3 ways HR can work smarter with AI

Since ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies exploded in early 2023, workers have responded with equal parts excitement and anxiety. Artificial intelligence can do many amazing things—but could companies decide to employ AI instead of people?

The short answer is no. AI is good at rapidly sifting through large quantities of data and recognizing patterns. However, it can’t compete with the emotional intelligence, creativity, and critical thinking skills of a human being. 

AI has become a revolutionary tool that people working in a wide range of departments and industries will be able to use to work more efficiently. In human resources, AI and machine learning technologies can assist with a wide variety of functions. 

Around three-quarters of HR leaders already use AI to help manage employee records (78%), process payroll and benefits (77%), and performance management (72%), according to Eightfold AI.

More than 9 in 10 of HR leaders intend to increase their use of AI over the next 12 to 18 months.

While implementing certain AI tools may take time, there are numerous platforms that HR departments can start using today to facilitate more efficient workflows. AI-driven tools can improve content quality, support daily operations, and provide valuable analytical insights.

Here are 3 ways HR leaders can optimize their day-to-day operations.

1. Improve the quality of communications

Anyone who’s ever faced a blank document knows that the hardest part about writing is getting started. AI tools like ChatGPT and copywriting platforms are fantastic for creating outlines and rough drafts of blog posts, emails, social media posts, reports, and other content.

CommunicationAI within the Firstup platform empowers HR teams to easily create text, subject lines, visuals, summaries, and templates. This generative AI feature improves content quality and relevance for your workforce.

Find the right tone of voice

AI platforms are effective at writing in different tones to make messages more personal. HR teams are often tasked with communicating to employees at all levels of the organization—from frontline workers to senior executives. The language used to communicate effectively with one group may not resonate with another. 

Navigating these nuances can be tricky or time-consuming, but AI can streamline the process. Users can specify a certain tone in their prompts when asking AI to generate content or provide the bot with an existing piece of writing to refine for a desired tone. The tool can also check for spelling and grammatical errors and suggest improvements to syntax.

Be specific in writing prompts

AI uses natural language processing (NLP), which focuses on teaching computers to analyze, understand, interpret, and generate human language. It’s designed to translate an organic thought process into an actionable command. When using tools like ChatGPT, be sure to craft prompts that are as specific as possible to produce the best results.

Say you need to email employees about changes to their total rewards. An example of a highly specific prompt for AI would ask for “an email up to 300 words using a warm, professional tone to inform junior UX designers that the company will be transitioning from 14 vacation days and 7 sick days to unlimited PTO.”

Using tools like ChatGPT is similar to having a conversation with a person. If the first attempt doesn’t yield the best results, you can submit follow-up queries and prompts to refine the content without having to start from scratch.

2. Uplevel employee support

In many ways, HR departments function like customer service teams for the company, where employees are the customers. AI tools take over routine tasks and free up bandwidth for the People Team so they can focus on higher level operations, building relationships, and cultivating company culture.

Implement a digital assistant

One way to support a positive employee experience is to provide accurate, timely responses to employee questions about company policies, benefits, and other important matters. 

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide immediate, personalized responses to HR-related questions at any hour of the day to meet employees’ needs. In Firstup, for example, the digital assistant gives employees real-time information such as company news, policies and procedures, and PTO balances. 

Digital assistants also support the onboarding process by providing new hires easy access to essential resources and answers to common questions, providing a better experience from day one.

Automate essential communications

People Teams manage critical communications around initiatives including onboarding, open enrollment, safety training, and company policies. 

AI-powered tools within communication platforms such as Firstup can streamline and automate campaigns to save time on crafting and distributing information, as well as follow-ups and reminders. This reduces both the workload for HR and the volume of messages employees receive.

You can also personalize different segments of the workforce according to attributes such as location, job title, and delivery preferences, making every communication more relevant to each employee.

3. Analyze employee engagement data

HR teams are responsible for making sense of engagement data and deriving valuable insights to guide future employee experience initiatives. There are several ways to employ AI during this process.

Gain instant insight into employee sentiments

Suppose the human resources department recently sent out a survey to employees to gauge satisfaction using open-ended response-type questions. The HR staff then reads each response to identify the most common themes. 

With the right AI platform, HR professionals can copy and paste all responses into the tool to perform a sentiment analysis. AI then identifies the top concerns or issues employees mentioned in their surveys. Rather than take hours or days to complete an evaluation, HR teams can have the answer in minutes.

Identify disengaged employees to prevent attrition

HR departments often rely on polls and surveys to gauge employee satisfaction, which isn’t sufficient to predict regrettable attrition. Effective data analysis should consider not only past trends but also use predictive analytics to project future trends based on current workforce behaviors.

AI can evaluate communication engagement data to identify employees who may be preparing to leave the company. Once the HR team has identified disengaged workers, they can use AI tools to create customized campaigns to intervene and reengage workers, improving retention and avoiding the costs associated with turnover.

Firstup is an AI-infused intelligent communication platform

As a comprehensive solution for workforce relationship management, the Firstup platform is centered around AI.

CommunicationAI takes rich employee engagement data and creates a contextualized view of each employee so HR leaders can create highly personalized campaigns to boost engagement and retention. 

Using predictive modeling, detailed audience profiles, and omnichannel delivery methods, companies have real-time data on employee engagement to identify areas for improvement. 

Find out how Firstup can revolutionize HR communication strategies to amplify the employee experience.