Kim Johnson on Why Technology Requires People to Drive Innovation

Technology has never moved faster. From AI-powered workflows to intelligent automation, insurers have more opportunities than ever to transform how they serve policyholders and support employees.

But successful transformation isn’t determined by technology alone.

In this episode of Conversations That Connect, Hi Marley’s Stephanie Behnke speaks with Kim Johnson, Chief Customer Officer at Hi Marley and former Vice President and Senior Director of Claims and Service Experience at Liberty Mutual, about a lesson she’s carried throughout her career: the biggest obstacle to transformation isn’t implementing new technology. It’s helping people embrace it.

Great Technology Isn’t Enough

It’s easy to become captivated by technology. Project plans are built. Requirements are documented. Testing is completed. Launch dates are met.

Yet organizations often find themselves asking the same questions after rollout: Why didn’t we get the results we expected? Why hasn’t change happened more quickly?

“The technology is incredibly important,” Kim says. “But if you don’t get the process and the people part of it right, you don’t typically realize the full value.”

Drawing on decades of experience in organizational change, Kim argues that many implementations stumble because organizations focus too heavily on technical readiness while overlooking operational readiness.

“People aren’t simply learning a new application. They’re being asked to change long-established behaviors, routines, and ways of thinking.”

Start With the “Why”

One of Kim’s early experiences in change management shaped her philosophy.

While helping implement a CRM system at a steel company, she focused all of her initial efforts on teaching employees how to use the new technology. But support for the initiative lagged. After a difficult meeting with the project’s champions, she realized why .

“I was so focused on teaching them the technology, I was not really listening to what they were telling me. They didn’t really understand why we were deploying the technology.”

Leadership had told employees a new system was going to be implemented, but they never explained why it mattered or how it would make their work better. Kim believes that same lesson still applies today, especially as organizations deploy AI.

Rather than beginning with features and functionality, Kim recommends starting with clarity. Why is the organization making this investment? How will work improve? And perhaps most importantly:, what’s in it for me?

“Different people are motivated by different things,” she says. “You really need to take that into account.”

AI Changes Quickly, People Don’t

Although AI is evolving at an extraordinary pace, Kim believes one thing hasn’t changed.

People. “The technology is evolving way faster than humans,” she explains. “Our brains aren’t evolving as fast as the technology is.”

Employees still seek certainty, autonomy, fairness, and trust. Those needs remain constant regardless of how sophisticated the technology becomes.

That’s why Kim encourages organizations to involve employees early.

“Bring the people who will ultimately use the technology into the implementation process rather than introducing it after decisions have already been made.” 

Leadership Sets the Tone

Strong executive sponsorship remains one of the strongest predictors of successful transformation. But sponsorship means more than approving a budget. It means consistently communicating why change matters, remaining visible throughout the implementation, and reinforcing desired behaviors after launch.

Kim recalled being part of a new claims software system implementation at a large insurer and the project sponsors traveling across the country for a series of employee Town Halls to make the case for change.

“The sponsors delivered the same presentation at each and every event. It was also similar to information that had been shared in other communications. At one of the events, an employee asked when the presentation was going to change because it was all information they’d heard before.

“His response? Great! That means we’ve done our job.”

“The goal wasn’t novelty. It was clarity and repetition until everyone understood not only what was changing, but why.”

Visibility also matters. Employee confidence in change grows when leaders show up, answer difficult questions, and acknowledge concerns rather than disappearing once a project begins.

Managing Change Without Losing Trust

Every transformation creates some degree of fatigue. The challenge is ensuring that fatigue doesn’t become cynicism.

“What concerns me is when employees stop believing their feedback matters,” Kim says.

Healthy transformation may feel demanding. But people begin to lose trust when leaders stop communicating, stop listening, or fail to follow through on commitments.

Trust isn’t built because change is easy. It’s built because employees understand why change is happening, feel heard throughout the process, and see leaders delivering on what they promised.

Helping Employees See AI Differently

AI is on everyone’s mind today. And it can create a lot of discomfort for employees worrying about potentially being replaced.  Kim believes too many conversations about AI become conversations about the technology itself.

“That’s the wrong starting point.I  don’t know if people fear AI as much as they fear uncertainty,” she says.

Rather than leading with what AI can do, she suggests leaders focus on what employees will be able to do differently because of AI.

“Help your people understand how AI will help them spend more time applying their judgment, experience and empathy with policyholders.  Which repetitive tasks will AI help them get rid of so they can focus on higher-value work?”

The Opportunity Ahead

As insurers continue investing in AI, automation, and digital transformation, the technology will keep evolving.  But human nature won’t.

Organizations that succeed won’t necessarily be those with the newest technology. They’ll be the ones that invest equally in helping people understand, adopt, and trust it.

“Remember that we’re still humans,” says Kim.

That simple reminder may be one of the most important lessons for insurance leaders navigating the next wave of transformation.