Lay Off HR? Simplify…
IBM, the well-known tech giant, endured a painful lesson when implementing artificial intelligence in HR. Automating processes seemed an ideal solution for routine tasks, but it overlooked a crucial element: human relationships. HR work is not just about procedures, but fundamentally about empathy and judgement, which AI cannot provide. IBM discovered that certain aspects of work cannot be effectively automated.
Interestingly, the need to rehire stemmed from several factors. AI requires human oversight, as well as new specialists such as software engineers or AI ethics experts. Moreover, the nature of HR work changed – more strategy and coaching, less administration. Automation does not mean eliminating jobs, but rather transforming them and creating new staffing needs.
The trend of automating without understanding the role of humans is not unique to IBM. Companies such as Amazon, Facebook, and Tesla are facing similar challenges and addressing the issues related to technology implementation. In the context of workplace changes, it is critical to treat AI as a tool that supports humans, not one that replaces them, and to invest in team skills development before implementing automation.