By Debolina Dutta, Sushanta Kumar Mishra
AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction | December 2021
https://doi.org/10.17705/1thci.00156
Dutta, D., & Mishra, S. K. (2021). Chatting with the CEO’s Virtual Assistant: Impact on Climate for Trust, Fairness, Employee Satisfaction, and Engagement. AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, 13(4), 431-452. https://doi.org/10.17705/1thci.00156
DOI: 10.17705/1thci.00156
AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, December 2021
How employees perceive the climate for trust and fairness of practices in an organization is a critical factor that drives employee satisfaction and engagement and contributes to sustained performance and growth. Communication between employees and top leadership is an essential mechanism that bridges the differences and helps align employees towards organizational goals. Technological innovations, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-based virtual assistants, can help leaders provide personalized interactions. Though scholars have argued the importance of AI, they have conducted relatively little work to explain its relevance in managing human resources. This study draws on social exchange theory and social response theory to investigate virtual assistants’ impact on positive organizational outcomes. Based on a time-lagged, rigorous field study, we investigated virtual assistants’ impact on creating a climate for trust, fairness, and employee outcomes, namely, their engagement and satisfaction. We also discuss the impact and implications of AI- based virtual assistants for enhancing employee outcomes.
Debolina Dutta is a Clinical Professor, senior HR leader, and an ICF‑certified ACC level coach with over 30 years of industry experience and 6 years in academia. She brings deep expertise across Human Resources, Organisation Development, and Leadership Capability Building, having worked across diverse geographies and organisational contexts, including multinational corporations, private enterprises, and start‑ups.
Globally recognized for her contributions to the HR profession, Debolina has been named among the 100 Most Influential Global HR Professionals by the World HRD Congress, a Most Influential HR Leader in India, and nominated as one of the Top 16 Women Leaders. As an executive coach, she works closely with mid‑management and senior leaders on leadership transitions, personal effectiveness, and organisational change. Her work is supported by certifications in behavioral facilitation as well as expertise in psychometric tools.She has served on the Board of IIM Indore and advises organisations on talent strategies and AI-HRM adoption.
Debolina has led large‑scale organisational development and transformation initiatives spanning change management, mergers and acquisitions, HRIS implementations, and the design of structured talent and leadership frameworks, often in complex, multicultural environments. She is an alumna of IIM Indore (FPM‑Industry), IIM Bangalore, and the College of Engineering, Pune, and a published thought leader with case studies in Harvard Business Review and research articles in leading academic journals. Through her academic, consulting, and coaching roles, she continues to shape future‑ready leaders by integrating research, practice, and coaching‑led development.
