AI is transforming the world of work. Internal communications and HR professionals are no stranger to this trend, with 60 percent of respondents using AI in some capacity, according to Gallagher’s State of the Sector 2024 research. Powerful tools like ChatGPT have the ability to craft communications ranging from emails to letters to social media posts in a matter of seconds. However, the capability of these fast-emerging tools doesn’t make the role of the HR or internal communications professional redundant. If anything, the increasing reliance on digital tools highlights the continued importance of the ‘human touch’.
HR professionals are crucial to an organization’s success and taking part in strategic business conversations about emerging technologies is critical against the backdrop of an ever-changing landscape. AI can help to carry a growing share of the work-burden facing HR teams, such as quickly drafting copy, streamlining work processes or enhancing analysis, but the human touch, understanding of the employee population’s wants and needs and attention to detail remains crucial in the future of work. Our report finds that 74% of respondents are accountable for employee engagement, and too much reliance on technology could be counterproductive in fostering workplace culture and a sense of belonging.
The HR profession is paramount in helping organisations to establish strong values and building transparency throughout its communication with the workforce. Promoting transparency within an organisation carries numerous benefits: it builds employee engagement, develops a healthy level of trust between leaders and employees, and can lead to improved levels of productivity. This is a role which AI cannot fill.
Despite the continuing importance of a human touch in HR, our research suggests that some HR and communications leaders are not communicating clearly enough.
A failure to communicate effectively can result in a lack of transparency that can create unease and disquiet amongst employees, and breed mistrust with leaders and organisations.
For the past few years, our State of the Sector research has revealed that a lack of time and resource has consistently been the number one challenge for communicators. AI can be a helpful tool in this regard. By utilising technology responsibly to support with low-risk tasks such as copy editing or planning, HR and communications leaders can spend more time listening, strategising and meeting employee needs with a human touch.
According to our State of the Sector 2024 report research, 92% of survey respondents who didn’t plan on using AI cited feelings of resignation, denial and terror. These concerns must be addressed if professionals want to reap the benefits of the powerful technology to transform their internal communications efforts and enhance how they work in an innovative way – and our research found that negative sentiment reduces with usage of AI. Namely – giving AI a try will make you feel more positively about its use case and benefits.
A major focus for internal communications is ensuring the relevant information reaches the right employee at the right time, enhancing engagement and avoiding information overload. AI algorithms have the potential to create bespoke communications materials, analysing employees’ individual preferences, behaviours and roles to deliver content that’s tailored to their needs, and some of this capability is already available within employee communications platforms. By understanding employee preferences, HR leaders can deliver content that will be received in both an accessible and engaging way.
Similarly, AI-powered chat bots are another critical platform for employees to access information and support instantly. Virtual assistants, for instance, can effectively handle routine enquiries, providing personalised answers to queries surrounding HR policies, employee benefits or FAQs, freeing up HR professionals to focus on more strategic tasks requiring the element of ‘human touch’ to appropriately provide employees with prompt assistance and guidance.
While new technologies are designed to improve efficiencies for HR teams, they have not replaced the importance of the human connection. The reality is that HR leaders must start working alongside the technology to not only ease their own workload, but to foster a more human-centric internal communications strategy within their organisations.
Our State of the Sector 2024 report suggests communicators who are using AI are three times more likely to believe the technology will reduce workloads, confirming that those using the technology are already coming around to its benefits. As such, organisations must start by slowly integrating AI tools, and getting the basics right, to really make their internal comms count.
-ENDS-
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