Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
I’ve mentioned before that I believe human resources is like being the architect of work. A key component of our role is to help the organization design jobs that people will find interesting and want to apply for them. And, they’ll enjoy those jobs, want to work hard, and stay with the organization.
To do that, HR professionals need to think about how people will come to their roles in the organization. For example, it could be as part of an external search (BUY), or maybe through internal mobility (BUILD), or as contingent workers (BORROW). Each one of these strategies has its advantages and challenges. Just as a quick reminder:
BUY is when the organization hires workers from the outside. The advantage to this approach is that the organization gets fresh perspectives and new ideas. The disadvantage is that it can be expensive to attract high performing workers from the outside. And, new hires might not always stay.
BUILD is when the organization develops their existing workforce. The upside is that this strategy is great for employee morale. The downside is that developing a future workforce takes time. It also means having the learning and development resources available.
BORROW involves using freelancers or consultants when the need arises. Not every job is a full-time job, so the positive side to this approach is getting the necessary skills at the moment it’s needed. The challenge can be keeping freelancers engaged so that, when you need them, they’re available and ready to work for you.
With all the conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) and jobs, it reminded me that of a presentation years ago that made me realize there’s a fourth component – bots. Yes, chatbots. The groups we’ve mentioned so far are all human beings. The advances we’re seeing in technology, like artificial intelligence and bots, are allowing organizations to do things never before possible. This is worth considering.
As organizations consider whether it’s best to use a buy, build, or borrow strategy, maybe they need to also think about what work can be assigned to bots. I do realize there’s a lot of talk about AI replacing human jobs … but in many situations, we’re not quite there yet. However, we might be in a place where AI – with human assistance – can do specific tasks. My point being, organizations and HR teams should spend time thinking about this. If bots were considered the fourth component, their role could look something like this:
BOTS would be used when the organization has a defined, predictable, repetitive task. The plus would be that the organization would gain consistency and scalability in managing these kinds of tasks. The minus would be return-on-investment as well as the perceived loss of human interaction.
I know that organizations are making huge investments in AI and the results are getting mixed reviews, but I can see this fourth component being important in future staffing discussions. Organizations need to ask: Is this a full-time, part-time, freelance, or AI task? That will determine how an organization goes about getting the work done. Do they buy it, build it in-house, hire a consultant, or allow AI to handle it?
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the Wynwood Art District in Miami, FL
