Babitha Balakrishnan

Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions have already improved many spheres and now it is time for HR to embrace the changes that non-human entities can bring. What HR processes can be automated or boosted with help of AI? What are the perspectives of AI in this sphere? And what do the executives think about the implementation of AI in the performance of the HR strategies?

Recent reports sound rosy: for example, the findings from the IBM survey from 2017 “Extending expertise: How cognitive computing will transform HR and the employee experience” - the greater part of CEOs believe that AI can boost the efficiency of HR. More than that, half of the respondents believe that the software has enough power to streamline every process in the HR sphere. Thus, HR teams will get a possibility to focus on more creative work allowing AI to do routine tasks of hiring and onboarding.

However, not all managers are ready to outsource such activities to cognitive computing in the immediate future, some do not believe in its efficiency and others see no need to implement AI in the organization with a few employees.
Still, many organizations reap the benefits of AI in their HR workflows already.

What are the advantages of the combination AI and HR?

Cost saving
According to a 2016 Society of Human Resource Management survey, companies spend $4,129 in average to place one individual. Usage of specialized programs and AI recruitment may save a hatful of money. In addition, such programs offer customized packages on a subscription basis, so the company can retrench even more.   

Saving of time
The companies that develop AI recruiting services, like Ideal, Brilent and Arya, claim to reduce time spent on hiring down 70%, from 34 to 9 days. Thus, HR managers won’t need to spend days sifting through huge piles of CVs and resumes focusing on more important tasks. This software seems to be very relevant due to the fact that people tend to order resumes these days from services like Resume CV Writer. If before their resume would probably go straight to the bin because of being badly written or formatted, instead now HR would spend time skimming through the document.

Efficiency
Well-thought-out searching algorithms, questionnaires, and other AI tools can be used to find the most appropriate candidates without a need to waste time reading resumes or headhunting on the various websites.

How AI can be used in this sphere?

AI Recruiters
There are many tools and programs that allow automating the processes that before required a lot of time and effort from HR managers. For example, such software as Entelo provides a possibility to collect online data from different sources to connect the dots and create a well-rounded profile of the candidate. Collection and the analysis of this information can be conducted in no time and the candidates will be ranked according to their pertinence. Today it is one of the most useful features that AI can offer to HR, as with its help executives can find passive candidates.

Some companies might want to take advantage of the interviewing software like Mya Systems, which is a conversational AI capable of understanding and generating natural language. It screens for candidates, interviews them and shortlists candidates. Another “shortcut to the shortlist” is an AI application called Restless Bandit. Thus, AI is designed to save recruiters’ time on the tasks that can be automated and allows them to focus on the shortlisted prospective candidates.

Personalized onboarding programs
You can hardly find a person without a mobile device nowadays. So why not to use it to streamline the onboarding process for a new employee? One of the simplest ways of using AI here is to provide customized information on the mobile device to a new employee that will help them to get into a swim of things. Such software may provide information about the names, contacts, and locations of people a new worker should connect on the first day.

Automation of the routine tasks
Apart from onboarding, AI can help to automate such tasks as scheduling interviews, providing feedback and answering frequently asked questions with help of chatbots. Thus, the manager will have the possibility to spend more time on strategic work outsourcing administrative tasks to AI. In addition, the software is prone to human errors, so it will improve the quality of managers’ work.

 Assistance for the employees
Cognitive computing may be of great help for workers to make everyday decisions in the workplace. Here are some examples of how software can simplify the task of the HR manager and boost the performance of the employee:
Vacation requests. The employee who wants to book a vacation on certain days may find out if whether it may be approved depending on the number of people who have already booked vacations at that time.

Analyzing the mood and condition of the worker. For example, the software can analyze the behavior of the employee during the client call and provide suggestions on how to improve the results. An arrangement of the team training. AI can make the team training more organized and systematic with a personalized approach to each employee.

A new approach to the hiring process. New sources of information and new ways of processing it allow HR managers to develop more efficient hiring strategies. Talent development: personalized learning and access to the skills necessary for the employees’ position. This has been presented by Everwise as “to tailor, run and optimize learning at enterprise scale”.

Advanced analytics
Usually, companies use analytics in order to collect data on their customers and predict their possible future behavior. HR can weaponize this AI tool in order to search for and attract new talents to the team.

An unbiased approach to hiring
We are all human beings at the end of the day. Unsurprisingly, even those employers who make every possible effort to be inclusive may fall victim to different biases. The software will search for the applicants with the most appropriate skills and knowledge without personal preference to the candidates. It will help to avoid poor hiring decisions and come up with the employees that will definitely hit the spot.

Increasing the human experience
AI discards all the low-level interactions so the employer and employee can focus on the tasks and communications that are the most efficient and convenient for them.

What is great with cognitive computing and AI in overall, there are solutions for all types of organizations and businesses, no matter how big or small they are. As long as the company knows its goal, AI can provide a tool to achieve it sooner and more efficiently. This industry continues to grow and develop so it is a matter of time when AI-powered technologies will affect all the levels of HR work.
 
Author Bio
John Obstander is a passionate traveler and freelance writer who has graduated from the University of Cape Town with an MA degree in English Language and Literature and a BA in Creative Writing. He currently works as a Career Advisor at nerdymates.com. Having a strong desire to learn something new every day, he has finished online courses in Business and Sociology to expand his knowledge across multiple disciplines.