With the rapid growth of technology many industries have had to change with the times, and Human Resources is no different.
HR has always been one of the most vital parts of any business, as it is responsible for making sure the right person is hired for a job and that employees are happy.
It is now easier than ever to access information so using technology to find the right candidate has become the norm in HR.
The companies that are using the newfound data available to them are leading the way in HR and recruitment.
It is now easier than ever to use social media websites such as LinkedIn to scour the huge amounts of viable candidates to find the right person for the job.
Lots of companies are using Big Data to find the right candidate. Today’s technology gives HR the power of Big Data, which has changed the way businesses see their candidates.
Cloud Computing is another technology which has made HR both more secure and more efficient. Now all of the employee information such as; payroll, tax documents, and performance reports can be stored securely online.
But the increasing use of technology with HR also brings with it certain legal issues.
By using large data collecting services, are companies over stepping the mark when it comes to privacy infringement and other legal issues?
And will looking at candidates as data instead of individuals create diversity issues in employment?
There are many who believe that artificial intelligence will show the value of the human touch in HR.
AI will be beneficial for HR in terms of helping with record keeping and dealing with tasks that can be done automatically, but it will never replace people.
Technology will not be able to replace people when it comes to conflict resolution, and making sure people have the right personality for the company they are applying to work for in the recruitment process.
One of the things that technology and artificial intelligence will improve in HR is hiring bias.
The new AI will determine candidates based only on their qualifications and will completely eliminate (in theory) biases such as gender, race and ethnicity.
So, technology in HR creates more time for people to tackle bigger, more important challenges in the workplace that need to be undertaken by a human, and can leave the more quantitative, data related tasks to AI.
Companies Which Benefit
It will be interesting to see just how far AI can go in terms of revolutionising HR processes as well as various other processes in the workplace.
AI itself is a large, growing industry which is already generating decent profits and a healthy level of interest in the world of technology.
As such, it is most likely the largest, most profitable companies who will be the first to invest, given that they will probably be the only ones with the capital to invest in such hi tech, advanced technology.
Using AI in their HR departments will undoubtedly help them get ahead of competitors, as it frees up time and resources which can be used to help stimulate growth in other areas of the company.
Industries like financial services and marketing, or those which operate in a fast paced environment, are likely to see the greatest benefits from AI, as it will reduce pressure and allow them more time to focus on growing their business.
As of yet, AI is still in its relatively early phases, and with technology progressing so fast, very few people can accurately predict just how far AI will go in the future.
It is entirely possible that it will be fully incorporated into the systems of numerous different companies and businesses, and as older AI technology becomes outdated and cheaper, it will become more affordable for startups and smaller businesses.
There is no doubt that AI will receive further funding and investment from various organisations and companies around the world, so HR practices are likely to be revolutionised in the coming years.
Whilst human touch will still be important in the workplace and recruitment process, it is still uncertain as to how staff and AI will be integrated and interact with each other.
Much of this will be down to the decisions of CEOs and top-level management, who will no doubt be watching the progression of AI with a keen eye.
Ultimately, the implications of AI in HR are not yet fully known, but its current development and integration give tell-tale signs of where it may be headed in the future.
Through Big Data and AI solutions, companies will be looking to improve their systems and stimulate greater levels of business growth, whilst avoiding any of the potential issues which may arise from this new and exciting technology.
Question: What’s your thoughts on AI and Big Data in HR? You can leave a comment by clicking here.