From Hiring to L&D: Maximizing Efficiency with AI tools

There are various ways AI is impacting the way we work today, and technological innovations in the field of hiring and L&D are rapidly evolving – directly affecting the HR and L&D space. That’s why people managers have to stay on top of the latest developments and understand how to leverage AI for their companies’ and employees’ benefit. In this article, we’ll zoom in on various ways that AI is transforming the field of recruitment and L&D and a list of the best AI tools for business applications at work.

1. Intro: AI Is Transforming Business As We Know It

A growing number of enterprises are rapidly integrating artificial intelligence in the workplace, enabling them to automate many of their routines, and day-to-day operations, increase productivity and optimize their overall use of data. And it’s not just tech giants like Google, Meta, or Alphabet who are applying an AI-first strategy to improve their bottom line and stay ahead of the curve. Smaller companies and startups also recognize how AI technology can transform their businesses on many levels and give them a competitive advantage from the very start.

Tip of the iceberg

With the rapid emergence of AI providers and innovative models like ChatGPT and DALL-e, open-source AI becoming mainstream. And these two are just the tip of the iceberg. AI innovation is moving at lightning speed, and the number of product launches, updates, and demos is so staggering that it’s almost impossible to keep track. In March 2023, startup executive and AI expert Zain Kahn spotted the release of 100+ AI tools – and that was in just one week.

Undoubtedly, 2023 will be the year when AI in the workplace gains momentum and influences virtually all sectors: from healthcare to finance, from marketing integrations to HR, and many more.

Artificial Intelligence statistics

As the evolution of artificial intelligence and Machine Learning is reaching new heights, here are some interesting AI statistics:

• According to the IBM AI Adoption Index 2022, the global AI adoption rate grew steadily and now is 35%, a four-point increase from 2021
• The same study shows that an additional 42% of companies worldwide say they’re in the process of exploring AI
• Financial experts state that the global AI market is projected to reach $1,8 trillion by 2030

• The number of active AI startups grew 14 times over the last two decades
• Investment in AI startups by venture capitalists grew 6 times since 2000
• Business analysts claim that companies with little involvement in AI, blockchain technologies or the metaverse could become irrelevant over time
• 72% of execs believe that AI will be the most significant business advantage of the future
• According to the World Economic Forum, AI is estimated to replace 85 million jobs by 2025, but 97 million new jobs will be created due to AI
• The share of jobs requiring AI skills has grown 4.5X since 2013

The most successful businesses in 2023 will be proactive by adapting their learning solutions & hiring process to build & retain resilient talent.
The 2023 State of Skills Report by Lepaya

2. What Does the Future of AI Hold for People Managers?

So, amid all of this, how does AI influence the work of people managers? How can they integrate AI into the workflow? In the current talent landscape, both hard skills and soft skills have a short shelf life, and organizations need to continuously reskill and upskill their workforce to stay relevant. Therefore, training employees is becoming increasingly important if organizations want to (out)perform, invest in growth, make an impact, and stay ahead of the competition.

When it comes to attracting the right talent in this candidate-driven job market, people managers should also prioritize optimizing their hiring process as a driver for organizational stability and success. With the current high demand for top talent, the rise of flexible work models, and a new generation of candidates, companies’ hiring practices must adapt to these trends to become future-proof.

In both the case of L&D and recruitment, AI could prove to be a game changer – but there’s more. ‘The Business Case for AI in HR’, a recent report published by IBM, reveals five reasons why HR organizations are implementing AI and machine learning today:

• Solve pressing business challenges
• Attract talent and develop new skills
• Improve the employee experience
• Provide strong decision-making support
• Use HR budgets as efficiently as possible

With the disruption of business models across all industries, the talent acquisition game has changed and with the impact of technological change on work, the need for a continuous learning culture has never been more urgent.

Diane Gherson, Chief Human Resource Officer, IBM

3. How To Use AI Tools to Your Advantage

So what exactly are the benefits of AI in the workplace? There are many. For people managers specifically, AI can pave the way to a better candidate and employee experience. It can improve onboarding, identify talent, and give valuable insights into people analytics like retention rates, turnover rates, salaries, and sick leave. Simultaneously, AI tools can free up time for the HR team to focus on a more strategic, creative, and enticing scope of work.

On top of that, one of the primary benefits of using AI during recruitment is the equal chance it offers to all types of candidates. The selection process is solely based on someone’s capabilities, without any subjective discrimination based on their background, disability, gender, skin color, or location. This encourages candidates to apply for jobs without fearing rejection and ensures that all candidates are thoroughly assessed, opening the door for equal opportunities.

Understanding how AI tools can improve all aspects of people management, including recruitment and L&D, is therefore essential. Below, we’ll discuss several AI application ideas in these specific fields and pinpoint how sourcing automation and smart technologies like AI and Machine Learning enable HR leaders to tackle crucial business challenges and even impact overall business outcomes and profitability.

You might also like: AI Skills of the Future: Understanding AI and How to Make it Work for You

4. Use Cases of AI Tools for Recruiting and L&D

In the past, HR technology was mainly used to increase efficiency and reduce costs by automating repetitive tasks. Things have changed. Thanks to AI, HR is transitioning from being merely administrative and operational to becoming strategic and mission-critical, opening up new possibilities for businesses to achieve sustainable success.

Let’s take a look at some tools and use cases of AI in the hiring process.

1. Sorting resumes

Job candidates put a lot of time and effort into creating a professional CV that makes them stand out from the crowd, but when it comes to sorting and scanning those resumes, the time invested by HR can be just as time-consuming. According to Lepaya’s State of Skills report, talent acquisition managers spend 13 hours per week sourcing candidates for a single role, yet only 19% of the hires are considered a success.

AI-based resume sorting tools make the whole business of going through piles of CVs faster and more efficient. They can help identify resumes that meet the desired criteria, scan a CV for keywords and patterns in the text, and screen skills and accomplishments. The result? A consistent, high-quality candidate shortlist – and reduced recruiting workload.

Example: CVViZ is considered one of the best resume screening software out there. It uses AI technology to screen resumes, rank candidates per the talent management requirements, filter out duplicate CVs, and engage both former and current employees in the recruitment process.

2. Screening candidates

The next step in the recruitment process is screening the candidates that AI shortlisted for you. We’re not just talking about a standard background and identity check; it also involves educational verifications, skills testing, and verifying previous work experiences. By moving away from a manual system, AI technology can go through huge amounts of data in a matter of seconds, even predicting the skills and talents candidates are likely to develop, and their potential career progression within the company.

To determine suitable candidates, a machine learning AI system can also apply knowledge gained from previous experiences during the recruitment and selection process. The algorithm detects affinities with existing successful recruits and can then predict who the most suitable candidates are. AI can then recommend which candidates should be invited for an interview based on all these data points.

Example: Olivia, a creation of software provider Paradox, is a charming AI-powered virtual assistant with natural language processing abilities that automates a large number of recruitment tasks –  like candidate screening, scheduling, and candidate communication. She engages with candidates through the web, mobile platforms, or social channels. Clients include big brands like Unilever and Staples.

3. Interviewing candidates

Conducting an interview is an element in the recruitment process that is hard to be replaced by technology. As an HR professional, you need to comfort a nervous candidate, pick up on intangible qualities like personality, ambition, and sense of humor, and decide whether there’s a cultural fit within your organization. Finding that rare pearl is often a matter of a recruiter’s years and years of experience, combined with a healthy dose of intuition.

On top of that, recruiters and HR professionals truly are the brand ambassadors of their company. An AI system simply cannot embody the corporate identity of an organization, as a company culture is mostly defined by the people that actually work there, including their values, ethics, and behavior.

That being said, a growing number of companies started using AI technology for their job interviews, like asynchronous video interviews (AVIs) conducted by a computer algorithm and automated assessments on a digital platform.

On a more practical note, AI-powered virtual assistants can assist recruiters in scheduling interviews, sending reminders, and answering basic questions a candidate might have. Needless to say, this can save recruiters tons of time.

Example: large corporations like L’Oreál and Unilever are already leaving the interviewing entirely to AI tools like Pera and HireVue. Job applicants work through a set questionnaire, and an AI system records their answers. The tool then analyzes them for language, intonation, eye movements, and body language. Then there’s Fireflies, an AI tool that takes notes during calls and interviews so that the interviewer can focus completely on the candidate.

As AI technology continues to innovate and develop, AI-powered tools for Learning & Development are now also more accessible and affordable. By leveraging AI, L&D departments can not only improve the impact of training but also increase employee engagement by offering engaging content and improved learning results.

4. AI Coach and digital personal trainer

AI can reinforces the impact of training providing personalized instruction and feedback to learners through an app. It’s an interactive and fun experience where learners engage directly with content, resulting in effortless and convenient learning, boosting confidence, and ensuring maximum engagement when training skills. It’s also very flexible, as it doesn’t require in-person training and you can learn independently via your mobile – when and where you want.

Example: Lepaya applies immersive learning with Artificial Intelligence to help employees train their social or presentation skills. Our AI Coach  gives instant personalized feedback on verbal communication and posture. They can record themselves presenting, upload the video and benefit from instant, individual feedback in a safe space.

Check out the below video to discover how it works!

5. Personalized and adaptive learning

AI-powered tools can analyze an individual’s learning style, adapt to their learning pace, capabilities, and personal preferences – even considering their age, gender, language, or location – and share real-time feedback to create customized learning plans and training programs. It can also give additional personal support or come up with extra challenges if needed.

6. Identifying skills gaps

AI has the capability to analyze huge data sets and derive conclusions using technologies like machine learning and predictive analysis to identify skills gaps within the organization. Once the gap is identified, the L&D team can work on investing in training programs to bridge the gap and use AI to predict future training needs.This makes learning more effective and ensures employees have the skills they need to succeed.

You might also like: 10 Essential Skills For Every Future Proof Organization according to the World Economic Forum

At Lepaya, we help organizations adapt to the Future of Work by creating a culture of continuous learning. We build stronger teams and inspire future leaders by offering innovative learning experiences with VR Training and a dedicated AI coach.

TELL ME MORE