A preview to the upcoming CHRO SA summit on artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence, or simply termed as AI, is not something that the world will have to deal with in the future. It is already happening and widely available. The GPS applications available on smart phones, which are able to respond to changing traffic congestion conditions and inform drivers of road blocks is but one example of intelligent technology that is so ubiquitous that we most people take it for granted how advanced it is.
Just as it has revolutionised every industry, from mining and healthcare to online retail and mining, AI is a godsend for the HR profession as well. Although there are those who still believe that AI will be of limited use on the HR field because the profession deals with people issues which require a human touch. Some feel algorithms can never replace human empathy and intuition. But there are functions within HR onboarding, rewards and talent managemet processes, for instance, which can be drastically improved using AI.
AI can be applied to improve data analytics, evolve algorithms faster with the transactional data and deliver new data insights, thus improving business processes. It can help eliminate repetitive tasks, accelerate the search for talent, reduce employee attrition and improve employee engagement. The algorithms train themselves to simulate human behaviour and to reimagine workplace experiences.
In fact, according to PWC research, 40% of the HR functions of international companies are currently using AI-applications. Most of them are still US-based, with European and Asian organisations dangling behind.
On 29 May, CHRO SA will be hosting a summit where HR leaders will, among other things, discuss the way AI-based tools are transforming HR processes, enabling better people decisions and eliminating human bias.
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Here are five ways AI can apply to HR.
Recruitment: Talent acquisition software can scan, read, and evaluate applicants and quickly eliminate the majority from a pool to leave only the best candidates for consideration. of them from the recruiting process.
Leave management: HR can save time on tasks like leave applications by having software that immediately informs applicants whether their request is likely to be approved based on the number of employees that are already going to be on leave at any given time. This allows HR to focus on more strategic tasks
Onboarding: Tasks involved in onboarding a new employee, such as allocating space, providing a laptop, and explaining the layout of the office, can all be automated so that a new employee can hit the ground running.
Leadership development: There are applications that can intelligently assess characteristics of high-performing leaders by sending messages to employees to assess a leader's capabilities and customising a coaching/ training plan to help that leader address their shortcomings.
Decision-making: People analytics makes it possible to analyse big data around every single aspect of performance, allowing HR leaders to extract, analyse and compress raw information to assist in decision-making.
