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If there’s a tension in your organisation between knowing automation will increase efficiency and a fear about job losses, then the point has been missed. You decide what to do with the time you save, not the automation tool, and HR is the perfect team to keep this conversation focused on what’s best for people!
Modern HR teams might have to deal with automation fears on two levels: fear within the team about HR technology, and fear within the wider business about automation tools in general. Invariably, employees will have experienced or heard about people losing their jobs due to technology making things more efficient. If HR and business leaders want to retain good employees — a wise move in a tight talent market — then they will get ahead of this fear by communicating with employees about their future, post-automation, from the get go.
Automating HR
If you’re at the stage where you’re considering automation for the first time, or you’re looking to upgrade or expand your automation tools, think about how you’re going to allay any fears your HR staff might have from the beginning. Do your recruiters worry that they won’t be needed because a new AI tool is taking over parts of the selection process? Are your HR apprentices concerned that a new system will take over the admin and leave them with nothing to do?
A good way to tackle anxiety about automation is to keep your team close to the automation project/s. Ask people what tools would make the most difference to their roles, what they’d do with the time saved, how they’d take ownership of implementation, etc. You may be able to keep fear levels down if your people are part of the process, and it’s not something done behind closed doors and pushed on them after the decisions have already been made.
Automating the wider business
If departments other than HR are looking at automation projects, it’s helpful for HR to be involved. HR can guide managers on how to work with their teams to make automation a success, reminding them to keep their employees with them on the journey. They can also help managers and business leaders look more closely at their talent, analysing the best ways to retain people despite automation efficiencies. And, in the event an employee doesn’t feel comfortable talking to their line manager, HR can be a third party that people can approach if they have concerns about technology and job security.
If an automation project does unfortunately result in job losses that HR and the business cannot avoid, having HR involved from the beginning will be useful. This is a very sensitive issue to manage, and HR is likely best equipped to advise leaders on how to proceed. HR might also be able to offer outplacement services to employees to help them with their next career step.
HR’s people focus puts the department in an ideal position to ensure automation is implemented to help people, rather than being imposed on people at the expense of job security. The technology isn’t implementing itself — people are — and people need to advocate for each other.
Shandel McAuliffe
Shandel has recently returned to Australia after working in the UK for eight years. Shandel's experience in the UK included over three years at the CIPD in their marketing, marcomms and events teams, followed by two plus years with The Adecco Group UK&I in marketing, PR, internal comms and project management. Cementing Shandel's experience in the HR industry, she was the head of content for Cezanne HR, a full-lifecycle HR software solution, for the two years prior to her return to Australia.
Shandel has previous experience as a copy writer, proofreader and copy editor, and a keen interest in HR, leadership and psychology. She's excited to be at the helm of HR Leader as its editor, bringing new and innovative ideas to the publication's audience, drawing on her time overseas and learning from experts closer to home in Australia.
