The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR 269 - Hybrid Teams = People + Agents: Jessica Swank (Chief People Officer, Box)
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Nov 21, 2025 Jessica Swank, Chief People Officer at Box, shares insights on integrating AI into organizational strategies. She discusses building an 'org brain' and the necessity for managers to lead hybrid teams of humans and agents. Jessica outlines Box's three pillars for AI: Optimize, Elevate, Amplify, emphasizing the importance of rethinking job roles and skills for an AI-driven future. She also addresses managing agent performance, avoiding tech debt, and encouraging HR leaders to experiment with AI personally to stay ahead in the evolving landscape.
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AI As A Three‑Part Business Strategy
- Box treats AI as embedded in product, people, and processes, making AI a company-wide strategy.
- Jessica Swank says this requires rethinking org design, skills, and workflows to capture value.
Pilot, Prioritize, Then Scale
- Run internal hackathons, prioritize ideas by impact and feasibility, then execute top bets.
- Align pilots to company strategy and product roadmaps to scale effective projects fast.
Recruiting Agent Saved Hours
- Box built an internal recruiting agent that captures intake calls and creates hiring collateral.
- The agent saves roughly four to six hours per role and allowed coverage when team members were on leave.
