Can Chat GPT do my job?
This is an interesting question that I am chatting about with people these days. Someone said to me people think Chat GPT can do every job apart from their own which made me laugh! So I thought I would put it to the test.
As you will probably know if you are reading this blog I am a freelance HR consultant working primarily with SMEs to provide HR support as and when they need it. The key things that my clients need from me are:
Up-to-date employment documents which work for them operationally and are legally compliant
Advice on day-to-day HR issues which arise in their businesses
Face to face support for training, coaching or as a support in particularly challenging HR situations such as redundancy consultations
Let’s first look at the production of employment documents.
If I am being honest AI is amazing and does provide you with lots of really good information but you must know what you ask it in the first place. When I work with clients to produce employment documents I go over a detailed questionnaire which is tailored to their business so for example:
For care homes I will focus on PVG checks and SSSC registration
For hospitality I will ensure the organisation has a policy on tips
For haulage I will ensure that there are clauses on drivers’ hours and medical checks
For retail I sometimes add in clause on security and bag checks
For accountants I add clauses in relation to passing exams and study leave
You get the drift!
So whilst you can download a contract template that will be better than having a verbal agreement it might not protect your business when certain situations arise.
Turning to HR advice what can AI do to help?
It is a great tool and you can feel like you are talking to your friend (or sometimes it is even better than talking to some friends). For HR advice it will give you a checklist of things to say and probably a process to follow, but is that really enough to support you when you are stressed and unsure about an HR situation? Speaking to someone you know and trust can be really helpful when you are looking for reassurance you are on the right lines or when the stakes are high and you are trying to deal with a particularly tricky situation.
How about HR processes that are traditionally done face to face?
Larger organisations are using AI to automate processes that traditionally would have been very labour intensive such as the recruitment process. This can be fine at the start of a process to ensure candidates all get a fair process and results are reliable, consistent and valid – but it is not personal and is unlikely to lead to candidates feeling a real connection to your organisation.
Often when I am brought into support a face-to-face meeting the process is challenging and can be emotional. Situations like redundancy consultations, disciplinary hearings or meetings to discuss long term capability issues deserve to be done with care and empathy – speaking to a screen just will not cut it.
I have course fed this blog into AI to get it to polish up the wording – after the updated version was provided typed in “I hope you are not offended” and Chat GPT replied “of course not I don’t have feelings or emotions” another reason why it cannot do my job!