Use Cases of AI in HR: 8 Time-Saving Examples
AI is rapidly transforming HR departments. With Forbes reporting on the need for HR departments to get onboard with AI and its capabilities to avoid being left behind, there’s no better time for HR teams to be utilising the tools at their disposal.
In this article, we are going to explore some fantastic examples of AI in HR in different areas of the employee lifecycle, including Recruitment, Onboarding, Learning and Development and Workforce Planning. For each example, we will discuss some generative AI use cases.
1. Recruitment
Recruitment is a vital stage of the employee lifecycle for HR to manage - both for efficiencies in attracting and securing the best candidates, but also in setting a great impression and tone to showcase your company. To recruit successfully, your recruitment processes must be robust and streamlined.
While there are many talent acquisition strategies available to HR professionals already, utilising AI can be a powerful tool to use. With the help of AI, recruitment can be transformed by automating time-consuming tasks and reducing admin-heavy activities.
Let’s explore some generative AI use cases for recruitment:
- Scanning CVs and matching candidates
- Drafting job descriptions based on best practice market examples
- Automating personalised email responses to candidates throughout the application process
If HR teams utilise generative AI tools and understand how to get the most out of them, time can be freed up to focus on strategic tasks and building relationships with candidates, ensuring the best people are hired.
2. Employee onboarding
Once an employee has accepted a job offer, the onboarding process begins. This can really make or break a new employee’s experience.
If onboarding processes are slick, then the employee is more likely to stick around. With research from Gallup showing that only 12% of employees strongly agree that their organisation does a great job onboarding new employees, it’s clear that improvements can be made. AI could be the solution to this ongoing challenge.
One example of AI in HR which can streamline employee onboarding is its ability to provide accurate onboarding documents instantly, tailored to each new hire's specific role.
AI can provide accurate onboarding documents instantly, tailored to the needs of your new hire and their role. This includes:
- Guidance on company policies and procedures
- Real-time support and feedback on early performance
- Tailored training plans to support their initial few weeks of employment
When HR managers understand the potential on offer, AI-bolstered HR systems can help streamline onboarding processes and provide your new employee with the information they need instantly.
3. HR chatbots
HR chatbots are a great tool that can be used by HR teams, managers and employees alike. It’s important to be aware that while HR chatbots can pull accurate information to aid their responses, it’s down to the individual to ask the right questions which can help shape the answers provided. From an employee perspective, they can be used to:
- Handle frequently asked questions like ‘How much annual leave do I have left?’
- Share suitable documentation such as the company’s maternity leave policy
- Offer self-serve capabilities and high-quality, informed responses
HR chatbots are a hugely beneficial tool for HR departments as it means those within the team don’t have to worry about finding answers to specific questions or rummaging through folders to find the right policies. This saves valuable without compromising on employee experience.
4. Employee engagement
Engaged employees are the backbone of any successful organisation. They're more productive, creative, and likely to stay with the company. But keeping employees engaged can be a challenge, especially for organisations with a sizeable workforce. Here's where AI-powered HR comes in.
The use of AI in HR will:
- Create surveys analysing the results and bringing common themes and trends to your attention
- Provide information surrounding what benefits are available to individuals based on their circumstances
- Offer targeted resources to support employees dealing with specific challenges, such as financial stress.
By utilising the tools within an AI-enhanced HR system, your team can bypass the administrative burden and dedicate valuable time to what matters most: fostering a positive employee experience. AI can handle the repetitive tasks, freeing HR professionals to focus on building strong relationships with employees, addressing their unique needs, and creating a culture of engagement that drives success.
5. HR data
Anyone working in the HR space will understand the significance of data. From people-specific numbers to trend forecasting, it’s essential for HR professionals to be aware of all the different areas and get to grips with them to succeed.
Your HR data will be transformed with the help of AI-assisted HR reporting software, providing policies and information at the drop of a hat to save time searching for specific documents. You can also learn about market best practice to make the most suitable decisions and react accordingly to pressing queries.
By leveraging AI, HR professionals can gain helpful insights that can help them make better decisions across all aspects of the employee lifecycle.
6. Learning and Development
For every employee to succeed and grow within an organisation, there must be a strong Learning & Development strategy in place. With the PwC reporting that two-thirds of employees say opportunities to learn new skills are a key factor in any decision to job-switch, the need to close the digital skills gap has never been more crucial.
While some companies may have their own L&D teams working on this area, a lot of learning initiatives come through HR which can take a significant amount of time. So, how can AI be used in HR for L&D specifically? While we have touched upon some AI trends that L&D professionals should be aware of, now is the time to really be utilising AI’s capabilities to boost the training opportunities offered to your employees.
Some examples of AI in HR can involve:
- Creating custom pathways for individuals based on their aspirations and goals
- Recommend specific training modules for career progression
- Provide 24/7 support to employees with answers to questions such as ‘What training is available on the topic of cyber security?’
Once they understand the power AI can hold, organisations can move away from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to training and empower employees to take charge of their own learning and development.
7. Progression and Performance
Nurturing an employee’s potential isn’t just about helping them with their L&D initiatives - although this is of course vital for their development. They also need to be supported throughout their time at the company with regular one to ones and performance management. While the HR department aren’t usually directly responsible and they are usually carried out by the individual’s manager, certain documents may need to be provided by HR.
A few generative AI HR use cases for progression include:
- Analysing how an employee has performed and providing instant feedback
- Planning and structuring of performance reviews based on the employee’s role and responsibilities
- Reviewing employee profiles and career goals to identify potential mentor matches.
By integrating AI-powered tools into these processes, HR can empower managers to deliver more effective communication methods to encourage progression for all employees.
8. Workforce planning
Workforce planning is a crucial part of business success, but it’s no secret that a lot of HR professionals are both time and resource poor. Many HR teams are struggling to pinpoint the drivers behind workforce challenges, and this can make it extremely difficult to develop their People strategy and make business improvements. This can all be solved with the help of AI functionality.
By using AI, your HR system could:
- Provide predictive workforce analytics and review historical trends to predict future workforce needs
- Create scenario planning to understand and prepare for different outcomes within the workforce
- Consider employee preferences, skills, and workload to create efficient and fair staff schedules.
Leveraging AI's analytical know-how with these examples of AI in HR will allow teams to anticipate future needs, develop targeted interventions, and ultimately build a more agile and successful workforce.
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Balancing HR compliance with AI
While AI offers a wealth of benefits for HR, responsible implementation is paramount. Here's how to ensure your AI-powered HR system stays compliant and secure:
- Data Security: All data and information must be secured within a private environment, reducing the risk of breaches and unauthorised access.
- User Permissions: Establish clear user permissions and access controls to safeguard sensitive employee information.
- Transparency is Key: Maintain clear and transparent communication around the AI model's functionalities and decision-making processes.
By prioritising these aspects, proactive HR departments can leverage AI's power while mitigating compliance risks and disruptions.
Leverage the power of AI in your HR strategy
By using HR tools that are developing AI enhanced functionality such as Access Evo, you can save time in each area of the employee lifecycle, providing best practice advice and crafting quality content, empowering you to act in seconds and focus on work that matters. This reduces a large amount of administrative burden providing information that is accurate and correct.
The Access Evo AI capabilities within Access PeopleXD will truly revolutionalise your HR strategy, providing you with the tools you need to become a slick, forward-thinking department. You can save time searching through HR systems or internal intranets looking for policies or for team information, seamlessly retrieve personal data and delegate routine queries.
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