It sounds oxymoronic to talk about how human resources can find synergies with artificial intelligence. But that’s exactly what many cutting-edge HR teams have been doing, and there are plenty of insights to be gained by those who are a little late to jump on the AI bus.
“Effective leadership is embracing technology through AI-driven HR strategies not just to streamline operations, but also to spark employee growth and enhance organizational agility,” writes Victoria Gayton in an article for Silicon Angle that discusses NetApp’s experience and successes incorporating AI into their HR function. Here are some specific approaches NetApp has found success with.
Personalized Development Feedback
NetApp employs AI to analyze employee feedback and offer tailored career development suggestions, helping individuals identify effective growth activities. This personalized approach has the potential to be significantly more impactful than the one-size-fits-all approach most companies tend to employ, generally due to resource constraints.
Bias-Reduction in Decision-Making
AI tools assist managers with data-informed decisions in areas like salary planning, reducing bias by providing a comprehensive view of each employee’s journey. A note of caution here: AI is far from a silver bullet when it comes to eliminating bias, and AI itself can and does suffer from its own biases. But when used properly, it can be an effective tool to reduce and mitigate, if not completely eliminate, human biases.
Skills-Based Workforce Planning
AI algorithms match employees’ skills with career opportunities, creating a more dynamic talent management approach. This not only benefits employees by helping them find roles in which they have the most potential for success, it also benefits the organization for the same reason.
Integrating AI into HR functions reveals powerful synergies between technology and human resources, driving personalized employee growth, reducing bias in decision-making, and optimizing workforce planning based on skills. While AI isn’t without its own challenges, NetApp’s experience shows that when used thoughtfully, AI can transform HR from a purely operational role into a strategic driver of employee development and organizational agility. Embracing these AI-driven approaches could offer late adopters substantial competitive advantages in fostering a dynamic and resilient workforce.
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.