As a human resource employee there are certain mundane, but required tasks that take you a considerable amount of time. These time-consuming tasks are seemingly unavoidable as they are simply part of the job. For some of you, these laborious responsibilities may consist of combing through job resumes or determining the best training method based on how an individual employee learns, among many others. I’m sure that most of you would prefer to be doing more impactful work, instead of monotonous, yet necessary duties. Soon enough, with the help of artificial intelligence, that hope will become a reality.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is automating tedious tasks that employees do on a daily basis to improve work processes, and human resource departments are a major benefactor of these automations. Soon, AI functionality, such as machine learning and natural language processing, will help you to better staff, train, review performance and account for attrition before it actually happens.
The point of AI is not to replace the HR representative; your job is safe. Instead, it will be a hugely helpful resource for you and your team. By analyzing employee data, AI will provide you with valuable predictions and recommendations to support decisions that will improve your company’s productivity and culture. AI is just another tool that helps you make the most informed decision as possible, whether that be hiring an employee, or giving a team member a raise due to increased performance. AI is here to make your life easier as an HR professional.
Here are a few human resource processes that will be improved and simplified with the use of artificial intelligence:
Automated hiring process:
It is difficult to imagine a machine learning algorithm doing all the hiring for a company, but it can do initial candidate research for you when job openings arise. By scanning resumes, AI algorithms can eliminate unqualified prospects and build you a shortlist to comb through. Using natural language processing, the shortlist could be compiled based on the specific skills, keywords or employment history that you prefer. The AI could even help you predict a certain level of culture fit based on those attributes or other skills that the prospect listed on their resume.
Among other processes, an AI tool could schedule interviews by finding optimal availability for all parties involved. By looking over your calendar, the AI would determine when you are best available for an initial phone screening, or when management and executives conducting in-person interviews are free. While AI may not be able to sit down and personally interview each candidate to determine personality traits or people skills, it can give insights and recommendations into the hiring process.
Recommended training methods:
There is more people data available than ever before, so you can learn more about your employees. AI can analyze data from employee interactions, saving you the burden of doing it yourself, and allow you to use that information to better tailor training sessions. Everyone learns in different ways and has varied skill sets, so allowing employees to learn to the best of their abilities will only improve on-boarding and productivity.
Machine learning will eventually be able to record how well an employee responds to a training based on their performance and then determine the most effective method for future trainings.
Data-driven performance reviews:
It can be difficult to disregard your personal feelings when making important decisions, but at times it is crucial. AI can help eliminate natural bias from certain performance metrics when necessary. If an employee is simply not holding their own, the data will show it and the AI can formulate an unbiased output on their performance. Similarly, you can use productivity measurements to determine manager effectiveness by the performance of their team. However, this should probably not be the only factor in your decision process. Perhaps you are able to understand the intangibles that the employee brings to the department, such as team chemistry and hard work, and based off that you decide that their performance is irrelevant. The AI would never be able to see those qualities in an employee.
While performance standards may seem like a harsh style of management, productivity data does not have to be the sole performance measurement in your decision. It is, however, a useful supplemental tool to backup your choices.
Predictable turnover and attrition:
As a human resource team, it is inevitable that you will deal with turnover and attrition, but what if AI could predict employees leaving the company before they inform you of their decision? Using employee engagement data, whether it be from pulse surveys, brand advocacy or performance gamification, AI could determine an employee’s level of interest and give a prediction on whether they are trying to change positions.
These AI-driven processes may seem abstract, but they are becoming more and more of a reality as machine and deep learning continues to grow into business applications. By automating certain tasks, HR products will become intelligent applications with embedded AI capabilities to better assist you and your team. Ultimately, AI will allow you to increase the quality of company culture, training and overall employee performance.
