Use AI to practice pay, performance chats before manager meeting
New AI coaching tools are emerging to help managers prepare for difficult workplace conversations, such as performance reviews or salary discussions. These tools allow managers to practice delivering hard messages, improving their tone, delivery, and message, and addressing common blind spots like constructive criticism and anticipating employee reactions.
Why it matters
This technology can significantly improve managerial effectiveness and employee relations by equipping managers with better communication skills for sensitive topics, potentially leading to more positive workplace outcomes and reduced HR issues.
Few managerial duties are harder than telling an employee their performance is falling short, they won't get the raise they expected or their job is being eliminated . Uncomfortable workplace conversations are unlikely to go away. But new AI coaching tools can help managers deliver hard messages, especially in the preparation phase before these sticky conversations take place.
To be sure, delivering hard news is an area where many managers need help — especially those early on in their careers. A July survey fielded by The Predictive Index, which offers a text-based chatbot, Obi, that assists with role-playing, coaching and preparing managers for difficult conversations, found that while 74% of CEOs and business leaders say their managers are "very confident" handling tough people conversations on their own, 42% of managers say they know what they want to say but struggle with how to say it.
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