HR Leaders Struggle to Balance AI Adoption with Human-Centricity

McLean & Company released its latest report, The Power of Human-Centricity, during the McLean Signature 2026 conference to address this widening gap. The research warns that prioritizing speed and efficiency over human experience often results in long-term retention challenges. According to Kelly Berte, practice lead at the firm, organizations must stop treating human-centricity as an abstract value and start embedding it as a disciplined practice within work design and technology procurement.

The firm’s data highlights that human-centric leadership is a significant competitive advantage. Organizations with executives highly proficient in these competencies are 2.2 times more likely to achieve their strategic goals. The report outlines three critical areas where this focus generates value: technology adoption rates, employee psychological safety, and overall market competitiveness. By moving human-centricity from a theoretical priority to a measurable strategic lens, HR departments can ensure that AI-driven changes foster stability rather than workforce burnout.