HR professionals are becoming more interested in using AI, specifically to tackle the burden of administrative jobs, decrease time spent on tasks, and ease burnout.
A recent study by Sage found that, of the 1000 HR professionals surveyed, 95% reported an increase in their workload over the past year, with many citing their workload and low employee morale as major concerns.
AI in the HR industry has the potential to transform the work of professionals, allowing them to operate more effectively and spend less time focusing on lower-level tasks. However, the technology also poses some significant challenges that should be considered before switching to automation.
What are the uses of AI in HR?
AI can be used to automate many tasks within HR, including the hiring and onboarding process and administrative tasks. Some HR experts believe that in the future, Chatbots, similar to the ones used for customer service, could be used to answer frequent employee questions, such as leave balance and maternity policy.
By automating simple, but important, tasks, HR professionals will lessen their workload, decrease levels of burnout, and have more time to spend focusing on larger tasks.
AI can also be used to track data-driven insights, such as for employee performance or attrition.
Performance metrics can be analyzed to quickly create comprehensive reports and identify patterns among departments, teams, and individuals. This can help HR tailor training and development programs to what is needed by addressing skill gaps and ensuring personalized growth opportunities for employees.
HR executives can use AI to address the challenges of attrition by using existing data to create individualized strategic plans for employees that provide recommendations for upskilling, increasing productivity, and other development opportunities.
AI in HR can help to reduce the workload of executives and provide a clearer path for employees to progress within an organization, but it also presents challenges that should be addressed.
What are the challenges?
Adopting new AI processes creates a learning curve for organizations and their employees, and it may take some time before results are accurate. If an organization were to fully automate processes before verifying their accuracy, it could negatively impact customer trust and public image, and lead to unfavourable outcomes.
Another important challenge to consider is ensuring the absence of bias within the technology. Biases can unintentionally influence automated systems, which could result in inequalities and discrimination if not properly vetted. Any AI that interacts with employees and their information should be built with sensitivity, and there should be safeguards and mechanisms in place that will mitigate bias throughout the automation process.
Addressing the challenges presented by AI before implementing any automated changes will help to ensure a smooth transition and ensure all necessary precautions are taken, protecting both your employees and your organization.
A changing industry
The use of AI within the HR industry presents a unique opportunity for the roles of HR professionals to shift and grow. While some HR roles may become automated, that automation will also open the door for new roles that were previously unattainable.
AI’s impact on HR is still being discovered, but its ability to reshape human capital management is undeniable. Organizations should encourage HR professionals to explore its uses and leverage it to expand on current offerings, working to create workplaces that focus more on growth, productivity, and employee wellbeing.
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Colleen Douglas
Senior Marketing Coordinator
Executive Platforms
Colleen joined the Executive Platforms team in May of 2022. She has five years of experience in event marketing, with an emphasis on copywriting and digital strategies.
Colleen has a BA Honours in Business Communications from Brock University and a Diploma in Digital Media Marketing from George Brown College.