Generative AI

Generative AI's Impact on the Human Touch beyond automation in HR

An agile and aware HR is key to organisational success as they manage the most valuable asset – Talent. The strategic HR function includes talent acquisition, employee engagement (career planning and growth) and overall organisational culture. Amidst the challenges posed by the complexities of modern work culture, HR needs all the help it can get to thrive as the nurturer of a diverse workforce.

This help comes in the form of GenAI, ironically going against one of the popular industry myths that AI tools will replace humans. The reality, according to Gartner, is that AI tools amplify human capabilities, not replace them. Gartner states that despite concerns such as data privacy, biases, etc., 34% of HR leaders who participated in a January 2024 Gartner session said they are exploring potential use cases. More strikingly, 76% believed if their organisations did not adopt and implement AI solutions in the next 12-24 months, they would lag in organisational success compared to those that did. As we advance into an era driven by AI-powered innovations, HR is poised to leverage it to create highly satisfactory and personalised employee experiences.

GenAI can empower HR through:

• Automation of complex processes
• Deeper insights into workforce trends
• Personalised talent management plans

These measures help unlock unprecedented efficiencies that allow HR personnel to focus on the one aspect that AI can never replace – the human touch! The productivity and efficiency gain, with deep insights, will help HR foster a more agile and responsive workplace that augurs employee retention.

HR Gains from GenAI Implementation

Employee experience

The employee experience begins from the first recruitment touchpoint. From the ease of application and a fast and lag-free process to seamless onboarding, GenAI tools can help HR craft delightful experiences. Candidate experiences matter a lot in today's context. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 60 % of candidates quit amid cumbersome hiring processes, with 72% telling others about their bad experience. This negative discourse impacts the branding significantly. From writing compelling job descriptions, targeting suitable candidates using custom ads, automating screening and helping create customised, inclusive and bias-free assessments and hyper-personalised onboarding programs, GenAI tools help HR turn candidate engagements around.

These tools also provide deep insights into the candidate’s traits and competencies which help HR create a more personalised and effective learning and development plan for the new joinees. Many organisations have used GenAI tools to generate and deliver training programs, providing more value to the employees. A few enterprises have employed HR chatbots for 24*7 employee interaction to answer employee queries on policies, payroll and other key HR issues. It's a valuable tool to engage with a globalised and hybrid workforce.

GenAI tools, when used in employee feedback, assessments andperformance appraisals, lend transparency, allowing free and fair participation. These tools keep learning to provide more nuanced insights to enhance the in-person HR interactions driven by empathy.

Strategic guidance

One of the most significant advantages of using GenAI tools is the data-backing for everything HR does. Whether hiring or promotion decisions or understanding the latest workforce trends in real-time, strategic HR decisions will become more reliable and impactful. GenAI employee tools can help HR keep their ears to the ground for valuable inputs on employee wellbeing, mental health, work-life balance, etc. It helps HR build the right organisational culture, tweak policies, plan necessary training programs, identify the correct mentors and mentees, and plan internal mobility better.

These tools also help democratise information access across the organisation. For example, people who miss meetings and training can access strategic Gen-AI-authored summaries. The AI insights also aid a more holistic analysis of employee feedback. HR can do meticulous succession planning for high-potential employees to ensure a robust leadership pipeline. Multi-pronged insights can help HR stay ahead of employee trends by understanding attrition possibilities to take corrective actions. HR can utilise the time saved for in-person interactions in conflict resolution, mentoring and personal and professional development.

Overall, it helps HR enhance employee engagement, satisfaction and retention while honing in on EVP and employer branding.

Understanding the impact

To put it in a quantitative perspective, here are some statistics from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) about GenAI’s impact on HR teams.

• 40% reduction in employee request approval time
• 60% cost-savings while delivering high-quality L&D video content
• 30% potential to drive increased productivity across the HR value chain

How can HR leverage this time and cost savings?

They can reinvest it in high-value activities like:

• Overall organisational transformation, including HR
• Nuanced reviews of all strategic HR decisions
• Personalised support and mentoring of employees
• Necessary interventions to foster empathy and inclusivity
• Manage complex conflict resolutions
• Solve sensitive and moral issues compassionately
• Use their wisdom to discern key cues to ensure tech enhances human actions

How can HR ensure the correct GenAI impact?

Here are a few steps HR can take to ensure they reap the correct benefits.

• Conduct periodic reviews and audits of the GenAI tools to ensure they remain bias-free and adhere to necessary regulations and compliances.
• Plan for workforce training to ensure ethical use of GenAI tools.
• Communicate all changes transparently to the workforce.
• Ensure GenAI training data is diverse and inclusive.

How can Infosys BPM help?

Infosys BPM's GenAI business operations platform provides customers with ready-to-use BPM-focused solutions and responsible design frameworks for their GenAI journey. It helps accelerate business outcomes by ensuring relevant moderation and fortification at every step to ensure ethical and governance standards.