We Don’t Need to Speak Tech — That’s the CIO’s Job

Do you still believe HR doesn’t have to understand the language of technology? 
That myth might have worked in the past, but today it’s not just outdated — it’s a business risk. If HR chooses to stay silent in tech conversations, who will advocate for culture, values, and the human experience? 

The Myth: “That’s IT’s Job — We Focus on People” 

I’ve heard it before—in boardrooms, HR workshops, and global panels: 

“We don’t need to get into the technical side. That’s IT’s responsibility.” 

This assumption places HR exclusively in charge of culture, engagement, and compliance, relegating IT to infrastructure, integrations, and data systems. But we can no longer afford to operate within this siloed mindset. HR tech isn’t a separate function — it is business tech, organizational tech, people tech. 

Your tools for recruitment, onboarding, performance management, learning, and analytics don’t operate in isolation. They run on complex architectures that must integrate with finance, CRM, operations, and more. And each time HR steps back from technical discussions, we hand over control of the employee experience — and our strategic influence. 

The Reality: HR Must Become Bilingual — People + Tech 

There’s no need to turn HR into software engineers or data scientists. But we do need enough fluency to: 

• Understand how APIs function and why integration matters 
• Know the importance of clean, structured, and trustworthy data 
• Ask the right questions about platform scalability and UX design 
• Recognize how technology supports—or undermines—the employee experience 

Because if you aren’t prepared to ask the hard questions in vendor demos, implementation meetings, or strategy sessions, you risk becoming a consumer, not an architect, of your own HR initiatives. 

When HR Doesn’t Speak Tech: Here’s What Happens 

• Employee frustration: Teams bounce between systems that don’t communicate. 
• Underused investment: Expensive platforms gather dust because they don’t fit your processes. 
• Implementation delays: HR becomes dependent on rigid IT timelines. 
• Security and compliance risks: Tools are selected without alignment to governance. 
• C-Suite exclusion: When tech-driven decisions are made about your employees, you’re not there to shape them. 

HR has every right — and responsibility — to design both systems and experiences. But first, we must show up in the conversation. 

Case in Point: Moderna’s CIOCHRO Integration 

Let’s look at a timely and powerful example: Moderna, the biotech giant behind the COVID-19 vaccine. In a bold departure from conventional reporting structures, Moderna merged its CIO and CHRO functions, appointing Tracey Franklin as Chief People and Digital Technology Officer . 

Why did they do this? 

1. AI-Driven Workforce Design: With over 3,000 AI agents (GPTs) tailored to HR processes—like performance, equity, benefits—HR and IT are designing how automation and the human workforce work together. 
2. Strategic Alignment: By jointly overseeing tech and people functions, Moderna aligns workforce strategy with digital capability, moving faster in navigating what tasks must be human-led, and what can be automated . 
3. Real-Time Agility: Integrating both domains under one leader enables quicker pivots: whether it’s staffing, skill mapping, or GPT deployment, decisions are more cohesive and responsive CIO. 
4. This isn’t a symbolic move—it’s an operational shift that redefines how HR functions in an AI-enabled organization. Some are calling it the “People + Technology” Csuite model—others label it CPTO (Chief People & Tech Officer) . 

So What Should HR Do Instead? 

Here are the steps to own tech fluency—and leadership—in your organization: 

1. Learn the Language

Not to code, but to bridge conversations: 

• Ask about APIs, data pipelines, data governance, and identity management. 
• Make a habit of including these topics in RFPs, vendor evaluations, and implementation checklists. 

2. Invite IT Early

Stop engaging IT at the end. Bring CIOs and CTOs into your process on Day 1: 

• Co-develop your HR tech roadmap with clear roles and timelines 
• Seek alignment on budget, TPMs, and security constraints 
• Build regular touchpoints — quarterly syncs with CIO partners help sustain strategic alignment 

3. Build Tech into Talent Strategy

Your talent strategy IS a tech strategy. Want a feedback culture? Use integrated feedback tools. Scaling remote work? Invest in HR tech that supports asynchronous collaboration. Recognize that tech is the infrastructure of culture. 

4. Reimagine HR’s Role

If Moderna can officially merge CIO and CHRO, what stops you from advocating for cross-functional roles or councils? 

• Perhaps you lead an HRIT Center of Excellence 
• Or create a Future of Work team with dual reporting lines 
• Or propose a CPTO for your scale-up or multinational rollout 

The Big Shift: From Buyer to Architect 

Most HR teams still act like software buyers: they decide, they purchase, then let IT implement. But future-ready HR leaders act like architects: they design experiences, behaviors, and ecosystems. They ask: 

• What is the intended experience? 
• What behaviors are we enabling—for employees and managers? 
• How do platforms support—or hinder—that vision? 

When HR steps into this design role—working with IT, not just alongside it—you co-create solutions that are digital, human-centered, and future-proof. 

Final Words from The HR ArchiTECH 

HR must earn its seat at the table—not by proximity, but by fluency. That means understanding systems enough to contribute strategic insight. Presence alone isn’t enough; you must be participating. 

In the modern organization, silence in tech isn’t neutral—it’s strategic surrender. 

“If HR wants a seat—not just a chair—at the strategy table, we must speak the language of tech. Not fluently, but fearlessly.”