How will AI transform the role of HR?

We’ve just wrapped up Series 36 of the Digital HR Leaders Podcast at Insight222 . While the conversation with guests in each episode explored a myriad of different topics, the one common question for each episode was: How will AI transform the role of HR?

A summary of each episode together with associated links follows:

Sponsored by our friends at ScreenCloud

Series 36 of the Digital HR Leaders podcast is brought to you by ScreenCloud - the digital signage platform that helps HR teams at over 10,000 organisations around the globe to elevate their digital employee experience, with 'screens that communicate' - Easy for IT to set up, Easy for HR to use, And, Easy for employees to engage with. To learn how ScreenCloud can enable your organisation to increase employee engagement, drive productivity, and improve compliance, visit ScreenCloud.com.

EP1: THOMAS RASMUSSEN, DAWN KLINGHOFFER, AND JEREMY SHAPIRO – How will AI Impact People Analytics (and HR) in 2024 and Beyond?

In 2024, people analytics is facing a pivot point.  And that pivot point is focused in on AI and Machine Learning, and how that's both creating advantage for organisations, and also a great deal of activity and work in HR that the data science analytics teams inside of HR have a unique position to look into.

In a special episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast to kick off the year, my guests were three leaders who between them in their 40+ years in people analytics have done much to shape the field: Thomas Hedegaard Rasmussen , Dawn Klinghoffer , and Jeremy Shapiro .

In our conversation, Thomas, Dawn, Jeremy and I discuss the outlook for people analytics in 2024 including:

• How to move from insight to impact with people analytics
• The three ‘I’s’ of people analytics: insight, impact, and influence
• Techniques on prioritising people analytics work and aligning it to business needs
• How to forge a successful relationship between people analytics and finance
• How AI, GenAI and machine learning are supporting people analytics work
• How AI will transform the world of work in the next 12 months and the years ahead.

Listen to my conversation with Thomas, Dawn and Jeremy on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding logo.

Connect with Thomas, Dawn and Jeremy on LinkedIn, and access the resources discussed in the episode:

• The 2023 paper Thomas published with Mike Ulrich and Dave Ulrich : Moving People Analytics from Insight to Impact
• Insight222 ’s People Analytics Trends 2023 study: Investing to Deliver – A New Model for People Analytics
• Dawn’s article on thriving: Why Microsoft Measures Employee Thriving, Not Engagement
• The seminal HBR article Jeremy co-authored with Tom Davenport and Jeanne Harris: Competing on Talent Analytics

EP2: SERENA HUANG – How to Enhance Your Career in People Analytics

AI is also starting to transform how HR views analytics, which is very exciting. There's a lot of technology that really shortens the time from data to insights.

In the second episode of the series, my guest was Serena H. Huang, Ph.D. , who has led people analytics functions at companies including GE, PayPal and Kraft Heinz, and is now the Founder of Data With Serena™️ .

In our conversation, Serena and I discuss the common career paths observed in the people analytics field and how they have evolved over the years.

Serena and I also discuss:

• The impact of AI advancements on the people analytics role, career structures, and necessary skill sets
• The strategic value of people analytics to CHROs and the challenges in leveraging it for strategic decision making
• How to strengthen the relationship between people analytics leaders and CHROs;
• The role of people analytics in supporting employee wellbeing
• Essential skills for aspiring people analytics professionals and leaders in the coming years..

With new advancement in AI, we can do a lot of things with the data on employees in real time. Should we? It's a different question.

Listen to my conversation with Serena on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Connect with Serena on LinkedIn and on Twitter @SerenaHuangPhD. You can also subscribe to her newsletter, From Data to Action, and find out more about Serena’s work at Data with Serena.

EP3: KAZ HASSAN AND LUKE FARRUGIA – How to Bridge the Gap Between Customer and Employee Experience

Before you invest in resources and new technologies, you need to understand your audience – in this case employees. What they require, what they desire, in order for employees to be engaged, productive and as compliant as possible in the workplace.

In the middle episode of the series, I was delighted to welcome Kaz Hassan , Employee Experience Industry Leader at Unily , and Luke F. , VP of Marketing at ScreenCloud . Kaz and Luke bring unique insights and expertise on the topics of employee experience, internal communication, and digital transformation, having both dedicated their careers to helping businesses improve their employee and customer experiences alike.

In this episode, listeners can expect to learn:

• Lessons from marketing on their data-driven journey and how HR can apply these strategies;
• Innovative strategies for effective employee listening and engagement;
• Insights into why retention is still a major issue and the importance of focusing on engagement and a high-quality employee experience;
• Strategies for enhancing digital experience, including the effective use of digital signage and internal communication tools;
• Areas where HR professionals can upskill themselves to effectively manage the transition towards a more digital experience-driven workplace.

61% of frontline workers believe that the information that is shared on their workplace screens helps them to become more engaged with the wider business; 59% think that they've become more productive; and 62% say they've become more data literate.

Listen to my conversation with Kaz and Luke on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Connect with Kaz on LinkedIn, and find out more about the work he does at Unily. You can also connect with Luke on LinkedIn, and find out more about ScreenCloud.

EP4: ERIC SIEGEL - How to Overcome AI Adoption Challenges in HR

Upskilling...is first and foremost the most important thing. The thing that makes this technology successful is people.

My guest for the penultimate episode of the series was Eric Siegel , the author of a new book, The AI Playbook: Monitoring the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment. Eric and I discuss how to successfully deploy machine learning in organisations, through the six-step model outlined in Eric’s book, and how this can be applied in HR.

In the episode, listeners can also expect to learn more about:

• The potential benefits of using AI and ML in HR, including improved efficiency and decision making.
• Practical advice for organisations looking to adopt AI and ML in HR.
• How HR professionals can prepare for the impact of AI and ML on their roles and responsibilities.
• Guidance on how organisations can ensure the responsible and ethical use of AI and ML

The ethical questions really start to arise when...these models can drive very consequential decisions as far as whether you get a job, whether you keep the job, all these consequential decisions that really matter and affect individuals.

Listen to my conversation with Eric on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn, and find out more about the book: The AI Playbook: Monitoring the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment.

EP5: BERNARD MARR - How AI, Generative AI and Analytics is Fuelling Data Driven HR

AI is the most powerful technology humans have ever had access to... it can help us automate many of the administrative tasks... freeing up HR teams to do the more strategic, important things.

In the final episode of the series, my guest was Bernard Marr , author of more than 20 books including the recently published second edition of Data-Driven HR: How to Use AI, Analytics and Data to Drive Performance. As well as having his finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to new technologies, Bernard’s superpower is his ability to take often complicated concepts and explain them in a language that everyone can understand. 

In our conversation, Bernard and I dive into the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating AI into HR programs. We discuss the importance of finding a balance between data-driven decision-making and human expertise, the role of ethics and how to ensure we prioritise the ‘H’ in HR.

Bernard and I also discuss:

• How AI and analytics is reshaping HR and transitioning it towards a new era
• Real-world examples and use cases of AI in HR in practice
• The ethical considerations of AI in HR, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance
• The potential of immersive technologies like VR in enhancing the employee experience
• How AI is revolutionising the field of people analytics and enabling HR professionals to make more informed decisions
• The essential skills that both current and future HR and people analytics professionals and leaders should cultivate to thrive in this era of rapid technological advancement

We're seeing a complete transformation over the next five to ten years of how people analytics will be done in organisations... moving from a pull to a push concept... this helps HR teams who sometimes don't necessarily love data analysis, to analyse data and extract those insights in a much more human way.

Listen to my conversation with Bernard on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, by visiting the Digital HR Leaders podcast homepage and clicking the corresponding image.

Join the close to 1.5m other people that follow Bernard on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter @BernardMarr and find out more about his work at bernardmarr.com. You can also find out more about the books we discuss in the episode: Data-Driven HR: How to Use AI, Analytics and Data to Drive Performance (which is available now) and Generative AI in Practice: 100+ Amazing Ways Generative Artificial Intelligence is Changing Business and Society (which is available for pre-order ahead of its publication on March 28, 2024).

WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF SERIES 36

You can also watch each episode on the myHRfuture YouTube channel.  A playlist collating these videos together can be viewed below:

THANK YOU

Thanks to all our guests in Series 36 as well as well as Luke F. and the ScreenCloud team for sponsoring this series of the Digital HR Leaders podcast. Thanks too to Manpreet Randhawa , Stefan Kesić , Jasmine Panayides , and the team at Insight222 and myHRfuture for bringing the podcast to life.

We’ll be back with Series 37, which kicks off on Tuesday February 28 with an episode on the strategic workforce planning journey at Microsoft with Rebecca Thielen . Don’t miss that one!

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPONSOR A SERIES OF THE DIGITAL HR LEADERS PODCAST?

If you’re interested in sponsoring a series of the podcast, please get in touch with Manpreet Randhawa at info@insight222.com.

DOWNLOAD THE LATEST INSIGHT222 PEOPLE ANALYTICS TRENDS RESEARCH

We’ve recently released our fourth annual People Analytics Trends report: Investing to Deliver Value: A new Model for People Analytics, which is now available to download via the link – or by clicking on the image below.

CATCH UP ON THE 2023 EPISODES OF THE DIGITAL HR LEADERS PODCAST

You can access all previous episodes of the Digital HR Leaders podcast going all the way back to our first episode with Sharon Doherty (she/her) in May 2019, by going to the Digital HR Leaders homepage.

Series 28 (Sponsored by Gloat)

• The Top HR Trends That Are Set to Disrupt The Workplace in 2023 (with Dave Ulrich, Diane Gherson, and Ian Bailie)
• Unlocking Organisational Resilience Through a Skills-Based Approach (with Susan Cantrell and Michael Griffiths)
• How Standard Chartered is Unlocking the Power of Skills in the Workplace (with Tanuj Kapilashrami)
• How to Build Successful and Collaborative Relationships at Work (with Amy Gallo)
• Navigating the Talent Marketplace of the Future (with Jeff Schwartz and Jeroen Wels)

Series 29 (sponsored by Workday)

• How AI Can Unlock Human Potential and Make Work More Meaningful (with Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic)
• How Yelp Built a Successful Remote Working Culture (with Carmen Whitney Orr)
• How Workday Created An Impactful People Analytics Function (with Phil Willburn)
• How To Ensure Purpose Is at The Forefront of Your People Strategies (with Daniela Seabrook)
• How To Turn People Data into Actionable Insights (with Caroline O'Reilly)

Series 30 (sponsored by Orgvue)

• How Global Brands Manage Successful DEI Programs (with Lauren Guthrie)
• How Johnson & Johnson are Scaling Their Skills-Based Approach to Talent (with Christina Norris-Watts and Doug Shagam)
• Planning for Economic Uncertainty: Workforce Planning in Action (with Oliver Shaw)
• How Meta Developed a High-Performing People Analytics Team (with Alexis Fink)
• Creating a Future-Proof Company Through Organisational Design and Workforce Planning (with Don Miller and Jesse Jacks)

Series 31 (sponsored by ChartHop)

• How Raytheon Technologies Productises People Analytics at Scale (with Aashish Sharma)
• How to Navigate Your Organisation's DEI Journey (with Dr. Ella F. Washington)
• From HR to People Operations: Unlocking the Secrets of Modern HR Success (with Ian White)
• How to Position Employee Experience at the Centre of Corporate Culture (with Aaron Falcione)
• People Analytics, Now and the Future: Insights from Wharton PAC (with Prasad Setty and Dawn Klinghoffer)

Series 32 (sponsored by Worklytics)

• Rethinking Leadership for the Future of Work (with Heather E. McGowan 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️)
• Empowering HR and People Analytics Leaders in Managing Microstress (with Karen Dillon and Rob Cross)
• How can people analytics and network data support a successful return to the office? (with Philip Arkcoll)
• How To Scale People Analytics Through Experimentation and Productisation (with Ian OKeefe)
• How to Build a Thriving Workforce Ecosystem (with Elizabeth J. Altman and Robin Jones)

Series 33 - Sponsored by Visier Inc.

• How to Democratise Data for People Manager Effectiveness (with Lexy Martin)
• How to Prepare Your HR Data for EU CSRD Reporting (with Yves Van Durme)
• Boosting Managerial Efficiency: The CHRO's Outside-In Approach to Productivity (with Paul Rubenstein)
• How Novartis Use People Data to Navigate Business Transformation (with Ashish Pant)
• How to Achieve Data-Driven HR Excellence in a Highly Regulated Environment (with Wendy Cunningham and Peter Meyler)

Series 34 - Sponsored by eQ8

• How People Analytics Shapes Decision Making in Modern HR (with Nick Dalton)
• How to Create Personalised Employee Experiences (with Piyush Mehta)
• How to Democratise Strategic Workforce Planning (with Alicia Roach and Chris Hare)
• Unmasking Common Myths around Remote Work (with Nick Bloom)
• Nestle’s 4B Methodology to Strategic Workforce Planning (with Alex Browne)

Series 35 - Sponsored by HiBob

• How to Lead with Vulnerability in Uncertain Times (with Jacob Morgan )
• How to buy HR Technology and use it effectively (with Madeline Laurano )
• A CMO's Approach to Mastering Pay Transparency (with Sarah Reynolds )
• Booking.com’s 360-degree view of Employee Experience (with Paulo Pisano )
• Navigating HR Tech Triumphs & Avoiding Failures (with Hebba Youssef )

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Green 🇺🇦 is a globally respected author, speaker, conference chair, and executive consultant on people analytics, data-driven HR and the future of work. As Managing Partner and Executive Director at Insight222, he has overall responsibility for the delivery of the Insight222 People Analytics Program, which supports the advancement of people analytics in over 90 global organisations. Prior to co-founding Insight222, David accumulated over 20 years experience in the human resources and people analytics fields, including as Global Director of People Analytics Solutions at IBM. As such, David has extensive experience in helping organisations increase value, impact and focus from the wise and ethical use of people analytics. David also hosts the Digital HR Leaders Podcast and is an instructor for Insight222's myHRfuture Academy. His book, co-authored with Jonathan Ferrar, Excellence in People Analytics: How to use Workforce Data to Create Business Value was published in the summer of 2021.

SEE ME AT THESE EVENTS

I'll be speaking about people analytics, the future of work, and data driven HR at a number of upcoming events in 2024:

• Feb 28 - People Analytics World 2024: Exploring the Potential of Analytics and AI in Employee Experience (Zurich)
• March 4-6 - Gloat Live! (New York)
• March 14-15 - Wharton People Analytics Conference (Philadelphia)
• April 24-25 - People Analytics World (London)
• May 7-9 - UNLEASH America (Las Vegas)
• September 24-26 - Insight222 Global Executive Retreat (Colorado, US) - exclusively for member organisations of the Insight222 People Analytics Program
• October 16-17 - UNLEASH World (Paris)

More events will be added as they are confirmed.