Generative artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace, and Human Resources can take advantage of its capabilities to become more efficient. Many in HR are already using this advanced technology to make their work lives easier.
"I hope that HR would view this as an opportunity to routinize and get rid of the work that they don’t have to do," said Bryan Hancock, partner in McKinsey & Co.'s Washington, D.C. office during a podcast on generative AI. "Then for the work that they do have to do, they can use this technology to find a way to get better answers more quickly."
In fact, some in HR are already using AI to improve productivity. Count the ways HR is using AI in its everyday work:
Managing Employee Paperwork
Nearly 80% of the respondents to a survey by eightfold.ai said they use AI to some extent for employee records management. In addition, 77% said they use AI for payroll processing and benefits administration. These are typical duties of HR, and they can easily be automated to help cut down on grunt work.
Screen Job Applicants
Anecdotally, recruiting and talent acquisition is the ripest area for HR to apply AI. Indeed, 73% of respondents said they used AI to some extent for recruitment and hiring. Many companies have been using AI to screen resumes or CVs and identify top talent for years. Workplace Influencer and Researcher Michael Arena has said that this is the area in which AI is most useful and advanced, so far. It allows HR professionals to scan for keywords and recognize achievements that would put candidates at the top of the list for interviews or spot underperformers and those lacking the necessary skills to eliminate them from contention.
Many use AI to collect and organize data that provides insight, so HR can make well-informed decisions about job candidates and who to hire. What is less popular, so far, among HR professionals is using it for what ChatGPT says is its capability to assess candidates' facial expressions and speech patterns in video interviews.
Onboarding New Hires
Orientation, also known as onboarding, requires a fair amount of grunt work for HR. There are documents to sign, regulations to share, and values and purpose to teach. Much of this can be done via chatbots. They can answer common questions, guide new hires through the process, and prompt them to fill out required paperwork. Almost 70% of the respondents to eightfold.ai's survey said they use AI for onboarding.
Of course, this should be accompanied by personal interaction with human beings. People can help new hires understand the culture and gain that sense of belonging. However, HR professionals can grow more efficient by having the robots handle the formalities of new employment.
Engaging Employees
Employee engagement is a little bit of a tougher sell when it comes to artificial intelligence. Some are experimenting with using AI to recognize high and low engagement, determine if someone is ready for promotion, or notice if someone is perhaps itching for a new opportunity elsewhere.
With this use of AI comes even more of an ethical dilemma. First, it suggests a lack of privacy for employees. There's a Big Brother element to this application. ChatGPT describes it as "sentiment analysis," which means the technology is scanning data to determine human emotion or feelings. At the moment, many humans are still drawing the line at this kind of use. But it is possible. Certainly, people will eventually regularly use this to gain insight into succession planning and promotions. And it can help make HR more productive, not to mention forward-thinking.
Learning and Development
This is another area where most experts agree AI is still emerging and not at its pique yet. Arena stressed this when interviewd for the HR Exchange Network report on machine learning and AI. However, HR and learning professionals can use the technology in a couple of ways to minimize their workload. For starters, they can use AI to conduct objective performance evaluations. This is especially practical when testing hard skills.
In addition, they can use AI to provide personalized learning. In these evaluations, for instance, AI can provide questions and explanations based on the person's demonstration of skill level. The more math questions one gets correct, the harder the questions become, for instance.
Ultimately, AI can reduce the number of hours HR professionals work and allow for more time for them to strategize. Still, the robots will not be replacing the humans in Human Resources anytime soon. Generative AI is simply a tool for the humans to grow more efficient and productive.
ChatGPT itself shares the value of human beings:
"It's important to note that while AI can significantly enhance HR operations, human expertise and judgment are still crucial for making critical decisions, maintaining ethical consideration, and ensuring a positive employee experience."
Photo by Tara Winstead for Pexels
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