Recognizing that deep work is often the first casualty of a busy schedule, Nextdoor treats time as a fixable resource by clearing the calendar of all administrative obligations. This initiative, led by Head of People Tony Castellanos, is known as AI Days and represents a significant shift in corporate management. Once per month, the entire Human Resources department halts its regular operations to focus exclusively on experimenting with and building artificial intelligence tools. This strategy is designed to move beyond basic interest in AI, encouraging the team to develop custom agentic services that can be integrated directly into their daily workflows. Instead of just discussing the potential of technology, staff members spend this time engaging with the mechanical reality of automation. This protects the team from the constant churn of administrative requests and creates a designated period for professional growth. By prioritizing this hands-on approach, the company is ensuring that its workforce stays ahead of technological trends through direct application and iteration.
Creating a Sacred Space for Deep Work
Overcoming Operational Friction: The Case for Silence
The primary motivation for establishing AI Days was to combat the exhaustion caused by relentless meetings and digital notifications. In a typical HR environment, the constant influx of emails and messages creates a fragmented schedule that prevents staff from entering a focused build state. Short intervals between obligations make it nearly impossible to tackle complex projects that require deep concentration and creativity. By clearing calendars and silencing communications for one full day each month, the organization provides its team with the necessary time to treat AI as a fluid, evolving tool that requires iteration to master. This dedicated time serves as a psychological and logistical barrier against the friction of daily operations. It allows employees to disconnect from the immediate demands of their roles and reconnect with the broader goals of the department. This environment is essential for fostering a culture where experimentation is not just tolerated but is seen as a vital part of the professional journey for every member of the team.
Implementing Structured Frameworks for Creative Building
What began as loose experimentation has matured into a highly intentional framework designed to maximize the value of every hour spent building. A week before each session, the department conducts a comprehensive survey to gather and refine project ideas from across the team. This ensures that the dedicated time is spent on actual execution rather than initial brainstorming, which can often consume valuable energy. This shift from individual curiosity to collaborative building allows the team to create foundational tools that are deeply integrated into the company’s operations. The structure helps prevent the day from becoming a simple hobbyist session, turning it instead into a rigorous development cycle. By formalizing the process, the leadership team has ensured that every AI Day contributes to the long-term technical debt reduction and operational efficiency of the organization. This organized approach has proven that even non-technical departments can adopt a developer-like mindset to solve traditional business problems with high-tech solutions.
Developing Custom AI Agents for HR Efficiency
Proprietary Tools: The Rise of Technical Autonomy
The initiative has resulted in the birth of proprietary agentic services like People Brain and Samwise, which automate complex administrative tasks. People Brain organizes company assets and audits internal messaging for policy alignment, while Samwise functions as a digital chief of staff, providing concise briefings and meeting preparation documents. These tools effectively remove the cognitive load of routine logistics, allowing HR professionals to focus on higher-value interactions. To ensure that non-technical staff can contribute to these innovations, the company provides training on application logic and data sourcing. This has led to the creation of an AI Loop, where the team uses artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of subsequent AI tools. By empowering HR professionals to build their own solutions, the company has fostered a culture of technical autonomy that fundamentally redesigns how the employee lifecycle is managed. This transformation proves that when given the right tools, any department can innovate internally.
Shifting Toward Judgment-Based Strategic Partnerships
The ultimate goal of this integration was to recalibrate the role of the HR professional from a process-oriented function to a judgment-oriented strategic partner. While AI handled the scale and leverage of transactional tasks, such as exit processes or event reminders, human experts provided the essential judgment and taste required for high-nuance decisions. This shift ensured that technology elevated the human side of the work rather than replacing it, positioning the department as a leader in the modern workplace. Organizations that followed this path discovered that technical literacy became a standard competency, enabling staff to navigate complex data landscapes with confidence. The initiative provided actionable insights into how to structure a workforce that is both technically proficient and human-centric. By treating time as a sacred resource for innovation, the company established a blueprint for future-proofing teams against the rapid pace of digital change. Leaders prioritized long-term strategic growth over short-term administrative wins, setting a new standard for HR excellence.
