Impact of AI on recruitment and employee development

Reflecting today on the importance of artificial intelligence in business, it is easier to count those industries where it has little or no impact. In the HR industry, we have no doubt - AI is already revolutionizing recruitment processes. Thanks to the use of advanced algorithms, companies not only save time and costs, but also increase the precision of HR decisions and develop the skills of employees.

AI in recruitment, or process automation

What is AI used for in recruitment? Starting from its early stage, i.e. the analysis of thousands of submitted resumes by candidates, which would take days for a few people, artificial intelligence can do it in a few minutes, taking into account the identification of key competencies and their proper matching with the job profile in published job offers.

This eliminates from the further recruitment process a significant part of the applications, sent en masse by candidates for various positions for which they are not necessarily competent, on the principle - and it will work out or it won' t hurt to send a resume still here and here.

It doesn't stop there, of course - the further stage of recruitment, such as e-mail contact or phone calls with selected candidates, is replaced by chatbots and virtual assistants. After analyzing the responses, these tools provide recruiters with a final list of people matched in terms of competencies and expectations.

AI in HR - recruiter talks to candidate during interview, laptop on desk

AI in HR in the service of employee development

AI in HR is also being used to manage the development of already hired employees in the company. Special algorithms monitor in real time the progress of employed people in particular positions, and when necessary, suggest closely and individually tailored training to fill their competency gaps - this eliminates ineffective training based on one-size-fits-all programs.

What's more, AI in HR can also predict talent departure risks with high probability. For example, by analyzing vacation days, feedback from surveys sent out to employees, their relationship with their superiors, participation in projects, and therefore their commitment and productivity in their daily work.

AI in HR - a smiling young employee works in the office

I work in HR, will AI ever replace me?

When considering the impact of artificial intelligence on daily work, it is impossible to ask this question, -will AI ever replace me in my position?

Just how timely this question is is shown by last year's Pracuj.pl survey, the results of which list HR departments among the industries most concerned about the growing importance of AI in their work.

Source: Pracuj.pl (pdf)

Chart showing the top 5 industries most concerned about the rise of artificial intelligence and process automation. HR and human resources in second place.

What do these concerns stem from?

Well, from the already described above applications of AI in the work of HR professionals, who rank third (31%) right after marketing and PR departments (50%) and IT (34%), in the level of use of artificial intelligence in daily work. Most often for the aforementioned support and automation in recruitment processes, talent management and employee engagement analysis.

Probably for this reason, employees in these industries constitute the largest group of people actively following current AI developments - as declared by as many as 58% of IT professionals and 55% each of marketing and HR professionals.

However, it is necessary to balance here, this undeniable impact of AI on daily work with replacing humans in it. The key word here is the support of artificial intelligence, which allows employees to spend more time building relationships with candidates and assessing their soft skills and, most importantly, to identify the best candidates faster and more accurately.

Objective AI without intuition and empathy does not replace, but more eliminates, the shortcomings of subjective human judgment. Let's also remember that algorithms can also replicate stereotypes or biases and can be biased. Ultimately, then, it is the employee who makes the decisions anyway, knowing the realities of how his or her company operates and the individual needs or expectations of employees in particular positions. Artificial intelligence will give warning of the possible departure of talent, but will not stop it. So support - yes, replace still and for a long time to come - no.

What are the implications?

In summary, artificial intelligence is changing the face of modern HR, offering innovative solutions for speed and efficiency in recruitment processes, better talent management and greater employee engagement and development.

All this, of course, is just theory, which we tried to introduce you to the use of AI in HR. How to use it in practice with the available tools, you will learn in the postgraduate course: Artificial Intelligence in Business, thus gaining a competitive advantage in the era of digital transformation of the HR industry.