Employees probably aren't resisting new technology because they're afraid of it. They're resisting because leadership and HR haven't explained what it's really going to be used for. That's the insight from Melanie Lougee, Workday's vice president of experience and vision, who recently shared her perspective in a conversation with HR Executive tech editor Jill Barth at HR Tech 2025.

We asked Lougee about the challenges HR leaders face, and her answers went well beyond product features. During the chat, Lougee talked about where HR technology is heading, why retention strategies are shifting and what really matters when it comes to AI adoption.

Here are five insights from the conversation, but be sure to watch the entire interview above: