AI and People Ops
AI has become an inescapable force in the world of business. From employee relations to data analysis, AI has the potential to impact every department and stage of the employee lifecycle. While AI does have the potential to reduce human error, this tool must be thoroughly understood and approached with the right intention in order to maximize its usefulness. In this blog, we hope to identify some of the pros and cons of utilizing AI in the world and work of People Operations.
How to Remain People-First While Using AI
People Operations may, at first, seem like an unlikely match for AI. Our main objective as a People Ops representative is to focus on the human side of operations. It is exactly with this mindset that we should be approaching AI. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way People Ops functions, but we need to keep a people-first mindset in order to ensure this tool is used correctly.
While AI can sometimes feel like a do-it-all device, you must remember that this is a tool that still requires human input. It is important to screen any AI-generated material. AI is only as good as the data it's trained on, and if that data is biased or flawed in some way, the results will be as well. Human oversight is the only way to ensure that the AI is producing unbiased and accurate results. Additionally, human input is necessary to interpret the results and make informed decisions based on the data. Ultimately, AI should be seen as a supplement to human expertise, not a replacement for it.
With that in mind, let’s begin exploring the ways that AI can improve the People Ops function!
How to Utilize AI in People Ops
There are a multitude of ways that AI can support and streamline People Ops processes. We’ve listed a few examples that span the employee lifecycle and beyond. Keep in mind that all of these applications still require human input, review and finessing.
Talent attraction/hiring
There are many ways in which AI can support talent attraction and hiring practices, such as:
Job description writing. AI can be a great tool to assist in the creation of job descriptions Once you have your necessary information such as salary, requirements, and responsibilities, AI can help generate an outline or first draft of the document.
Candidate screening. Using data points based on qualifications, keyword searches and any other specifics that you may have in mind for a specific role, AI can screen applications and filter for human review.
Reducing bias in the screening process by relying on strict data points. AI can help you flag areas where your screening may be flawed by bias. Keep in mind that AI can only work within the parameters that it is given. Human oversight is needed to ensure that the data that AI is working with is supporting your goals and promoting DEIB in your sourcing efforts.
Onboarding/offboarding
Onboarding and offboarding are great opportunities to utilize AI. Often, these processes rely on a repeatable checklist of tasks, many of which can be automated. For example:
Creating/removing employee profiles from directories.
Triggering welcome or exit emails.
Guiding new employees through training modules.
Creating schedules for an employee’s first or last day based on the required meetings, tasks and appointments that need to be kept.
Engagement Surveys
AI can assist in the creation of and analysis of employee survey data. This includes:
Formulating survey questions. AI can create example questions based on the focus of your survey.
Deciphering results into clear, measurable data. AI can translate yes/no, sliding scale or multiple choice questions into clear and measurable data.
Create action plans using the survey results to address areas of opportunity. AI can help you formulate and action plan based on the data from your results and your goals. For example, if your survey about employee mental health generates unsatisfactory results, AI can help devise an action plan to improve employee mental health.
Development
AI can utilize its task management and learning abilities to assist in employee development. Some examples are:
Creating career laddering plans based on an employee’s current stage and their end goal.
Customizing training/education to match the employee’s learning style.
Compliance
Ai is great at organizing data and flagging mistakes. This is particularly helpful in compliance. AI can assist with:
Policy creation by creating sample policy drafts or policy outlines that can be customized to fit your organizational needs.
Employee data audits. AI can help flag missing documents, signatures and more.
Updating policies and handbook to reflect current laws. Many AI supported employee handbooks automatically flag updates in policies and requirements.
SUMMARY
While AI can be a powerful tool to help automate many of the processes carried out in People Ops, we must remember to use this tool with care to avoid misinformation or incorrect data. It is an exciting time to see the leaps and bounds that AI is making in the business world, but it is clear that our expertise and humanity as People Ops representatives is more necessary than ever.
We hope that this blog has inspired you to explore the ways that AI can support your People Ops efforts, while keeping in mind that it is no replacement for human proficiency and knowledge. Thanks you for your support of HENSLEE and the HENSLEE blog. We look forward to keeping our community informed, engaged and inspired in our future blog posts! As always, be well and remember to Lead With Heart! 💓
