Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a dominant force in the world of business. It has been applied throughout accounting, technology, and resource management departments. In many areas, it has been a rousing success. But there are pitfalls when it comes to applying the tools and techniques of AI to human resources. Human resources (HR) requires the human element if companies hope to remain successful and avoid legal trouble.
Mistakes with employees
One of the bases of human resources is the human element. Human resources is a field that deals with human beings who do not always fit into the algorithms and machine learning techniques pioneered by artificial intelligence. They do not always follow rules perfectly or fit the contours of algorithms. Mistakes in accounting or IT replacement can sometimes be fixed without even losing the company money. In many instances, a serious mistake in HR can lead to an employee either being terminated or becoming so unhappy with their job that they quit.
Violations of law
The use of AI in human resources can also lead to legal violations. Algorithms can perpetuate biased or otherwise harmful practices in hiring. If based on the wrong data, they can lead to practices that discriminate against racial or religious minorities. Algorithms that are not monitored can cause harmful behavior for many years. This behavior can open a company to lawsuits and significant legal liability. In the case of a lawsuit, the plaintiffs would be suing the company for damages instead of the entity that introduced the software. Most human resources software comes with liability waivers that transfer all associated legal liability on to the person being charged. As a result, companies must review their algorithms and hiring procedures on a regular basis to ensure that they remain compliant with all relevant laws and regulations.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence has made the vast majority of business procedures much easier. But it has not entirely eliminated the human element from many fields. In human resources, there should always be a human being making periodic reviews and checks of algorithms and other automatic processes. He or she should be trained and assigned to complete this tasks on a regular basis. A competent professional can work together with artificial intelligence to provide the most effective human resources services possible.