Technology is dynamic. It keeps the business functions evolving, resulting in newer ways of working.
Artificial intelligence, though an emerging technology trend, is no longer a buzzword. Siri, Alexa and Cortana are well-known worldwide. Artificial intelligence has spread its range of influence across industries, spanning domains. From manufacturing to healthcare and finance to logistics, there are no areas untouched. Most businesses across the globe are tapping the potential of artificial intelligence and its subsets to fuel their growth. That said, another principal domain which forms the backbone of all organizations is the Human resources. And artificial intelligence offers its bouquet of benefits to this sector too!
Let’s understand the various ways in which the technology of artificial intelligence caters to the human resources arena.
Artificial Intelligence in Talent Acquisition:
Talent acquisition or recruiting, often used interchangeably marks the organization’s first touchpoint with the candidate, who might be the prospective employee. Recruiting with Artificial intelligence is already a norm. That said, let’s understand the various facets of recruiting where this upcoming functionality is utilized.
Scanning Resumes:
Artificial intelligence reduces the repetitive effort and monotony involved in scanning numerous candidate resumes. The algorithms are designed such that AI eliminates the inappropriate ones by quickly running a comparison between job descriptions and the resumes/profiles. AI adopts the technologies of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to achieve this.
RECRUITING WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Alerting Passive Candidate Pool:
Often, there is a huge volume of passive candidates who browse your jobs, however do not apply. Artificial intelligence can help notify them based on their preferences, in case they plan to apply in future.
Reduce Bias:
Unintentional human bias might be ingrained in some recruiting aspects. For instance, sometimes wording of job descriptions could convey gender-bias or similar tone which could hamper the recruiting process and impact the company’s reputation. AI-enabled software might prove to be useful here.
Textio software, a writing enhancement service uses AI to analyze job descriptions. The words used or the language context that could indicate some kind of bias are detected and highlighted. Besides, Textio offers suggestions to eliminate such bias and enables creating perfect job descriptions.
Candidate Experience:
Companies using dedicated career pages in their websites for candidate screening and selection may embed chatbots and virtual assistants. Candidate queries would be quickly responded, offering an awesome experience.
Mya hiring chatbot helps in handling the recruiting operations at companies such as Adecco and Deloitte. Mya utilizes functionalities of Natural Language Processing (NLP), semantic parsing and machine learning to perform hiring functions.
Interviews:
Interviews are a primary component in most candidate selection processes. AI – powered platforms help schedule interviews and also send reminders to hiring managers on upcoming interviews. Some organizations deploy video-interviewing AI-based software to conduct digital assessments.
AllyO is an exemplary recruiting software that comes with its bunch of products, each serving a specific recruiting purpose.
For instance, AllyO Assist, an AI-enabled software facilitates the work of HR helpdesk. AllyO Connect increases candidate engagement through its texting feature. AllyO Schedule automates interview scheduling and video interviewing.
Candidate Selection:
One major problem faced by recruiters is the high degree of uncertainty on whether a candidate would accept an offer. If so, will they join? If yes, how long might they stay in your company? Machine learning, a subset of AI uses predictive analytics techniques to forecast and predict these outcomes.
Artificial Intelligence in Learning:
Artificial intelligence has influenced all spheres of human resources, learning no exception. Learning trends are getting transformed with new technologies. Artificial intelligence simplifies the job of human resources, by providing various learning functionalities.
Keeping Learners Posted:
Learning systems offer useful features when combined with emerging technologies. AI – enabled software sends out notifications or triggers to learners. This keeps them posted on any upcoming tests, assessments and so on.
Learning Recommendations:
Learners prefer having personalized recommendations of courses or webinars appropriate to their career goals. AI enables offering search and recommendation options, presenting a probable list of courses to the learners, enhancing the learner experience.
Support & Assistance:
Chatbots and Digital assistants offer 24×7 support to learners by answering their queries in no time.
Artificial Intelligence in Performance Management :
Performance Management is another major arena in the human resources domain which takes care of monitoring and assessing employee performance. Performance management comprises manager feedback or ratings, mentoring and career development. Some of these aspects, if AI-driven could make the human resources efficient.
Objectivity in Manager’s Feedback:
Machine learning and predictive analytics, which are subsets of AI, help managers in predicting future performance of their subordinates, based on current and past records. As the approach is data-driven, it eliminates bias and offers an objective manager feedback.
Notifications to Appraisees:
Managers can schedule performance reviews and appraisal meetings using AI software, which send notifications to respective appraisees and the human resources executive.
Better recommendations for Managers:
Prescriptive analytics, a subdivision of AI, offers useful recommendations to managers, advising them on the course of action.
Virtual Mentoring:
Mentoring is a primary functionality, being emphasized at most companies as a part of the performance management process. Several software such as MentorLink, MentorLoop and others help in mentor-mentee matching, conversations and also support analytics.
An example is the wonderful Ellen app, launched by U.S. – based NextPlay.ai, which caters to intelligent mentoring and career development.
Artificial Intelligence in Onboarding:
An organization’s onboarding process sets the new hire’s expectations for their upcoming journey. Often, employees feel nervous and anxious about various aspects on their first day. Facing issues in completing any mandatory paperwork or lack of knowledge about company policies could make them feel disengaged. Industry research shows companies not focusing on the onboarding process tend to lose the most talented employees. Artificial intelligence offers features to make onboarding, a rewarding experience to the new recruits.
Eases new hire’s paperwork:
Paperwork of new joiners can be eased with AI chatbots helping by responding to queries on leave, company policies and such. This relieves a lot of tension which the incumbents face on the first day and feel disengaged.
Faster Documentation:
Documents such as appointment letters, employee handbooks and contracts can be generated using Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques.
Reduces Administrative burden:
There is a significant reduction in the administrative workload as AI-based software work round the clock to perform onboarding activities and obviate the need for an HR executive.
Onboarding software such as Enboarder and Appical are AI-powered and offer customised new hire experience.
Artificial Intelligence in Employee Engagement and Retention:
Gathering real-time feedback of employees plays a significant role in assessing the degree of employee engagement. AI-based software adopt sentiment analysis and obtain true insights on employee feedback, problems faced by them and their level of satisfaction. Higher the employee satisfaction, higher would be employee retention.
AI-powered collaboration software helps senior leadership in scheduling meetings and collaborating with employees based on calendar availability and such factors. By assigning such tasks to AI platforms, productive time of leaders and managers is conserved and can be utilized on strategic initiatives.
Artificial Intelligence in Succession Planning:
Most AI-based software coupled with Machine learning offer recommendations for successors based on data – driven facts such as performance records, behaviors and leadership ability. Such insights when presented to the senior leadership team helps foster a dialogue between the incumbent and the potential successor.
Artificial Intelligence in Employee Wellness:
Employee wellness programmes are a crucial component, as they instill a sense of confidence and security in the employees. Basically, these programmes are a collection of initiatives by the organization to enhance employee physical and mental health, encourage stress-buster activities and offer financial incentives directed at employee good health and well-being. AI-based virtual fitness consultants or such initiatives wherein employees could gain insight into health-related information through a chat could go a long way in fostering employee welfare. AI-powered software could also assist employees in selecting the optimum health insurance or similar options, based on their preferences.
CONCLUSION:
Artificial intelligence has penetrated into all the subdivisions of human resources and is rapidly transforming the industry practices. However, the human touch which is the central aspect of the human resources zone, cannot be ignored. Technology innovations in conjunction with human discernment will take businesses to newer strides.
