The HR Uprising Coffee Club

Our latest HR Uprising Coffee Club session looked at how AI is transforming HR, especially in boosting productivity. HR professionals are no strangers to the increasing integration of AI in their everyday tasks. AI is becoming a familiar part of everyday work for HR professionals. During the session, attendees shared their experiences with tools like chatbots for answering employee questions, applicant tracking systems (ATS), and AI-powered learning platforms. These tools are making life easier for HR teams by cutting down on repetitive tasks and freeing up time to focus on more impactful work.

Our host, Lucinda Carney, talked about how AI is taking on a bigger role in Actus’s business processes, saying “We’ve been using it more in our business and can definitely see where it’s brought a whole load of benefits- but also some challenges.”

Real Examples of How AI Can Save Time

One of the standout stories came from a participant who introduced us to her custom virtual assistant, Veronica. Powered by AI (specifically Chat GPT), Veronica is a personalised chat box designed to help her manage tasks like scheduling, prioritising activities, and even giving feedback on ideas. By tailoring Chat GPT to her specific needs, she’s created a tool that has completely transformed how she organises her day, showing just how valuable AI can be for saving time and staying on top of priorities.

We also heard about organisations using AI to sort through CVs in record time, saving hours from the recruitment process and sentiment analysis tools, which make it easier to understand employee feedback at scale. These tools show AI’s potential to reduce the administrative workload and help HR teams focus more time on supporting their people.

Important Areas to Exercise Caution with AI

While AI opens up exciting possibilities, it is important we use it thoughtfully. Attendees discussed several ethical concerns, such as the potential biases in algorithms that could unfairly impact certain groups. One attendee shared, “We need to think carefully about how data is used and make sure it’s handled responsibly”. Transparent practices and empathy are essential to reducing these risks, ensuring fair outcomes, and maintaining trust in workplace relationships. While AI can assist with decisions, the human touch remains important in addressing biases and fostering positive environments.

One story stood out about using AI to recreate a colleague for a virtual meeting. While it might seem like a clever idea, it raises serious questions about consent, authenticity, and how AI might be misused to impersonate others. It showed the need for strong safeguards and clear rules when applying AI in sensitive situations.

What’s Next for AI in HR?

Predictive analytics came up as an exciting way AI can help HR, from spotting trends in employee turnover to identifying high-potential individuals. These tools have huge potential, but everyone agreed it’s important to keep learning about AI’s strengths and limits. As one attendee put it “We need to be proactive about understanding AI’s potential.”

This Coffee Club was a great reminder of how AI can transform HR, as long as we balance innovation with ethics. By staying open and thoughtful, HR professionals can use AI to make a difference.

For the recording and slides please click the link below to our resources page:

Resources Page

Our Performance Management Software

Actus Performance Management Software provides comprehensive Performance and Talent Management Functionality. It is designed to help you embed quality people conversations all year round and accelerate performance within your organisation. Want to take your existing paperwork online or start again with a fresh start? Actus is the perfect solution. Our expert team are on hand to guide you on the best way to configure your set up to deliver the results that you require.

Our Performance Management Software

The HR Uprising Podcast is also another free resource to hear more about a variety of HR topics from Lucinda, and with expert guest speakers. The episodes are available to download on most podcast apps including Spotify, Apple and Audible.  e

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For more information and to book your place on future webinars and events with Lucinda please click the below:

Upcoming Webinars & Events

For previous webinars and events hosted by Lucinda Carney, including ‘Rethinking Appraisals’ and ‘High Performance Strategies’ please see our previous webinars page:

Listen to our previous webinars