Spot, a harassment and discrimination-reporting chatbot, rolled out its corporate plans for HR departments this quarter. Part of the San Francisco-based AI studio All Turtles, Spot enables people to ‘talk’ to a chatbot, before compiling their answers into a formal, time-stamped PDF report of the incident. The report can then be saved for later, or submitted (anonymously or not) to a coworker or manager.  

This is an incredibly powerful innovation that’s well worth more than a few moments of your time. Here are three (big!) insights that you need to reflect on as we approach 2019:

Superhuman Resources. The tech industry is at a tipping point. The only way to regain people’s trust is to make tech that empowers people, rather than exploiting them. Spot is a perfect example of how technology can lead to better outcomes for those who, sadly, need to report harassment. Talking to a bot removes bias and the fear of judgment that often stops employees reporting incidents to humans; Spot also doesn’t use autocomplete, emotional language, or any questions that could later be suggested as ‘leading’. So, even before we hit 2019, check your tech: Is it delivering ethical and unbiased outcomes for your users?  

Read more about SUPERHUMAN RESOURCES in our new free 5 Trends for 2019!

(Wo)man and machine. Spot also reminds us of another powerful tech truth: that any tool is only as good as its designer. Many of you will have experienced chatbots that are inane, if not insane! Dr. Julia Shaw, the founder of Spot, is a psychologist who specializes in false memories. In short, she knows what she’s talking about! Spot draws on proven memory science techniques to ensure memories are well-documented. If you’re building any tool, don’t focus on the technology! Focus on the outcomes it delivers for humans.

Glass box brands. Regular readers will be familiar with the epic shift that has made your internal corporate culture an integral part of your external brand. And this trend is not slowing down, just witness the recent global walkout of Google employees. Extreme transparency is challenging for organizations who are ultimately made up of humans, with all their flaws and biases. But these expectations aren’t going away (and nor should they)! Embracing tools such as Spot – which allow you to identify and improve flaws in your culture – might just be the best route you have towards ensuring your organization is a safe and inclusive place for everyone inside it.