HR’s new best friend? How AI can lighten the load

HR’s new best friend? How AI can lighten the load in summary:

• AI is revolutionising HR departments by automating repetitive tasks, enhancing recruitment processes, and improving employee engagement.
• AI-powered tools can significantly increase productivity by handling administrative tasks, managing scheduling, and assisting with policy wording, allowing HR professionals to focus on more strategic activities.
• AI-powered tools are also helping HR teams craft inclusive job ads, shortlist candidates, and streamline onboarding processes, leading to more efficient hiring and happier employees.

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Is it just me, or is there any aspect of our lives AI hasn’t touched?

Lately, it feels like you can’t scroll a webpage, flip through a magazine, or chat with a colleague without AI sneaking into the conversation. And yes, I fully appreciate the irony of saying that, given that this blog is all about AI!

The truth is, AI is everywhere. Whether it’s curating the perfect playlist for your spring-cleaning session or fine-tuning that all-important email, it’s woven into our daily lives. Love it or loathe it, one thing’s for sure: AI isn’t going anywhere… and its influence is only going to grow – especially in the world of work.

AI: Breaking down productivity barriers

When it comes to our daily working lives, artificial intelligence has the potential to be transformative, no matter what industry or sector you’re in. That’s because AI can take on those repetitive, time-consuming tasks we rarely enjoy doing; freeing people up to focus on the work that really needs a human touch, like creative thinking, problem-solving, or building stronger relationships. And this isn’t just an assumption, either!

For example, a study by the Nielsen Norman Group found that generative AI tools increased business users’ throughput by 66% when performing realistic tasks, indicating substantial productivity gains. And, according to LinkedIn, implementing AI in HR operations can lead to an average reduction of 15% to 20% in labour time.

With those figures in mind, people professionals should consider AI’s rapid rise as a huge positive. Whether it’s generating eye-catching job adverts, responding to menial queries or even assisting with tricky policy wording, HR systems that include AI-powered features can assist with them all.

In fact, AI has the potential to become your new best friend. Here’s why…

Saving time on admin (So you can focus on people)

Let’s be honest: HR teams are drowning in admin. From drafting job descriptions and workplace policies, to responding to frequently asked questions from staff… there’s always something that needs writing, editing, or reviewing.

Thankfully, an HR system that includes generative AI can take the heavy lifting out of those tasks, churning out first drafts for policies, emails, or even performance review summaries. Instead of spending hours agonising over wording, or re-reading documents to ensure accuracy, you can tweak AI-generated content to match your company’s tone of voice, saving you heaps of time each week.

And it’s not just about writing where AI can lighten the load. AI-powered tools and smart automation can manage scheduling, set reminders, and handle repetitive queries. Think of it as your dedicated digital assistant, tackling the boring stuff so you can focus on people.

That type of functionality is something which the Cezanne HRIS will soon feature. The new AI-driven Writing Assistance can help you write the perfect prose for your personal bio, avoid grammatical errors, expand your language, and create content that really engages. So, if you suffer from writers block, you’ll never be stuck for the right words to use ever again!

Supercharging your recruitment efforts

Hiring the right people is one of HR’s biggest challenges – especially given the tough jobs market and looming economic downturn. Luckily, this is where AI can be a powerful ally.

Need to craft an inclusive and engaging job ad? AI can have your back. Struggling to sift through hundreds of CVs? AI can help shortlist candidates based on key skills, and all without replacing the important human judgment that’s so crucial in effective hiring. And that’s not all…

Some companies are even using AI-powered chatbots to answer candidate queries in real-time. For example, a recent study found that AI-crafted recruitment emails have a 44% higher acceptance rate than traditional ones. Not bad, right? Companies like Siemens and Robert Walters are already using AI tools to boost hiring efficiency, proving it’s not just a flash in the pan gimmick.

Smoother, smarter onboarding

We all know that first impressions count, and a clunky onboarding process can set the wrong tone for new hires. Thankfully, onboarding software that includes AI-driven functionality can streamline vital onboarding processes by handling paperwork, setting up system access, and answering common questions – all without HR teams having to lift a finger.

Take Hitachi, for example. They’ve managed to slash onboarding times and reduce HR involvement by using AI-powered digital assistants. The result? Faster, more effective onboarding, happier employees, and less stress for HR teams.

Keeping employees engaged and informed

Employee engagement is a tough nut to crack, but AI can give HR a helping hand. From creating personalised learning and development programmes, to generating internal communications that actually resonate, AI can help you tailor messages so they hit the mark.

AI can even analyse employee feedback and suggest ways to improve workplace culture. Imagine having a tool that helps you craft communications that genuinely connect with your workforce, without the guesswork.

Data-driven HR without the drama

HR has become more data-driven than ever, but let’s be real: wading through spreadsheets and trying to make sense of complex data isn’t exactly thrilling, is it? Luckily, AI has the potential do a lot of the heavy lifting by analysing employee survey responses, tracking sentiment trends, and even spotting potential retention risks before they become a problem.

For example, AI can be used to highlight patterns in engagement surveys, helping HR teams pinpoint areas that need attention. The result? Smarter, faster decision-making that’s backed up by hard data, and has a better chance of improving employee wellbeing and business outcomes.

A quick reality check

Despite all those perks, AI adoption in UK HR departments is still in its early days. A survey last year, for example, found that 90% of senior HR professionals said their organisations don’t currently use AI in recruitment, and only 3% planned to adopt it within the next year.

So, what’s holding HR back? A mix of uncertainty, skills gaps, and concerns about ethical implications. But, as AI continues to evolve and prove its value, it’s likely that more HR teams will start to dip their toes in the water – especially given the potential benefits. However, a word of caution…

AI isn’t the answer to everything

Now, as much as we’re big advocates of intelligent and useful AI in HR, it isn’t a cure to all of life’s problems. Like any tool, it has its quirks; like potential biases in AI-generated content, or referencing information that isn’t totally accurate. Plus, there’s also the question of how to stay compliant with data protection laws (hello, GDPR!).

There’s also a much larger issue, and one that comes down to trust. For example, a recent survey found that 54% of UK workers feel uneasy about HR teams using AI, and 70% say they haven’t received any AI training. That’s a pretty big gap considering how quickly AI is evolving!

When it comes to building trust in AI, transparency, training, and clear communication are key to making AI adoption smoother and more widely accepted. For us here at Cezanne, we believe AI has a huge pat to play in the continued transformation of HR, and we’re committed to the development and integration of new AI features in a safe and ethical manner.

But what do we mean by that?

Well, in short, we want any AI functionality to be both beneficial and aligned with the best interests of organisations and their employees – and that, we feel, is the way it should be. And, while AI can be a fantastic support tool, it should never, ever, replace human decision-making. After all, HR is all about looking after the human-side of business; and that’s something that even the most sophisticated machine could never imitate, or indeed replace.