More than two-thirds of HR and recruitment professionals use AI at work – with almost all of them saying it’s been a force for good. New research, from The Access Group shows that 68 per cent now use the technology, which saves them, on average, around three hours a week. Around 98 per cent believe it has had a positive impact on their workplace, and 89 per cent say it’s improved standards.

The Access Group surveyed employees in 12 industries and professions – and found that half use AI today. Tech professionals are leading the way at 74 per cent, then HR, while the not-for-profit, and health and social care ranked lowest with 29 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

HR cited reduced workloads as the biggest benefit of AI, followed by giving the team time back to focus on tasks that deliver more value. Almost 47 per cent use it for gathering and analysing data, while 46 per cent say it helps them generate ideas, and 44 per cent cited research.

Top five benefits of AI in HR

  • Reduce workloads (67 per cent)
  • Gives staff time to focus on what matters most (47 per cent)
  • Helps productivity (49 per cent)
  • Saves the business money (41 per cent)
  • Better customer service (28 per cent)

Around 67 per cent said that generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, have relieved workload stress, the second highest of all the sectors surveyed, after tech. ChatGPT is also the most popular AI tool, used by around 67 per cent of respondents.

“HR teams are at the forefront of the AI revolution in the workplace, so it’s not surprising that they are among the biggest champions of the technology,” said Charles Butterworth, Managing Director, Access People. “Many have already automated tasks like candidate screening – so using AI is the next logical step, giving them time to focus on value-added work like employee engagement and talent strategies.

“As well as incorporating AI in their daily working life, HR is also instrumental in ensuring the wider workforce uses it responsibly. This includes developing and supporting organisation-wide AI policies, facilitating regular training, and creating a culture where employees are empowered to use the technology in an innovative yet compliant and transparent way.”

The survey also uncovered a number of potentially worrying trends among HR professionals. Around 61 per cent admit they’ve used AI to complete tasks they were meant to do themselves, and half say it to get ahead in a way they wouldn’t tell their boss about. Half also have concerns about data security, and a quarter highlighted confidentiality.

Access People customer James Barton, HR Business Partner CloudFM Group commented: “AI frees up HR teams to focus on more strategic, people-centred work. AI-powered tools can sift through CVs, schedule interviews, or provide data insights into workforce trends, all at a scale that would be impossible manually. Another significant advantage is improved decision-making – the data AI provides can lead to more informed, objective, and fair outcomes.”

The full research can be found here: www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/evo/insights.

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