Chief Engagement Officer, overseeing the full Human Resources Department and contributing to a high-performance culture at Businessolver.
It’s no secret that HR burnout is on the rise. As the employee benefits landscape continues to evolve, HR teams are faced with the immense challenge of keeping pace with employees’ changing needs and effectively managing diverse and distributed workforces. But what’s most surprising to me is how many organizations are missing out on the opportunity to help alleviate our administrative burden with empathetic technology.
Technology is a critical tool for all teams, including HR, that want to stay efficient and agile within the complexities of modern workforce management. Yet more than 80% of HR teams feel they lack the digital tools they need to execute effectively. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the HR industry, enabling organizations to streamline their operations, enhance employee experiences and drive strategic decision-making, all in the face of a tumultuous talent market and economy.
Here are five reasons employers should consider investing in AI- and data-driven technology for their HR teams.
1. Streamlining Recruitment And Talent Acquisition
There are several recruitment/acquisition functions where AI tools can support HR teams. For example, machine learning algorithms can take on the heavy lifting when analyzing résumés and identifying key qualifications that match job requirements. This can reduce the time that HR professionals spend on screening candidates. When used thoughtfully and with the right intention, there’s also the potential for recruitment teams to better achieve anti-bias work and efforts with AI technology.
With AI-driven chatbots and assistants, HR teams can streamline candidate communications and more easily answer questions, source resources, schedule interviews and personalize the candidate experience. Many of my peers in the recruiting space are looking to drive more valuable efficiencies and avoid weeks- or months-long recruitment cycles, and AI can help ensure more positive experiences for everyone involved in this process.
2. Improving Employee Engagement
Today’s employee expects personalization, and AI-driven technology can help support that by driving tailored experiences that reduce benefits confusion and improve overall engagement. Additionally, leveraging sentiment analysis tools can help HR teams, people leaders and employee engagement teams gauge potential burnout and disengagement, highlight coaching and growth opportunities and more by simply looking at employee feedback.
Bringing in AI-powered assistants can help us connect employees to relevant support and resources quickly. For example, virtual wellness coaches can offer personalized recommendations for physical and mental well-being, leading to a healthier and more engaged workforce. HR teams can also use chatbots as virtual assistants that promptly answer employee queries and provide self-service options, empowering employees and enhancing their overall experience.
3. Enabling Data-Driven Decision Support
One of HR’s greatest assets for driving organizational innovation is employee data. But oftentimes, insights are locked away in spreadsheets that there’s no time to fully analyze. With AI technology, HR professionals no longer need to parse large data sets themselves. The right tools, like predictive analysis or pattern recognition, can help identify things like potential talent gaps and provide a better context for proactive strategy planning. (This will certainly reduce the time spent cleaning up Excel documents!)
4. Personalizing Employee Benefits
Employees will never be benefits experts. But with AI, HR teams can help reduce the friction between employees and key decisions at enrollment and throughout the rest of the year. This will allow employees to better connect the dots between their health needs and available benefits.
HR teams can provide a level of personalization through AI tools that ensure employees have an opportunity to enroll and use the benefits that are relevant to them. This can lead to improved overall well-being and less stress about how employees can manage their health needs. AI-powered benefits platforms can also provide intuitive interfaces, making benefits enrollment and management seamless and user-friendly.
5. Enabling Continuous Learning And Upskilling
In a rapidly evolving work environment, continuous learning and upskilling are crucial for employee development and organizational growth. Learning and development teams can use AI-based learning platforms to maximize the effectiveness of learning initiatives. These platforms can analyze employee skills, identify competency gaps and recommend personalized training programs. With machine learning algorithms, development teams can ensure they’re delivering targeted content based on individual learning styles, preferences and performance data. AI-powered chat functions can also provide real-time support and guidance, acting as virtual mentors for employees seeking information or assistance.
AI technology has the potential to be a transformative force that empowers HR professionals to optimize processes, improve employee experiences and make data-driven decisions. As organizations increasingly recognize the value of investing in empathetic and tech-enabled solutions, these tools will become paramount for staying competitive in attracting, retaining and developing talent. The future of HR lies in employers harnessing the power of AI to create a more efficient, engaging and empathetic workplace for the entire organization.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
Read the full article here