Unlocking the Future of Work: How Propulsion.AI Transforms Hiring with Scott Morris

In this enlightening episode of Chop Squad, Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins sits down with Scott Morris, founder and CEO of Propulsion.AI, to explore how AI is revolutionizing the hiring process. Scott shares his unique journey—from his early days as a Los Angeles police officer to becoming a seasoned HR executive—revealing key insights on how role design and strategic thinking are reshaping people operations. 

Discover how Propulsion.AI leverages artificial intelligence to shift the focus from task-oriented roles to outcome-driven strategies, enabling HR professionals and managers to unlock unprecedented productivity and employee engagement. Scott also discusses the evolving expectations of Gen Z and why embracing a new mindset is essential for future-proofing your workforce. Tune in to learn how innovative technology can transform hiring and empower your organization to thrive in a rapidly changing work environment.

Visit getpropoulsion.ai to start a free trial.
Connect with Scott at linkedin.com/in/mscottm

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Transcript

Below is a cleaned-up version of the transcript with timestamps, slide numbers, and other extraneous formatting removed. The dialogue is organized by speaker for clarity.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
Hello, Chop Squad! Audrey Wiggins here—your host. I'm excited as always to be with you this week, and I'm even more excited to introduce our guest, Scott Morris, founder and CEO of propulsion.AI. You know what this show is going to be about already. Scott has been a highly successful People Operations executive for nearly 20 years. He’s traded the cushy corporate gig for a tech bro vest—and I love it. His track record spans five industries across North and Central America, where he’s consistently delivered bottom-line results through people-focused initiatives. His latest venture, propulsion.AI, creates intelligent job descriptions powered by AI. So today, we’re going to meet Scott and learn more about him.

Scott Morris:
Audrey, I’m so happy to be here. I’ve been looking forward to this, and I’m thankful for the invite.

Scott Morris:
Here’s something you won’t see on my LinkedIn profile—I actually started my career as a police officer in Los Angeles. It might seem like a police career and a career in People Ops/HR have little in common, but here’s what I learned: four people standing at different corners of the same intersection can watch the same accident and come away with four very different perspectives. In a way, that’s exactly how organizations work. Perception drives a lot, and how people see and react to an organization is colored by their unique perspectives. It’s a lesson I’ve carried throughout my career.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
That’s a great analogy. So you eventually traded in your badge and sidearm for entrepreneurship.

Scott Morris:
Exactly. I loved my time as a police officer, but I knew entrepreneurship was something I had to pursue.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
I’m sure folks appreciated your work as a cop. Now, tell us a bit more about your background outside of that role.

Scott Morris:
I have 25 years in HR—with about 20 years in C-level roles. I’ve worked in organizations as large as 15,000 employees and as small as 250. That breadth of experience taught me that in a large organization, you’re steering strategy and planning ahead. In a smaller organization, no one cares about titles; everyone rolls up their sleeves and gets the job done. Both environments taught me valuable lessons about the real challenges HR and talent professionals face.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
That’s awesome. Now, let’s talk about AI. There’s a big question out there: Is AI making human recruiters and HR professionals obsolete?

Scott Morris:
That’s a fantastic question. My short answer is: no, it isn’t. In fact, I believe AI makes human recruiters and HR professionals even more important. Let me explain. Back in 1967, when calculators were introduced, there was a buzz that they would put bookkeepers out of business and make us so dependent that we couldn’t do math anymore. That didn’t happen. Later, in 1983, when early spreadsheet programs emerged, many predicted that financial professionals would become obsolete. Instead, these tools allowed professionals to shift their focus from mere calculations to providing analysis and strategy. Today, AI is doing something very similar—it’s freeing up recruiters and HR pros to be more consultative and strategic. With AI handling repetitive tasks, these professionals can focus on workforce enablement, employee engagement, and strategic planning. The key is adopting a new mindset that releases the old ways of delivering value.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
Wow! That’s awesome. So if AI is boosting productivity, what do you think is really killing employee productivity?

Scott Morris:
It all comes down to role design. At propulsion.AI, our focus is on helping managers design roles that deliver real value. When managers clearly define the outcomes they expect from a role—not just a list of tasks—they become true talent magnets. Thoughtful role design leads to better employee fit, higher productivity, and increased longevity.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
Fascinating. Now, on a different note—why would anyone go from getting paid for 40 hours a week to working 70 hours a week for free?

Scott Morris:
It does seem crazy, doesn’t it? For me, the motivation was twofold. First, after 20 years of evaluating HR tech, I kept noticing that many solutions didn’t address the root causes of issues in performance management, recruiting, and talent management. I believed I could build better software. Second, after spending 25 years advising others about the importance of “fit,” I found myself in an organization where nothing aligned—the way I communicated, my standards for excellence, and even the priorities of leadership were off. I realized that a bad fit not only has financial consequences—studies show that up to 46% of new hires fail within the first 18 months, costing companies multiple times a salary—but it also takes a personal toll. That’s why I’m so passionate about role design: it’s the doorway to achieving better outcomes.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
That makes a lot of sense. So what HR leadership skills really matter in a startup, especially for entrepreneurs who might have brilliant product ideas but lack HR or people skills?

Scott Morris:
In HR, you have to wear many hats and pivot quickly. As an entrepreneur, you quickly learn that you don’t have the luxury of specialized departments. Whether it’s marketing, product, or engineering, you need to understand all aspects of the business. The ability to pivot, think holistically, and adapt is crucial. It’s these skills from my HR experience that I’ve brought into my entrepreneurial journey.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
Got it. Now, what would you say is the real cost of a bad hire?

Scott Morris:
There are both financial and personal costs. Financially, a bad hire can cost two to three times that person’s salary due to turnover and lost productivity. But beyond that, there are the less measurable impacts—disruption to the team, double duty for coworkers, and the damage to overall morale. These personal impacts, such as the feeling of being a failure when you don’t fit in, can be profound. That’s why designing roles thoughtfully—from the start—helps ensure a strong fit and prevents these costly issues.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
So how do you future-proof your People Operations function?

Scott Morris:
It starts with the right mindset—viewing hiring as an investment. Just like an investor evaluates how money will create value, hiring should be approached by clearly defining the outcomes you expect from a role, the return on that investment, and the timeframe for success. We often design roles in a task-oriented way, but we need to shift to outcome orientation. For instance, instead of saying “follow up on delinquent accounts,” why not set an objective to reduce the days outstanding? That shift in perspective is what future-proofs a workforce. As Daniel Pink explains in his book Drive, people are motivated by mastery, autonomy, and purpose. When you design roles around meaningful outcomes, you engage your team and set the stage for success. This is exactly the philosophy behind propulsion.AI—helping managers design roles that are strategic, measurable, and aligned with business outcomes.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
That’s powerful. Now, how do Gen Z employees fit into this new way of working?

Scott Morris:
Gen Z is all about meaningful work. They demand mastery, autonomy, and purpose. They want transparency about how their performance is measured and prefer objective metrics over vague feedback. By designing roles around clear outcomes and value creation, organizations not only attract Gen Z talent but also empower them to excel. It’s a win-win situation.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
You’re really helping entrepreneurs become smarter hiring managers. As we wrap up, what advice do you have for entrepreneurs who are just getting started—maybe only 10 or 20 percent into their journey?

Scott Morris:
One of the toughest parts of being an entrepreneur is the lack of a constant feedback loop. In a traditional organization, you have bosses and peers who give you regular feedback. As a founder, that loop is much thinner. My advice is: believe in what you’re doing and stay the course. Don’t be discouraged by the absence of regular validation. If you truly believe in your vision, keep pushing forward—you will get there.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
Great advice. Before we close, how can our audience get in touch with you or learn more about propulsion.AI?

Scott Morris:
I’m not a consultant, but I love paying it forward. If you’d like to reach out for advice on any of these topics, the best way is via LinkedIn—find me at linkedin.com/in/MScottM. And if you’re interested in propulsion.AI, you can try our tool for free at getpropulsion.ai. We don’t require a credit card for the trial, because I’m convinced that if we build a product that solves real problems, people will want to subscribe.

Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins:
Fantastic. Thanks so much, Scott. I look forward to following your journey and seeing you more down the road.

Scott Morris:
Thank you, Audrey. I’m happy we’re connected. Take care!

This cleaned-up transcript retains all the key points and natural flow of the conversation while removing the original formatting distractions.