AI proficiency is becoming a must for benefit teams

• Key Insight: Learn how AI is forcing benefits teams to become more technical and analytical.
• Supporting Data: 42% of HR teams already use AI, often automating people-facing tasks.
• Forward Look: Expect HR leaders to pilot targeted AI tools and demand cross-functional IT collaboration.
• Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

The rise of more progressive technology is forcing benefit teams to become proficient in AI in a way they've never been before, or rethink their future in the role.

Today, 42% of HR teams are actively using AI in some capacity, according to data from HR consulting firm McClean, often replacing people-facing tasks for automation. Today's benefit leaders will need to be more technically and analytically-minded to keep up with the shift, says Ciara Harrington, chief people officer at Skillsoft. 

"We need to think very differently about how work gets done and who is doing that work as we've added this extra layer of complexity," Harrington says.  

Read more: Rethinking technology decisions for employee communications

For years, employees could simply walk down the hall to their HR representative to ask a question, whether it was about benefits, PTO, payroll, or promotions. But that direct, in-person access has largely disappeared as organizations have shifted toward self-service HR platforms, Harrington says. While this transition has largely improved efficiency, it has placed more responsibility on employees to navigate these systems on their own. 

Benefit leaders are now responsible for teaching and recommending AI solutions within their organizations, Harrington says. That means not only understanding how different AI tools work, but also knowing how to properly implement and scale them specifically to their workforce. 

"AI can't help without humans equipping it with the knowledge it needs on the different scenarios it will face," Harrington says. "AI is a technical engine: If you tell it a maternity leave policy is eight weeks, that's what it's going to tell employees. If an employee has a unique circumstance, the AI can't respond unless it has been taught. That is where [this role] has room to learn and grow." 

Taking the right AI approach

The first step is to answer key questions: What can AI do, and what are other organizations already doing with it? How are they educating themselves and beginning to integrate AI into their day-to-day operations? Within Harrington's own team, she says they routinely identify AI platforms and services offered by brokers and test them internally before rolling them out across the organization. This approach allows the team to ensure a product is effective and moldable before bringing it to executive leaders who will ultimately need to budget for it. 

Read more: 3 ways AI is simplifying benefits administration

The process doesn't have to be complicated for other teams, Harrington adds. She suggests that leaders start by identifying one or two areas of significant friction in benefits administration or HR workflows and then seek out tools designed specifically to address those challenges. 

"Keep it simple," she says. "Pick something small that you can wrap your arms around and put into practice. A lot of HR organizations get a little bit of analysis paralysis, but once you start somewhere you'll learn so much." 

Being transparent with team members and the business is imperative to the process. Harrington is open and candid with the CEO of her organization on the changes she's making and suggestions she has, which has made receiving support and approval for those changes easier and more collaborative. 

"IT and HR are becoming a little intertwined and more executive leaders are coming to us and asking us for AI strategies," Harrington says. "If we can't move with the times and help organizations progress, we can't be successful in the long run."