How AI is revolutionizing HR and talent management

Many of the CEOs and business leaders I know joke about how their lack of personal social media activity is holding their careers and their companies back. The rise of social media and networking platforms like Twitter and Linkedin has made it easy (and expected) for everyone to showcase the capabilities and accomplishments that reflect their philosophy and style, and thus develop their personal brands. These personal brands can improve one’s hireability, reach, and credibility—helping us stand out in the market.

While my friends and I make light of it, the fact that everyone can sway and participate in today’s talent market is a profound shift. Supply and demand have been hot business topics for decades. Much more recently, work and workforces are being transformed by the recognition that they can be viewed through the same lens. Every single professional, whether full-time employee or freelancer, is taking part in a colossal transformation of work into a free market of talent. Some professionals no longer require the validation of their employers to be considered “influencers”, and some people’s reputation makes them a valuable addition to an employer’s brand. To add to that, headlines about distributed work and pixelated workforces are making the front page. And the evolution of professional networking on social media is just one example of that.

The most innovative organizations are shifting from employer-led talent strategies to putting people (and their skills) first. This means that HR leaders are at the helm of major business disruption; reimagining how work is structured to create holistic talent experiences. This isn’t a simple undertaking. It requires a different frame of mind and a new set of tools built to make sense of today’s talent supply and demand challenges.

How AI can revolutionize talent management ​

As Gloat’s Vice President of Solutions Consulting, I’m familiar with the talent management challenges businesses are facing. I spend a lot of time talking to HR and business leaders, learning about their strategies for the future of work, and guiding teams in developing the tools and capabilities to bring these visions to life. With experience in Cybersecurity, IT Operations, and ML Operations, I can confidently say that technology for people (i.e. HR tech) is still one of the most complicated challenges.

I quickly developed an understanding that the only scale-proof solutions are the ones that are both simple and powerful. Simplicity is achieved through an accurate and crystallized articulation of the problem. My favorite example is the urban legend about finding a way to write in space: as the story goes, NASA spent a long time (and a lot of money) trying to create a pen that would work in a weightless environment, only to discover that one can use a pencil.

The answer to complex challenges doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to be built on a clear articulation of the problem, it needs to be empathetic to the people who are dealing with this problem, and it needs to solve only that core of the problem—that’s what I like to call an elegant solution. This focus on elegance is what makes AI-powered HR technology so impactful.

From admin to strategy: HR’s transformation ​

Talent marketplaces are one example of the kind of AI-powered HR technology that’s going to be powerful in our next chapter. In the past, organizations could rely on human capital management platforms because HR was primarily focused on empowering the business to manage its resources. No one was thinking about marketplace dynamics, so there was no need for a dynamic platform to keep business needs and talent desires aligned.

That has to change now that HR is at the helm of reimagining how we work, creating a new vision for the purpose that offices will serve, and devising diversity and inclusion initiatives that move the needle. If we want to have the best talent associated with our brand, we need to empower that talent to develop themselves. HR’s role has become strategic, which means talent marketplaces are a vital tool. The platforms empower leaders to unlock their workforce’s full potential and democratize access to career opportunities. In short, they make it easier to put talent first. This HR Transformation has to happen.

7 AI-powered talent management tools for HR leaders​

Talent marketplaces are undoubtedly a game-changer, but they’re not the only AI-powered platform that drives results. In fact, there are a handful of beautiful tools that executives should have on their radars as they lead their business through the transition from employer-led to talent-first.

Here are some of my top picks:

BetterUp
BetterUp delivers dedicated coaching to help your employees navigate uncertainty, build strategic skills, and gain the knowledge they need to take their careers to the next level. Coaching opportunities enable employees to maximize their potential and successfully tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

Visier
Today, every HR leader must analyze data and demonstrate the impact of their initiatives. Visier brings these stories to life with simple, pre-built content that enables HR leaders to transition from spreadsheets and outright guessing to understanding what the numbers they see really mean and how to address them.

Culture Amp
CultureAmp is an employee performance platform that empowers true insights into a workforce so leaders can drive change within their organization. The data the platform collects sheds light on employee engagement and sentiment, so leaders can ensure their organization is the best place for people to grow.

WorkHuman
Workhuman was built on the premise that creating human connections on a global scale drives ROI. Millions of people utilize the WorkHuman cloud to fuel their cultures through recognition, engagement, performance, work-life harmony, inclusion, and belonging. The WorkHuman Research team also provides unique talent and business insights that leaders can tap into to uncover key trends in diversity, performance, culture, and more.

Goodera
Goodera curates engaging volunteering opportunities across focus areas in more than 100 countries. Its broad volunteering portfolio features team-based activities to boost employee morale and engagement, enabling employees to participate in meaningful volunteer experiences that align with their interests and values.

SmartRecruiters
SmartRecruiters empowers your Talent Acquisition team to find the best external candidates faster than ever before. The platform’s full CRM and sourcing capabilities allow you to identify and connect with the high-quality talent you seek, optimizing the talent acquisition process from end to end.

Lever
Lever is a talent acquisition suite that helps companies reach their hiring goals by connecting managers with top talent. The platform allows leaders to scale and grow their people pipeline, build authentic and long-lasting relationships, and source the right people to hire. Lever Analytics provides customized reports with data visualization to inform strategic decisions between hiring managers and executives alike.

Whether or not you’re a social media minimalist like me, the free talent market is here, and it’s going to impact all of us.