Using AI to recruit and retain employees is hugely advantageous in terms of establishing a holistic and cost-effective process, but it's vital that HR directors should retain full control of implementing systems so that bias and non-compliance do not creep in, writes Dr Alan Bourne. In our experience, if used responsibly, AI and machine learning can help organisations find more best-fit employees, eliminate bias and make the whole recruitment journey more efficient and better for the candidate. We are using it with clients to improve their organisational agility and to create fair and robust development processes. In the future we see it not only supporting a wide range of assessment functions, but also ensuring a better and more effective employee journey, increasing the ability of organisations to be agile and adaptable. However, one of the key issues HR directors face, which other sector practitioners are better used to dealing with, is linking technology and data integration.

We live in an era where there's perhaps more focus than ever before on how an organization treats its employees. Stories about gender-based pay gaps, lack of diversity, and sexual harassment are front-page news around the world. The ensuing outrage from stockholders and the public have pummeled share prices and reputations, with more than a few top executives going from C-suite to unemployment line as a result. If there were ever a time when HR leaders needed to be more actively involved at the highest levels of the enterprise, it's now. The value that a great HR executive can bring to an organization is enormous, from preventing that loss of reputation to boosting worker engagement and productivity, to being the moral compass of an organization.