The hybrid workforce: The power of AI-driven HR technologies

A hybrid workforce blends remote and on-site work models to give employees the flexibility and freedom they value – and expect.

In today’s world of work, candidates and new hires are assessing companies for fit just as thoroughly as companies are evaluating them. At a time when jobseekers have the upper hand – and where The Great Resignation of 2021 sees employees leaving jobs in record numbers – getting recruitment and onboarding right is more challenging and yet more important than ever.

Artificial intelligence (AI)driven HR technologies can make recruitment and onboarding processes more efficient for HR teams by automating tasks at every step of the hiring process – from recruiting to onboarding to retention. As Josh Bersin says, “The way we source, assess, hire, train, develop, pay, and move people is all being informed by AI.”

Technologies such as machine learning and robotic process automation (RPA) are helping manage and mitigate recruitment and onboarding challenges by offering more integrated, personalised HR solutions. For example, machine learning tools can evaluate and rank applicants by scanning resumes and assessing qualifications and skills – all while using algorithms that help to spot potential and eliminate bias. And RPA uses bots to perform administrative tasks such as collecting data, triggering responses, and communicating across business systems.

Other benefits of AI-driven technologies include:

• Borderless recruiting: Integrated HR technologies make it possible for businesses to recruit talent internally, locally, and even globally. According to an SAP SuccessFactors thought leadership paper, Eight Meta-Trends Impacting Human Resources in 2021, developing a hybrid workforce “can yield significant benefits, including greater employee autonomy and the ability to adopt borderless talent strategies.”

• Customised employee recruitment process: Chatbots, natural language processing (NLP), and other AI-driven tools customise the employee recruitment process and improve the UX for candidates. Gartner’s 2020 Artificial Intelligence Survey found that 17% of organisations used AI-based talent management systems in 2019.

• Immersive onboarding experiences: AI-powered virtual reality (VR) provides immersive experiences that include socialisation and acculturation. They also help build ongoing personalised learning that responds to employee performance and company objectives. Forbes provides clear directive of the value of technology when it comes to remote onboarding: “Invest in modern, smart HCM tech that helps humanise the remote onboarding experience. Particularly in a remote or hybrid model, everyone will benefit, especially the employee, since it will help them engage with the culture, connect with their team, and feel supported.”

This article is part 3 in a series exploring the concept of the hybrid workforce and how it might help in overcoming current workforce challenges.

These modern HR solutions aren’t designed to replace people, but instead to free them up – and support them –

in doing the work they do best. HR professionals are often known for their excellent intuition and empathy and while these are valuable skills, they can lead to unintentional bias. The right HR strategies can help ensure that businesses can still benefit from the well-honed skills of their HR teams while also using technologies such as AI to help eliminate bias and promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Join us for the final part 4 next week as we look at “Strategic HR management and the emerging role of HR as a business driver”.

For more information, please visit www.deloitte.com/mt/hr