Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly the widespread adoption of generative AI (GenAI), is rapidly transforming the way organizations manage their workforce. Organizations are at a critical point where they must assess the transformational changes that AI has brought to human resources (HR). HR professionals must understand their new roles in organizations as AI becomes more essential at work.
The Research
To reflect on AI’s disruptive influence on the HR profession, I collaborated with Dr. R.L. Fernando Garcia on a critical reflection paper to answer three research questions:
RQ1. What significant changes has AI brought to various HR functions?
RQ2. How can HR professionals sustain their critical role in the organization when AI is transforming traditional HR functions?
RQ3. What research questions can be addressed to support organizations and HR professionals in a new GenAI-empowered work environment?
In our recent article published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, we reflected on AI’s revolutionary changes in HR to answer the above three guiding questions. In this highlight, I only focus on RQ1 --- AI’s impacts on HR functions.
A Critical Reflection Across Six Stages of the Employee Lifecycle
We took the critical reflection approach to answer the research questions. That is, we draw our conclusions based on our review of purposefully selected literature and industry reports, as well as our personal and professional experiences. We analyzed AI’s impacts across the six stages of the employee lifecycle: talent acquisition, onboarding, training and performance, retention and well-being, separation and offboarding, and strategic HR functions.
The Findings
Our critical reflection reveals that AI is not only streamlining existing HR work but also creating entirely new responsibilities for HR professionals. Specifically, we identified the tasks that AI can outperform humans, the new roles that emerged because of AI integration, and the areas where AI cannot easily replicate humans.
- Automation of repetitive tasks – AI, particularly GenAI, has the potential to handle tasks such as resume screening, payroll processing, and compliance reporting faster and more consistently, relieving HR professionals of these routine responsibilities.
- Emergence of new duties – HR professionals are being asked to supervise AI platforms, manage data ethics, and ensure fairness in AI-driven decision-making.
- Resilience of human-centered roles – Tasks that require cultural sensitivity, ethical judgment, empathy, and conflict management remain difficult for machines to replace, underscoring the continued importance of these human skills in the workplace.
How Can HR Professionals Remain Competitive and Relevant?
The winners will be those who adapt by combining technological fluency with uniquely human skills. Please stay tuned for the next update about our answers to RQ2 - How can HR professionals sustain their critical role in the organization when AI is transforming traditional HR functions?
Now, let's reflect on AI's impacts on our work together. Which HR tasks in your organization could be safely delegated to AI, and where must human oversight remain central? How about in other areas than HRM? How worried do you feel about AI replacing workers in your organization or profession?
Note: The picture was generated by ChatGPT.
RQ1: What significant changes has AI brought to various HR functions?
ReplyDeleteThe use of AI has transformed the way HR functions are managed. The greatest variation is in the duration of time it takes to accomplish things. Software can perform tasks such as resume screening, interview scheduling, payroll and reporting way faster than a person would. That is useful, however, it alters the role of HR personnel. They no longer have to waste most of their time on paperwork, they are required to ensure that these systems are correct, just and not prejudiced. I do not believe that AI will ever be able to replace the human aspect of HR. People remain the best part when it comes to resolving conflicts, empathy or culture understanding.
- Gabriela Koutantos
AI has clearly transformed HR by automating repetitive tasks such as resume screening, payroll, and compliance reporting, which can now be safely delegated to AI in our organization. However, human supervision is still required for tasks that require empathy, cultural sensitivity, ethical judgment, and conflict resolution, which machines cannot easily replicate. Beyond HR, AI could help with data analysis, scheduling, and routine customer interactions, but strategic decision-making and relationship-building still require humans. While AI may change some roles, I'm more intrigued than concerned; adapting by combining technical proficiency with human skills appears to be the best way to remain relevant.
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ReplyDeleteI appreciate the mention of ethics in the use of AI. With the current rush to embrace AI in so many areas and fields, I feel that the ethics of its use are an often overlooked subject. In a general sense, there are the environmental impacts, such as water usage for cooling in data centers, as well as the debate regarding fair-use of copyrighted materials as training data for AI models. From an HR standpoint, we also have the issues you mentioned in this article, namely data ethics and fair practices. I would be interested in reading more about the ethical issues of AI in the HR field and would be grateful for any links or information you can share.
ReplyDeleteThe section on new responsibilities of the HR manager due to Ai was an interesting topic. I believe it is crucial in the successful use of Ai to keep in mind the ethical and managerial duties that must be followed. Falling under the HR manager's role is perfect as Ai replace some tasks, there are also new ones that arise because of it. We often see Ai work not revised or even looked at once, so having a dedicated role that informs the organization on ethical and effect use of Ai is important.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very insightful post, and it raises an important question about how HR professionals can sustain their critical role as AI transforms traditional HR functions. I believe HR can remain essential by shifting from routine administrative work to more strategic, human-centered roles. As you mentioned, HR professionals should develop technological literacy to understand and manage AI systems responsibly while ensuring fairness and ethical use. At the same time, they must strengthen the areas AI cannot replace, such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building. By combining data-driven insights with human judgment, HR can continue to lead organizational culture and employee well-being in an AI-driven workplace.
ReplyDeleteExcellent article on how AI is transforming HR, the way you explain automation enhancing recruitment, analytics, and employee experience is spot-on. It’s a great look at how technology can actually deepen human-centered HR.
ReplyDelete