Merck is giving about 5,000 employees early access to Nadia, an AI coaching tool from Valence, to help managers prepare for year-end performance reviews. Chief HR officer Betty Larson says the tool helps "find the right words, the right sentiment" and build empathy for high-stakes conversations.
This reflects a broader shift: employers are expanding AI beyond productivity into wellbeing and development. Platforms from Workday, Microsoft, Culture Amp, and Remesh now gauge employee sentiment, while data-gathering tools compile work dossiers for reviews. AI coaching guides managers through difficult feedback.
A Gartner study shows 53% of global workers used AI in Q2 2026, up from 51% in Q1, and 84% of non-users would adopt corporate tools if offered. Yet Caroline Rawlinson, CEO of Culture Amp, warns: "If it feels like surveillance, people will stop being honest. They will lose trust."
AI can analyse engagement surveys in minutes instead of weeks, but safeguards are essential. Rawlinson stresses AI should be "the analyst, not the judge." Parker Mitchell, Valence CEO, notes some users prefer AI because they "do not feel judged."
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing