Some of the biggest issues affecting human resource (HR) leaders include artificial intelligence (AI), flexible work arrangements, and employee wellness, according to leaders taking part in an HR Exchange Sunday during America’s Credit Unions’ 2024 HR & Organizational Development Council Conference in St. Pete Beach, Fla.

The discussion, led by moderators Jamie Gower, vice president of HR at $1.9 billion asset WESTconsin Credit Union in Menomonie, Wis., and Lisa Baron, executive vice president/chief HR officer at $5.9 billion asset BCU in Vernon Hills, Ill., addressed these issues:

Artificial intelligence

While most employees don’t believe AI will take their jobs, those conversations are coming.

Attendees using AI in their HR operations do so to establish management goals, write training and development procedures, create interview questions, write job descriptions, and compare handbooks and policies during mergers.

Some attendees stressed the importance of forming an AI task force to determine the credit union’s framework, policies, and guidelines on appropriate use of AI. Others emphasized using AI internally before releasing member-facing solutions.

Flexible work arrangements

The broad workplace changes brought on by the pandemic are still impacting the workforce. Some credit unions mandate in-office work, others never brought employees back to the office, and some have hybrid setups.

While some attendees say staff morale is at an all-time high thanks in part to remote work, others find that hybrid workplaces have created a divide between member-facing and back-office employees, who are in-person and remote, respectively.

“We don’t want to create two different cultures,” says one attendee, while another tells remote workers they may need to put in more effort to get promoted.

Some credit unions are experimenting with increased flexibility, such as four 10-hour workdays, while keeping in mind they must fulfill branch hours and meet member needs.

To free staff vacation time, one credit union allows employees to work and be paid for 38 hours during weeks they have an appointment, rather than using two of their paid time off (PTO) hours. Other attendees have seen increased staff spirit since implementing unlimited PTO.

Another credit union frees up employees’ time by offering a concierge so people don’t have to spend their lunch hours running errands.

Multiple attendees say their credit unions’ no Friday meeting policy has improved staff flexibility.

Employee mental health and wellness

Acknowledging that employees and members are showing high levels of stress, credit union HR departments have increased support for employee mental health.

To do so, some provide more leave time and PTO, wellness days and wellness spending accounts for self-care, in-office wellness rooms for relaxation and stress relief, conflict resolution training, and in-office health coaches or psychiatric support.

Other topics attendees addressed: performance reviews, training and upskilling, remote onboarding and offboarding, pay equity transparency, legal and regulatory changes, and HR software.