Don’t fear that AI is here: How the emerging tech can help HR pros

With so much commotion surrounding AI, it’s tempting to write it off as a passing trend but don’t be fooled. As this technology evolves and continues making its way into everyday life, it’s not a matter of if AI will find its way into the world of HR, but when.

With this in mind, AI, like any emerging tech, should be scrutinized, considered, even celebrated instead of being feared. Organizations should begin learning as much as possible about AI and all the ways HR professionals can use it as a tool to better manage their staff, organization and employee experience.

Skills development in AI is critical for today’s workforce

This year, experts predict the AI market will hit the $500 billion mark, and in just another 7 years, that value is predicted to more than double. Despite AI’s rapid growth, only 10% of employees have the AI skills needed in today’s workforce, meaning that more learning and skills development is needed to ensure the success of the tech-driven future workforce.

With over a third (35%) of companies reporting they already use AI in their business and another 42% exploring it, most employees will have at least some knowledge and experience with the tech. As more workplaces get comfortable with and start implementing AI, employers need to facilitate company-wide training and discussions to help employees familiarize themselves with the technology. This will help them develop not only a better understanding of how they can use it to support and streamline their day-to-day jobs but level-set expectations and best practices.

How AI can help HR professionals and departments

From people management to communication, HR employees bring an array of skills to their organization but some may find that a large portion of their day is dedicated to completing tedious or time-consuming tasks. By using AI to lessen their administrative load or as a tool to complete other responsibilities efficiently and thoroughly, they get time to focus their efforts on tasks that require more creativity and critical thinking.

AI can make it easier to assess resumes and skill sets, for example, allowing recruiters to easily sift through applications and identify which candidates are best suited for open roles. In fact, most (69%) recruiters say AI allows them to identify stronger applicants, and 63% of talent specialists agree that automated tools have influenced the recruiting process.

AI can also make it easier to onboard new employees and measure how effective the process is for staff. As employee expectations for the workplace shift, so do their expectations for onboarding. However, 36% of HR employees say insufficient technology makes it difficult to automate and improve their onboarding experience. According to recent research, 76% of workers revealed that they “wouldn’t mind being onboarded with AI,” meaning that there’s a built-in opportunity to adopt this new technology to help new hires get up to speed more quickly and easily.

It’s a given that AI is going to be a part of the future workforce, so it’s in the best interest of both businesses and their staff to begin understanding and implementing this technology sooner than later. Amid today’s tight labor market and ongoing skills gaps, 1 in 4 companies say they’re already adopting AI due to these shortages. Ideally this tech can provide critical help that ensures HR departments are able to stay on task even when the job market experiences turbulence because it can quickly address gaps caused by a sudden loss of talent.

Related: Finding the right tech-enabled solutions for employee benefits

While it’s important to evaluate both the possible benefits and blind spots when it comes to AI, employees and employers should be looking at it as another potential tool in their toolkit to help streamline tasks and responsibilities. As AI continues to develop and evolve, HR professionals must stay up to date with the changing technology and explore the ways it could impact their field of work.

Christine Tutssel, co-founder of Axonify