Whenever we hear about artificial intelligence (AI), we often think that this technology will only be useful in the future. However, many companies and individuals are using it in their everyday life. AI applications are making their way into the real world and affecting the way we collect and analyze information. While the use of this information also comes with responsibility in keeping data secure, there are many ways that AI can be used to benefit human resources (HR) and recruitment departments.

Recruitment

Many organizations these days are looking to AI to help automate some of the tedious work that goes with their job. AI in HR and recruiting departments have had a slow start, according to a 2019 Deloitte survey. Only 6 percent of the HR professionals they interviewed believed that their company has the top line recruitment processes, while 81 percent believed their recruitment processes were average or below standard.  

AI can be used to help streamline the application process for recruitment teams and job applicants alike. AI technology can help create a better user experience for the application process. By making online applications easier to complete, this will help reduce the bounce rate of abandoned applications.  Recruiters are able to use AI for simpler and more meaningful candidate discovery but are also finding it useful for candidate rediscovery. AI software is able to keep a database of past candidate records. With this record, it uses its advanced learning technology to analyze the existing applicants and gives suggestions of who might be fitting for a new role. Rather than spending time looking through new applications, the system will already provide them for you.

Chatbots

Job candidates are comfortable interacting with a chatbot. While we might just think of chatbots as just automated chat information, many of us forget that they are actually powered by AI software. While we realize there might not be an actual person responding to us, chatbots have become a normal part of the recruitment process. 

Many job seekers never hear back from a company after emailing them once. This has forced HR and recruitment departments to re-strategize and many have found chatbots to be the solution. If recruiters were to answer every applicants’ questions in a timely manner, chances are they would be doing only this task all day. Now AI software is effectively doing it for them.  Chatbots are able to fill the void of more communication that applicants are wanting from their companies. By backfilling the software with frequently asked questions and responses, applicants are able to have their questions answered in a timely manner. This software also has the ability to save data on what types of questions are being asked. That way your recruitment teams can expand their answers based on what job hunters are looking for.

Employee Retention

HR professionals can use AI for other purposes besides scouting talent. They can also use this software to boost internal mobility and in turn employee retention. Since AI systems have the ability to think on their own and make inferences from the information they’ve been given, they are able to also do this with employee needs.

According to a report from the Human Resources Professional Association, AI now has the ability to identify key indicators of employee success. With that information, this software can tell you who might deserve a promotion based on numbers alone. This will help drive internal mobility and affect employee retention and talent acquisition costs. 

AI can predict when employees might quit their jobs. According to the Harvard Business Review, by providing an algorithm with data on typical unsatisfied employee touchpoints, the software is able to predict when a current employee might part ways with the company based on their touchpoints. 

This can be useful insight for retention efforts to sway employees before it’s too late. By knowing when a person might leave a company based on past information, teams can focus on fixing the problem on the front end instead of trying to mend a broken bridge after the damage is done. 

Having A Social Responsibility

With AI software comes the responsibility of data. As mentioned, AI stores mass amounts of data and uses it to make inferences that can be useful in so many different ways. However, if your company is going to use AI and store consumer data, you also have a responsibility to keep that data secure. 

Many companies are targeted by cybercriminals through phishing tactics. Employees are on the front lines of keeping the company secure. If an employee were to open an email from a cybercriminal, there is the potential that malware could be downloaded onto a company device. From there, the virus will attach itself to private company software that contains valuable information, such as data from your AI software. 

As we continue to become further connected and AI technology becomes the norm in the office, it’s important to protect your data. Make sure that all employee devices have antivirus software installed. Antivirus software will delete any malware that makes its way onto a company device. That way you can be sure to use AI stored information to help your recruitment and HR teams without being liable for a potential data breach.

These are a few of the changes HR professionals will expect to see as AI finds its way to their companies and throughout their entire field. Automating some of the tedious work recruiters do will help make hiring top talent a more streamline process. This software can help these departments create new ways to improve their workflow with the mass amounts of data and insights they can create from it.