After over three decades of building talent, nurturing leadership, and shaping workplace cultures, Sharad Verma, VP & CHRO, Iris Software, is stepping into a new role—one that brings together his vast experience in HR with a deep personal inquiry into the future of work. With the launch of The Friendly CHRO (www.friendlyCHRO.com), Verma invites fellow professionals into a space of thoughtful dialogue, reflection, and learning—at a time when the world of work is evolving faster than ever.
“I’ve spent most of my working life in HR—asking questions, listening to people, and trying to understand what helps them grow, stay, or sometimes leave,” he shares. That lived experience has led him to confront one of the biggest challenges facing organisations today: the tension between artificial intelligence and authentic human connection.
“Staying human in a world that is increasingly artificial is difficult,” Verma observes. It’s a candid acknowledgment of a shift that many HR professionals are grappling with. As AI reshapes everything from hiring to performance reviews, HR’s identity—and its potential—are being redefined.
“Something has changed. Over the past couple of years, a quiet revolution has begun to reshape the way we work. Tools are getting smarter. Processes are getting faster.” He continues, “AI is no longer just a buzzword—it’s part of our daily work. And with all this change comes a deeper question: How do we stay human in the world of artificial?”
This is the heart of The Friendly CHRO—a platform Sharad Verma calls “my attempt to explore that question—slowly, humbly, and openly.” It’s more than a blog. It’s a reflective journal, a learning hub, and a community space for HR leaders who want to go beyond tech adoption and help shape the future of work with empathy and clarity.
In his early observations, Verma notes that many HR teams today feel overwhelmed. “Many HR teams are overwhelmed by AI but unsure where to start. There’s a flood of tools but a scarcity of wisdom on how to use them well. People want more than productivity—they want meaning, clarity, and care. Amid all this speed, we need space to pause and reflect.”
He believes HR has a powerful role to play. “I think HR can lead in this moment—not just by adapting to AI, but by humanising it.” Through The Friendly CHRO, Verma offers curated insights at the intersection of HR and technology—especially Generative AI, talent analytics, and leadership development—along with distilled learnings from books, and original frameworks to help navigate complexity.
“As a keen HR practitioner of the world of work for more than 35 years, I care about celebrating and growing talent and building high-trust cultures where people love to work. I care deeply about staying curious, creative and clear,” he shares.
Now, with The Friendly CHRO, Sharad Verma is creating a platform not just for himself, but for a wider community of HR leaders and professionals who are seeking something more enduring than trends: clarity, purpose, and a human voice in a digitised world.
“This platform is for anyone seeking clarity—not just velocity.”
