How HR Can Use AI to Transform Mental Health at Work

AI is changing everything but is HR ready for it?

In this episode of The Plumm Pod, Georgia sits down with Lorraine Hunt, a 35-year HR veteran turned AI educator, to explore how artificial intelligence can be a game-changing tool for workplace mental health when used right.

We dive deep into:

How HR can proactively use AI for early mental health intervention

The importance of privacy and data ethics in AI implementation

Real examples of how AI is automating referrals, check-ins, and sentiment analysis

Why HR teams must evolve their mindset to lead AI-driven wellbeing strategies

Lorraine shares her unconventional journey from legal secretary to tech-forward HR leader, and explains why now not later is the time for HR to get comfortable with AI.

00:00 – Intro: AI + Mental Health in HR

01:10 – Lorraine Hunt’s HR journey: From legal secretary to AI educator

04:45 – Why HR needs to care about AI right now

07:20 – First tip: Before anything else, think about data privacy

09:15 – What AI can (and can't) do for mental health at work

12:08 – Predictive insights: spotting problems before they escalate

15:30 – How tools like Plum's Emma change early intervention

17:42 – Should AI be analysing Slack or Teams messages?

20:01 – The missing piece: AI strategy for mental health

24:40 – Creating ethical, proactive wellbeing dashboards

28:50 – Why HR pros often get no AI training

30:14 – Practical prompts: Using AI to write referrals and scripts

33:40 – The role of transparency and consent

35:25 – Helping managers get comfortable with mental health conversations

37:55 – Training AI to scan for mental health red flags

41:10 – Using AI to automate nudges and check-ins

43:50 – Will AI ever replace the human element?

46:00 – What's next: AI agents, evolving job roles & the future of HR

50:40 – Advice to HR pros: “Just try it. What’s the worst that can happen?”

52:30 – Final thoughts: Relax, adapt, and grow with it