{"id":297104,"date":"2026-02-22T20:41:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T20:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/297104\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T20:41:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T20:41:28","slug":"want-to-keep-your-job-in-the-age-of-ai-stop-scrolling-and-build-your-hq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/297104\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to keep your job in the age of AI? Stop scrolling and build your HQ"},"content":{"rendered":"

Never mind your IQ and your EQ, in the world of AI you\u2019re going to need a high HQ. That stands for Human Quota and it means empathy, deep understanding, subtlety, lived experience \u2013 all the things technology can’t offer. These traits are becoming rare and invaluable in workplaces (and life) but, in a cruel irony, they’re the qualities our technology use is eroding. So how do we cultivate our HQ? Jess Stuart has tips. <\/p>\n

We are living through one of the most profound shifts in human history. Artificial intelligence is evolving at breathtaking speed. Our devices are smarter, faster, more predictive. And yet, many of us feel more distracted, more polarised, less connected and more mentally exhausted than ever before. <\/p>\n

Somewhere in the race to adopt smarter technology, I worry that we are quietly eroding the very skills that make us human. Skills that, ironically, will be as valuable as gold in an AI inundated future. <\/p>\n

\"Studies<\/p>\n

Studies show our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n

Losing touch with empathy and reality<\/p>\n

It feels as if things have gone from unity to division post pandemic, we\u2019re ceasing to see those different to us as humans. We\u2019re losing the art of debate, so fixed in our own views we\u2019ve lost the art of seeing things from another’s perspective. This is exacerbated by algorithms that curate virtual microcosms that reinforce our own thoughts, regardless of the truth.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know about you but I\u2019m not sure what\u2019s real anymore when I go online. I also know my feed and the social media “news” I consume is vastly different that being read by the guy down the road \u2013 we live in different online worlds, even though we’re neighbours. <\/p>\n

\"Social<\/p>\n

Social media might tout itself as a form of “connection” but it leads to a lot of division as well. (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n

AI is exactly as it says on the tin \u2013 artificial. It\u2019s amazing and clever but it will never be real. And we need \u2018real\u2019 as humans. Just look at the social media revolution: yes, we might be more connected than ever before and have more \u201cfriends\u201d than we ever had in real life, and yet we\u2019re also the loneliest we\u2019ve ever been. Nearly one in four people worldwide (that is, more than a billion people) are leading lonely lives, according to a Meta-Gallup survey of more than 140 countries. <\/p>\n

Technology can \u201cconnect\u201d us but it cannot bring us closer to one another.<\/p>\n

Authenticity is magnetic<\/p>\n

AI can generate words, images, strategies and answers. It can mimic tone and simulate conversation, but it cannot feel. It doesn\u2019t know the weight of a difficult decision, the ache of burnout or the joy of being fully seen. <\/p>\n

\"Online<\/p>\n

Online connection doesn’t offer the same benefits as real life interaction. (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n

Human connection, real presence, deep listening, authentic care cannot be automated. And in an increasingly artificial world, authenticity becomes magnetic. People will seek what is real, this means brands built on genuine humanity will stand out. Leaders who can truly connect will be trusted and relationships rooted in presence will feel like rare treasures.<\/p>\n

Humans are changing<\/p>\n

While our uniquely human traits might (or at least should) be increasing in value, technology is also subtly changing what it means to be human, and not necessarily in a good way. We\u2019re living through a focus crisis and this has massive impacts in the workplace. <\/p>\n

Attentions spans are becoming shorter. US psychologist and academic Dr Gloria Mark\u2019s research indicates that average human attention spans have plummeted from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to just 47 seconds today. <\/p>\n

\"Feel<\/p>\n

Feel like you have the attention span of a goldfish? Our attention spans are getting shorter. (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n

A client of mine who works as the head of HR at an Auckland-based professional services firm, noticed that while employees claimed to have completed training modules, the key information contained in them didn\u2019t appear to have stuck. <\/p>\n

So she changed her approach. Content was condensed into one-page summaries, then translated into short audio and video snippets. Inspired by social media consumption habits, she devised an approach she called \u201cTik Tok training\u201d and told me it did improve engagement, especially in younger team members. <\/p>\n

We live in a culture designed to fracture attention. There\u2019s constant urgency, infinite content consumption, endless notifications (which I\u2019ve turned off, there\u2019s so many!). <\/p>\n

Our brains adapt accordingly, with shorter attention spans, shallower thinking, the ability to cope with more mental noise. <\/p>\n

But quiet focus is where insight and creativity live.<\/p>\n

The inimitable value of humanity<\/p>\n

The ability to sit with complexity rather than escape it is what allows meaningful work, deep learning and genuine self-awareness. It\u2019s the wisdom of being human and fundamental to our survival and yet it\u2019s in decline.<\/p>\n

Then of course there\u2019s the emotional intelligence that\u2019s required to thrive as a human. The way we navigate conflict, our resilience, our motivation, how we relate to others. The ability to read a room, sense nuance, listen deeply, and empathise \u2013 we build these skills by real human interaction.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

How useful is an assistant that has never had a single lived experienc? (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n

But digital life increasingly rewards speed and reaction over depth and reflection. Algorithms amplify extremes, feeding polarisation and certainty instead of curiosity and respect. From behind a keyboard it\u2019s too easy to forget there\u2019s often a human at the other end of our comments. <\/p>\n

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is becoming a lost art and as a result we\u2019re losing what makes us human. When we engage more with screens than with each other, we lose the subtle art of human relating.<\/p>\n

Connection is key to survival<\/p>\n

As a species, we didn\u2019t survive and evolve because we had big fangs or strong bodies, we relied on our ability to connect, to form tribes, to work together, to collaborate and to relate. We might be at risk of losing that. So what\u2019s the answer?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s something I call Human Quota (HQ), it\u2019s the art of being human. We have IQ for intelligence and EQ for emotional quota (which I\u2019d argue is also present in HQ) but it\u2019s bigger than that and becomes our point of difference in a world of AI and tech.<\/p>\n

We know from our own experience, particularly in times of crisis, it\u2019s those who have this HQ who thrive and can help others through as well.<\/p>\n

HQ helps us protect our ability to listen without distraction, to exercise for empathy over judgement, to think deeply rather than scroll endlessly, to have real conversations and reflect rather than react.<\/p>\n

\"There<\/p>\n

There will always be jobs that only humans can do. (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n

Developing HQ doesn\u2019t mean you have to move to the mountains and shun the wonders of technology. It\u2019s about becoming conscious users of technology, making the most of all it has to offer while deeply valuing and protecting our more subtle and evolved human traits. <\/p>\n

Tips for building your HQ<\/p>\n

1. Start by reclaiming small moments of undivided attention. Put your phone face down in meetings. Walk without earbuds. Eat without scrolling. These tiny acts rebuild your capacity to be fully present.<\/p>\n

2. Schedule thinking time the same way you schedule meetings. Deep thinking doesn\u2019t happen accidentally in a distracted world, it requires protected space.<\/p>\n

3. Practise listening to understand, not to respond. Notice when judgement rises and choose curiosity instead. Emotional intelligence grows through repeated, real-world interactions, not online commentary.<\/p>\n

4. Next time someone speaks, ask yourself \u201cWhat might they be feeling right now?\u201d This simple shift trains empathy and improves connection.<\/p>\n

5. Create boundaries with devices. Turn off non-essential notifications. Have device free times or places in your home. Your brain will recalibrate faster than you expect.<\/p>\n

6. And finally, prioritise real connection. Have conversations that aren\u2019t optimised or performative. Ask better questions. Stay a little longer in the discomfort of honesty. This is where trust, belonging and meaning are built.<\/p>\n

The future belongs to those who can integrate technology without losing humanity. To those who can leverage AI while still leading with heart. <\/p>\n

With a background in HR, Jess Stuart is now a Waiheke-based career coach and the author of several books including: Burnout to Brilliance and I Love Mondays.<\/p>\n

The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including a man is killed at Mar a Lago, and why Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor\u2019s in the Louvre. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Never mind your IQ and your EQ, in the world of AI you\u2019re going to need a high…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":297105,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[365,363,364,111,139,69,2114,145,35933],"class_list":{"0":"post-297104","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-artificial-intelligence","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-artificial-intelligence","10":"tag-artificialintelligence","11":"tag-new-zealand","12":"tag-newzealand","13":"tag-nz","14":"tag-opinion","15":"tag-technology","16":"tag-work-life"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/297104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=297104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/297104\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/297105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=297104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=297104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=297104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}