While most workplaces are not using artificial intelligence, the technology is drawing attention and raising concerns, a recent Top Workplaces survey shows.
Workplaces are bringing human resources technology and A.I. onboard. While organizations are embracing H.R. tech solutions, Top Workplaces research reveals that A.I. adoption remains relatively low.
Even so, A.I. holds immense potential, from streamlining operations to enabling data-driven decision-making and unlocking valuable insights.
In the big picture, A.I. is the use of computing to perform tasks normally carried out by people. It most often refers to projects that capture information and deliver it in a way that simulates actions, purpose, reasoning, meaning or learning. A.I. is used in manufacturing (think robots), self-driving cars, health care management, financial investing, travel booking, social media monitoring and chatbots.
In human resources, A.I. can be used for tasks such as scanning resumes, gleaning social media, aggregating data, checking backgrounds, measuring employee satisfaction, optimizing benefit offerings, and a host of other uses.
“There’s a lot of opportunity to use A.I. to make people’s jobs easier or better,” said Kinsey Smith, senior people scientist at Energage, “so they can concentrate more of their time and efforts on higher-level tasks, or things they just enjoy doing more.”
What surveys show about A.I.
Energage recently surveyed more than 15,000 employees to get their feedback on H.R. technology and A.I. The survey revealed 1 in 6 employees are concerned about A.I. impacting their work, especially those who work in advertising and marketing; hospitality; entertainment; recreation and travel; and financial services and insurance.
Furthermore, 1 in 9 employees believe A.I. may replace their job in the next five years, particularly in utilities and communications; hospitality; entertainment; recreation and travel; and financial services and insurance.
The survey feedback revealed:
• People are both excited and worried about A.I.’s potential impact.
• Few organizations currently use A.I. for H.R. tasks or issues.
• Most organizations have H.R. information systems, onboarding and performance management solutions.
• More than 1 in 3 organizations do not have tools for employee listening or employee selection.
• Responders were most satisfied with their employee appreciation and onboarding tools.
• H.R. information systems and recruiting technologies were considered most valuable.
• Common obstacles hindering the value of these tools included integration and setup efforts.
• Senior managers expressed little concern about A.I. in the workplace, whereas team members showed more concern.
Matching the A.I. tools to the tasks
Organizations were most likely to lean on third-party tools for H.R. information systems. They used homegrown solutions most often for employee appreciation and performance management.
While the majority have not yet adopted A.I. technology, responders said talent acquisition was the task they most hoped the technology could assist in the future.
Smith says the best use of A.I. should be seen as a resource that supplements work, not something that supplants workers. A.I. can be a springboard, for example, for more thoughtful strategies and conversations.
“It’s just a tool,” Smith said, and it’s up to organizations to figure out the best uses, and the wrong uses, of that tool.
There are safeguard considerations, she said. Organizations need to consider how A.I. interacts with data, from a privacy and legal standpoint, as well as whether it creates security concerns.
Also, is the information it creates fully accurate or truthful? Humans will still need to verify the outcome of the work. A.I. does not necessarily operate with a level of morality.
“Trying to understand how all of those pieces fit together is interesting,” Smith said. “It’s something we will have to grapple with as a society. Technology will move us forward, and new jobs will also be created. We will have to be thoughtful about what tasks we want to be taken on.”
Bob Helbig is media partnerships director for Energage, an employee survey company based in suburban Philadelphia. Energage is the survey partner for Top Workplaces.