Building A Blended Workforce Where HR And Employees Both Win

The path leading to a blended workforce was, is, and will continue to be an inevitable destination

With human interaction at an all-time low during the pandemic, artificial intelligence (AI) stepped up to the plate to fill the gap and get jobs done safely. But, as people begin to filter back into the physical workplace, it’s important to consider how new practices propelled forward by the pandemic have changed the dynamic – and how they’ll continue to evolve and impact the future of work long after the Covid era subsides.

There’s no denying that we’re on the brink of a blended workforce – where humans and robots working together will become the new normal – and while many may be apprehensive of impending change, there are benefits for both HR and employees alike.  

For HR departments, AI can play a huge role in transforming the way they work. Contrary to popular belief, technology will not eliminate human resources jobs, instead, it’ll help HR teams work more efficiently. In fact, AI can actually help put the ‘human’ back in human resources by automating tedious manual processes, freeing up HR for more meaningful human interactions, and allowing them to focus on more complex tasks like decision making and strategizing that will benefit their businesses’ bottom line.

Some of the top challenges HR leaders face are finding highly skilled candidates, retaining their top talent, and increasing employee engagement. AI-based automation can help solve these pain points, enabling HR to not only monitor their internal workforce to ensure they work to the best of their abilities, but also the job market to find talent to meet their evolving needs.

With employees also often reluctant of AI as they fear it will replace their jobs, HR must step up and help their staff adapt. HR leaders who haven’t done so already will need to shift their mindset away from the “either/or” approach and realize the more talent, the merrier – that people and AI can work together to add more value in new ways.

HR can help employees adapt by detailing an AI strategy and its value, explaining how AI can benefit employee experience, and promoting a culture of learning and development. It’s important to listen to employee concerns, answer questions, and show employees the perks – such as how AI can handle all the administrative, repetitive tasks they dread and how it empowers them to have new and impactful experiences in the workplace.

Furthermore, just as your workforce is investing in AI technology, let your employees know they have a say and that you’ll also continue to invest in them. Focus on upskilling and involving employees in the process of reconfiguring their own jobs – take their input on where AI could be implemented to better perform their tasks. This places employees at the forefront of leading change, instead of being dragged along by it.

While the pandemic may have accelerated changes, it’s important to recognize the path leading to a blended workforce was, is, and will continue to be an inevitable destination. Not only will Millennials and Gen Z make up the majority of the workforce by 2030 as more Baby Boomers and Gen X retire, but according to a McKinsey study, 60% of jobs will be transformed through the automation of component tasks by 2030 as well. The time to plan for a blended workforce is now – ask yourself how you can make it a welcomed change where both employees and HR benefit.