Adecco presents an analysis of the applications in which AI can be useful in the workplace, as well as the aspects in which it will not be able to replace human hands, with the aim of dispelling and clarifying several myths and fears that have been generated around this technology.
“While there are many global studies that indicate that AI will eliminate several jobs in the world, it is also estimated that by 2025, it could create new job opportunities, with 97 million new jobs. The important thing in this scenario is to identify how to take advantage of it strategically, and the challenge for human resources areas now is to know how to apply it in their day-to-day processes,” explains Sebastián Lima, national director of Quality and Service at Adecco Ecuador.
How can AI be leveraged in human resources?
Recruitment and Selection: AI technology has revolutionized the hiring process, the recruitment and selection process by allowing companies to filter and analyze resumes efficiently. AI algorithms identify candidates that meet specific criteria, ensuring that only the most qualified are considered. This improves and automates the selection process.
Onboarding: The onboarding process has been simplified by automating administrative tasks. In addition, AI provides customized professional training resources, ensuring that, in managing employees, everyone adapts quickly to their new environment.
Personalized Training and Development: AI personalizes training programs, offering adaptive learning based on individual employee needs. This not only improves learning efficiency, but also contributes to continuous professional development.
Performance Evaluation: With real-time performance analysis capabilities, AI provides employee productivity insights. This facilitates fair and data-driven performance evaluations, promoting a more equitable work environment.
What can’t AI replace?
While technology continues to advance and transform the labor market, humans maintain an irreplaceable role in various industries.
Empathy: Nothing can replace it, as a machine does not have the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, while a person has the sensitivity to identify how another person feels and try to put themselves in their situation.
Initiative: The gift of self-initiative that gives the ability to be proactive is something that a machine will not be able to replace in the workplace.
Creativity: In the same way, a creative person helps his or her company to think big in a unique, unprecedented way. It is in this context that new products are created, new initiatives emerge and breakthroughs occur. It goes hand in hand with economic growth, raising, for example, the level of profitability in sales.
Teamwork: Employees who work positively in a team know how to join forces to push the company towards a common goal. It is important that the workspace is collaborative, this perception helps them to be more involved in work activities.
Adaptability: People have the ability to adapt to new environments; machines, on the other hand, are programmed to perform specific functions. If an industry change requires an immediate operational transformation, the company will have to bear the cost of redesigning or replacing its technology.
Understanding of the environment: A human understands the factors and circumstances of the business in its real-life context, whereas a machine does not have such external data.
Conscience, morals and ethics: Decision-making involving moral and ethical judgment, especially in complex and ambiguous situations, requires human intervention to ensure that ethical values and principles are considered.
Thinking “outside the box”: Although AI can be programmed to perform tasks, intuition and the ability to innovate and think “outside the box” are intrinsically human aspects that AI cannot fully replicate,” says Sebastian Lima.
In view of the above, the challenges for the labor market are, among others:
Encourage continuous training, implement a culture of learning and adaptability; and develop social and emotional skills.
Although AI is transforming multiple sectors and threatens to automate certain jobs, it is also creating new job opportunities. The impact of AI on society is undeniable and the environment is changing very rapidly, although the technology is still years away from having a stronger impact on the labor market.