Are you ready for the ways Artificial Intelligence will impact HR in the coming year?

In the ever-evolving landscape of business and technology, HR professionals find themselves on the crest of a transformative wave – the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

As an HR professional, it doesn't matter if you niche in the complexities of talent management, employee engagement, or are just a generalist, AI will have been discussed in meetings from boardroom to teams to a coffee break. And it may well have you feeling worried or nervous. If AI can do, well, just about anything, from writing policy to screening CVs, then what use are actual humans? You may be worried for your own role, and the role of HR in a company when people can use programmes to write everything from job descriptions to LinkedIn posts via those all-important emails or drafts of new protocols.

However, when it comes to workforce optimisation in 2024, AI emerges as a powerful ally for HR, offering unprecedented opportunities to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and unlock new dimensions of human potential. If the fear comes when you think of AI and how it'll work with your work, remember two things: It's a tool you can use for the better, in many ways, and it needs you to operate it.

Still, it's likely you have a lot of questions about AI - and as a key trend in 2024, how you might use it day-to-day and the impact and changes it'll have on your work, your company and your role in HR. Is it up to you, as an HR professional, to be completely in the know about how to use the AI software, and all the pros and cons?

Yes - to an extent. But the traditional role of HR has been one of a facilitator, managing administrative tasks, recruitment processes, and employee relations. However, the advent of AI heralds a huge shift, propelling HR into a realm where data-driven insights, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation redefine the very fabric of the workplace. Woah - sounds scary.

As organisations grapple with the imperative to adapt and innovate, AI is not merely a buzzword but a catalyst for change in HR practices. From leveraging machine learning algorithms for more effective talent acquisition to deploying natural language processing for enhanced employee engagement, the rise of AI in HR promises a future where organisations can better understand, connect with, and empower their most valuable asset – their people. 

Focusing in on where you'll use AI

So, where to start? First up, the 'where'? The short answer here is in recruitment, that's the key message from HR professionals. But that’s a huge remit – so let’s unpack the details. In a survey by Littler of 780 European employers, nearly 100 of which were UK-based, 61% say they use predictive AI tools for at least one HR function (such as recruiting and hiring), and 59% report using generative AI for HR purposes.