Is Artificial Intelligence the Ultimate Alchemy for HR Managers?

Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) dream? Can those memories serve to enhance retention of learnings and help-built connections or patterns we could not do in a conscious state? What is also intriguing is the work being done in projects like “Deep Dream” which uses a convolutional neural network to find and enhance patterns in images via algorithmic pareidolia, thus creating a dream-like hallucinogenic appearance in the deliberately over-processed images.

We may indeed be in the cusp of the “next big thing”. But this is not new, AI pretty much has been at the forefront of all major conversations pertaining to technology over the past few years. From self-driving cars to intuitive virtual assistants, AI has been turning every science-fiction trope into reality. More fascinating, however, is the way AI and its allied technologies including Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Big Data have transformed day to day activities. This is especially true within the business landscape, wherein AI is contributing to widespread automation, transforming and enhancing day to day jobs.

According to a report by the World Economic Forum titled ‘The Future of Jobs 2018’, machines will carry out over 42% of all tasks that currently handled by humans. Technology, therefore, is set to lead the evolution of human jobs, which will, therefore, become more tech-centric and skills based. The major disruption caused in the jobs landscape on the back of evolving technology will change the nature of jobs, making work more streamlined and the output more efficient. Across industries, jobs will receive a leg-up in terms of timeliness and efficiency thanks to the application of AI. Here are some key ways that HR function will use AI to transform and enhance efficiency and productivity will delivering superior business outcomes and value to the organizations.

How Artficial Intelligence Transforms Talent Acquisition and Management

The technological evolution of jobs is especially valuable for HR managers who can significantly benefit from AI and Machine Learning. In the past, hiring involved tons of physical data, piles of documents and multiple rounds of interviews. Today, across the globe, HR teams are simplifying and streamlining talent acquisition and management by leveraging cutting-edge technological enhancements. AI allows recruiters to automate transactional processes and lay greater focus on tasks that mandate human intervention. These include conversing with shortlisted candidates, boosting candidate experience and adding value to the onboarding process. Here are some of the specific avenues within talent acquisition that are being transformed by AI.

Screening Applications

The first and most time-consuming step towards hiring is screening candidates from a vast pool of applications. Machine learning algorithms can seamlessly match job requirements such as skills, experience and salary with those mentioned in candidate applications. Through this process, hiring managers can create a shortlist of suitable candidates within seconds. This significantly reduces the time taken to complete the hiring process as recruiters do not have to manually go through thousands of applications. Furthermore, face to face interviews is only conducted with candidates who are perfectly suited to the job, further reducing the human effort that goes into talent acquisition.

Make Learning More Engaging and Personalized

One key aspect of HR is to focus on the learning needs of their employees. This is something which HR and L&D heads will have to increasingly focus on as leaders demand more ingenuity and agility in their workforce. AI helps curate the learning content to employees’ aspirations, goals, and learning behaviour to create personalized and enhanced learning journeys which will help faster adoption to new technologies like IOT, Blockchain but also help drive the growth of the employee and reduce attrition.

Candidate Experience and Engagement

Candidate experience is a new buzzword in the HR universe as more companies realize how lack of engagement with candidates can mar the image of their organization. Several candidates have expressed discontentment towards companies that do not offer timely feedback post interviews. Further disenchantment is caused when a candidate is rejected but is not informed about the same. HR teams are overcoming these hurdles by deploying chatbots that send timely notifications to candidates about their interview status. These chatbots, powered by AI and machine learning, can also answer common queries that candidates have, leading to positive candidate experience.

Streamlined Onboarding

The onboarding process is an essential step towards ensuring that the employee is well versed with the company’s policies and his own role in the organization. Leading companies are now using AI driven chatbots in order to facilitate a simplified and effective onboarding process. New employees can use chatbots to acquire information about leave policies, employee benefits and more. Chatbots are available 24/7 and act as resources which can help employees with any information that they might require in the first few weeks of their employment.

Evaluating Employee Performance

AI tools can allow HR managers as well as team leaders to gauge employee performance in a manner that is efficient and free from bias. By removing the human element, AI-based employee reviews will be based completely on the work they put in and the potential that they display. AI can be used to match company requirements with employee performance to demarcate areas of excellence and those of improvement. AI also reduces the time taken to conduct the entire review and appraisal process, further boosting employee experience and satisfaction.

Encouraging Employee Retention

By intelligently automating their workflow, HR teams can ensure that top talent remains satisfied in the organization. Once mundane tasks are automated, employees will be able to focus on more creative tasks and achieve growth in their current job roles. Further, predictive analysis can explain when and why candidates leave, allowing HR teams to reduce employee attrition by working on those aspects.

The Road Ahead

The advantages with AI are obvious and it is poised to make recruitment and talent management professional’s job more effective and efficient. With AI making strides in recruitment, onboarding, learning and post joining activities;it’s no brainer that AI can also make a huge difference throughout the entire employee life-cycle to ensure organizations get the best ROI on their talent pool. With these positive advances, HR teams can leverage AI and Machine learning to ensure that employees do transformative work leading to an accelerated career trajectory and growth of the organization.

By Mr Kamal Dutta, MD India for Skillsoft and Sumtotal