AI is rapidly embedding itself into HR, but most organisations are solving the wrong problem. The real barrier is not technology—it is organisational courage. In this conversation with Kishore Poduri, Managing Director & Country Head – HR, DBS India, a more honest picture emerges: AI exposes what HR has long avoided—biases in leadership pipelines, discomfort with data-led decisions, and a persistent gap between intent and execution. The future of HR will not be defined by how well it adopts AI, but by how willing it is to act on what AI reveals.
Across BFSI, AI has moved quickly from experimentation to expectation. Most organisations now have AI embedded across hiring, employee experience, and workforce analytics. Yet outcomes remain uneven.“The challenge is not technology,” says Kishore Poduri, Managing Director & Country Head – HR, DBS India. “It is the human element—managing organisational change, guiding employees through transition, and cultivating an adaptable mindset.”
This gap shows up in familiar ways. Leaders continue to rely on instinct over insight. Employees remain uncertain about AI’s role in their work. Managers struggle to translate tools into better decisions. At DBS India, the response has been to normalise usage from the top. Leadership teams actively use AI in their own workflows, reducing hesitation across the organisation.
“We consistently communicate how AI is a powerful enabler, designed to boost productivity and reduce toil,” Poduri explains. At the same time, the organisation is deliberate about what should remain human. “We place immense emphasis on uniquely human capabilities such as empathy, creativity, and complex problem-solving.”
Data is no longer the problem - acting on it is
HR has gained unprecedented visibility into organisational patterns—from engagement to performance to progression. But visibility alone does not create change.
“Analytics can highlight biases or underlying assumptions,” Poduri notes. The question is whether organisations are prepared to respond.
At DBS India, employee feedback is treated as a trigger for action. Insights from the MyVoice survey, including concerns around workload, have led to targeted interventions—automation, AI tools, and redesigned workflows to reduce repetitive tasks.
“When data points to areas for improvement, we focus on early engagement and shared ownership,” he says.
This shift—from insight to shared accountability—marks the difference between data that informs and data that transforms.
Leadership pipelines don’t break - they stall
Despite sustained investment in leadership development, diversity continues to thin out at senior levels. Poduri sees this less as a pipeline issue and more as a structural one.
“Our succession planning is enhanced by iGrow, an AI-powered platform that assesses skills, recommends learning, and suggests personalised career pathways,” he explains. This enables a more dynamic view of talent—identifying adjacent skills and non-linear growth paths.
Alongside this, DBS India has built targeted interventions across career stages, including leadership programmes for women and returnship initiatives. “We prioritise programmes that empower women to recognise their readiness and aspire to larger roles.” Progression, in this context, is shaped as much by confidence and access as by capability. HR’s biggest gap isn’t skill - it is foresight
As organisations navigate rapid technological and economic shifts, expectations from HR are changing. The function is no longer evaluated only on execution, but increasingly on its ability to anticipate and prepare. “The most underdeveloped capability is proactive foresight,” says Kishore Poduri.Foresight, in this context, goes beyond workforce planning. It requires HR to develop a point of view on how work itself is evolving—what roles are likely to fragment, which skills will become critical, and how organisational structures need to adapt.
While many HR teams are investing in analytics, the translation of insight into forward-looking design remains uneven. There is still a tendency to optimise for current structures, even as those structures are being reshaped by technology and business pressures.
At DBS India, the emphasis has been on building this capability gradually—encouraging teams to look beyond immediate requirements and engage more deeply with long-term workforce shifts.
Returnships succeed or fail in how they are designed
Returnship programmes have become an important lever for organisations looking to bring experienced talent back into the workforce. Yet outcomes often vary, depending on how these programmes are structured and supported.
“Participants are integrated into real business roles and projects, supported by active sponsorship and advocacy from leadership,” Poduri explains.
This focus on real work is critical. Programmes that position returnees on the margins—through shadow roles or temporary assignments—often struggle to create long-term impact.
At the same time, reintegration requires more than role allocation. Mentorship, clear progression pathways, and an environment that allows individuals to rebuild confidence all play an important role in determining outcomes.
The distinction, therefore, is not between offering returnships and not offering them—but between designing them as transitional programmes or as genuine career re-entry pathways.
The real test of culture is the manager
Organisational culture is often articulated at the level of values and policies. But in practice, it is experienced through day-to-day interactions—most often through the manager.“Successful reintegration is a shared responsibility,” Poduri notes.
This shifts attention to a group that is frequently underprepared for its role in enabling change. Managers are expected to lead diverse teams, support returning professionals, and navigate evolving expectations—often without sufficient training or frameworks.
At DBS India, this gap is addressed through leadership development initiatives that focus on coaching, empathy, and inclusive leadership behaviours. These are reinforced through performance expectations, making inclusion and support part of how leadership is evaluated.The implication is straightforward: culture is not defined by what organisations say, but by how managers behave.
Employer brand breaks where behaviour does
Employer branding has become a central focus area for organisations, particularly in competitive talent markets. However, its credibility depends on consistency between narrative and experience.“Our employer brand reflects our purpose and values, embedded across people processes,” Poduri says.At DBS India, this alignment is reinforced by evaluating not just outcomes, but also the behaviours through which those outcomes are achieved. Feedback mechanisms further help track whether employee experience reflects stated values.
What emerges is a more operational view of the employer brand—one that is sustained through everyday decisions rather than communication alone.
Well-being doesn’t fail - design does
Well-being continues to be widely discussed, yet remains uneven in its impact across organisations.At DBS India, the approach combines digital tools, flexible policies, and community-led initiatives to create a more personalised experience. “We take a holistic and personalised approach,” Poduri explains.However, the effectiveness of these initiatives lies less in their individual components and more in how they are integrated into the flow of work. When wellbeing is positioned as a separate programme, its impact is often limited. When it is embedded into how work is structured—through workload management, flexibility, and support systems—it becomes more sustainable.
This shift from offering wellbeing to enabling it is where many organisations continue to evolve.
People don’t change as much as we think
Drawing on experience across sectors, Poduri challenges the emphasis often placed on generational differences.“The fundamental requirements and motivations across all generations remain remarkably consistent,” he says.
While preferences around communication or feedback may vary, underlying drivers such as recognition, purpose, and growth remain constant. “To effectively address these needs, it is imperative to identify the ‘iceberg’ beneath the surface.”
For HR leaders, this requires moving beyond visible behaviours and understanding the deeper motivations that shape how individuals engage with work.
The real shift: from insight to intent
As AI continues to evolve, its role in HR will expand. But the more significant shift is already underway.Organisations today have greater access to data and insight than ever before. The constraint is no longer visibility. It is action.
The organisations that move ahead will not necessarily be those with the most advanced tools, but those that are willing to respond decisively to what those tools reveal.
As featured in The Economic Times (ET HRWorld)
World’s Best Bank 2025, 2021, 2019, Euromoney
World’s Best Bank for Customer Experience 2025, Euromoney
World’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility 2025, 2023, Euromoney
Asia’s Safest Bank, 2009 – 2025, Global Finance
Best Bank in the World 2022, Global Finance
India’s Best International Bank 2021, Asiamoney
World’s Best Banks - #1 in India 2021, Forbes
World’s Safest Commercial Bank 2021, Global Finance
