Employee Engagement

The book covers four sections Artificial Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Employee Engagement and E-HRM. Since I sat down the very first time to start writing this book, the variety and depth of AI technologies in the marketplace has already changed dramatically. It’s strange, really, because I feel as if I’m shooting at a moving target. If I was writing about gravity or some other universal constant, the research and practice around the topic would have remained fairly static throughout the writing process. However, when you’re looking at a new field with cutting-edge developments occurring virtually every day, it’s a bit different.

The reason I wrote this book was due in part to the need for an unbiased viewpoint on this concept. So much of the information I see on a daily basis around this topic is either wildly overhyped, too theoretical or technical for the average practitioner to understand and apply, or downright incorrect. As an independent researcher I have the freedom to explore the topic to my heart’s content and talk about the good, the bad and the ugly. However, a company developing these technologies has a vested interest in telling the positive side of the story, often elevating it to the level of marketing hype. Additionally, my focus on the practical impacts keeps me from being too academic in my approach, which is a good thing for the millions of employees at companies I have supported over the years. They need more than theory to get the job done, to get the product shipped and to manage a highly complex workforce – they need actionable intelligence.

As the range of solutions that leverage machine learning and AI technologies become more prevalent and integrated into the human capital industry, my hope is that these issues of hype and theory dwindle away or are at least replaced by relevant and practical information that supports those that need it most. Why? Because we need technologies like this.

It’s pretty clear where I stand on the matter. Technology has the power to radically improve the experience for candidates, employees and the rest of the company if used properly. However, is it smart to expect that every employer is going to approach this with the right frame of mind?

As I neared the completion of the book, I saw several news items come out criticizing the use of AI because of concerns about bias or a fear of causing the hiring process to become dehumanized. I have addressed these items within the context of the book from the perspective of an HR or business leader, but for candidates and the public at large it can absolutely seem to be very exclusionary to be shunted off to an algorithm instead of having the chance to interact with a real person. It leads me to believe that there is a need for ethical standards to help guide vendors as they develop the technology and for business leaders as they seek to implement systems that include AI components. After all, with great power comes great responsibility. I have been open about my optimism here, and what I feel compelled to point out is that technology advances have always been and will continue to be a fact of life. From the first light bulb to the smartphone, technology is always evolving. The unchanging component is the people behind the technology.

The truth is that we, as people, have the capability to dehumanize virtually anything, and that includes processes that have technology involved or not. People are ultimately the ones that decide how to treat others, whether they use a piece of technology or do it in person. At the same time, we have the opportunity to create incredibly positive experiences for people. Some companies around the world are known for their ability to create amazing customer experiences that drive brand loyalty and value for the business. Those firms are able to create raving fans for their products and services by treating everyone with respect and appreciation. We need to approach the people side of the business with the very same perspective. Let’s use the things that AI can do to scale up and deliver incredibly human experiences that leave candidates and employees feeling like they received white glove service, even if it’s being ultimately delivered by a computer.

I have come to the realization after years of researching and writing about technology that it’s usually not about the technology at all. Funny enough, it really is all about people. I hope you walk away with the knowledge that in spite of the technological advances and changes, the revolutionary capabilities, and the continued development and exploration of AI systems, it still comes back to people. That’s ultimately why I decided to finish the book with a discussion around the fundamental human skills that we can’t let lapse or diminish in importance. If we have those critical skills around compassion, creativity and so on then we can ensure that we’re always on the right path with our technology decisions. If we only make decisions based on profit margins, we’ll make choices that take us down an unhealthy path.

One of the recent research projects I had an opportunity to participate in required me to envision what AI will look like in the next 10 years. It was an interesting activity that gave me a chance to stretch my thinking, but ultimately like all of those predictions about jobs and robots it was no more than an educated guess. What I do know is that today, there are some great opportunities to leverage technology, and some of those technologies have AI within them, extending their capabilities beyond what we’ve seen historically. Every facet of our personal lives is being impacted by these ever-evolving systems and tools, including economically and socially. Work is such a big part of life for the people that companies employ, and if there’s an opportunity to use technology to make that work experience more human to some degree, we should absolutely take it. The book has widely covered employee engagement and E-HRM also in depth.  Investing in employee engagement is not merely an HR initiative; it is a strategic imperative for organizations aiming for sustainable growth and success.

Thanks for reading this book and for your own commitment to learning about the opportunities these technologies bring. Above all, stay human, my friends.