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Hiya, HR Heroes! AI is shaking up HR (not literally… yet). Where should you use it — and where not to? We’ve got insights, an HR Excel bundle, your weekly download, and trends you’ll want to know.

On the agenda: 

⚡ Automating HR: Where to use AI (and where not to!).

⏫ Better HR Reporting: With these 20 Excel analytics templates.

😊 ‘Calling in Healthy’: A trend boosting productivity and preventing burnout.

SPOTLIGHT

Automating HR: Where to Use AI (And Where Not To!)

In this rapidly changing business world we find ourselves in, AI is shaking up HR work processes. In fact, 72% of organizations are already using some level of AI, while 67% plan to step up their AI usage the next three years. But while AI can handle multiple (endless even) tasks, it's essential to know where a human touch is better suited.

Where to Use AI:

1. Recruitment and Onboarding: AI streamlines hiring by automating bulky tasks like resume screening and interview scheduling. Don’t believe it will do the job? Well, Chipotle introduced an AI assistant, reducing hiring time from 12 days to just 4!

2. Employee Queries: AI-powered HR chatbots can handle routine (often repeated and annoying) questions about policies, benefits, and more, alleviating HR professionals to focus on issues that require actual brainpower.

3. Performance Analytics: AI analyzes employee work data to identify trends, predict potential turnover, and suggest personalized development plans — ranging from simple efficiency improvements to more sophisticated, transformative uses.

Where NOT to Use AI:

1. Addressing Conflicts: Interpersonal disputes between staff require empathy and understanding — these are areas where AI can easily fall short.

2. Employee Counseling: This is best dealt with directly by a HR professional as personal issues can arise which are impacting work efficiency.

3. Cultural Initiatives: Anything involving team building, employee engagement, and nurturing company culture would still require human interaction and personal engagement that AI is unable to replicate (not yet, anyway!).

Finding a Balance: While AI provides efficiency, it's vital to maintain the human element in HR — it’s called ‘Human’ Resources for a reason. Are you ready to embrace AI for repetitive tasks so you can focus more on strategic, people-centered activities? Reply and let us know!

For a deeper dive into HRM that includes AI adoption, read our comprehensive guide:

FRIDAY’S STEAL

20+ Excel Templates for Better HR & Workforce Management

Unlock the full potential of your HR department with our 20+ HR Analytics Excel Template Collection — ideal for HR professionals looking to streamline processes and make data-driven decisions. 

With our HR Analytics Templates collection, you'll be able to:

• ​Enhance your HR reporting, making it easier to present actionable insights to leadership

• ​Drive strategic decision-making with data-backed evidence, enabling smarter, more informed choices that positively impact your organization’s growth and results.

• ​Streamline workforce management, improving both productivity and engagement.

Community promo ends February 23 — midnight EST.

NEWS & TRENDS

1️⃣ The Rise of ‘Calling in Healthy’ — Employees are taking wellness days to boost productivity and prevent burnout. [HR Morning]

2️⃣ AI-Powered Future Work is HR’s to Define — Randstad reveals 4 in 5 leaders excited about AI in HR and advises skills-first focus. [Unleash]

3️⃣ HR's Dilemma: Finding The Right Skills — Of the HR workers surveyed, 3 in 4 reported having adopted or planning to adopt a skills-based approach. [BenefitsPro]

4️⃣ What to do About ‘Disloyal’ Gen Z’s? — Studies indicate Gen Z employees are perceived as less loyal, prompting retention strategy reviews. [The HR Director]

5️⃣ Pay Cuts for More Family Time: A Trend? — Some companies provide salary reductions in exchange for increased family time, sparking debate. [Economic Times]

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HR WISDOM

20 Qualities of a Good Employee (Why They Matter)

Ask any hiring manager, and you’ll discover that good employees are hard to find. They either lack certain traits or simply don’t fit in with the existing company culture, making the entire recruitment process 10 times harder.

And HR managers and employers often tend to focus on skill sets alone, and they overlook the important qualities that make the ideal worker, resulting in bad hires and a tiresome training period.

While every employee is different and brings a mixture of talents and traits to the table, there are some common qualities that you need to look out for.

WEEKLY HR GOODY

A Weekly Employee Timesheet

Simplify time tracking with our ready-to-use Weekly Employee Timesheet. Easily log hours, breaks, and overtime to ensure accurate payroll and compliance on this complimentary template — for those HRs who prefer a simpler no-software route.

BREAKROOM