Is there a future for HR?

Human Resources and Artificial Intelligence

If you are worried about the future of HR have a look at a few of these questions:

True or False:

• NASA in America has reduced it HR staff by over 80%? ________
• One of India’s fastest growing trends is automating  HR? ___________
• Companies who don’t have A.I. systems are likely to loose 20% of their business flow? ___________
• Computers are now smarter than Humans? _______

Its just a bit of fun; however the answer to all the above is  “True”

It’s hard not to see the effect and use of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) everywhere.

If you carry a smartphone you are unwittingly involved in A.I. data collection. Since 2018 A.I. has moved at a pace that can only be expressed as breath - taking. The rate of change is expediential and now is irreversible.

In August 2019 an IBM spokes person said “'A.I. is going to change 100% of jobs,'
Grace Suh, IBM's VP of education, says it's important for countries around the world to focus on the opportunities presented by technology.

It’s important for us not to forget the figure quoted above; 100%

Such is the certainty shared by most people leading the wave of A.I.

How will this affect Human Resources? Human Resources and Artificial Intelligence. From 2020 the world will start to feel the effect of A.I. in particular the world of employment, but this time the jobs wont be returning, governments are already discussing the need for Universal Basic Income to cope with a wide spread unemployment issue.

In China Fox Conn used to pay its workers $2.50 an hour. It was cheaper to replace the workers with Fox Bots; changing to using this system resulted in AI robots replacing 40,000 people in their Chinese factories. In case you have not heard of this company it’s one of the largest in China employing 800,000 people. Human Resources and Artificial Intelligence

I think its important not to see A.I. as a threat, but to seek out how it can be used and take advantages of the opportunities it will bring for those who are prepared.

As far as Human Resources Departments are concerned now is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the value of planning and managing the introduction of A.I. systems.

Some actions that are needed immediately:

• Write up a A.I. Strategy
• Produce the Return On Investment paper using the figures from a rightsizing exercise as the basic of the value that will be created (This methodology and a full worked example is taught on EuroMaTech course E.HR shortly to be renamed I. –HR Innovations and new trends.
• Re focus the structure of the HR function to align with A.I.
• Align HR processes to be symbiotic with A.I.
• Attend training courses that are future focused where you can learn about harnessing A.I.

What will the processes look like? HR systems could be aligned with A.I. processes, shown here is a schema of how most HR processes will be aligned and controlled eventually by A.I.

Its important that HR sorts out a number of data issues quickly.

For example; is data collected in the same format e.g. on a 0 to 100 scale? The three critical pieces of data are, Competency, Performance and Reliablity, combined this produces sustainable productivity.

Minimum standards need to be set for each of the above as well as company average. These standards will vary considerably. The biggest split is likely to occur if you try to match performance standards with China for example.

Other vital information will be what is your workforce performance like? For example do you know the following information:

* Number of talented people employed

* Number of Average performers employed

* Number of poor performers employed

An estimation of how many hours they actually work in a contractual 40 hour week. This is basic Workforce Planning information, which should be readily available.

HR has a unique and once in a life - time opportunity to make a massive business contribution.

 A.I. provides that opportunity, make sure your trained and well informed, most importantly – act now A.I. won’t wait for you.