AI-ming to Redefine Conventional Human Resources PracticesAI-ming to Redefine Conventional Human Resources Practices

The increasing prominence of disruptive technology in today's world has brought about discussions on the effect this will have on the jobs of people. One side of this centres on the point that, given their relatively high levels of efficiency and effectiveness, AI and other emerging technologies have the potential to replace a large number of job functions that are presently managed by human teams. However, another strong point that has emerged is that, while these technologies will replace certain roles, they will result in the creation of new roles which are aligned to the use of the technology.

According to a 2017 report by Gartner, while AI will eliminate 1.8 million jobs, it will also create 2.3 million jobs by 2020. The resulting changes in jobs will also alter the nature of work for Human Resources teams in terms of hiring, as well as managing policies and training for existing employees. HR teams will, thus, have to realign their strategies and practices to make way for this new wave.

Streamlining Processes and Enhancing Effectiveness

At the organisational level, HR departments of companies across the world are incorporating AI into their systems. According to a report by AON, close to 40per cent of HR professionals are aiming to upgrade their systems by incorporating new technology-based platforms which will help cut costs and facilitate a faster hiring process. Through AI tools, HR teams can streamline recruitment processes, making it easier to target and hire the right people for a specific role.

AI tools can also be customised based on specific parameters. Thus, they have the ability to form accurate job descriptions and screen CVs according to these requirements. Additionally, AI makes it easier for companies to reach out to passive candidates, i.e. those who are working elsewhere and aren't actively looking out for a job, but still, have the potential to fill a role based on their qualifications and experience.

Standardisation via Automation

Using AI for recruitment helps to eliminate various biases and emotional attachment, thus making for an overall process that is fair. This also ensures processes are faster, more accurate and standardised. In this way, companies are able to screen a larger number of candidates than possible with the limited bandwidth of human employees.

For example, companies are making use of chatbots to answer basic inquiries from interested candidates. This saves HR the hassle of addressing each one and having to go through massive amounts of paperwork as well as potentially missing out on a good candidate. Moreover, for interviews via video call, AI has the ability to study a candidate's behaviour and engagement. The benefit of such interviews is that they can be conducted without restraints of time or place. The process includes automated questions from bots to candidates, which they can answer on video from any regular device.

Through such conversations and interactions, the bots can gauge whether or not a candidate is a good fit for the organisation and role that they are seeking, and HR can take it forward accordingly. The bots can also hold pre-interview screenings, schedule interviews, and complete onboarding procedures once a candidate is hired.

Improved Company Policies With Data Analytics

For existing employees, AI can be incorporated into HR focus-areas such as employee feedback, appraisals and training. Through insights gained via data analytics, HR teams are then able to track and monitor the performance of employees. Further, based on employee feedback, they are also able to easily see whether they need to reform any policies or introduce new ones in the company.

Though AI and related tools are changing the way interviews, recruitments and employee engagement are carried out, research suggests that it will not replace the human touch. Instead, AI will simply compliment processes carried out by human teams. This is because, while AI is able to carry out standard tasks with increased speed and efficiency, humans are better at the more complex aspects such as building relationships and forming rapports.

By strategically implementing AI into their processes, HR teams will be able to focus on the more 'human' aspect of their roles to address the needs of both existing and potential employees. Thus, HR teams can achieve optimal efficiency which will lead to improving employee satisfaction while cutting costs on a large scale. The adoption of disruptive technologies in tailor-made ways has opened up a new world of opportunities and has changed the way companies will operate in the future.