AI is affecting HR by taking over repetitive administrative work, especially in recruiting, screening, scheduling, and basic benefits questions. Matt Barkley argues the real value is not replacing HR professionals. It is giving them more time for coaching, employee support, corrective action, culture, and decisions that still require human judgment. 

Episode Summary 

AI is getting plenty of attention in HR, but the most useful conversations are the practical ones: Where does it actually help? Where does it create risk? And where does the human side of HR still matter most? 

In this episode of People-ing with Purpose, Mary Beth Meadows and Katie Saliba talk with Matt Barkley, Chief Human Resources Officer at Great Southern Wood Preserving, about how AI and HR technology are changing the way companies recruit, screen applicants, answer common questions, and reduce administrative drag. 

Matt brings the conversation back to fit. Technology can help companies move faster, but it should be evaluated through the lens of the business, the culture, and the people who will use it. His advice is straightforward: take your time, ask better questions, and make sure the tool supports the way your company actually works. 

Guest Bio 

Matt Barkley is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Great Southern Wood Preserving, the largest wood-preserving company in the country, with approximately 2,400 team members across 13 states. 

Matt has worked in HR for more than 30 years across public and privately held companies. His experience includes HR strategy, talent alignment, systems implementation, employee development, and organizational support. In this episode, he brings a practical operator’s view to the conversation around AI: where it can help, where it can’t, and why HR leaders should protect the human side of the work. 

What You’ll Learn 

In this episode, Mary Beth, Katie, and Matt discuss: 

• How HR technology has moved the profession away from paper-heavy administrative work 
• Why AI is most useful for repetitive and transactional HR tasks 
• How AI can improve recruiting, screening, interview scheduling, and candidate experience 
• Why leaders should be careful about using AI in employee relations, coaching, corrective action, and sensitive workplace issues 
• How to think about bias, data quality, and legal risk when adopting HR technology 
• Why company culture should guide technology decisions 
• How Great Southern Wood Preserving is using HR technology to reduce time-to-hire 
• Why moving fast with AI is less important than choosing tools that fit the business 

If this episode made you think differently about AI, HR systems, or the tools your business is considering next, share it with your leadership team. 

For more conversations about HR, staffing, leadership, and people strategy, listen to more episodes of People-ing with Purpose. 

Connect with PRemployer

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• Connect with our hosts on LinkedIn: 
  • Katie Saliba 
  • Mary Beth Meadows