Empowering Talent in the Age of AI Innovation | Gaurav Sharma | CHRO | BalanceHero

As artificial intelligence reshapes financial services, companies are discovering new opportunities to elevate their workforce—transforming roles through collaboration rather than replacement.

Across India’s vibrant fintech companies, an exciting evolution is underway. The very same AI tools that are democratizing financial access for millions are creating opportunities to reimagine how teams work and grow.

“How will AI enhance our risk assessment capabilities? What new possibilities will intelligent systems create for our teams?” These questions are now sparking productive conversations at all levels of fintech organizations. At BalanceHero, I have witnessed this curiosity transform into meaningful innovation. AI-powered credit scoring systems and customer service platforms are amplifying human judgment and expertise, enabling us to serve more customers with greater precision. In the fintech world’s 24/7 environment of rapid innovation, this evolution presents an opportunity to rethink how we support, develop and most importantly retain talent.

Retention – An Opportunity

Traditional retention challenges—compensation alignment, career advancement, and work-life balance—remain important considerations, now complemented by the need to help employees navigate technological change positively. When experienced employees leave, organizations lose valuable institutional knowledge about AI model performance, regulations, and customer behaviors that takes years to develop.

At BalanceHero, we have embraced the opportunity to redefine the relationship between employees and technology. Our philosophy: position AI as a powerful collaborator that amplifies and harnesses human potential.

Enriching Roles – Real Time

In practice, this means our AI-assisted underwriting systems haven’t eliminated underwriters—they’ve empowered them to extend credit to underserved communities previously excluded from traditional banking solutions. This represents an important mindset shift that reframes technology as an enabler for greater impact.

We have implemented several innovative strategies to strengthen retention in the AI era:

1. Financial incentives have evolved beyond base salary—equity participation and performance-based bonuses now work alongside wellness-focused financial incentives and real-time recognition systems that celebrate judgment, problem-
solving, and collaboration that showcase uniquely human capabilities.

2. Career progression has been liberated from traditional hierarchy. As automation transforms role structures, we’ve redefined growth as continuous skill development. Quarterly skill reviews ensure employees stay at the forefront of emerging capabilities, while clear pathways help team members build AI/ML expertise and human-machine collaboration skills.

3. Flexible work policies prioritize sustainable performance. Core collaborative hours, no-meeting Fridays, and generous leave programs support long-term engagement and wellbeing. We’re also piloting AI-enabled engagement analytics to understand work patterns and proactively support team members—using technology thoughtfully to enhance the employee experience.

4. Transparency builds from day one. When introducing new AI tools, we brief affected teams immediately about how their work will evolve and expand. Open-door policies, skip-level check-ins, and “stay interview” processes surface opportunities to better support our people.

The Mission Advantage

Perhaps our most powerful retention strategy is also the most fundamental: purpose. Employees don’t just process loan transactions—they create first-time access to digital credit for rural families. They establish credit histories for populations previously invisible to the financial system. We regularly share impact stories that connect daily efforts to transformative outcomes.

What I’ve observed: employees don’t leave because we use AI tools. They leave when they feel disconnected from meaningful work. They stay when they see themselves as valued contributors to an important mission, using technology to reduce barriers between consumers and financial opportunity.

The Opportunity Ahead

Four years into our Great Place to Work certification journey, we continue to navigate an exciting tension. As fintech becomes increasingly technological, we’ve learned that retention strategies must become increasingly human-centered. Our approach—delegating routine tasks to AI while reserving judgment, creativity, empathy, and ethical reasoning for people—is creating new possibilities for both efficiency and impact.

Whether this model scales beyond mission-driven fintechs remains an exciting question to explore. As workplace AI adoption continues, our journey can provide valuable perspective on the possibilities facing employers responding to one of the most transformative periods in modern work.