried. Is everything okay?” . His steps paused for a while, staring at that notification.

Alvin’s curiosity was piqued. How did the app know how he was feeling? With a hint of excitement, he tapped on the notification and opened the app. As he explored further, he realized that his organisation had introduced a cutting-edge employee engagement system powered by generative AI for all the employees.

The retina scan at the entrance gate was just the beginning. The organisation had implemented advanced facial recognition technology combined with sentiment analysis algorithms. This allowed the AI system to identify employees’ emotions based on their facial expressions and behaviour patterns, providing them with personalized support and engagement.

Intrigued by this newfound technology, Alvin replied to the message on the Mirano Office App, sharing his concerns about an upcoming project deadline. Within seconds, a response popped up on the screen, suggesting a few strategies to manage his workload and recommending relevant resources to help him meet the deadline successfully. Alvin couldn’t help but be amazed at how the generative AI system understood his needs and provided prompt assistance for the exact problems he was facing at the workplace.

As the day progressed, Alvin experienced first-hand the transformative power of generative AI in his work environment. The AI algorithms embedded in the office app monitored his work patterns, analysed his productivity, and recognized when he needed a break. It would remind him to take short rejuvenation breaks, guiding him through quick relaxation exercises or even suggesting a walk in the office garden to clear his mind, also offering app based schedules to manage time and schedules better. The app would create a new schedule every time something changes , thereby adapting to the needs of Alvin.

Alvin’s colleagues and team members also benefited from the generative AI system experience. The AI System promoted seamless collaboration by identifying areas of expertise among team members and facilitating connections for knowledge sharing. The AI-powered chatbot assistant in the office app provided instant answers to queries, enabling efficient communication and problem-solving. Alvin and his team found it easier than ever to work together, bouncing ideas off each other with the help of AI-generated insights, thus making brainstorming more productive and impactful.

During team meetings, the generative AI system took on the role of a silent observer, analysing conversations and providing real-time suggestions to foster inclusivity and better decision-making. It detected when certain team members were not actively participating and gently nudged them to contribute, ensuring that everyone’s voices were heard and valued.

As the weeks passed, Alvin noticed a significant improvement in his overall well-being and job satisfaction. The AI system had created a workplace environment that was attentive, supportive, and empathetic. It not only enhanced Alvin’s productivity but also nurtured his mental health and work-life balance.

The MNC’s commitment to employee engagement through generative AI became a topic of discussion beyond its walls. Other organizations recognized the tremendous benefits and began adopting similar AI-driven systems to enhance employee experiences worldwide.

Alvin and his colleagues are proud to be a part of this ground-breaking journey. They realized that their organisation had set a new standard for employee engagement, leveraging generative AI to create a workplace that prioritized their well-being and personal growth.

In the December of 2025, as Alvin sat at his desk, refreshed and motivated, he reflected on how far they had come. With generative AI as their ally, the MNC had revolutionized the concept of employee engagement, making work not just a fulfilling experience but a transformative one as well.

Does it seems like a story from fiction ? Not really, if organisations decide to embrace the power of AI and integrate systems better, this is truly a possibility.

How organizations can embrace AI in the area of Employee Engagement

The story of Alvin and his MNC is a powerful example of how generative AI can be used to transform employee engagement. Here are some specific ways that organizations can embrace AI in this area:

• Use AI to collect and analyse data about employee engagement. Engagement is not static, so collecting data and analysing it regularly using AI would help organisations grasp employee issues better and support them by providing on -demand solutions, thereby impacting employee engagement positively.
• Use AI to provide personalized support and guidance to employees. Nudging employees on aspects that are not aligned, helping employees identify their blind spots and act on them is possible using AI.
• Use AI to automate tasks that take up employees’ time and energy. Using AI for making meetings more effective, focussed and creating summaries may just be some of the examples of potential use cases of AI at workplace.
• Use AI to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment. This is debatable at the moment. Can AI reduce or would AI increase the unconscious bias ? One way to look at it is another data point that may help surface organisation biases that can be looked into for potential impact of bias at Workplace. Having said that, it may be very easy for example to analyse Performance feedbacks of all team members and bring out such instances of bias.

In the age of Generative AI, the promises of radical shifts in the Employee Engagement equation are indeed significant. Below are some of the shifts that I see happening as more and more organisations embrace Generative AI in the flow of work.

1. From the Employer to the Employee: Generative AI empowers employees to assess their own engagement levels and take necessary actions. Instead of relying solely on employer-led engagement surveys, employees can have access to AI-powered tools that provide self-assessment and personalized recommendations. This shift puts the power of engagement back in the hands of the employees, enabling them to take ownership of their own engagement and well-being.

2. From the Moment to In the Moment: Traditional engagement tools and surveys capture how employees feel at a particular moment in time. Generative AI takes it a step further by enabling real-time assessment of employee sentiment. By leveraging advanced sentiment analysis algorithms and real-time data collection, AI tools can detect and respond to changes in employee engagement on an ongoing basis. This allows organizations to address concerns promptly, making engagement a dynamic and continuous process.

3. From Reactive to Proactive: Generative AI offers the potential to shift from reactive engagement strategies to proactive ones. Rather than relying solely on post facto engagement scores, AI algorithms can predict potential engagement issues based on various factors and early warning signs. This proactive approach allows organizations to intervene and provide support before engagement levels decline, leading to more effective solutions and improved employee experiences.

4. Leadership Support: Generative AI tools can provide valuable insights and support to leaders in managing and improving employee engagement. Instead of leaving leaders to grapple with engagement data and figure out solutions themselves, AI algorithms can analyse data, identify patterns, and generate actionable recommendations. This empowers leaders with the necessary support and guidance to address engagement challenges more effectively and efficiently.

5. HR Led: Generative AI shifts the role of HR from being merely “controlled” to being truly “led” in the realm of employee engagement. By leveraging sentiment analysis and data mining techniques, AI tools can uncover hidden factors contributing to engagement issues beyond what is apparent. This enables HR to gain deeper insights into the root causes of engagement challenges and take a more strategic and targeted approach in addressing them. AI-powered tools can uncover nuanced aspects such as manager behaviour, work pressure, and other factors that impact engagement, leading to more comprehensive and informed HR interventions.

In conclusion, Generative AI holds great promise in revolutionizing employee engagement by shifting the focus to employees themselves, enabling real-time assessment and intervention, promoting proactive strategies, supporting leaders, and empowering HR with deeper insights. By harnessing the power of AI, organizations can create a more engaged workforce, driving higher productivity, satisfaction, and overall success.

To my HR colleagues — isn’t it time to bring back the E (Employee) into Employee Engagement ?