How To Tackle Today’s HR Challenges Without A Business Playbook

Sasa Ferrari, VP of global recruiting of SurveyMonkey, delves into HR’s challenges, the complexities of using data-driven insights to inform decision-making, and the ethical considerations of AI in HR processes such as recruitment and employee management.

We live and work in a thicket of constant change—economic ambiguity, concerns about digital security, debates over AI— it’s thorny, to say the least. Moving the branches aside during these times of change is often an HR team’s most important and challenging role. In today’s world, finding a clearing is like driving to an entirely new location without a map. There are no established playbooks, precedents, or best practices to look to for inspiration when going down a road never traveled.

But in my experience, this is when we, as HR leaders, thrive most! We know people, we know talent, and we know how to move people through change. Successful transformation requires an abundance of communication, transparency, and constant engagement—all the while being inspiring and dynamic and creating a vision that employees can get behind. Easy, right?

Here are a few things I’ve learned that might help make your road a little less bumpy.

Data’s Gym: Reps Build Trust

This analogy may not be perfect, but the sentiment is clear: business decisions require bona fide insight. Many HR leaders have been leveraging data for some time, and the use of data-based insights is becoming more critical in HR. Finance, product teams, marketing, and other critical roles don’t make investment, development, or strategy decisions without data. So, why wouldn’t HR?

When building a culture and developing talent, the feeling that every employee’s voice is heard is gold. Yet, this is both a tremendous opportunity and a monumental challenge. HR Trends & Opportunities for Building a World-Class Workforce study cited that while employee performance, onboarding, and engagement are the most common metrics HR professionals are measured on, they are also the most difficult areas to excavate. The most successful HR teams are able to effectively glean employee feedback and mine it for relevant and actionable data-based insights—while maintaining authenticity and trust.

Using data to inform HR programs, investments, and employee engagement strategies is a new muscle for some leaders, and it’s one that requires continuous, repetitive use to build. And having access to the right data is what truly builds strength and drives value.

Today’s Transparency and Repetition Shape Tomorrow’s Participation

We know employees value feedback and that it is vital to their development and growth. Unfortunately, engagement can be hard to come by, and research showsOpens a new window more than a quarter of HR professionals say they aren’t getting enough employee feedback.

Low participation rates usually indicate those providing feedback either find it burdensome, don’t think it will be implemented, or are challenged with giving direct, candid, constructive feedback. But, we must keep working the muscle until we get it right. Bring on those reps!

Like growing any relationship, it’s a pattern of trust building. Repetition is key to demonstrating to employees that their feedback matters and will be used to drive positive change. Ask for feedback, listen to feedback, share feedback, explain how it will be used, and then act.

Are you uncomfortable with what you discover? Are you not going to act on it? That’s okay! Explain why. In this new era, employees are demanding transparency, empathy, and an acknowledgment of how they think and feel is being heard.

So, share their feedback—even when the feedback is tough—to help them understand the rationale behind the business decisions being made.

This transparency builds trust and encourages future participation in requests for feedback. It also links directly back to the role of HR in growing and developing talent and, ultimately, in cultivating an outstanding employee experience.

Diving into AI in HR: Proceed with Care”

Employees understandably feel cautious about anything that infers intent from their data—including AI. They must be able to provide genuine feedback safely. According to GartnerOpens a new window , most HR professionals embrace AI and view it as an important tool, but we also haven’t fully grasped its power and all it can do to improve the employee experience and transform business.

We already know that AI can be extremely helpful across HR for things like recruiting, creating job descriptions, generating interview questions, writing social media posts, and making communications more concise. These technical advancements can improve the caliber of candidates we hire and make our workplace experience better. But not at the expense of people.

Counter to a typical technical implementation consisting of a simple, scheduled roll-out; people are at the center of AI’s function within HR; therefore, we must proceed with extreme care.

See More: The Beginner’s Guide to AI in HR

Don’t Lose Sight of the “Other” AI

Any technology that makes our jobs easier work more productive, and employees happier is worth exploring and embracing. It can be an invaluable differentiator, but only when coupled with the “other” AI, that indelible and inimitable human element that cannot digitally produce authentic input.

HR leaders must remember that even though AI is artificial, people remain at its center. Trust in the employee relationship is a huge frontier in using these technologies while simultaneously maintaining a positive employee experience.

The use of data and AI in HR will naturally require ongoing refinement as technology continues to advance over time; so, too, will our attitude toward these tools evolve over time. We’re all students looking to share best practices, make progress, and refine as we go. So, let’s engage yet another muscle, create a new map, and keep learning together.

How can Organizations integrate data-driven insights and ethical AI into HR practices? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , XOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!

Image Source: Shutterstock

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