One of the odd things about HR software is that a vast majority of its users don’t use it very often. Employees tend to only dive into HR apps when they need to get something important done like look up a pay stub or add a new dependent. As HR software becomes complex quickly, it is usually a cumbersome chore for an infrequent user to navigate it. Many times, employees just revert to redirecting their questions to HR or trying to conversationally solve their needs through email, Slack or Teams.
This may all change in the next few years. AI is bringing a new mode of HR communication with employees – the ability to talk to HR software rather than click on it.
It Starts with HR Policies and Procedures
Most employees will get their first experience of conversational HR when they interact with HR chatbots. HR bots assist employees with a wide range of HR-related tasks and inquiries, such as answering questions about company policies, benefits, and payroll, as well as providing support for tasks like onboarding, time off requests, and performance reviews. HR chatbots can be integrated into a company’s HR software or accessed through a standalone app like Slack or Teams.
As HR chatbots become more sophisticated and HR teams integrate them with HRIS software platforms, the types of employee questions that HR chatbots can answer increases. With HRIS integration, employees can get answers that are contextually relevant to their employee profile (e.g. based on the state or country they live in) as well as specific to themselves (such as finding out how many PTO days they have).
As HR departments work to put more policy and procedure information into HR knowledge bases that are AI-friendly, an increasing percentage of employee questions will be answered without HR’s intervention.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Workforce Analytics: Benefits, Examples, and Best Practices
Applicants Are Experiencing Conversational AI as Well
Companies are increasingly using conversational AI in the interview process to streamline and enhance the candidate experience. Conversational AI-powered chatbots can engage with candidates, answer their questions, and schedule interviews. This technology can also be used to conduct initial screenings, assess candidates’ skills and qualifications, and provide feedback to hiring managers.
Conversational AI can help companies identify top talent more efficiently and effectively. By automating repetitive tasks and providing candidates with a more personalized and engaging experience, companies can attract and retain the best candidates.
Overcoming Barriers in Conversational HR
Conversational HR holds immense promise for revolutionizing the HR landscape but there are some obstacles that need to be overcome:
- Empathy: While the technology is advancing, it’s yet to be seen how much the employee experience and employee satisfaction are elevated by conversational HR. In some cases it’s possible that employees feel more comfortable talking to HR chatbots as they feel like human bias may not exist with HR chatbots.
- Fragmented HR Data: Data dispersed across various platforms creates silos, making it challenging for HR to access and analyze insights comprehensively. Solutions like Winslow can consolidate all HR documentation into a single source of truth, enhancing data accessibility and overall HR efficiency.
- Lack of Trust in AI: Employees may doubt the accuracy or reliability of the system, especially for complex or sensitive HR issues like legal compliance or disputes. Misinterpreted responses can erode confidence in the system’s capabilities. It’s important to watch employee sentiment information when available using AI tools.
Software Has to Catch Up
As point solutions like HR chatbots and AI-powered hiring platforms perfect conversational interfaces for specific tasks, complete platforms like HRIS systems or CRMs will need to evolve to handle conversational front ends. While some are experimenting with them now, building a conversational platform is not as simple as adding a conversational front end to an existing piece of software.
Conversational software will require as much a paradigm and UI shift as a set of new features. Users generally want to get information out of software or input new data into it. Conversational AIs are great for asking for data but not very good at inputting it. Conversely, UIs can be cumbersome to navigate to find information but have evolved in many ways to be highly efficient for data entry. We’ll need a blend of the two to achieve the vision of conversational software.
We’ll have a lot more to say about how software will evolve in the near future, but for now the best thing you can do is have a plan to expose your employees to AI in as many ways possible. One thing we’ve learned from the last three years of AI is the future is coming a lot faster than anyone thinks.
Related: How Does Employee Self-Service Improve HR Efficiency?
The Future of HR Comms is here - Winslow
Ditch the clunky intranets and complex HR software—what your team really needs are instant answers. Empower employees with quick, accurate responses to their HR questions.
