The Churn - Issue #4
Alan Walker
Co-founder @ Udder | HR Digital Transformation | HR Tech Implementation | HR Process Optimisation | HR & Rec Ops-as-a-Service
Let me tell you about a little experiment...
I have no desire to be a professional "content creator". I don't aspire to be the Hung Lee of HR technology (which would be impossible anyway, he's a one-of-a-kind!), nor do I want to anoint myself as a Thought Leader.
So I'll be honest, creating this newsletter isn't a labour of love. As you will have no doubt recognised due to my constant bleating about missing our regular cadence and the BS I spew as to why.
What I love doing is delivering amazing HR tech consulting work for our clients, playing around with all types of tech, and building stuff. Those things I enjoy, so in turn, I'm pretty good at them, even if I do say so myself.
So, back to my first comment - I've been experimenting. What with, you ask?
Good question. I've been trying to find a way to create and publish this newsletter at a regular rate - as I'm told people find it valuable - whilst maintaining my sanity.
And I may have just done that. My little friend ChatGPT and I have built an app that reads the latest articles from 50+ sources of HR technology news, ranks each article for its relevance to you, dear reader, and then writes an episode of this newsletter for me.
I won't bore you with the "how" too much, other than to say it was written purely in code, from scratch, with my AI buddy helping me learn and implement along the way. I haven't been a developer since 2001, just for context.
"It's probably a bit $hit", you may be thinking. Well, have a read for yourself. I think it's pretty damn good, all things considered.
Everything after this intro was entirely generated by the tool. I might not be using it for all episodes in the future, but whenever you see the little robot in the episode image - you'll know I have had at least some "assistance".
Have fun. Be nice to my AI buddy. Here it is.
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Issue #4
Hello there, splendid people!
Just when you thought your week couldn't get any moodier, here comes your favourite (dis)pleasure - The Churn's next edition, sneaking into your inbox like an over-enthusiastic apprentice, all set to spill the beans on brilliantly baffling HR innovation and tech jargon.
Now, we know we're a bit like that eccentric neighbour who always, and I mean always, turns up with endless chatter about things you don't really need. This week's smorgasbord of knowledge nibbles includes discussions on how SMBs can use tech to make HR oh so strategic and a debate of generative AI's nerve-wracking future..
We've also got the lowdown on Oracle's new AI-powered assistant - think Siri, but more office friendly. We'll dive deep into the world of AI in recruiting and highlight some secret tricks employer branding has up its sleeve. Ready for some daily round-up action? We've nailed down the best of HR Tech as always (you're welcome).
From AI's contribution to digital marketing to the grand task of upskilling the HR profession, we've got it all. Fret not, friends, we'll be sure to explain everything in plain ol' English, no PhD in astrophysics required.?
We'd put your bet on AI, but the jury's still out on its impact on hiring. Fancy delving into some ChatGPT prompts for HR to accelerate your productivity? We've got that too, amongst other attention-grabbing headlines that are sure to have your grey cells churning.
And for those who are used to our charming delays, we say, patience is a virtue. Not ours, definitely, but they say it's one anyway. Our earnest endeavour to bring YOU the freshest, juiciest and relatable nuggets of wisdom from the world of HR technology and innovation would be wildly more entertaining with your involvement. We're ready to tweak and tune as needed – with your fabulous feedback, of course.
Did we mention, we're like that oddball uncle who talks through the end credits of films? That's us. Everlasting. Until next time... Oh, wait... we don't sign off, do we?
Enjoy –?and keep churning!
"Variety may be the spice of life but it certainly bogs down SMBs struggling to juggle the same HR compliance and talent development challenges as their much beefier counterparts, but with nattily thinner wallets and a skeleton staff - one bad decision and you've stuffed the Saturday football team! According to a report from Sapient Insight Group, SMBs have bravely embraced HR tech in the last five years, bumping up the budget by 25%, but only 28% say it's supporting business strategy and HR's ascendancy to the c-suite. Time to turn that tech into top choice steak rather than Sunday's leftovers by squeezing every droplet of data juice out of current systems, using every metric known to mankind to influence decisions and including your HR tech strategy in budget planning – even if your HR tech is outsourced. If you're a small fish in a big pond, swim with the data dolphins, not the paper sharks."
"Roll up, roll up, read all about it! Microsoft Teams, that little technological wonder best known for keeping annoyed coworkers off each other's backs whilst working from home, has declared its grand ambitions. It's donned a cape and announced its intent to swoop into the world of HR Technology like a superhero sliding into your DMs. Goodbye to the days of your boss overlooking your sick leave request, with Microsoft teams we're clearly zapping into a future of efficiency, surveillance, and optimistically, less passive-aggressive emails! Enjoy the ride, folks!"
At the recent 'Irresistible 2023' global conference, HR leaders displayed growing apprehensions about the emerging reality of generative AI in the workplace. In a discussion that explored both super-charging abilities and super-fearing anticipations, HR expert Josh Bersin argued generative AI could be a game changer, improving recruitment and enhancing talent mobility. However, he acknowledged concerns that such progress could also result in job losses. Despite further fears that generative AI could disrupt an already pandemic-shaken workforce, Bersin reassured attendees, reminding them that behind every futuristic AI tool, there will always be the need for a human hand on the tiller.
Oracle is diving into the deep end of artificial intelligence, introducing a witty AI 'assistant' into its Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management system. This office' gossip' is set to transform the HR landscape faster than you can say 'automation' by streamlining current processes and optimising employee experience—even faster than a tea round! Canny features include a handy author for content and summarising important info, all aimed at reducing the tedium of routine tasks. With Oracle standing by ready to take the AI world by storm, HR offices might soon resemble scenes from Blade Runner, minus the killer robots, of course. Prepare your voicemail, the future's calling; let's hope it's not just a prank call from the AI.
In a glorious mash-up of recruiting and Terminator-esque techno-talk, this article highlights how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the nature of recruitment. It seems that AI is turning recruits from simple job-spotters into super-powered, digital cognisant heroes. Although the fear that AI might give recruiters the boot is pervasive, the article is quick to reassure that it's more of a friendly sidekick than a job-snatching fiend. So, pop on your digital cape, rescind your manual process misery and embrace the far-reaching productivity that our robotic allies offer. We're looking at a future where recruiters aren't replaced but emboldened and joyfully challenged – bring it on!
In a rather creative twist on corporate warfare, Dr John Sullivan suggests that companies should channel their inner James Bond and get down and dirty with 'opposition research'. Essentially, he suggests firms should compile a dossier on competitor's negatives (pay freezes, bad reputation, etc.) then subtly use it to boost their own appeal to potential employees. Kitted out with this knowledge, candidates can discern why your company rules and competitors drool. Oh, and if that didn't get you hooked, apparently Amazon pays its employees to spread company love on social media - the digital equivalent of wearing a sandwich board proclaiming 'My company is awesome!' Cheeky but intriguing!
In the wild digital jungle of 21browsing behaviour, purchase history, and demographic data with AI machetes, carving out exquisitely personalised customer experiences. Savvy AI not only resolves queries quicker than a human can blink but can also sling product recommendations with the aptitude of an experienced salesperson. Stepping onto the AI magic carpet, businesses are flown to the right audience through intelligent ad targeting. Even the content creation blues has found its AI crooner with tools proffering witty post suggestions and curating share-worthy content. Amid the technological hoopla, let's not forget the indispensability of human creativity, intuition, and empathy - crucial ingredients for moulding authentic marketing strategies. So, dear marketers - turn the key, rev up your AI engines and let's turbocharge into a future of innovative strategies, but remember, you're still holding the wheel.
Well, hip-hip-hooray for big data! Apparently, the HR world is in a tizzy trying to scale the towering mountain of data literacy. According to Insight222, if you want to make HR folk more data-savvy, you've got to model it from the top down (hear that, Chief HR Officers?), stick a people analytics leader in charge of upskilling, teach five crucial skills, pour ￡600-￡800 per person into training, and get ready to play the long game. And we thought HR was all about fun team-building days and stockpiling biscuits for meetings!
Right, buckle up folks. This article is all about how to make HR tasks faster and better using something called a ChatGPT. Sounds technical, doesn't it? But it's not about creating a new type of rocket fuel. Even if that would be a cool side job for HR professionals. In fact, it's about using AI technology to power up all kinds of HR chores. From recruitment and onboarding to developing careers pages and writing job descriptions. Got an HR task? ChatGPT has got a prompt. Want 10 interview questions? No problem! Need to make a shopping list for a family of four in Utah with a $20 budget? Okay, that's not really an HR job, but ChatGPT can handle it. Tune in and discover 21+ ways to maximise your HR productivity.
In a nutshell, this weighty tome of an article argues that Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recruitment is this century's first date aid – it carries the heavy chat so you don't have to! The article takes us through the dingy backstreets of potential bias in AI, to the bright boulevards of versatility in skills-matching and communication design. But like your well-meaning but tactless mate, remember AI might also inadvertently automate bias if we spoon-feed it bad habits. Despite this, it's a faithful stand-in for mundane tasks, from scheduling interviews to gathering candidate info. Essentially, the article asserts, let AI do the dirty work. You'll have time to put your feet up, sip your tea, and engage with the real humans without breaking a sweat. Just remember to apply the all-important human touch when it comes to decision making, and you're all set for a match made in recruitment heaven.
In a world where even our job appointments seem to have bot-appeal, a recent survey from Greenhouse has revealed a camp-scuffle of opinion when it comes up to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in hiring. With 80% of HR pros and almost half of candidates entertaining or engaging AI in their hiring process, the machines are gaining speed. Yet, there's a twist to the tech tale, as an equal dose of mistrust bubbles around whether AI liberates or levies bias in candidate selection. This cyber scepticism underscores the view that AI - while a stellar aide in streamlining processes - might act bit brash without human checks and balances. So while the machines gather momentum, echoes of 'keep calm and carry on checking' pervade the HR realm.
Picture this: You're pulling late nights at the office, gulping down your fifth coffee while wishing for more hours in the day to meet your workload. In shimmies Mr AI, all swagger and cables, promising to lighten your load. Sounds like a dream, right? But it's not a scene adopted from sci-fi; it's the future of our working world. The trouble is, convincing everyone in an organisation that robots are friends, not foes, is no walk in the park. According to a tech-survey conducted by SnapLogic, 39% of respondents reckon it'll be as tricky as teaching your nana to twerk. Despite the AI jitters, folks remain surprisingly optimistic that AI will come bearing the gifts of time, productivity, and fewer work blunders. So, it's high time to school ourselves about AI and brace ourselves for our metaphorical group hug with robot-kind in the workplace!
Ah, the sweet scent of social media revolutionising recruitment in 2023! With half of all HR professionals planning to introduce social media-powered recruitment methods, the job market is getting a digital makeover. It's like LinkedIn and TikTok are now the hottest party spots for job seekers and recruiters alike. Companies are flaunting their workplace cultures like peacocks in mating season, attracting the crème de la crème of their respective industries. With social media, everyone's got a global reach and job ads are popping up for free, like mushrooms after the rain. The secret sauce? Making the most of the magical world of visuals and employee testimonies, because let's face it, who doesn't enjoy a good office selfie or a collective company 'cheers' pic? Trust me, it's the digital age's answer to shouting from the rooftop about how cool your company is!
A London start-up named Prolific is chuckling all the way to the bank with a hefty ￡25 million in funding, as they've quite niftily figured out how to keep AI systems from unravelling when thrown a curveball. Their solution? Use an army of 120,000 humans to train and stress-test these self-learning gizmos! Supporting a diverse range of clients from Google to King's College London, Prolific has been beating the drum for what they've coined as 'Human Intelligence' (HI). While it might initially sound like they've discovered a unique breed of super-intelligent humans, don't get too excited - it's just us everyday folk hired as volunteer freelancers. However, with the company having already doled out a whopping $100 million in payments to its HI network, the joke might just be on their AI rivals.
In the latest job market announcement, Dr. John Sullivan suggests shifting from pacifist recruitment tactics to ones that could be described as 'weaponised'. It's all about saying cheerio to a friendly 'can't we just get along' mentality and embracing an 'aggressive competitor' approach. Why? To score top talent and speed ahead in your industry. He's basically proposing a 'Game of Thrones' style battle for talent, suggesting tactics like 'hiring to hurt' your competitors or 'direct raiding' i.e., snatching their best employees. So, grab your metaphorical helmets and shields, recruitment's turned into a full-blown war zone!
Wrap Up
Well, dear reader, we've once again succeeded in cramming a truly staggering amount of information into one edition like an overstuffed holiday suitcase. Hope our stabs at decrypting tech jargon and generous splattering of wit and sarcasm have brought a smirk to your face, if not a chuckle.
Oh, and speaking of holidays, we see them looming on the horizon. It's almost time for sun, sea and a hopefully unplugged smartphone. May your summer be filled with persistent sunshine, the right amount of ice in your drink, and sunsets worthy of a postcard home.
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So - what did you think? Feedback below, please folks.
PS - any nonsense, or offensive content, is entirely the fault of the bot. Flag it in, though, and I'll get it corrected.
Thanks!
Alan. The human.
Helping companies to thrive in the #DigitalHR world.....the Udder way
1 年Made more sense than you normally do !
Global TA Lead at Ericsson | Get Hired Toolkit - Free Articles & Videos for Job Seekers | TA Tech Podcast Host
1 年I loved the intro, so I would recommend including that that every time. Surely, you can't and won't automate that part?!
International | Business Development | Tech Alliances | Strategic Partnerships
1 年Crafty use of ChatGPT, Alan Walker. One comment about "Amazon pay(ing) its employees to spread company love on social media". They stopped that program back in Dec 2021.
Talent Intelligence, Talent Analytics, Workforce Planning, Exec Recruitment and Research. Occasional Speaker.
1 年This is a fascinating use case. I think it's awesome to improve efficiency.