Harnessing AI in HR for Better Contingent 30 Worker Engagement

Introduction

The evolving world of work has witnessed a significant rise in contingent workers, including freelancers, contractors, casual workers and consultants. These trends have only accelerated through the pandemic and will continue to accelerate with the emergence of consumer grade AI. Managing and engaging this diverse workforce poses unique challenges for HR practitioners. However, artificial intelligence (AI) also offers powerful solutions to enhance contingent worker engagement and create differentiated experiences depending on worker type.

How can HR functions harness the power of AI to manage a contingent workforce, or put differently, harness the power of AI to mitigate the impact of AI? Let’s review opportunities across the HR lifecycle…

AI in Attraction and Recruitment

Finding the right contingent worker can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive exercise. There are numerous ways AI can support in attraction, selection and onboarding. Often job descriptions are non-existent for contingent workers and this can be a real challenge in advertising and then managing expectations on the job. AI tools like ChatGPT can be leveraged to rapidly build job descriptions, interview guides/questions and even ideal interview answers for comparison!

From an enterprises’ lens, AI powered recruitment solutions can automate the screening of resumes and applications, saving HR professionals valuable time. AI algorithms can match candidate skills and experience with job requirements, shortlisting the most qualified individuals. This helps identify top talent quickly and ensures that the right contingent workers are selected for the job. There are many product examples in this space such as Hirevue, Pymetrics, Reejig or Humanly to name a few. Onboarding new starters can also be accelerated through the use of AI. As a simple example, ChatGPT could be leveraged to create an onboarding plan for an individual, a role type, or larger team all in a few minutes.

AI in Contingent Worker Engagement

Engaging contingent workers is crucial for their productivity, job satisfaction, and retention. AI can play a significant role in enhancing contingent worker engagement by providing personalized experiences and support. AI-powered chatbots or virtual assistants can be deployed to address contingent workers' queries, provide on-demand information, and offer guidance on HR policies and procedures.

Additionally, AI can facilitate real-time feedback and performance management for contingent workers. Intelligent algorithms can analyze project milestones, deliverables, and performance metrics to provide timely feedback and recognition. This personalized approach enhances contingent workers' sense of value and contributes to their overall engagement and motivation.

Training and Development

AI empowers HR in managing training, development, and compliance. Often the build of content can be delayed depending on team capacity or budget available to engage an external content developer. AI powered tools like ChatGPT can now rapidly build training outlines, training content and training assessments through specific prompting. Over and above this simple example there are many functional content development and hosting solutions that allow for rapid content development using an AI engine. Example products in this space are Animaker or Piktory and there are many others. Again, the power of these products in relation to contingent workers is to rapidly build content that is custom and specific to the need.

Preparing Organizations for AI in HR

To fully leverage AI for contingent worker engagement, organizations need to take proactive steps. First, they should invest in AI technologies and integrate them into existing HR systems. This includes identifying suitable AI solutions, partnering with technology providers, and ensuring seamless integration with HR platforms.

With all of the benefits, organizations also need to be wary of significant data privacy and data control challenges AI poses. Organizations should prioritize data security and privacy. HR departments should lean in with relevant groups to support revision of data governance frameworks and data management practices such that, for example, intellectual property is not used to train the AI unless the right security considerations are in place. Partnering with IT and legal are important steps towards that end.

Preparing Hr Practitioners for AI Adoption

HR practitioners need also to prepare themselves for the adoption of AI technologies. You should develop a deep understanding of AI concepts, applications, and their potential impact on HR functions. This is leading to a new management competency for proactive HR practitioners. As a simple example, a new skill to develop is proficiency in AI “prompting”.

There are many ways to build these skills including participating in AI projects and pilot programs. This hands-on experience allows you to gain practical knowledge and understand the implications of AI in managing the contingent workforce. Finally, look to gain broader awareness through learning on YouTube, blogs, conferences and presentations.

Conclusion

AI has the potential to revolutionize how HR manages and engages contingent workers. By embracing AI technologies, organizations can optimize recruitment processes, enhance worker engagement, improve learning outcomes and ensure better compliance. HR practitioners should embrace AI as a tool to augment their roles, acquire AI literacy, and develop the necessary skills to effectively collaborate with AI systems. HR will not be able to avoid the avalanche of AI change that is coming so the sooner we can master it, the better!