AI has been lurking in the shadows of the corporate world for a while now, with the promise of significantly revamping the structures of organisations for the better. Companies have started to integrate AI into their workplaces, slowly but surely. One department that faces AI integration immediately, is Human Resources.
In a report written by Prasanna Matsa and Kusuma Gullamajji, they stated that AI can be integrated into companies to cater to functions like recruitment, training, on-boarding, performance analysis and retention. However, many companies are reluctant to make the switch once they account for the cost of integrating AI into a workspace.
According to an Oracle/Future Workplace Report (2019), 64% of HR practitioners welcomed the integration of AI into their HR department. Surprsingly, they reported that they would trust a robot over their manager for advice.
Down to the Data:
- 50% of workers are using some form of Artificial Intelligence as compared to 32% in 2018.
- 65% of workers are optimistic and excited about having robot co-workers and nearly a quarter report having a loving and satisfying relationship with AI at work.
- Workers in India (60%) are the most excited about AI. They are closely followed by China (56%), UAE (44%), Singapore (41%), Brazil (32%), Australia/New Zealand (26%), Japan (25%), US (22%), UK (20%) and France (8%).
- The survey also mentioned that men have a more positive attitude towards AI than women, with 32% of men optimistic compared to 23% of women.
Dan Schwabel, research director at Future Workplace, said in a press release that AI is redefining not only the relationship between a worker and a manager but also the role of a manager in an AI-driven work environment.
Here are a few HR trends in the Age of Artificial Intelligence:
AI Enhances the Recruitment Experience
Many companies have started introducing AI in talent acquisition. One company that has done it successfully is the DBS Bank. The DBS talent acquisition team created ‘Jobs Intelligence Maestro’ commonly known as JIM, a virtual recruitment bot powered by AI. It conducts candidate screening for those applying to be wealth managers.
Following the introduction of JIM in May 2018, DBS was able to:
- Shorten candidate screening time from 32 minutes/candidate to 8 minutes/candidate
- Improve completion of job application from 85% to 97%
- Respond to 96% of all candidate queries through JIM
This allowed the HR team to spend time sharing the culture and ethics of DBS with the candidates making the process not only effective, but also very human. Recruiters at DBS now efficiently use the time in other areas of recruitment like – sourcing, recruitment marketing and engaging with hiring managers.
IBM is one of the tech giants in the world with more than 410,000 employees under its wing. IBM uses AI to analyse the social media shares of a person applying for a job and the language they use on social media. AI goes as far as analysing whether the candidate has any anger problems. During interviews with candidates AI picks up their body language and facial expressions and thus analysing and determining their compatibility with the company.
Skills Unique To Humans Will Grow In Importance
According to the Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum (2016), it is projected that 75 million current jobs will become dormant as AI takes over. However, the report goes on to state that 133 million jobs will be created with skills like technology design and programming gaining momentum.
Large corporations like Bank of America are building training programs to teach empathy to the banks’ employees who deal directly with clients on a daily basis. John Jordan, who leads the Academy and Advisor Development at Bank of America calls this a “life stage navigation curriculum”, he assists them in better understanding the priorities of their clients/customers in various life stages. According to him, there is a growing need to develop empathy as an integral part of workspace.
Research from the Center for Creative Leadership shows that developing emotional intelligence and empathy predicts better job performance for both front-line employees as well as leaders.
Data-Backed Resources and Insights
Google extensively uses AI in its HR functions. The software records the interactions between employees and the HR department an aims to replicate that. For example, if an employee wants information about severance pay and the software has not received any data on severance pay, then it directs them to the Human Resources Management Officer. And once AI is fed with the data it replicates the interaction between the Human Resources Management Officer and the employee. Over the course of time as data starts to accumulate AI will have all the knowledge pertaining to all subjects and then it can communicate with the employees directly without any human support. It can even analyse employee data and respond to each employee differently. For example, an advanced AI with all the in-house information can sense that the employee is angry or upset at the moment and cater to his response accordingly.
As organisations turn to workforce analytics and planning, AI and machine learning are becoming even more apparent. AI in HR empowers managers to solve problems and pave the way to more informed decisions that affect both the employee’s and the organisation’s success. For instance, the use of real-time analytics shows managers the impact of absences, open shifts and unplanned schedule changes have on key performance indicators. With the advent of AI, the approach towards a human-machine relationship at work has significantly changed. As CHROs begin incorporating and embracing big changes through the pandemic, we will begin to see a long-lasting relationship between Artificial intelligence and Human Resources; One that is destined to grow.
- 7 Ways Artificial Intelligence Is Reinventing Human Resources
- Ten HR Trends in The Age of Artificial Intelligence, Forbes
- The Impact of AI in Human Resource Decision-Making Processes
- The Beginner’s Guide to AI in HR
- What is the Impact of AI on HR?
- Three Technology Companies using Artificial Intelligence for Human Resources
Acknowledgements:
- Author: Moksha Tamma, Content Writer, Bay Crest Consulting
- Editor: Tarunn Bhende, Director, Bay Crest Consulting
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