HR professionals have had quite the year.

Keeping up with all the workplace changes, whether that’s technological or legislative, has required an enormous amount of effort.

Well, there’s good news and bad news.

As we look toward 2026, it’s clear that the rate of change shows no sign of slowing; however, for those HR professionals ready to adapt, there are some amazing opportunities.

To help you stay ahead, we have identified three key HR trends set to define the coming year and shape the future of work.

Navigating the biggest shake-up in employment law

While keeping up with legislation has always been a core part of HR, 2026 stands out as a particularly important year, with the first wave of updates due to come from the Employment Rights Bill.

Now, the Employment Rights Bill isn’t just another piece of legislation.

It’s been branded as the most comprehensive revision of UK employment law.

So, for HR teams, this is far more than just tweaking a few policies.

The pressure is on for HR professionals as you’ll be tasked with guiding your business through a fundamental reshape of employee rights.

The changes landing in April 2026

David Kisiaky, Senior Product Manager, offered some commentary on the Employment Rights Bill, saying: “The Employment Rights Bill has been in progress for quite some time now.  

“However, due to the ongoing ‘ping pong’ in Parliament, the legislation is still at the bill stage and has not yet received Royal Assent.  

“Without Royal Assent, it cannot become a primary Act of Parliament. 

“That said, we still anticipate some changes are likely to take effect in April 2026, subject to the parliamentary process, with others expected in October 2026 and 2027.” 

Key changes expected in April 2026 

Collective Redundancy Protection 

The maximum period for the collective redundancy protective award, in cases of failure to consult, will double from 90 days to 180 days’ pay per employee. 

Day-One Paternity Leave 

Currently, employees must complete 26 weeks of employment to qualify for paternity leave. This waiting period will be removed, making paternity leave a day-one right. 

Unpaid Parental Leave 

At present, employees must be in employment for one year to qualify for unpaid parental leave. This will also become a day-one right, allowing employees to apply for it from the start of their employment. 

Whistleblowing Protections 

New protections will be introduced to safeguard employees from detriment and unfair dismissal when raising workplace issues, particularly in cases of sexual harassment. 

Fair Work Agency 

A new authority, the Fair Work Agency, will be established to police and enforce employment rights across various sectors. 

Day-One Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) 

The three waiting days for SSP will be removed, meaning employees will no longer need to wait until the fourth day to claim sick pay. Additionally, the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) threshold will be abolished, making SSP accessible to more employees. 

Trade Union Recognition Process 

The process for recognising trade unions will be simplified. The voting threshold to recognise a union  will change to a simple majority. Trade unions will also gain additional access rights to workplaces. 

Electronic and Workplace Balloting 

Currently, voting for trade union activities can only be conducted by post. This will be modernised to allow electronic and workplace balloting, making it easier for employees to participate. 

David added: “There are many more changes outlined in the Employment Rights Bill roadmap, including the abolition of some previous Acts of Parliament.  

“However, these are the key highlights expected to take effect from April 2026 onwards, subject to the completion of the parliamentary process.” 

What this means for HR

Compliance will likely dominate your to-do list for the entire year.

Not only do you need a firm grasp on the new rules, but HR professionals will have to audit their current setup.

We advise you to look at your contracts and policies right now, as old workplace policies could become non-compliant overnight.

Deepening organisational artificial intelligence (AI) usage

Artificial intelligence is quickly moving from an experimental technology to an embedded operational tool.

If recent years were about exploring what AI could do, 2026 is the year it becomes a core part of how we all work.

However, as with any large change, for many employees, this brings a mix of excitement and anxiety.

This is where HR’s role becomes absolutely critical.

You must support your workforce to ensure successful adoption while also minimising fear and anxiety.

The key will be to frame AI not as a replacement, but as a collaborator that can augment human skills.

The next step in the workplace

Gartner reported that 38% of HR leaders have implemented or are using generative AI – that’s double the figure reported in June 2023. 

HR Director, Lizzy Barry, explained: “They say the only things certain in life are death and taxes – well, we actually say that ‘change’ should be added to that list. 

“In the last 5-10 years, COVID has created an enormous difference in the way staff work, with many more people now hybrid and relying on tools that enable them to work remotely. 

“AI is just another shift in how we do business, and this disruption is inevitable. 

“Successful businesses understand AI is simply the next step and will take the time to consider how they can use the tools effectively, bring their people along on the journey and educate their teams.” 

Shifting the mindset from replacement to augmentation

If you strip away the buzzwords and headlines, when it comes to AI adoption, what we’re really talking about is human emotion. 

So, how do your people currently feel about AI? 

We’ve found that for most, it’s a mix of fascination, fatigue and fear, and that’s entirely reasonable. 

Every major leap in technology has stirred the same response, which is uncertainty about what it means for our jobs, identity and value.    

Many workers worry they’ll be left behind. 

You need to address these types of concerns directly. 

Be honest about AI’s limitations, offer visibility on how AI decisions are made and create opportunities for hands-on experimentation.  

If you help your people feel safe, curious and confident, every technical challenge becomes manageable.

Showcasing the practicality of AI

Lizzy shared how she’s helped manage AI adoption at IRIS, explaining: “It’s actually been really interesting within IRIS! 

“We’ve done things like AI hackathons and given employees a chance to play around with tools they might not have used before. 

“We often set a challenge: can you use AI to generate something, and how would you assess the output?   

“Being able to start using AI and see what it can do is often a really clear way to take away some of that fear, because we can see immediately that AI isn’t perfect and it doesn’t always give us the finely crafted end result that we need. 

“Even if the output looks good, we know that  AI can hallucinate or have built-in mistakes and assumptions that we then need to check. 

“Getting stuck in is really helpful for supporting people and helping them feel confident in using it for that augmentation, rather than worrying it’s going to replace them tomorrow.” 

Four ways to optimise your change management efforts 

Prior to introducing new technology, like AI, behavioural change is needed, which can be achieved by creating awareness and desire for change.   

Awareness: people need to know why the change is happening and what’s in it for them – answering these questions will help people understand the purpose.  

Desire: build desire by showcasing the benefits, ensuring people are eager to use the new tech when it’s ready.  

Below are four tips you can look to implement in your own change management strategy:  

1) Spread the message   

Frequent communications within your business are crucial to ensuring people are aware of the change, understand the reasoning and look forward to the benefits.  

A few messages you should look to relay are:  

• What software is changing 
• The day-to-day benefits for staff  
• When the change is expected  

2) Celebrate successes   

To tackle people’s natural apprehension towards change, it’s crucial that you highlight each success, helping shift the perception of those resistant.   

3) Create change champions   

A fantastic way to promote change internally is to foster project champions who act as messengers for why other employees should adopt the new technology.  

4) Accept fear   

Accepting fear may initially come across as an odd tip, but it’s important that you’re realistic about change.  

By accepting and understanding these fears, you’re in a much better place to address the concerns and have open discussions.   

Reassessing engagement and wellbeing strategies

The world of work has changed, and so have employee expectations.

Salary alone no longer guarantees loyalty; people want to feel valued and supported.

In fact, research has found that 69% of employees say a wide array of benefits would increase their loyalty, and 80% of people who are satisfied with their benefits report higher job satisfaction.

In 2026, a one-size-fits-all approach to wellbeing simply won’t cut it.

It’s time to get personal.

What makes a benefits package truly valuable?

For employees, a truly valuable benefits package goes far beyond traditional offerings.

Today, the most impactful packages combine essential foundations such as competitive pensions, comprehensive healthcare and generous leave policies, with additional benefits that adapt to individual life circumstances and career stages.

Dan Grace, Director of International HR Consulting, told us: “What makes modern benefits truly valuable is choice and flexibility.

“Early-career employees might prioritise professional development funds and student loan assistance, while parents need robust childcare support and family leave.

“On the other hand, employees approaching retirement value pension top-ups and phased retirement options.

“The key is offering a flexible benefits platform where people can tailor their package to their current needs.

“Mental health and wellbeing support have also become absolutely critical.

“Not just Employee Assistance Programmes, but proactive wellness initiatives, mental health days and access to counselling services.

“Financial wellbeing is equally important, with salary advance schemes, financial coaching and emergency hardship funds becoming standard expectations.”

Moving beyond the basics

According to the CIPD, employers believe investment in wellbeing strategies deliver measurable returns, including improved health and wellbeing (54%), increased employee engagement and reduced sickness absence (both at 39%) and enhanced performance (38%).

To deliver a meaningful wellbeing strategy, here’s where we recommend you focus your efforts:

• Be proactive, not reactive: instead of just offering counselling services after a problem arises, the best strategies focus on prevention. This means building resilience through training, embedding mental health first aiders within teams and promoting preventative healthcare access.
• Embrace inclusive wellbeing: your workforce is diverse, and your wellbeing strategy should be too. Support should expand to address specific life stages. Assistance for parenthood, caregiving responsibilities and neurodiversity are key areas to consider.

• Financial wellbeing: with persistent cost-of-living pressures, financial stress is a major concern for many employees. Offering financial wellness programmes, from educational workshops to Earned Wage Access, can make a significant difference.
• Listen to your people: instead of questioning what benefits you should offer, forward-thinking organisations are determining what their people need to feel supported, valued and able to thrive. That starts with listening, using surveys, feedback loops and usage data to understand what matters most.

Putting the ‘human’ back in HR

It’s easy to get lost in the noise of 2026.

Between navigating complex new legislation like the Employment Rights Bill and figuring out where AI fits into your daily workflow, the to-do list for HR professionals is looking pretty intense.

But if you look closely at every single one of these trends, the common thread isn’t technology or policy – it’s people.

As we move into this new year, the most important tool in your arsenal isn’t a piece of software or a new handbook.

Rather, it’s your empathy and judgment.

The administrative side of HR is changing rapidly, but the need for human connection, understanding and strategic thinking remains crucial.

In today’s fast-paced world, businesses are constantly seeking new ways to boost productivity and stay ahead. For UK Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs), leveraging technology isn’t just an option, it’s a necessity. 

Enter Artificial Intelligence (AI), not as a replacement for human ingenuity, but as a powerful sidekick, ready to take the mundane off your plate and make you the hero of your business. Our recent Work that Works report found that productivity and AI were on the minds of SME businesses: 

• Technology has led to gains: Among businesses that report increased productivity, the no. 1 reason is tech advancements
• AI a priority for productivity: Usage of AI tools the no.1 priority for the next 12 months among business leaders to improve productivity
• Increased spend on AI/machine learning: 6 in 10 businesses are spending more than the past on AI/machine learning

And yet the same report found that 1 in 2 leaders rate their organisation as poor or average for technical know-how. And just over half of businesses have implemented AI to at least a moderate integration. 

So what’s holding up SME adoption of AI? We’ve put together this handy article to help navigate the why and how of AI adoption for key tools that will help make your business more productive. 

How does AI boost productivity?

AI productivity tools are transforming how we work. They’re designed to automate repetitive tasks, provide insightful data and streamline workflows, allowing you and your team to focus on what truly matters: growing your business and innovating. Here are three key scenarios where you could see AI take a bigger role in your business. 

Supercharging your spreadsheets and data analysis 

Have you ever spent ages googling how to calculate something from your data? Or had to go line by line to identify patterns or trends in your data? Well you can say goodbye to that life and throw away the tatty old “Excel cheatsheet” you have printed on your desk. Most Large Language Model (LLM) tools can be used to ingest a spreadsheet or data to ask for guidance on formula building or analysis of trends. What may have cost you hours in the past, can be looked at in minutes. Test prompts like this: 

“Calculate the average sales per region and identify which region had the highest total sales last quarter.”

• This prompt requires both calculation (average and total sales) and identification of a pattern/extreme value (highest total sales). It implies the spreadsheet contains sales data, likely broken down by region and quarter.

“Identify any trends in customer churn over the past year, and calculate the month-over-month percentage change in active users.”

• This prompt focuses heavily on identifying data patterns (trends in churn) and also requires calculation (month-over-month percentage change). It suggests the spreadsheet would contain data on customer activity and churn rates over time.

Review your writing and make recommendations 

If you’ve ever received feedback about your written communications with your team or colleagues, you’ll know the anxiety that pops up right before you hit send. Whether you’ve been told you’re too brash or too soft, there will be that split second of questioning….”Does this sound ok?” Imagine if you had a tone consultant who could give you feedback immediately AND keep it to themselves.

That’s where smart prompting comes in. Smart prompting means giving your AI clear, specific context so it can give you the most relevant and helpful feedback. 

Instead of simply asking, “Is this email okay?”, focus your prompt on the goal or emotion you want to convey, like  clarity, empathy, authority or urgency. The more intentional your prompt, the more precise the AI’s support will be. Try prompts like this:

“Review this email I’m sending regarding upcoming mandatory training. Does the tone convey the importance and value of the training, or does it sound like just another compliance requirement?”

• Why it’s good: This prompt focuses on communicating importance and value. It addresses the common challenge of making mandatory communications engaging rather than tedious.

“I’ve written an email responding to an employee’s complaint. Is the tone appropriately professional and responsive, or could it be perceived as dismissive or defensive?”

• Why it’s good: This prompt is crucial for managing employee relations. It targets professionalism and responsiveness while explicitly warning against common negative perceptions like dismissiveness or defensiveness

Best AI productivity tools to try in 

AI tools are essential for powering SME productivity tools but it can be overwhelming to pick the right one. To save you time on trial and error of AI productivity tools, we’ve done the hard work for you and consolidated our top recommendations. 

Ready to shake things up and redefine what’s possible? Let’s dive into seven game-changing AI tools that can help your workplace thrive.  

AI productivity tools: The basics 

1. OpenAI’s ChatGPT 

The classic and the original that set the AI world on fire. Open AI’s ChatGPT tool is one of the most widely used tools and can be accessed via a free version. The free version provides access to AI capabilities including different models, web browsing, data analysis and more. 

With ChatGPT, free tier users can: 

• Search the web to leverage up-to-date information 
• Analyse and extract insights from data 
• Upload images or files to aid any prompting 
• Discover and use public custom GPTs 
• Create images

A small watch out though: Free platforms may have daily limits and/or the data you input may feel the public model. So if you’re looking to use any confidential information within the platform, it’s always best to opt for a paid workspace where your information isn’t used any further. 

2. Google’s Gemini

Google’s answer to ChatGPT, Gemini (formerly Bard), is quickly becoming a key player in the AI productivity space. It’s integrated tightly with the Google ecosystem, which makes it an easy pick if you’re already using Google Workspace. Gemini is free to access, with a pro tier available if you want to tap into the more powerful Gemini 1.5 model. It also has multiple entry points, like Google Search, Gmail, Docs, and a dedicated app, making it easy to access wherever you’re working.

With Gemini, you can:

• Write, summarise or brainstorm content directly in Docs
• Analyse and visualise data in Sheets
• Pull in up-to-date info from Search
• Generate images
• Use it via mobile, browser or directly in Google apps
• Create your own “Gem” that retains writing guides

Just a heads-up, while the integration is super handy, the experience can feel a little different depending on where you’re using it: Such as the app, the sidebar, or the web tool. It’s worth testing out a few options to see what works best for your workflow.

3. Microsoft’s CoPilot 

Copilot is Microsoft’s AI tool that lives within tools like Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. Basically, anywhere you’d usually work in Microsoft 365. It’s built on GPT-4 tech and is designed to supercharge the tools you already use every day, saving you time in the process.

With Copilot, you can:

• Summarise meetings and emails in Teams and Outlook
• Generate or edit documents in Word
• Create and analyse data sets in Excel
• Draft responses or content based on your writing style
• Ask questions and get contextual answers inside your docs

The catch? It’s only available via paid Microsoft 365 business plans, so it’s not something you can just try casually. But if your business is already on M365, it’s definitely worth exploring.

AI and productivity growth tools: Project and workload management

4. Asana 

Asana has quietly introduced AI into its project management platform, and it’s pretty helpful. It now suggests ways to structure your work, helps flag delays, and can even summarise project progress so you don’t have to dig through task lists manually.

Asana’s AI lets you:

• Auto-build timelines and project plans
• Spot risks early based on task trends
• Search across projects in plain language
• Summarise updates instead of writing them from scratch

If time management or admin overload is your biggest gripe, this one’s a solid addition to your daily toolkit.

5. Clockwise 

Clockwise is one of those tools that just runs in the background, quietly cleaning up your calendar mess. It uses AI to move meetings around (within your preferences) to give you more uninterrupted focus time. It’s great for anyone who’s back-to-back and wondering when to get any actual work done.

With Clockwise, you can:

• Automatically find better meeting times
• Block out time for deep work
• Sync with your calendar and Slack
• Set working hours, lunch breaks, or “no meeting” windows
• Get a sense of how much of your week is actually productive

If your team feels like their calendar is running their life, then it might be time to start considering time tracking AI. Just keep in mind, while it can be great for reclaiming focus time, it can also open the door to micromanaging if not used thoughtfully, which usually ends up hurting productivity more than helping it.

6. Jira/Confluence 

Jira and Confluence have added a layer of AI to help reduce some of the manual work that comes with tracking issues and writing documentation. It’s subtle, but handy, like summarising a long Confluence page or helping draft a Jira ticket so you’re not starting from a blank screen.

Jira/Confluence AI lets you:

• Summarise tickets or pages in a few clicks
• Get writing help for documenting tasks or processes
• Search using natural language
• Surface related content or work items
• Spot potential blockers before sprint planning

It’s the kind of thing you don’t realise you’ll use, until you’re using it all the time. 

AI productivity tools: Employment 

7. Employment Hero

Oops, how did we get in here? Well, it would be a bit odd not to mention our own platform, especially since we’ve been leaning into AI pretty hard. With tools like SmartMatch and AI policy generation already live, and more on the way.

The Employment Operating System pulls together a bunch of tools that usually live in different places, hiring, onboarding, payroll, compliance, and makes them work better together.

Some features include:

• AI-powered policy and document generation.
• Automated onboarding workflows.
• Integrated HR, payroll and compliance management.
• Workforce insights and reporting dashboards.
• Employee self-service with AI-guided processes.

We won’t oversell it, we just think it makes the messy parts of employment a bit less messy. Talk to one of our business specialists for a demo.

How to choose the right AI tools for your team

AI and productivity growth isn’t just about following trends; it’s about finding solutions that fit your businesses’ unique needs. Here are our top tips for choosing the right platform. 

Business size and type

The first thing you should consider is the size and type of business you operate, as this can often impact the type of platform you choose. 

While small businesses may benefit from lightweight, user-friendly software that automates admin tasks without heavy implementation, larger companies might prioritise advanced analytics and workflows across multiple teams. Consider your business’s growth stage, compliance requirements as well as the volume of repetitive tasks AI could automate. 

Keep in mind your future growth plans when looking at AI productivity tools and try to choose one that will continue to work as you scale. 

Confidentiality and AI usage guardrails

It’s essential to outline how your team should and shouldn’t use AI. Whether there are restrictions on any confidential information being uploaded or whether you need to stipulate that customer data cannot be shared. 

Having agreed guardrails on what can be shared and what can’t, as well as training sessions to onboard the team to ways of working and confidentiality flags should be part of your first steps. 

And don’t forget, if you don’t want anything shared in your AI models to feed public models then you’re best off looking into paid subscriptions. 

Integration

Any AI platforms you introduce should fit seamlessly into your current technology and ways of working. So look for solutions that integrate with your HRIS, payroll systems, collaborations (such as Slack or Teams) and document management systems. 

Ensuring all your software speaks to each other will prevent you from having fragmented workflows and will maximise efficiency. 

Your AI tools should fit seamlessly into your current tech stack. Look for solutions that integrate with your HRIS, payroll systems, collaboration platforms (like Slack or Teams) and document management systems to avoid fragmented workflows and maximise efficiency.

Budget vs ROI

It’s important to remember that AI productivity tools are an investment, but the last thing you want is to spend money that gives you no return on investment. Weigh the upfront or subscription costs against the potential time savings, reduction in manual errors and increased productivity. For example, if an AI tool saves your HR team 10 hours per week, it may quickly pay for itself in reclaimed time and improved employee experience.

With so many options on the market, it’s not always going to be easy to decide which platforms to introduce in your business. But by evaluating these factors, business leaders and HR professionals can select platforms that align with their growth goals, current tech stack and challenges. This ensures that tools are not simply adopted, but that they actively drive value. 

The impact of generative AI on employment and productivity

It’s clear that artificial intelligence is reshaping how work gets done, driving both opportunities and change across businesses. AI is increasingly transforming tasks within roles, automating repetitive admin while enhancing human creativity and decision-making.

For business owners, leaders and HR professionals, this means employees can spend less time on manual processes and more on high-value work that requires strategic thinking and problem-solving. 

However, the shift also requires proactive workforce planning. HR teams will need to invest in upskilling and change management to ensure employees can effectively use AI tools while adapting to evolving role expectations. By embracing generative AI as a productivity partner rather than a threat, organisations can build more resilient, agile teams ready for the future of work.

Build a smarter, faster workplace with AI

The future of work isn’t coming, it’s already here. As we’ve explored, the right AI productivity tools can dramatically enhance the way teams communicate, automate, and make decisions. Whether you’re a business leader looking to optimise workflows or an HR professional aiming to reduce admin and improve employee experience, taking advantage of technology can drastically improve productivity. 

From platforms like Employment Hero that streamline HR and payroll, to solutions like Gemini, Asana and Clockwise that remove friction from daily tasks, AI can help you unlock efficiency, clarity, and focus across your workforce. Even experimenting with one or two tools can yield noticeable gains in speed and engagement.

Ready to empower your people with smarter, AI-powered workflows? Explore how Employment Hero’s AI-powered platform can help you work more efficiently and strategically. Talk to one of our business specialists today and book a demo.

London, United Kingdom – July 9, 2025 -Iris Software Group (IRIS), one of the world’s main suppliers of accounting, education, HR and payroll management, has been named one of the best workplace in the United Kingdom for well-being 2025 by an excellent workplace®, the global authority on the culture of the workplace, for the fourth consecutive year.

Stephanie Kelly, director of people in chief at Iris Software Group, said: “At a time of global uncertainty, the well-being of the well-being of employees has never been so important. At Iris, this is not a new initiative, it is deeply integrated into our culture. Range of initiatives.

The list recognizes organizations that stimulate employees’ well -being as a fundamental part of their culture – prioritize their physical and mental health and the financial aspects of professional life. The results are motivated by the comments of the employees evaluating their holistic experiences of well-being at work thanks to the fundamental facets of the well-being of employees, in particular: the balance of work and the feeling of realization, satisfaction at work and financial security. This year, Iris’ ranking has gone from number 34 on the list at number 31.

Click here to visit our career page and discover jobs that will help you grow in a dynamic and united organization.

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About the IRIS software group
Founded in 1978, Iris Software Group is a global supplier of software solutions and software services hosted by the Cloud Mission to more than 100,000 customers in 135 countries. Iris is a trusted partner for companies, finance, HR and payroll teams, educational organizations and accounting firms of all sizes, providing innovative operational solutions that rationalize complex processes, maintain compliance and unlock growth. By simplifying, automating and providing information on critical tasks of the daily mission for organizations of all forms and sizes, Iris guarantees that customers can wait with certainty and confidence. Iris is certified in 2024 super place to work® in the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Romania, Canada and the United States. Follow Iris on Facebook, TwitterInstagram and LinkedIn. More information on its award -winning software solutions can be found here.

Media contact:
Iris software group
Jennifer Peters | Associate director, public relations and communications
News@irisglobal.com

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have been in mind for many companies, not for good reasons.

We have seen a change in account of certain large global companies, with them publicly withdrawing their DEI initiatives.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the CIPD work festival with my incredible colleagues (Steph, Deni and Naomi).

This crucial subject took the spotlight during our discussion, in which we discussed the current situation, the importance of Dei and the exploitable measures that companies can take.

The cost of going backwards

When companies deal with as a temporary additional module, the consequences may be serious.

During the session, we highlighted the recent example of the American retail chain of the general public, Target, which was faced with immense reaction after having reduced its Dei initiatives.

Target had built his brand around inclusiveness, so when he said that Dei was no longer necessary, the backlash was fast and severe.

In fact, it was reported that his income had dropped and that the shares dropped by 30%.

What can we learn from this scenario?

Well, it serves as a powerful warning to businesses.

Getting away from the fundamental values ​​that you have spent years establishing does not just damage the confidence of employees; It can also have a deep impact on your net profit.

If you have built a brand on being inclusive, then treating these values ​​as optional, it may appear as a cynical marketing ploy with catastrophic consequences.

Deni Williams, principal advisor to the HR program, told us: “I read the Edelman Trust barometer report for 2025And he said the highest level of confidence in employee companies was back in 2021.

“Looking at the way of working post-paidmal, companies leaned a lot on social causes and directed with empathy, creating an unprecedented amount of confidence between the employer and their employees.

“Now there is a risk of disconnection if we do not continue with this method which works in recent years, especially with the Z generation which has a greater need for leadership based on empathy.

“The main caution that I would offer to companies is to avoid practices that do not align with the values ​​of your business.”

Listen and act!

Diversity, equity and inclusion are not only token gestures.

It’s about doing what is good And Which is good for business.

A recent study analyzed the results of the survey of the employees of hundreds of the best workplace in the United Kingdom (including IRIS!) And found that the construction of a favorable and inclusive culture (“IS” in “Dei”) was in positive correlation with employee engagement, increased productivity and strong financial performance.

Naomi Cosgrove, who oversees well-being, inclusion and advantages at Iris, told the public: “We know that people really want to use their voice within their business and that they want to lead a positive change.

“However, if the staff continue to give you ideas and you do nothing, it creates a black feedback hole and they will end up doing it, creating distrust in the company.

“We must also think about the bidirectional conversation from the point of view of inclusion, because the under-represented groups are often the people who are ignored.

“You must consult them and ensure that your policies align with what they need; Otherwise, they will not trust you. ”

HR must defend inclusion

The Rollback of Dei Initiatives has many employees concerned about whether companies will pursue their commitments they have grown to expect.

Our head of the people, Steph Kelly, stressed that: “Strengthening confidence has always been an essential element in HR work.”

As HR professionals, we must play a central role to guarantee that inclusiveness is not treated as a trend but rather as a guiding principle for the whole business.

Naomi shared: “In the United Kingdom, Definitions of gender definitions naturally spread to the workplace.

“You see a lot of businesses at the moment vacillating and do not know the changes to be made.

“At Iris, we examine our policies and we ensure that there are facilities in our offices that our trans colleagues can use. We think that sticking to our values ​​is essential, regardless of external pressures. ”

Steps for HR to promote inclusion

Inclusive practices must be integrated into your daily activities.

Consider the following steps if you don’t know where to start:

1. Act on comments: Make sure that the comments of employees result in real action and be transparent on how these ideas will be implemented to help strengthen confidence.
2. Set objectives: Measurement is a precious tool to ensure that initiatives and plans remain on the right track. Set goals and follow regularly to ensure that efforts remain consistent. At IRIS, for example, we question our staff each month, assessing the feeling of staff to determine how we do against key markers such as the commitment, inclusiveness and accessibility of employees, to name only a few.
3. Direct with your values: Proactively support employees, in particular from under-represented groups, defending inclusive policies and meeting emerging needs.
4. Communicate, communicate, communicate: Communicate regularly with staff, using various communication methods to share progress, objectives and changes in policies.

Ethical anchor

The lessons of the CIPD work festival are clear: focusing on confidence, actions and values ​​is how HR professionals can lead companies to long -term success.

If you are looking for more help with the support staff, you are lucky.

We have also created a practical blog that covers our second CIPD session, detailing how companies can improve their well-being and social benefits programs.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently taken the world by storm and the world of employment is no different. So how is AI in HR transforming the HR landscape? It is reshaping everything from the way we work, to the way we hire. 

But what is it and what does the adoption of AI mean for businesses and HR? We’re taking a look at how it’s changing the workplace and how it could benefit your business. 

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Broadly speaking, AI enables computers to mimic human cognitive functions such as learning, problem solving and decision-making. AI can be used for almost anything from generating ideas to writing code and so much more. Pretty cool, huh?

But if you think that AI is only something tech whizzes use then you might be surprised to find you are already using AI in your day-to-day life. AI voice assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google’s Gemini have been used on smartphones and computers for several years now. But their capability is continually growing and now goes beyond simply answering questions or telling jokes. Businesses are beginning to adopt AI into their models, utilising their power to streamline processes, increase efficiencies in workloads and so much more.

The importance of machine learning

When you think of AI, you should also think of machine learning. It goes hand in hand, after all. The catch is, it’s not one and the same.

But it doesn’t stop people from getting AI confused with machine learning. So if you want it in plainer English you’re not alone.

Lee Bell from Wired magazine sums up the relationship between them perfectly: “you need AI researchers to build the smart machines, but you need machine learning experts to make them truly intelligent.”

Tech for Good is an example of just how powerful the relationship between AI and machine learning can be. After all, it is where innovation in tech has made a positive change.

Take, in the workplace for example, how the use of AI and machine learning has led to increased efficiency with AI algorithms being able to analyse CVs and cover letters to identify the best candidate for the job. Just like Employment Hero’s SmartMatch, hire smarter with AI-powered talent matches. Plus, chatbots can conduct preliminary interviews so HR teams can focus on more qualified candidates. 

The benefits of AI in HR

If you’re wondering how on earth AI can play a role in HR, which is such a people-centric topic—you’re not alone. 

More and more companies are adopting AI because of how it continuously improves everything in the employee lifecycle, from candidate experience to employee attrition.

Are you wondering exactly how it does this? AI uses deep learning based on employee performance data. The data is gathered from performance reviews, engagement surveys and productivity metrics and organised before it is analysed to identify potential patterns and employee performance predictions. 

But how can this benefit you in HR?

Increase efficiency and streamline recruitment 

AI is a powerful tool that can be used to not only help shave valuable time off from mundane tasks, but help to make decisions with the hiring process, and review current and prospective employees. AI takes less time than a person when tasked to create a personalised employee experience and it reduces recruiting bias too.

Hiring the right candidate out of a sea of interviewees can be a real headache—we feel you. AI can revolutionise talent acquisition making it time efficient and effective. Take the tedious back and forth that is often involved in arranging interviews. AI eliminates this with automatic interview scheduling allowing you to focus on what really matters—connecting with great candidates. 

Plus CV screening minimises unconscious bias and saves valuable time as it means you can sift through vast amounts of applications in seconds identifying the best matches for your role at speed. 

Let’s break this down further. 

At the end of 2021, employers received an average of 506 applications for low-skilled vacancies, and 56 applications for high-skilled vacancies.

That’s a lot of CVs to go through. 

This is why it’s no surprise that hiring managers are forced to spend only 6-8 seconds per CV, resulting in the potential chance of missing an excellent candidate.

However, beyond these rose-tinted glasses, you’ll find that there are ways candidates can adapt to beat an applicant tracking system (ATS)

Psst. Employment Hero has a variety of AI powered features including Hero AI, AI support in ATS and SmartMatch.   

Enhanced decision-making

When large amounts of data are analysed, patterns and trends appear and this is how you can gain valuable insights into your business. AI can not only identify these patterns but it uses the data to predict various outcomes. Clever, right? 

It can help you to spot signs early on that an employee is likely to leave for example or it can flag a potential turnover risk that you could be unaware of. It does this by looking at employee performance, job satisfaction surveys, attendance records and even market trends to deliver accurate insights on talent gaps that need to be filled. 

This means smarter decision-making for you, not to mention a more engaged workforce. It’s a win-win. 

Improve employee experience

At Employment Hero, we’re all about a positive employee experience and we know that AI can make going to work easier, more enjoyable and more engaging. We’ve seen AI offer personalised support, automate tedious tasks and perhaps most impressively, support career growth and help employees feel valued in their career path. 

When utilised correctly, AI can create a more engaging, supportive and effective working environment which means higher levels of employee satisfaction. You can use AI to provide employees with 24/7 assistance in the form of chatbots so they can access support around the clock but by far the most rewarding aspect is that AI can suggest opportunities for growth. 

We’re talking about personalised learning paths by assessing an employee’s skills and highlighting career advancement opportunities that align with their interests. 

Will AI mean HR professionals risk losing their jobs?

We get it, the thought of AI coming in and replacing jobs is daunting, but that’s not the reality. From a business perspective, whilst the advantages that AI brings to the table are good, it cannot replace the human touch. People have the advantage of being able to examine something in a non-binary way—the ability to look into the grey area. After all, not everything is black and white.

Take performance reviews for example. AI would be able to tell you exactly how that person has performed over the course of a month. The advantage, of course, is being able to take away a bias that a manager may unconsciously have towards the team member.

However, AI won’t be able to tell you why someone has performed well, or poorly. It can’t tell you that someone has lost a loved one and their mental health is not doing well as a result, which has impacted their work.

At Employment Hero, our view is that AI can be utilised as a productivity tool, its purpose is to drive deeper work, simplify complex tasks, and reduce manual ones. This is exactly why we need to work hand in hand with AI and not fear it because of those pesky what-ifs. 

The challenges of deploying AI in HR

As there are always two sides to a coin, It’s only fair for us to look into the challenges AI brings with its powerful technology. Deploying AI can feel like a wild rollercoaster ride, exciting but filled with unexpected twists and turns. 

Bias and fairness

Everyone deserves an equal shot so how can you be sure that your AI systems are fair? These systems are programmed with historical data and if this data shows any signs of bias relating to gender, age or race, this could seep into your algorithm. 

Dedicate time and energy to mitigate bias by training algorithms on diverse data to ensure that your hiring processes reflect your commitment to equality. You can use an AI fairness toolkit to help identify any fairness red flags. 

AI vs human judgement

We believe that human oversight is essential when deploying AI in HR. 

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) believes that the use of AI in HR decision-making could lead to widespread discrimination. And that any decision made by an AI, especially in regards to whether or not an employee will be fired—must be reviewed by a person in order to provide that grey area it lacks.

One third of SMEs  think that AI could make a positive impact in HR. A study posted by Capterra revealed that AI can be used to make the HR practice fairer – but only if managed by a human.  According to Forbes, talent acquisition is one of the key areas where AI has the potential to grow.

Data privacy

AI systems require a high volume of data which throws up issues with data privacy. Employees may have concerns about how their data is being used and shared especially when it comes to health-related data or performance-related data. 

From a legal perspective alone, AI in HR should be managed in an ethical way but also in a mindful way to maintain employee trust. Be upfront and transparent about how employee data is being used and employ data safeguards to ensure that sensitive data is protected. 

How to implement AI successfully within your HR function

Implementing AI successfully is all about embracing innovation while keeping your focus on people. After all, AI should enhance the human element of HR, creating a working environment where people and technology work hand in hand. 

So how do you implement it? 

• Identify opportunities: Where can AI make the biggest impact for you? Is it recruitment, employee engagement or performance management? Having clear goals will pave the way to success. 
• Choose the right AI tools/systems: Not every AI system will be the right fit for your company. Opt for user-friendly software that aligns with your company goals whether that’s chatbot support, candidate screening or performance tracking. There is no cookie-cutter approach. 
• Fully integrated AI: It’s often beneficial for your AI to sit within your tools rather than in addition to. This ensures a more seamless user experience, reduces context switching, and allows your team to get value from AI directly within their existing workflows.
• Test solutions: Next comes your detailed test plan. This plan will be your roadmap so establish a timeline for testing activities and have your plan approved before you execute it. 
• Gather feedback: Check in with your HR team, learn how the AI tools are performing, and note what works and what doesn’t. 
• Train your HR team and employees for adoption: For AI to have maximum impact, your team has to know how to use it. Training is the key to making AI work for you. 
• Monitor performance: Monitor the performance of your AI system in real-world scenarios to ensure it meets performance standards. 
• Continual optimisation of workplace AI usage: Monitor and assess the performance of your AI systems continually gathering feedback and making adjustments along the way. 

What does the future workplace look like?

We’ve already covered a lot about AI and its applications but does AI have the potential to influence the future of the workplace and bring with it a brighter future?

Absolutely. But what does this look like? Well, AI will create a more data-driven, personalised and efficient workplace. With mental health and wellbeing finally in the front of mind for everyone from the human resources department to employees themselves, it will be interesting to see how much further AI develops to be able to help in this area. AI can analyse employee data to make tailored wellness programs that resonate with each employee. 

It’s not just employee wellness that will be transformed. We can expect seamless onboarding tailored to each employee, automated admin tasks, (goodbye manual paperwork) and personalised wellness initiatives. Business owners and HR professionals can create a more empowering and seamless employee experience and foster an environment that is continuously improving. 

Perhaps one day in the future, we will be able to use artificial intelligence to detect burnout before it starts.

Enjoy a smoother HR service delivery from the world’s first Employment Operating System from Employment Hero

Employment Hero’s Employment Operating System is more than just a platform—we’ve taken the traditional isolated aspects of employment and integrated them into a seamless, human and AI-powered solution that empowers employers, employees and job seekers alike. Find and hire top talent with SmartMatch, seamlessly onboard new hires, automate complex payroll, drive employee engagement and more. 

Our all-in-one system puts HR, payroll, hiring & more all in one place.

One system. Everything employment.