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From AI to business process automation: HRForecast tech impact
Oksana Lavri Future work expert 10. June 2024 7 min read
Table of contents
Breakdown by department and influencing factors
Selection of suitable technologies
Key findings
Overall results
Analysis and insights
Why automation is a priority for business leaders nowadays
Ways automation can solve the recruitment in your organization
Changing job perspectives
Improving job availability
Boosting productivity
Reducing costs
Practical examples of automation in recruitment
Example automation of tasks
Final thoughts
Since 2022, at HRForecast, we have automated approximately 46% of our activities.
In this read, we will outline how the company achieved this, which technologies had the highest impact, and the effect on customer satisfaction and quality.
Breakdown by department and influencing factors
The impact of technological advancements on various departments cannot be overstated. Below is a detailed breakdown of how key technological factors such as Business Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) influence different departments. Understanding these influences helps identify areas for potential improvement and strategic investment.
The distribution of technology impact across departments highlights the significant impact of business process automation and AI. HR is 76% driven by automation, reflecting the shift to streamlined processes, while finance sees 64% impact from both automation and artificial intelligence, which increases accuracy and decision-making. Data science and engineering are moderately influenced by AI at 29% and 11%, respectively, indicating a mix of traditional methods and technology. AI primarily impacts customer success, with marketing seeing 26% of AI impact, emphasizing data-driven strategies. 16% of sales are driven by automation, highlighting the importance of personal interaction, while 41% of customer consultations are influenced by automation, a balance of efficiency and personalized service. These variations demonstrate the adaptive application of technology to meet departmental needs, helping organizations effectively prioritize investments and improvements.
Source: HRForecast
Selection of suitable technologies
To improve operational efficiency, HRForecast conducted a thorough analysis to identify and implement appropriate technologies to automate various processes. Using various data sources — scientific publications, white papers, and our own skills library — we assessed the potential for automation in our organization, ultimately identifying a 42% automation potential. We have detailed our methodology, evaluation process, and implementation results of our technologies.
Selection of suitable technologies
To effectively leverage automation, we focused on three primary areas:
A.I. technologies : ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, and GitHub CoPilot.
Business process automation : Tools such as Figma and HubSpot.
Industrial automation : Excluded due to irrelevance to our core operations.
Evaluation process
The selected technologies underwent a rigorous 3-month trial, evaluated on:
Change in quality : Measuring improvements in output quality.
Change in automation : Assessing the increase in automated processes.
Speed of implementation : Evaluating the time to integrate and deploy the technologies.
Integration requirement : Determining the effort required to integrate each technology into existing systems.
Key findings
Microsoft CoPilot was excluded from our automation suite due to subpar performance in generating presentations and summarizing meetings, with marginal improvements that could have justified continued use or integration efforts. On the other hand, ChatGPT proved to be a significant asset to our data science team, delivering high utility without immediate integration efforts, thereby showcasing its flexibility and immediate applicability despite requiring further integration into our existing applications.
To illustrate the impact of these technologies on our operations, consider the following examples:
ChatGPT . This AI tool has revolutionized our data analysis processes. By automating the generation of data reports and predictive models, our data scientists can focus on more complex tasks, resulting in a 20% increase in productivity within the data science department.
Figma . This design tool has streamlined our project workflows, enabling faster iteration and collaboration among team members. By automating repetitive design tasks, we reduced the time required to produce marketing materials by 30%.
Overall results
Upon implementation of 11 new technologies, we observed the following outcomes:
Overall Automation : Increased from an initial potential of 42% to 46%. This indicates the successful identification and implementation of technologies that align well with our automation goals.
Customer satisfaction : A notable 12% increase reflects enhanced automation’s positive impact on service delivery and client experience.
Quality improvement : A 16% improvement in the quality of outputs, underscoring the effectiveness of our chosen technologies in refining operational processes.
Time to market : Reduced by 9%, highlighting the efficiency gains from streamlined processes and faster execution timelines.
Analysis and insights
The comprehensive analysis and subsequent implementation of automation technologies at HRForecast have yielded substantial improvements across our operations. The careful selection process, grounded in robust market data and focused on practical utility, has ensured that the technologies integrated into our workflow were aligned with our strategic objectives.
The exclusion of Microsoft CoPilot serves as a critical lesson in the importance of performance benchmarking during trials. It underscores the necessity of setting high standards for technology adoption to avoid resource wastage on suboptimal solutions.
Conversely, ChatGPT’s success exemplifies the potential of advanced A.I. technologies to enhance productivity and quality without immediate extensive integration. Its ability to provide immediate benefits and the potential for further integration makes it a valuable addition to our technological arsenal.
Source: HRForecast
Why automation is a priority for business leaders nowadays
Automation is no longer a luxury but a necessity as it shows what technologies and skills the jobs need to have in the future to stay relevant and improve productivity for every industry and organization. Here’s why in particular:
Increased productivity . According to McKinsey & Company , organizations implementing automation can see a potential productivity increase of up to 40%. This boost in productivity allows businesses to accomplish more in less time, enhancing their overall efficiency and ability to meet customer demands promptly.
Cost reduction . Gartner reports that businesses leveraging AI and automation technologies can achieve a 20% reduction in operational costs. By automating routine and repetitive tasks, companies can save on labor costs and minimize the risk of human error, leading to significant cost savings over time.
Improved accuracy and consistency . Automation ensures that tasks are performed accurately and consistently, reducing the likelihood of errors and increasing the quality of outputs. This reliability is crucial for maintaining customer trust and meeting regulatory requirements.
Scalability . Automated systems can quickly scale to accommodate growing business needs with no proportional increases in the workforce or resources. This scalability is essential for companies expanding their operations and entering new markets.
Employee satisfaction . By automating mundane and repetitive tasks, employees can focus on engaging and strategic activities. This shift boosts employee satisfaction and morale and fosters organizational innovation and creativity.
Integrating automation into business processes is a strategic move that offers substantial benefits, including increased productivity, cost savings, improved accuracy, enhanced decision-making, scalability, and higher employee satisfaction. Business leaders who prioritize automation are positioning their organizations for long-term success in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
Ways automation can solve the recruitment in your organization
Automation transforms are changing the employment outlook by dramatically reducing manual effort and minimizing bias through automated resume review. In addition, automation increases the availability of jobs by promoting internal mobility and upskilling through dynamic skill selection. While increasing productivity, it ensures seamless communication through enhanced candidate engagement. In addition, it reduces costs by streamlining application processes, ultimately improving the candidate experience. Let’s consider each of the cases that we mentioned above.
Changing job perspectives
Automated resume screening : AI-powered tools can scan and evaluate resumes based on predefined criteria, drastically reducing the time spent on manual screening. For example, using ChatGPT, you can set parameters to filter out the most relevant candidates, ensuring that only the best matches proceed to the next stage. It saves time and minimizes human biases in the initial screening process.
Example : A candidate’s resume mentions proficiency in Python, data analysis, and project management. An AI tool can highlight this candidate for a data scientist position without the recruiter manually reviewing each application.
Improving job availability
Dynamic skills matching : Automation can keep track of the skills available within the organization and match them with current job openings. AI can analyze job postings, scientific articles, and skill databases to provide a dynamic representation of available skill sets, facilitating internal mobility and upskilling initiatives.
Example : An internal employee looking to move into a new role can have their skills matched to open positions within the company, providing a clear career path and reducing the time and cost of hiring externally.
Boosting productivity
Enhanced candidate engagement : Automated candidate engagement tools can maintain regular and personalized communication with candidates throughout recruitment. It can include automated interview scheduling, reminders, and follow-ups, all managed through preferred communication channels such as WhatsApp or SMS.
Example : A candidate receives a personalized message confirming their interview schedule and a reminder the day before, ensuring they are well-prepared and reducing no-shows.
Reducing costs
Streamlined application process : Automation can simplify the application process for candidates by using parsing solutions and matching engines directly on career pages. After uploading their CV, candidates can immediately see suitable vacancies and apply with a single click.
Example : A candidate uploads their CV on the company’s career page and immediately gets matched with three relevant job openings, reducing the application time and improving the candidate experience.
Practical examples of automation in recruitment
Recruitment processes are being transformed by automation , enabling companies to streamline their hiring efforts and improve efficiency. Automation in recruitment not only saves time but also enhances the accuracy and fairness of candidate evaluations. Here are some practical examples of how automation is reshaping the recruitment landscape:
Automated resume screening . AI tools can use resumes to identify keywords and qualifications that match job descriptions, quickly filtering out unqualified candidates and highlighting top candidates for further review.
Candidate matching engines . Seamlessly integrated into an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), these engines can match candidates’ skills and experiences with job requirements, creating an actionable shortlist of top candidates.
Automated interview scheduling . Tools can automatically coordinate interview schedules between candidates and interviewers, eliminating back-and-forth emails and reducing scheduling conflicts.
Example automation of tasks
Integrating HRForecast’s automated solutions enables companies to shift their focus from repetitive administrative tasks to more strategic initiatives.
Data automation enables real-time data collection, analysis, and reporting, significantly reducing manual data entry errors and ensuring timely updates. In recruiting, AI-powered candidate sourcing and screening and automated interview scheduling improve the hiring process by providing a seamless and personalized experience for candidates.
Employee onboarding becomes more efficient thanks to automated workflows seamlessly integrating new employees into the organization. Digital document management, compliance tracking, and tailored training programs ensure that new hires are well-trained and informed from day one.
Performance management is enhanced with automated scheduling of performance reviews, data-driven analytics, and personalized employee feedback and development plans. It ensures the timeliness and objectivity of performance evaluation, contributing to developing a culture of continuous improvement.
Source: HRForecast
The benefits of automating tasks in HRForecast are significant. Some benefits are increased efficiency, improved accuracy, improved employee experience, cost savings, and scalability. Automation reduces time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives while minimizing human error during data entry and processing. Personalized and timely interactions through automation improve overall employee satisfaction, and reduced manual labor and administrative costs lead to significant savings. In addition, HRForecast’s automated solutions are easily scalable to meet the growing needs of any organization.
By automating routine HR tasks, you can increase work efficiency and create a more dynamic and attractive workplace. This strategic approach to automation allows organizations to remain competitive and agile in an ever-evolving business landscape.
Analyze the impact of automation on your workforce
Learn how automation can transform your workforce and strategic planning. Backed by expert opinion and global data, HRForecast offers a precise approach to navigating the future of work.
Calculate the automation potential
Final thoughts
HRForecast’s approach to automation, which emphasizes careful evaluation and strategic integration of technology, has led to significant improvements in operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and quality. This approach serves as a valuable blueprint for organizations seeking to embrace automation, highlighting the potential benefits and underscoring the value of advanced technology. As companies adapt to their markets and indusries, automation will increasingly become a priority to remain competitive and drive sustainable growth.
Here are some practical steps you can take:
Start your automation journey by identifying the key areas that can benefit the most from automation . Analyze which departments can be streamlined and where AI can enhance decision-making. This step is crucial as it sets the foundation for a successful automation strategy.
Select the right technologies through research to identify technologies that align with your strategic goals. Use market data, scientific publications, and internal assessments to guide your choices.
Evaluate and implement selected technologies with a clear evaluation framework focusing on quality improvement, increased automation, speed of implementation, and integration requirements.
Monitor and adapt the performance of implemented technologies and be ready to adapt as needed. Regularly update your strategies to align with developing business needs and technological advancements.
Learn how automation can transform your workforce and strategic planning.
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