Digital-first for better work: How is AI impacting the world of HR?

There are numerous ways that AI can help HR professionals improve workplace efficiency, experiences and impact the bottom line. But first, let’s address the elephant in the room.

Will artificial intelligence make everyone in HR redundant?

When we think about artificial intelligence, the idea of machines taking all our jobs is a common one. But how likely is it, really?

It’s true that AI in HR and other areas can perform a lot of repetitive tasks that might otherwise take hours to complete. The Future of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum predicts that as many as 75 million current jobs will be displaced by AI.

But don’t worry too much. That’s because the report also found that this should be more than offset by the creation of approximately 133 million new roles as a result of incorporating machine learning technologies. It’s also worth mentioning that rather than being made redundant, many roles could be up-skilled. The result being that employees can incorporate AI to streamline tasks and make jobs less stressful.

The benefits of using AI in HR

There are plenty of ways organizations stand to benefit from using AI in HR. Artificial intelligence can streamline various tasks, allowing HR professionals to focus on aspects of the job that require a human touch. Some of the ways AI in HR can benefit an organisation and improve employee experience include:

AI in HR will automate time-consuming or less important tasks:

You can train machine-learning algorithms to perform all sorts of functions. They’re particularly good at doing mind-numbing and time-consuming tasks quickly and with little margin for error. By using AI to automate certain processes, HR professionals can streamline their work and free up time for the more important stuff.

AI can improve data collection and analysis:

One of the most useful applications of artificial intelligence is its ability to enhance research. Language-based machine learning algorithms are used to refine things like survey questions based on sentiment analysis and other data. AI can even spot connections that humans might miss. In a purely scientific example, a machine learning algorithm analyzed research papers from 2009 and was successfully able to “predict” an incredibly effective thermoelectric material that was only discovered in 2012. 

So imagine the level of insight such an algorithm could have for workplace analysis. With enough data, HR professionals may be able to predict how different circumstances affect employee behavior.

AI will help to provide a more personalized employee experience:

With artificial intelligence streamlining more menial tasks, as well as improving the level of insight that HR and business leaders have about their employees, it can better enable organizations to treat their employees as individuals. Different people have different ambitions, needs and systemic barriers to consider. Machine learning can ensure you take an informed approach to supporting your employees.

The applications of AI in HR technology

Human capital management:

AI tools can streamline various aspects of workplace coordination using simple algorithms to manage a lot of the admin that goes into organizing people. A good example would be Zenefits or SAP. These services provide a range of HR tools for things like talent management, workforce planning and payroll.

Employee benefits:

This is another service from platforms such as SAP or Zenefits. You might just fall back on some financial incentives, but those aren’t always as effective as you might think. There are a wide range of potential benefits for organisations to offer that employees tend to find a lot more useful. 

But when you’re offering everything from monetary rewards and flexible work options to finance management services and flashy company cars, it can get quite difficult to keep all those plates spinning. This is another area where AI in HR can really boost efficiency by automating your organisation’s employee benefit systems, as well as increasing room for personalization to suit the needs of individuals.

Recruitment:

Artificial intelligence can help refine both your recruitment and interview processes. For example, Textio can improve job listings. It’s a service that uses machine learning to improve the language in your job listings by removing unconscious biases and making selecting the best wording to appeal to prospective applicants. Services like Bullhorn offer fully-fledged recruitment software that uses “predictive intelligence” to provide actionable recruitment insight.

Learning and development:

AI in workplace learning and development can significantly improve the way an organisation provides training to its employees. Machine learning can adapt resources to different learning styles. It can transcribe videos for more textual learners, or extrapolate text into a display for visual learners. AI-driven training courses can also break away from the rigid format of identical Q&As, instead making adjustments to provide appropriate challenges to each individual.

Employee engagement:

AI can assist in monitoring employee engagement, as well as developing strategies for improving it. Machine learning algorithms for tracking engagement typically take the form of people analytics as part of an on-going feedback process. When it comes to specific examples, look no further, because that’s where we come in.

How Zensai uses artificial intelligence

For us at Zensai, AI is about making people better, more engaged, and more successful. That’s why we weave AI into our platform to bring learning, engagement, and performance to a new level.

Employee check-ins backed by AI

Our AI-enhanced check-in system simplifies employee surveys into a few lightweight questions, customizable to your preferred frequency, with a weekly cadence recommended for optimal feedback flow. Research shows that employees benefit from and prefer more frequent feedback, making weekly check-ins an effective strategy for ongoing, real-time data collection.

AI-assisted course discovery

When it comes to professional development, our AI-assisted course discovery tool helps employees find the most relevant training programs. By analyzing their roles, interests, and previous learning activities, our AI provides personalized course recommendations that align with both individual career goals and company objectives.

Course building in a flash

For those looking to create new training programs, our AI-assisted course-building feature streamlines the process. Generate skills with AI-powered learning for your organization; role by role, team by team. Ultimately, admins can create courses faster than ever before with AI-assisted course building.

AI-powered employee sentiment analysis

Our platform excels in analyzing check-in data through advanced sentiment analysis. This AI-driven feature examines the language and context of employee updates to extract true meaning and actionable insights. By understanding the sentiment behind employee feedback, leaders can address concerns promptly and effectively.

Boost performance reviews with AI coaching

Performance reviews are enhanced with our AI-boosted compilation and guidance system. Our AI aggregates feedback from weekly check-ins, identifies trends and highlights key performance indicators. It then provides tailored recommendations for both employees and managers, ensuring that reviews are comprehensive, objective, and constructive.