How does one keep the “human” in human resources when technology evolves rapidly? Navigating the intersection between the latest innovations and dealing with people is a fine balance. This is especially important in the world of HR. As an HR practitioner, you deal with emotions, fears and doubt. Employees aren’t statistics and need to be treated as such.
Organizations are increasingly utilizing machine learning, automation, and AI to reduce the burden of managing the workforce. However, people are still the driving force behind a company’s success. Having said that, AI can significantly transform the future of workforce management for human resources industry by streamlining processes and enhancing decision-making outcomes. Below, we’ll explain how.
The Recruitment Process
Traditionally, recruiting new staff members entails producing a job spec, publicizing it and going through tons of resumes before narrowing down candidates. Forbes notes that AI has become a core part of many recruiting and hiring processes. AI tools aid in streamlining recruiting and hiring from screening resumes to matching candidates with specific jobs and even conducting initial interviews.
Companies are steadily using AI in an augmentative role to assist human hiring managers in identifying candidates best suited for the role. In this case, it’s all about leveraging the technology designed to support human capabilities instead of replacing them.
The method improves diversity and inclusivity in the hiring process.
Integration into Workplace Investigations
Researchers conducted a systematic review of how AI adoption in the workplace affects employees. They published their findings in Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence in 2024.
Concentrating on the U.S. and China, the report emphasized the need for organizations to implement strategies to support employee well-being. This meant harnessing the benefits of the technology to enhance workplace autonomy and satisfaction.
There’s been an ongoing debate on whether AI has a role in a workplace investigation. ERE.net explains that HR professionals are tasked with wearing many hats. They have to gather evidence and conduct interviews. This sometimes puts them at a disadvantage in not having all the information about a certain case.
The risk of carrying out an inefficient investigation is much higher and the impact on an employer even more. It could result in reputational and financial damage.
Remote work, in particular, presents numerous challenges for companies.
To resolve these difficulties, Conn Maciel Carey suggests employers need clear policies to define workplace expectations, fulfill legal obligations, and promote a safe environment. AI tools can ramp up and scale efforts faster with the inclusion of policy adherence and consistency across investigations.
The job of an AI assistant is to help maintain investigative standards during incident intake from the parties involved. It ensures an accurate investigation report during the disposition process and a consistent policy application in case summaries and resolutions.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Imagine you had data readily available to you to make informed decisions. HR personnel may not have all the answers and find themselves doubting the outcomes of their findings.
Oracle explains that AI gathers data on performance and engagement. This allows HR teams to track specific issues affecting productivity or employee well-being and then take the required action to remedy the situation.
When HR conducts a skills audit, AI can analyze employee profiles to document current skills and compare them to in-demand skills. This helps HR identify skill gaps and plan upskilling or hiring initiatives to address them.
Challenges in Implementing AI in HR Practices
Of course, your department will encounter challenges. HR deals with sensitive employee information.
Understanding the complexities if the data is compromised ensures you have rigorous protection and systems in place. Unauthorized access to vulnerable information can lead to dire consequences, so HR data obtained by AI models should be treated with caution.
Another concern is the lack of transparency. Some AI tools generate results without explaining the “how” and “why”. As an HR professional, you want to know what AI models base their recommendations on.
The Endgame
Deploying AI in a people-led industry does come with its pros and cons. Do your research before implementing tools and features.
Always rely on accurate and relevant information as AI models need data to generate the correct responses and outcomes. Instead of using the technology to replace systems, leverage your practices by utilizing AI in an augmentative role. AI has a useful role in the workplace investigation process by ensuring consistency in the inclusion of policy adherence.
When dealing with sensitive information, consider how much access you want AI learning models to have to said data. Weak cybersecurity is a real threat to companies. The last thing you want is to get caught in the crosshairs of a data breach scandal.
