In the last few years, we've seen incredible advances in data, analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). While there is understandable concern about what this means for human jobs, I still believe this is an exciting time for businesses – and the people who work in them.
Intelligent, data-driven HR is transforming many aspects of how HR teams serve the people in their organizations. The technology is changing fast, too – faster than even I would have anticipated five years ago. That means how HR teams function in just a few years’ time will probably be very different again. But, even amidst this uncertainty, some things are crystal clear about the future of data-driven HR. Here are my top three predictions:
HR will have a unique role to play in this data- and AI-driven world
The proliferation of data analytics, IoT-enabled devices, and AI tools is only going to continue, and this will carry on impacting the way HR works, just like every other area of the business.
In this changing environment, the challenge for HR teams is to find a balance between technology (particularly automation) and the human role in the organizations of the future. I believe the biggest challenge facing HR teams going forward is not keeping up with technology and learning new skills like data analysis, it's finding the uniquely human place in the organization – and within the HR team itself.
Therefore, the HR teams of today need to be thinking about what HR will look like in the future, and this includes what exactly can be automated, and what can’t. They need to figure out HR’s contribution to the workplace of the future.
Personally, I don’t believe we’ll ever reach a point where the HR function is entirely redundant. But the role of HR will undoubtedly shift away from the more administrative tasks around people management (which can be easily automated in the future) to activities that help the organization meet its goals. It's vital that HR delivers real value and unique benefits that cannot be delivered by any other function in the organization.
When it comes to coping with automation, HR must lead the way
There’s no escaping automation. It’s therefore important for everyone, in every job and every industry, to consider the implications of our increasingly automated world, and how automation might affect their job and employment prospects over the coming years. Â
For HR teams, this is particularly pertinent. Not only are HR professionals finding their own way in this new world, but they also have to equip the people in their organization with the essential skills for helping the business succeed in the future. So if you're an HR professional wondering how on earth to navigate these changes, don’t panic. These three steps will help you figure out your unique role in the organization and boost your personal development.
·        Consider the future of your job: Think hard about how much of what you do every day is repetitive and could potentially be done by intelligent algorithms or robots. It’s now possible to completely or partially automate many HR tasks.
