How is AI changing the way we communicate at work? And what happens to trust when employees can no longer tell whether a message from a leader was actually written by that leader?
In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with David Maffei, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Staffbase, to explore what authentic workplace communication means in the age of AI.
Together, they discuss how AI can personalize communication at scale while making it harder to know what is genuinely human, why efficiency can come at the expense of authenticity, and what happens when people begin communicating with colleagues the way they communicate with AI. They explore the connection between communication, trust and belonging, why knowing what matters to employees has to come before communicating with them, and why human experience and relationships may become more valuable as AI makes intelligence increasingly accessible.
As AI becomes embedded in everyday work, David argues that the response may be surprisingly human: communication will need to become more personal, transparent and authentic than ever before.
Whether you’re leading AI transformation, managing distributed teams, building organizational culture or simply wondering how AI will change human relationships at work, this conversation explores what we risk losing when communication becomes more automated, and what may become more valuable because of it.
Guest Information:
David Maffei is the SVP/GM Americas at Staffbase and a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience driving strategic and operational growth for both public and private companies. He leads the go-to-market strategy across the US, Canada, and Mexico, sitting on the global Executive Leadership Team and overseeing sales, marketing, operations, and customer success. With deep expertise in B2B technology, David has a proven track record in scaling teams, executing direct and indirect sales models, forging strategic alliances, and expanding internationally. His leadership has driven major growth milestones across multiple organizations, including doubling Carbonite’s B2B SaaS revenue, tripling Bridgeline Digital’s SaaS business, and establishing Akumina as a category leader through a strategic partnership with Accenture Ventures. At Staffbase, he continues to deliver exceptional value to enterprise and mid-market clients in the fast-evolving employee communications space.
Links:
https://staffbase.com/
Chapters:
00:00 How AI Is Changing Communication at Work
02:22 What Does Authentic Communication Mean in the Age of AI?
06:03 Can AI Personalization Feel Authentic?
07:55 Why Workplace Communication Needs to Start With Listening
09:16 How Can Leaders Personalize Communication at Scale?
13:50 Is AI Changing How We Communicate?
15:58 How Is AI Changing Human Communication Skills?
17:25 Does AI Efficiency Come at the Cost of Authenticity?
18:21 What Human Value Can AI Not Replace?
20:49 Why Human Communication Is a Competitive Advantage
23:04 How Do You Create Belonging in a Digital Workplace?
24:42 How Should Leaders Communicate With Distributed Teams?
28:20 Will AI Make Workplace Communication More Human?
32:12 How AI Is Blurring Work and Life
34:32 How Can You Stay Valuable in the Future of Work?
