The changing role of HR in the world of Artificial Intelligence

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

Never before have companies been so concerned about the welfare, satisfaction and happiness of their professionals. The reason is that the treatment an organization gives its employees has become a key information for the attraction and retention of talent. In fact, this type of treatment is what invites or discourages professionals to stay in a company and even decide whether or not to apply to any of their available job openings.

There is increasing transparency and information about gender wage gaps, lack of diversity or problems of workplace harassment, thus affecting the reputation of those organizations that do not meet the minimum requirements established by a society, It has been increasing its awareness of the importance of values ​​such as equality and equity, from all the planes that are possible to apply them.

Consequently, according to an article by Oracle, a company specializing in the development of solutions in the cloud, "HR leaders need to participate more actively at the highest levels of the company." The reason, says Andy Campbell, Director of human capital management strategy at Oracle, is "the value" that a great human resources executive can bring to an organization: "from avoiding that loss of reputation to increasing commitment and the productivity of the workers, to be the moral compass of an organization".

However, for this, these professionals must develop a deep technological knowledge, covering the changes that are taking place in the workplace, as well as those that affect the transformation of the function of human resources. In this sense, Campbell explains that since technology is present in daily life, employees expect to have that same comfort and technological flexibility at work, which goes beyond improvements in "ease of use and mobility", but in the introduction of "a solid social component that allows them to see, share, like, innovate and participate in the entire organization".

"Given the competition for the best employees, it is important, both for retention and productivity, that executives listen to these demands," he says. "After all, these technologies are the key to making a workplace less hierarchical, more open and, therefore, more innovative," he adds.

Likewise, those responsible for human resources must also clear the uncertainties and free from the stress that workers who see artificial intelligence and robotics as an enemy accumulate, although for this Campbell ensures that we must "have a solid understanding of the implications of this technology and provide information and guidance."

On the other hand, it also highlights the importance of having the technology that the HR department needs, to "provide the data and perspectives that will help leaders understand what is happening with the workforce and how to increase performance", as well as "to establish excellent relationships with external experts and with personnel who know the technology used by the organization" so that the technology decisions that are to be made are appropriate to the needs of the department.

"The skills a human resources director needs are changing and, if you do not understand the data, you're in the wrong job," says the Oracle expert, adding another reason for HR leaders to build relationships with marketing partners. "Marketing is in the business of listening to customers and using the data to do it. The HR department must do the same with employees and be as innovative and challenging in what they offer to employees, as marketing is for customers."

Finally, going beyond their role in recruitment, retention and commitment, human resources are the natural provider of the moral compass in the organization. "Human resource leaders are in a position (and have an obligation) to transmit truth to power, and must always consider and raise issues of ethical behavior. Again, this requires a deep knowledge and ability to articulate the impact of technology on an organization and in particular on its people, and ask difficult questions about what data is being captured and how it is used," concludes Campbell.

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

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