HP's Dave Shull on Workforce Solutions AI and Global Collaboration at HP Imagine 2024

Summary

Transcript

Craig Durr:
Hey everybody. This is Craig Durr, Chief Analyst and Founder of the Collab Collective. I'm still here at HP Imagine 2024. This is a fabulous event with a lot of great announcements coming out. I’m fortunate to have someone with me who had a whole boatload of great announcements—Dave Shull, President of Workforce Solutions. My pleasure. How are you doing?

Dave Shull:
Doing great. It’s been a year since we last sat down, and I think it was in this very room!

Craig Durr:
I think so too. And I have to say, the amount of information that came out from your business unit was phenomenal. You all have been super busy over this last year, right?

Dave Shull:
The team will be glad to hear that! We’re busy, we’re executing, and we’re pushing forward.

Craig Durr:
Let’s start with some of the exciting announcements. You recently leaned into research about workplace experience and people’s relationship with work. Can you tell me more about the Work Relationship Index?

Dave Shull:
Absolutely. We conducted a global study in 12 countries with over 15,000 respondents. The focus was understanding if people feel engaged at work. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, less than 30% of people reported a good work relationship index. This year it moved from 27% to 28%, a minimal improvement.

Craig Durr:
It’s concerning for leaders. However, you highlighted that technology—particularly AI—can have a positive impact. Tell me more about how AI can elevate engagement.

Dave Shull:
We found that employees who actively use AI at work report an 11% higher engagement. Considering we’re working from a base of 27%, that’s a big jump. It shows that the right tools, along with leadership empathy, can enhance work relationships.

Craig Durr:
Let’s dive into the Workforce Experience Platform. This is your pride and joy, right? It's a platform that consolidates insights into a single pane of glass. What can you share about it?

Dave Shull:
Yes, the Workforce Experience Platform pulls together 64 different services across HP, covering everything from PCs to printers. The idea is to simplify things for IT managers, helping them gauge employee engagement and identify digital friction points. We’ve rolled it out to almost 300,000 devices across some of the largest companies globally, and the feedback has been phenomenal.

Craig Durr:
And you’re now expanding the beta, correct?

Dave Shull:
That’s right. We’re expanding it across the US and plan to bring it to more geographies. Plus, we’re adding the capability to monitor printers and collaboration gear.

Craig Durr:
That’s a significant step forward. One of the other big announcements was around Advanced REmote REmidiation. Can you explain that?

Dave Shull:
Of course. Imagine you're at a coffee shop, and your PC crashes. Typically, you’d need to ship it back to IT or try remote access, which often fails if a reboot is needed. We’ve developed a solution that allows IT support to access and fix your device remotely, even in challenging situations like a blue screen of death.

Craig Durr:
That’s incredible, and I believe it's a first-of-its-kind technology?

Dave Shull:
Yes, it’s the first on the market, and we’re excited about its potential.

Craig Durr:
You’ve also built an advisory service around AI, particularly Co-Pilot. Can you share more about that?

Dave Shull:
Absolutely. Customers always ask how HP is using AI. We’ve partnered with them to provide use cases and help them understand which AI-driven PCs and software apps suit their needs. This advisory service tailors our experience to their unique needs.

Craig Durr:
That’s great. But HP is not just about technology for enterprises; you’re also focused on community support through the HOPE Program. Can you elaborate?

Dave Shull:
This is something I’m proud of. We refurbish PCs and distribute them to underserved communities around the world. In countries like Switzerland, the UK, and Brazil, we’re giving kids and communities access to technology they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Craig Durr:
That’s incredible. And the goal is to expand this worldwide, correct?

Dave Shull:
Yes, it’s a global problem, and we’re committed to addressing it.

Craig Durr:
One last topic—HP Managed Collaboration Services. You’re expanding this globally now as well. What’s that about?

Dave Shull:
We’ve had great success in helping customers manage hybrid work environments, especially in conference rooms. Our global monitoring centers allow us to address issues like unplugged cables in real-time. We’re now ready to scale this service globally.

Craig Durr:
That’s a huge step in removing digital friction from the workplace. Looking forward, what’s next for your business unit, especially with AI and these global services?

Dave Shull:
We’re just scratching the surface with AI. Our vision is to have AI act as a personal assistant that understands what you’re doing and provides relevant support. With HP’s broad portfolio, we have the tools to make that vision a reality.

Craig Durr:
It’s exciting to see where HP is headed. Thanks so much for your time, Dave. It was a great conversation.

Dave Shull:
Thank you, Craig. It’s always a pleasure.

Craig Durr:
This is Craig Durr with the Collab Collective, live from HP Imagine 2024. Thanks for tuning in!