Webinar: From Buzzword to Business Impact

Speakers

• Vanesa Cotlar, VP People, PolicyMe
• Amy Mencarelli, Director of People and Culture, Bloomerang
• Jeet Mukerji, CEO and Cofounder, Kinfolk

Why we hosted this session

AI has become a staple in HR conference decks and vendor pitches but how are real teams actually using it?

Most conversations stay surface-level. We wanted to go deeper.

In this session, Kinfolk’s CEO Jeet Mukerji sat down with two People leaders on the front lines of AI experimentation. Vanesa Cotlar and Amy Mencarelli shared the tools they’re using, what they’ve built internally, what worked, what didn’t, and how they’re approaching change management around AI.

Vanesa Cotlar, PolicyMe: Building AI workflows that save real time

Vanesa’s team didn’t wait for a plug-and-play solution. They started building their own workflows using ChatGPT.

Their approach was to use AI for repeatable, low-leverage writing tasks. Then train the output to reflect your company’s voice, format, and expectations.

What they built:

• Job description generator: Inputs a job title and outputs a draft in PolicyMe’s preferred format and tone 80% ready.
• 30-60-90 day plan builder: Streamlines onboarding plans tailored to role type.
• Performance review assistant: Tailored GPT that mirrors the structure of PolicyMe’s internal review process used by 60% of managers in its first cycle.

“We’re not just typing into a chat. We’ve built workflows that are trained, repeatable, and actually save time.”

Vanesa’s team also made AI literacy part of their remit. Once she proved it could be done, she got her team building too.

“I said: this is the way of the future. Let’s learn it.”

Amy Mencarelli, Bloomerang: Embedding AI in the everyday

Amy’s team took a slightly different approach. Instead of building custom tools, they focused on adopting what was already available, namely, Google’s Gemini.

Their challenge was making it stick.

“We said, the tool is here, go use it. But that wasn’t enough. We had to focus on embedding it into daily workflows.”

What they tackled:

• Refreshing internal comms: They ran existing message templates through Gemini to improve tone, fit, and clarity, especially important for a fully remote org.
• Creating natural touchpoints: Adoption went up when they gave real-world use cases, like “rewrite this draft” or “summarize this meeting.”

Amy also highlighted how internal comms is often overlooked when it comes to AI, despite being one of the most writing-heavy, high-stakes tasks in HR.

“It’s one of the few things every employee touches. And in remote work, it’s how culture shows up.”

What worked, and what didn’t

Both leaders had wins but also shared the hard parts.

What worked:

• Clear time savings (especially in drafting and documentation)
• Higher quality and consistency across written outputs
• Faster ramp-up for new managers and people leads
• Confidence boost for HR teams to learn new tools

What didn’t:

• “Access” doesn’t mean “adoption” you need enablement
• Not every use case benefits (L&D and sensitive feedback need human nuance)
• Early stigma still exists, some employees are afraid to admit they haven’t tried AI yet

“We had to create space for people to play. So they don’t feel behind because catching up isn’t actually that hard.” —Vanesa
“The biggest lift isn’t tech. It’s getting people to try it the first time.” —Amy

How they think about introducing AI to the org

Both Vanesa and Amy made it clear: AI isn’t just another tool. It changes how people work, and that needs guidance.

Here’s how they’re approaching rollouts:

• Use real examples – It’s easier to show “here’s how we use it” than explain abstract concepts.
• Start with small workflows – Reduces resistance and builds momentum without overwhelming the team.
• Train tools on internal tone & values – Prevents “generic AI” output that managers won’t trust or use.
• Normalize learning in public – Encourages experimentation by making it safe to admit you’re still figuring it out.
• Encourage peer learning – Adoption spreads faster when people see each other using it in real ways.

“You don’t need a 12-month AI roadmap. Just find a process that’s annoying and fix that first.” —Jeet

Takeaways for HR leaders

If you’re in HR and still figuring out how to bring AI into the mix, this session made one thing clear: the bar to get started is lower than it seems.

Here’s what Amy and Vanesa would tell you:

• Start with a problem you already know is painful (e.g. job ads, review writing, internal comms).
• Don’t try to sell AI. Show how it solves that problem faster or better.
• Expect to repeat yourself - most people won’t adopt on the first try.
• Make space to play. AI skills build fastest when people can test without fear.

Final word

This isn’t about automating HR out of existence. It’s about removing the stuff that slows you down, so you can spend more time on the work that matters.

AI’s not replacing your team. But it will reshape what your team spends its time on—and that’s the real business impact.

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