Recently, there is a growing concern about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the job market. While AI has undoubtedly transformed various industries, the fear of losing one’s job to AI is particularly prevalent in the field of HR and recruiting. However, taking a closer look from an HR perspective reveals that AI will not replace HR professionals but rather enhance their capabilities.
In this blog post, we will explore the relationship between AI and HR, highlighting how AI complements rather than replaces HR jobs.
The Evolution of AI in HR
Before we address the concerns about AI taking HR jobs, we want to acknowledge that AI has been a part of HR for quite some time, in different forms. Here are a few older AI applications that have become important tools in HR (and other industries):
1. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS):
ATS software uses AI algorithms to scan resumes, identify relevant keywords, and filter candidate applications. While this technology automates some aspects of candidate screening, it does not replace the need for HR professionals to make final hiring decisions and engage with candidates.
2. Grammar and Spell Checkers:
These AI-powered writing assistants (Grammarly is one of the most popular) have been widely adopted in HR for crafting job descriptions, emails, and other communications. They improve the quality of written content but still require human input for context, tone, and strategy.
3. Predictive Analytics:
HR departments have started using predictive analytics to make data-driven decisions in areas like employee retention and workforce planning. However, these tools depend on HR professionals to interpret the results and implement strategies.
How AI Enhances Job Functions
Now, let us explore how AI is enhancing job functions, specifically in the HR section, that will not necessarily lead to someone losing their job:
1. Efficient Recruitment:
AI-driven tools can quickly sift through large volumes of resumes and identify potential candidates, allowing HR professionals to focus on assessing candidate fit, culture alignment, and conducting interviews.
“With the help of AI, these professionals can generate customized sequences of messages and communications for each candidate, helping to improve engagement and response rates. Additionally, AI can be used to track and analyze conversion rates, allowing recruiters and hiring managers to identify and refine their most successful outreach strategies,” Aleksander Dolgov, co-founder and chief of people officer of Skipp stated.
2. Enhanced Employee Engagement:
Chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI can handle routine employee inquiries, leaving HR professionals with more time to address complex issues, mentor employees, and foster a positive workplace culture.
Additionally, AI can identify worker and company productivity by keeping tabs on project timelines, deadlines, and online activity. This allows administrators to manage huge workforces without having to manually monitor activities by sending notifications and alerts when AI discovers anomalies or violations of business policy.
3. Data-Driven (Better) Decision-Making:
AI analytics tools provide HR with valuable insights into employee performance, helping them make informed decisions about talent development, succession planning, and training programs.
AI enables the collecting and analysis of data in your HR processes, removing biases and guesswork and ensuring you are selecting the best candidate or delivering the greatest compensation and benefits plan.
4. Onboarding:
Soon enough AI will play a pivotal role in streamlining and enhancing the onboarding experience for new and current employees. Specifically, AI can develop and automate document verification- ensuring accuracy and compliance, induction training- facilitating the execution of training programs, and administrative support- and can seamlessly integrate administrative tasks.
Overall, AI can make the process smoother and more personalized from candidate to candidate. This means that every individual can get the attention and care they need without feeling overwhelmed or “left behind”.
5. Personalized Employee Experiences:
AI can personalize training and development plans for employees, but HR professionals remain responsible for understanding individual career goals and providing guidance. AI may help improve your workforce by giving personalized recommendations for skill training by tracking the unique learning styles of professionals.
When taking a look at the overall benefits of AI, you can see that there is much more improved efficiency, an opportunity to reduce costs on other resources, and better decision-making that is backed by data.
The Human Touch in HR
One crucial aspect that AI cannot replace is the human touch most industries require. HR professionals bring empathy, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of human behavior to the workplace. They handle sensitive employee matters, foster a positive company culture, and resolve conflicts.
Moreover, AI may lack the ability to make value-based decisions and navigate the nuances of interpersonal relationships. HR professionals are instrumental in ensuring fair practices, preventing discrimination, and upholding company values.
In essence, AI in HR acts as a supportive tool, streamlining processes, and providing valuable data. It allows HR professionals to focus on higher-level strategic tasks that require the human touch we need. The future of HR will benefit greatly from an AI relationship, where technology enhances HR capabilities rather than replacing them.
