Friday, June 26, 2026

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• An update on the Values at Work program
• Meet Waterloo's 2026 Schulich Leaders
• Reimagining work in the age of AI: How employer-employee relationships are evolving

An update on the Values at Work program

At the end of April, Waterloo launched Values at Work, a recognition program that celebrates Waterloo employees who exemplify our three institutional values in their day-to-day work: Think Differently, Act with Purpose, and Work Together.  The program is a meaningful opportunity for employees to recognize and uplift their colleagues. 

Since launching, we have received over 100 entries from across campus. Submissions have come in from all corners of the University and share the signature mark of Waterloo’s deep commitment to innovation and collaboration. They talk of employees modelling resilience and connection in times of limited resources, of teams that keep quality at the forefront in every detail of their work, and of colleagues making a significant difference in the lives of their peers by offering gestures of support and encouragement.  

Get inspired by reading through the community recognition web page, and take a moment to nominate a colleague to show your appreciation.  

Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to participate in this meaningful program. 

Meet Waterloo's 2026 Schulich Leaders

The University of Waterloo will welcome a new cohort of Schulich Leader Scholarship recipients to campus this fall.  

The winners represent the best and the brightest in Canada, who will enrol in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) program at 20 partner universities across Canada. 

The 2026 Schulich Leader Scholarships winners are:  

• Melind Bhroat — Science and Business  

• Anna Denisova — Computer Engineering  

• Angela Ho — Business and Computer Science Double Degree  

• Kaumudi Jeevendra — Mechanical Engineering  

• Shiza Khan — Mechatronics Engineering 

• Jerry Li — Computer Science 

• Onna Okeke — Mechatronics Engineering 

• Noah Robinson — Electrical Engineering 

• Bill Xu — Computer Science 

• Sophia Xu — Computer Science 

Schulich Leader Scholarships are one of Canada’s most prestigious undergraduate STEM scholarships, worth $100,000 to $120,000 per student. One hundred awards are granted each year to students who demonstrate not only strong grades, but also a dedication to community service. 

Reimagining work in the age of AI: How employer-employee relationships are evolving

This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

For much of the last century, the relationship between employers and employees was defined by structure, hierarchy and predictability. Work was something you went to, jobs had clear boundaries, and human resources (HR) was largely an administrative function. According to Chad Hiley (BA ’98, MAcc ’98), Canadian Leader at WTW, that model has fundamentally shifted — and it continues to evolve at an accelerating pace.

Over the course of his career, Hiley has watched the HR function shift into something new.

“Ultimately, it’s moved from something that was really a payroll function, and in some cases a payroll and benefits function, to something that’s a strategic business partner,” he says. “It’s much more forward-looking now, focused on talent, succession and long-term human capital outcomes.”

That shift has reshaped the employer–employee relationship. Organizations used to emphasize compliance and control, but today’s employees expect autonomy, flexibility and a clear sense of purpose. Hiley notes that employees are no longer satisfied with slow decision-making or rigid hierarchies. Employees expect faster decisions from work, along with more independence and less hierarchy — a reflection of flatter organizations and the speed at which work itself is changing.

How to engage employees

At the same time, organizations are rethinking what truly keeps people engaged. While compensation remains important, Hiley argues it is often overemphasized at the expense of factors that matter more over the long term.

“Employers overestimate pay and underestimate the importance of the manager you report to, your personal growth and whether you feel like you belong,” he says. “If managers spent more time on employee experience, they would see greater retention and higher performance.”

Looking ahead, Hiley believes the most successful organizations will be those that invest heavily in helping employees stay relevant. Skills are becoming the core currency of work, not climbing the ladder.

“Things are moving so fast now. Organizations that can help their employees build future-ready skills are going to be the ones that outperform,” he says. “That builds loyalty, reduces the cycle of hire-and-fire, and creates a much stronger employee experience.”

AI brings new approaches — and tradeoffs

Artificial intelligence is a major driver of that change. Hiley describes AI not as a distant future concept, but as a tool that has already transformed how work gets done.

“AI was not something that I used in my day job two years ago,” he says. “I don’t know that I could do without it now.”

Rather than eliminating work altogether, Hiley sees AI as forcing organizations to rethink how work is designed. Tasks that are repetitive or highly standardized can be automated, while human effort is redirected toward judgment, creativity and relationship-building. This doesn’t mean people managers disappear — but their roles may evolve. Hiley argues that organizations will still need leaders who can guide, develop and support people, even as they learn to manage AI-enabled tools and agents.

The challenge for employers, he says, is navigating a series of new trade-offs: speed versus certainty, standardization versus flexibility, automation versus human connection. Making the right choices requires a longer-term view of value — and a willingness to accept some ambiguity.

“Short-term cost is easy to measure,” Hiley notes, “but investments in talent and culture play out over years, not quarters.”

Ultimately, Hiley believes the future of work will reward organizations that balance innovation with empathy. AI may reshape jobs and workflows, but trust, belonging and meaningful human connection will remain central to the employer–employee relationship.

“We’re all students of history. The work will keep changing, but the organizations that remember the human side of it will be the ones that succeed.”