AI and HR

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 1

FALL/WINTER 2019

Resource

Shaping Organizational Excellence

About This Issue...........................................2

Student Perspective...................................10

From the Chair's Desk..................................3

By the Numbers..........................................11

AI: HR Threat or Opportunity?.......................4

HR Law: Holiday Party Do's and Don'ts......12

Preparing for the Future with the AI Hub........6

Photo Gallery.............................................14

The Role of Technology in HR.......................7

Upcoming Events.......................................16

What HR Professionals Think About AI........8

2 ¡AI & HR

About This Issue Gladys Saenz, Editor Shaping Organizational Excellence

Board of Directors CHAIR Catherine Claridge, CHRL PAST CHAIR Ernest Ogunleye, MSc, Chartered MCIPD, CPHR, SHRM-SCP, FRGS SECRETARY/TREASURER Jenn Janca, CHRL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR Tisha Lorincz, CHRL COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR Gladys Saenz STUDENT RELATIONS CHAIR Licinia Bennett, CHRL MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR Leyland Muss, CHRL COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTORS Erin Hewitt, CHRL Rosanna Keys, CHRL Asha McClean, CHRP Lori McLellan Lucy Melvin, CHRP Ernest Mistica, MIR, CHRP

Resource Magazine - HRPA Durham Chapter Mailing Address: 105 Consumers Drive, Whitby, ON L1N 1C4 Fax: 647-689-2264 Circulation: 900 electronic copies circulated three times per year with limited press run. Articles may not be reproduced without prior written permission.

Statements, opinions and points of view expressed by contributing writers do not necessarily represent those of HRPA. While care is taken, Resource Magazine assumes no responsibility for errors or the return of unsolicited materials. Resource Magazine is not responsible for advertising claims made in its pages or inserts; however, we will not knowingly accept for publication, ads, articles, or inserts that contain false statements or defame others.

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Design: SMillerArt.com Editing: LynneYryku@gmail.com

In this issue of Resource, we are looking at artificial intelligence (AI), sharing insights and information to get our members ready for our AI Breakfast Series beginning in January 2020.

and automate, they may fear that it will threaten the central core of HR and eliminate too many jobs or they may lack a good understanding of how it actually works.

AI is a powerful tool that organizations are using to get ahead. It is transforming the way businesses operate and how work is being done. Employees in nearly every field must learn to adapt. Although HR is not generally known as a leader in automation, we have an opportunity to play an integral role in supporting our organizations through this disruptive transformation, which may prove overwhelming at times. HR can act as a strategic business partner, helping build a more technically skilled workforce. We can redefine and reclassify jobs, assess current workforce skill gaps, and adjust internal training and development programs to support AI.

Personally, I believe that AI provides opportunities for roles to be focused on more strategic work than repetitive, administrative tasks. As HR roles change with the implementation of AI tools, it is important to provide staff with the tools necessary to work with it and understand how the new technologies can benefit them.

We must also keep up, as AI is changing some HR functions. Many organizations are leveraging it for recruitment, onboarding, training and development, and more. There are many advantages in automating these tasks, such as time savings, better employee experiences and the availability of data to help in the decisionmaking process.

However, despite its many advantages, there are still organizations that are not ready for AI. They may not be equipped with the necessary human or financial resources to implement

In the first feature article, AI expert Patrick Egbunonu explains how he sees AI changing the workforce. He does not believe AI is solving all the problems but he does believe processes will be more efficiently done. He further explains that training staff is crucial to enable them to leverage AI applications. He also reminds us that HR is still accountable for AI’s work output, so HR processes need to be changed to ensure results are appropriately reviewed and audited.

In the second feature article, Ali Hirji, Project Manager of the AI Hub at Durham College, emphasizes that the AI revolution is forcing us to review and adjust educational programs to ensure people entering the workforce have the required capabilities, including skills that are portable between many occu-

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 3

From the Chair’s Desk:

Preparing for the Future of Work Catherine Claridge, CHRL

pations, to succeed in the massive technical disruption. He recommends that the best way to implement AI in HR is to begin slowly.

In Student Perspective, Seneca College instructor Sepideh Hashemi Delkhoun shares how AI, in the form of virtual reality, is helping students build confidence and overcome stage fright when making presentations or attending interviews.

We also have pieces from HR professionals Erin Hewitt, Asha McClean, Lori McLellan and Lucy Melvin on how AI is impacting the HR environment while Rosanna Keys provides us with interesting stats in the “By the Numbers” section.

Finally, our Legal article, provided

by Ashley Mulrooney from Sherrard Kuzz LLP, reminds us of the holiday party do’s and don’ts as we prepare for seasonal staff events.

While the transition may not always be easy, AI is the future. It improves our efficiency; reduces the time we must spent on routine, repetitive tasks; provides more room for value-added work; and enables us to showcase our unique skills, such as creativity, empathy and critical thinking. Let’s embrace this change for the better!

Happy holidays and best wishes for 2020!

Artificial Intelligence. The term has an Orwellian air that conjures images of robots lording over human environments. However, as with many significant changes in life, the anticipation of this global workplace evolution is likely going to be far more dramatic than the reality.

This year’s leadership breakfast series features some excellent professional development from three compelling speakers and AI as the key subject. Participants will learn about some of the ways AI is already changing our lives for the better and improving workplaces overall. From making workplace injuries a thing of the past to eliminating repetitive and mindnumbing tasks that free up us humans to use our brains in more constructive and meaningful ways, AI is proving to be a valuable partner to many organizations.

For example, Lakeridge Health and Durham College are working together on a pilot project to determine whether AI can be used to predict emergency room waiting times. See the story at https://www.durhamregion.com/ news-story/9391129-how-artificialintelligence-could-be-used-to-predicter-wait-times-in-durham/.

In addition, Durham College established the AI Hub last year, which works with community partners to assist local businesses in establishing customized AI solutions. The student project teams, under the supervision and guidance of faculty, strategize and execute the project plan for each proposed solution. As of this past October, they’ve undertaken 16 such projects in collaboration with 35 community partners. Find out more in the article, “Preparing for the

Future with the AI Hub,” and at https:// perspective.ca/convergence-industrytech-student-talent-ai-hub-durhamcollege/.

As HR professionals, we need to stay ahead of the disruption that AI will bring to our roles. In this issue, we speak to Patrick Egbunonu, Professor of Business Analytics at St. Lawrence College, about how AI is impacting our roles, and what we can do to prepare our HR policies and programs for the shift. Patrick will be our first breakfast series speaker in January, so attendees who want to learn more about the insights he shares in this issue will have an opportunity to hear more and ask questions in person.

Sepideh Hashemi Delkhoun from Seneca College brings her perspective on how AI is assisting students develop verbal communication skills and build confidence, thus improving presentation skills for either public speaking or interviews. Anyone who’s been in the game since fax machines were the newest workplace tech should read her article to fully understand how AI helps post-secondary students get ready for the workforce.

As new and emerging industries continue to arrive in Durham Region, changing the vocational and business landscape of our community, our exposure to AI will increase along with it. I encourage all members to take advantage of the valuable learning in our upcoming 2019/2020 program line-up to hear how machines are already improving our workplaces for the better, and how AI can empower, rather than undermine, our organization’s talent strategy.

To your success!

4 ·AI & HR

Artificial Intelligence: HR Threat or Opportunity?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has a wide range of uses for organizations. In fact, most of us interact with AI in some form or another on a daily basis.

And as these technologies proliferate, it becomes more important than ever that businesses understand and employ them to maintain a competitive edge.

underprivileged and underserved areas of the world. Patrick is also professor and program coordinator of Business Analytics at St. Lawrence College, and he teaches operations management and applied management science courses in the Laurentian University degree program that is delivered through St. Lawrence College.

What does this mean for HR professionals? Resource Magazine spoke with Patrick Egbunonu, an AI and data analytics expert to find out.

First, in general terms, what is the impact of AI on organizations and HR?

Patrick is founder and CEO of 1001Squared Artificial Intelligence, a social enterprise, with the goal of facilitating and advancing the use of AI to enhance education, especially in

Patrick: According to TIME Magazine, “Artificial Intelligence, in the broadest term, applies to any technique that enables computers to mimic human intelligence, using logic, if–then rules, decision trees and machine learning.”

I believe that AI will provide opportunities to enhance the quality of people

management decisions made by organizations and automate the processes that support the execution of these decisions. This will increase organizational effectiveness and efficiency, and further empower HR professionals to focus on higher value-added work.

How do you see AI affecting the core competencies required of HR professionals?

Patrick: AI presents an opportunity to automate repetitive HR tasks and make better decisions. HR professionals previously inundated with menial and repetitive tasks will now have the chance to focus on more value-added work, especially that which involves direct interaction with people.

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 5

The HR professional of the future will be expected to be AI literate and understand how to leverage AI applications to enhance the quality of their output. It will provide an opportunity for HR professionals to enhance their strategic competencies while also enhancing their communication, relationship management, business and leadership skills.

How will AI contribute to better people management?

Patrick: AI will improve the overall experience of all stakeholders by automating processes and freeing up time and money to focus on talent mentorship and management. In addition, HR professionals and business leaders will have high-quality descriptive and prescriptive insights, which will help them better understand their employees and how to motivate them.

Do you think recruiters or candidates should be worried about AI? Patrick: Although AI can help reduce bias during recruiting in some ways, it can also introduce bias into the process in other ways. For example, in 2018, Amazon got rid of a recruitment application after it was discovered that the software was exhibiting bias against women. The application was trained with historical data. [Most technical applicants and hires at Amazon had been men in that data. The result was an AI system that learned to favour male applicants.]

However, I don’t believe that recruiters need to be worried about (or afraid of) AI. They should be aware of the limitations of the application they are using and be careful to monitor the outputs for in-built bias.

Given that AI will automate a lot of roles in the workforce in the future, what capabilities will be required to succeed in this new workforce?

Patrick: I agree with what IBM CEO Ginni Romney said at the beginning of

the year: “Because of AI, 100 percent of jobs will be different.”

I believe that AI and digital literacy will be important in this new workforce. In addition, the ability to think outside the box, adaptability, empathy and leadership skills will also be key to succeeding. According to a 2018 article I read in The Telegraph, collaboration, fluency in languages, critical thinking, creativity and entrepreneurial skills will be required for success in this new workforce.

How can HR professionals be prepared for this change?

Patrick: There may be an opportunity to really explore how AI can be beneficial to the HR professional within their organizations. In addition, a better understanding of how HR is integral to an organization’s ability to leverage AI applications to be more competitive in the marketplace is a necessity.

Organizations can also help influence this change by providing opportunities and incentives for continuous learning, creating an environment where it is okay to try new things and fail, promoting an execution-based culture, and rewarding teams who demonstrate tangible progress in their AI literacy and adoption journeys.

Should HR professionals be worried about being replaced by AI? Patrick: No. A lot of HR processes will be automated, but AI will present an opportunity to enhance the quality of people management decisions and free up time for HR professionals to focus on higher value-added work.

How do you see HR in the future?

Patrick: I believe AI is and will continue to transform the experience

of employees within an organization, including how they are managed.

Employees will be able to get quick answers to HR-related inquires via intelligent chatbots. AI applications will be able to help identify flight-risk employees and recommend strategies to increase retention. And while HR professionals will be in a better position to hire the best talent for a role, managers and supervisors will have access to high-quality “mined” data, with personalized recommended strategies for managing and motivating their teams.

As I mentioned, repetitive HR tasks and processes will be automated so that HR professionals have more time to focus on higher value-added work.

According to Ernst and Young, “AI technologies offer significant opportunities to improve HR functions, such as self-service transactions, recruiting and talent acquisition, payroll, reporting, access policies and procedures.”

Recently, McDonald's announced that job seekers can now start their job applications through virtual assistants (e.g., Alexa, Google Assistant). Furthermore, in 2018, Google demonstrated how Google Assistant can help the user schedule appointments. AI presents an opportunity for job seekers to apply for a job, be quickly assessed for fit, selected for an interview and have the interview scheduled on calendars.

Finally, what risks should HR be aware of in regards to AI and automation?

Patrick: Some of the risks include data privacy, bias, ethics, explainable AI, and the mindset that AI is a silver bullet for all HR tasks, activities and responsibilities.

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6 ·AI & HR

Preparing for the Future with the AI Hub

T

he Durham College Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions (the AI Hub) was established in 2018. It currently has approximately 80 students working on applied research projects, and 12 subject matter experts leading and developing solutions. Thus far, it has undertaken 16 projects with 35 community partners. The projects focus on working with existing businesses and startup ventures that are using advanced AI techniques to address practical business problems. It also provides consultation, advisory and support services to organizations beginning to look at AI solutions.

Resource Magazine spoke with Ali Hirji, the AI Hub’s Project Manager, about the impact AI is having on the HR profession now and in the future.

Where do you see AI being used most in the HR field? What are the challenges?

Ali: I see it specifically in recruitment.

AI applications can be used to derive additional insights from existing data points, and make associations and predictions on future performance, satisfaction, growth and much more.

It is truly amazing to evidence how far the insights can go.

However, the challenges of bias, volume and veracity of data are really beginning to make me wonder how true our insights are. Testing and validity can be especially challenging

in AI and have severe consequences for a company.

figure out the best way to act something out.

How is AI impacting the core competencies of HR professionals?

Philosophically, one of the core competencies I see being impacted is the general workforce’s ability to augment their work using AI technologies. AI lends an extra hand but adapting and adopting this technology will challenge our core competencies.

Ali: I see it complementing their skill sets, allowing them to use additional data to verify decisions. From a skill set perspectives, I think it is going to become even more necessary for HR professionals to learn the fundamentals of databases and visualizations.

Knowing how to gather, extract, classify and display data will be increasingly important.

How do you see AI affecting the skill sets of the general workforce as increasingly more roles are automated?

Ali: [AI Hub staff] Amit Maraj, one of my mentors and leads in AI, always refers to [University of Toronto computer science professor and Google engineering fellow] Geoff Hinton, who points out that before we used to program computers and tell them what to do—today, we give them examples and have the computers

How can we get HR prepared for this change?

Ali: One way: get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The best way to get HR ready is to begin slowly.

I have a practical exercise I always use in my intro to AI talks: I ask people to tell me the route they took to get to the room for my class. I then ask them to think of five additional routes. I then ask them to optimize those five routes and percentage out which route they will use best. It usually takes them 30 minutes to figure all of this out. I then tell them to realize that AI could do all of this within a few seconds.

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It is here to help you. It is just a matter of how you engage with it.

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 7

The Role of Technology in HR Asha McClean, CHRP

Artificial intelligence (AI) commonly refers to the use of technology to replace activities otherwise performed by human beings. Such technology is generally perceived as beneficial in the workplace, as many laborious and manual tasks have now been replaced by automated systems that are time and cost effective, thereby garnering more productivity.

However, the impact of AI in the workplace is multifaceted and all aspects must be considered prior to implementation. It is imperative that companies thoroughly examine their existing capabilities, in conjunction with their business needs and long-term vision, before implementing any specific type of technology to ensure a good fit, and HR professionals must be prepared to help. Transformation specialist Michelle Moore says: To prepare for this significant revolution, HR leaders need to understand how to leverage technology to replace or complement the human workforce to improve productivity and business results.1 1 Moore, Michelle. “Who Will be Replaced by a Robot?” http://hrprofessionalnow.ca/talent-management/516who-will-be-replaced-by-a-robot

Indeed, in the field of HR, both the positive and negative impacts of technology are continuously being explored and addressed. As HR consultant Barbara Van Pay points out: Having access to a wider array of data means you have the ability to make your employees’ overall experience better by applying the gathered data and making relevant adjustments to the workplace atmosphere or internal processes.2 However, this goal will not be attained unless HR and business leaders have a solid understanding of the feasibility, viability, cost and potential legal implications associated with implementing technology to replace or enhance specific job tasks.

Some proven uses for HR are outlined below.

Streamlining Recruitment When implemented correctly, resumescreening software significantly reduces timelines in the recruitment process. This type of technology has 2 Van Pay, Barbara. “How Artificial Intelligence Is Reinventing Human Resources.” https://www.entrepreneur.com/ article/320763

the capability to screen multiple candidates in a fraction of the time that it would take to manually screen applicants. Technology companies, such as Ideal, work with an institution’s existing applicant tracking system to scan and filter resumes, and assign a position suitability grade to each candidate.

Automating Specific Tasks With the help of various forms of technology, organizations are finding ways to ensure productivity and efficiency levels increase and improve. They often explore the possibility of replacing specific job tasks with technology in an effort to free up employees to perform more valuable, higher-level activities, rather than transactional, time-consuming ones.

In the field of HR, this use is illustrated where technology is used to run sophisticated reports, like payroll, to extract valuable data that contributes to substantial decision-making. This increases effectiveness and efficiency.

Enhancing Employee Performance Companies are also using technology tools and software to enhance the ...continued on page 11

8 ·AI & HR

What HR Professionals Think About Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be changing every position and profession, including HR. At a time when many of us are under pressure to reduce costs and increase efficiency, such powerful tools may provide the solution. Here are just three samplings of the opportunities (and concerns) some HR professionals see helping deliver better outcomes for our companies.

A Personalized Employee Experience Lucy Melvin, CHRP

While some high-functioning AI programs may still be years out of

reach for many organizations because of budget restraints, it is a reality that is inevitably coming and we in HR must be prepared.

The first benefit that comes to mind with these softwares is the hope that they lead to less paper and reduce a company’s carbon footprint.

Another exciting angle is that these programs use predictive technology, which allows for a more personalized employee experience. When navigating their HRIS systems, employees can now find what they are looking for more quickly, based on the areas they frequently visit.

Lastly, I believe as HR professionals we struggle at times with how to provide proper metrics. These programs give us an opportunity to collect meaningful data, which will enable us to identify trends and ultimately make more strategic business decisions.

Overall, while these technologies may lead to the automation of many rudimentary HR functions—a concern for some HR professionals—I look at how they may lead to a more personalized employee experience, which will allow our employees to get what they really need from their HR department when they need it.

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 9

from an optimistic (and more realistic) viewpoint, AI promises to take away at least the dull and mundane decisions and tasks, leaving more nuanced and human factors for us to deal with.

How will AI be deployed in the field of HR? Right now, the areas of training, development and especially onboarding are using the technology to train new employees at their own pace and field any questions. On a broader scale, through machine learning and smart algorithms, AI is helping to eliminate errors caused by the fatigue and forgetfulness of workers.

According to tech writer and blogger Laurence Bradford, “If an AI can draw upon a database with thousands or millions of scenarios, it can process that information to figure out what decisions are most likely to result in successful outcomes.”1 Another potential benefit of having AI do our mindless tasks and reduce human error is that it may move us to a four-day workweek. Bradford explains, “By using machine learning to eliminate the ‘busy work’ that takes over so many workers’ days, companies can accomplish more tasks in less time.”2

A Focus on Value-Added Lori McLellan

If you’re reading this article on a smartphone, chances are you’re already using AI. And the use of such technology has also been implemented in your world of work.

Do you remember R.U.D.I. (the Referential Universal Digital Indexer), a computer and a member of the Society for Preventing Cruelty to Humans from The Jetsons cartoon, who makes all of the difficult work decisions for employee George Jetson? While we may not have reached this point,

Experts in a specific field like disability management are championing AI as well. In the Canadian HR Reporter’s video series featuring Sun Life Financial, a roundtable weighed in on the benefits of AI for monitoring activity on social media. The panel concluded 1 Bradford, Laurence. “How AI is Improving the Landscape of Work.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/ laurencebradford/2018/03/29/howai-is-improving-the-landscape-ofwork/#4faedb615866 2 Bradford, Laurence. “Can Technology Help Us Move To A Four-Day Workweek?” https://www.forbes.com/ sites/laurencebradford/2018/09/28/cantechnology-help-us-move-to-a-four-daywork-week/#311f791c5747

that employers could be alerted to warning signals from employees regarding mental health issues.3 However, this monitoring could be construed as an invasion of privacy by individuals who use social media on their off-hours. For instance, would HR also use AI to spy on employees who are ostensibly taking a sick day but really taking a three-day weekend to go to the cottage?

In short, with careful consideration for the information it gathers and sensitive human guidance, AI can be a powerful tool for HR practitioners.

An Opportunity for HR to Lead Erin Hewitt, CHRL

It’s an exciting time to be in the workforce. With AI moving into increasingly more workplaces and taking up increasingly more duties, we are on the brink of a major transformation. As machines replace humans for some tasks, a new set of job opportunities is emerging with a whole new set of skill requirements.

As HR professionals, our role is to help the business identify and understand the future capabilities required to be successful in a workforce dominated

by AI. Organizations will need individuals who are creative and empathic, and can bring innovative solutions to complex problems that machines are not capable of tackling. It will be essential have managers with strong leadership skills to guide colleagues in an ever-changing environment.

HR will need to work alongside the business to assess the current state of capabilities, identify skill gaps and design a development plan. HR will be at the centre of building projects and programs that strengthen future capabilities in the workforce. HR will become more essential than ever. The future is bright!

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3 “Disability management: The role of AI.” https://www.hrreporter.com/video/1031disability-management-the-role-of-ai/

10 ·AI & HR

Student Perspective:

How Virtual Reality Can Build Communication Skills Sepideh Hashemi Delkhoun

Learning to effectively say what you mean requires experience. To gain this experience, you need a good deal of exposure and practice. It also requires constructive feedback on your work and performance from an expert to realize what your strengths or weaknesses are. However, for a variety of reasons, you may not have access to such opportunities or experts, which means you may make mistakes when stakes are high, resulting in anything from embarrassment to the loss of a business opportunity.

Based on my experience working with students, most need to work on their verbal communication skills to more effectively convey what they mean to their audience, whether that be professors, recruiters, customers or potential employers. To overcome any shyness and feel more confident while speaking in public, presenting an idea to a group or delivering a presentation in front of the class, students need a safe

place to practice to find out how they need to present themselves, what they need to say, what they should emphasize more and which areas they need to focus on improving.

ronment, and get useful analytics and data-driven feedback. Instead of practicing alone in their heads or in front of the mirror, users are immersed in a simulation that feels real.

Virtual reality can provide this safe place, whether to gain more confidence in public speaking for beginners or improve current skills for those who routinely speak in-person to peers, customers or colleagues. This great technology can be used to practice a variety of communication skills, from keynote presentations to panel interviews, sales and business pitches, overcoming client objections and more. Students can practice, receive feedback, and try again and again.

The tool can be used for any objective.

If students are practicing their public speaking skills, they wear a headset and step in a room where they stand in front of an audience and start pitching their plans or presenting their projects.

The audience may create any possible distraction, such as using their phones, talking to their neighbours, asking questions or stopping the speaker randomly. All of these practice sessions are very realistic scenarios so that they are prepared for any unpredictable or random reactions, questions and incidents by their audience.

I have found the virtual reality tool as an end-to-end solution for developing verbal communication skills. It gives students preparing for an upcoming interview, speech or any type of talk the ability to practice in a realistic envi-

If students are preparing for an upcoming job interview, they wear the headset and walk into an interview room where a panel is waiting for them. Depending on the answers the students provide, the questions may get harder or easier. The computer tracks eye contact distribution, the number of filling words they use (e.g., “so,” “like,” “actually,” “ums,” etc.) and more. At the end of the session, they receive the analytics by email, with their audio file and the script of their answers as recorded by the computer.

Indeed, for students—or anyone— who need to boost confidence, overcome stage fright and improve their verbal skills, virtual reality is the best tool to be used.

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Sepideh Hashemi Delkhoun is a Career Development Officer and Course Instructor at Seneca College.

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 11

Continued from page 7...

work of employees. For instance, the Canadian software firm Summatti has created a software program that aims to boost employee performance in the customer service industry. The primary use of this technology is to monitor the daily conversations customer service and relationship agents in various call centres have with customers via telephone and email. Sid Bhambhani, CEO of Summatti, summarizes the benefits of this type of technology as follows:

By the Numbers

99

Percentage of organizations that are preparing for the future of work.

(Source: https://www.hrreporter. com/columnist/u0092176/ archive/2019/10/28/isnt-ai-justanother-innovation)

Percentage of companies that Canadian executives identified as likely to increase their investments in AI over the next three years.

50

Percentage of jobs that will be impacted by technology by 2028.

(Source: https://www.hrreporter. com/columnist/u0092176/ archive/2019/10/28/isnt-ai-justanother-innovation)

(Source: https://www.rbc.com/dms/ enterprise/futurelaunch/humanswanted-how-canadian-youth-canthrive-in-the-age-of-disruption. html?utm_source=vanity&utm_ medium=internal&utm_ campaign=students_futurelaunch_ humanswanted2018&utm_ content=rbc_humanswanted)

50

Percentage of Canadian jobs that automation will impact in the next decade.

(Source: http://www.rbc.com/ newsroom/news/2018/20180326future-skills-rpt.html)

1,069 that

require

Percentage of growth since 2013 in Canadian jobs AI skills.

(Source: https://betakit.com/indeedreport-jobs-in-canada-requiring-aiskills-have-grown-by-1069-percentsince-2013/)

87

42

Percentage of startup businesses in Canada that plan to adopt AI into their operations.

(Source: https://www. theglobeandmail.com/business/ careers/leadership/article-thepotential-and-limits-of-artificialintelligence-in-hr-and-what/)

84

Percentage of HR professionals who believe AI is a useful tool.

(Source: https://www.hrpa.ca/ Documents/Public/ThoughtLeadership/HRPA-Report-ArtificialIntelligence-20171031.PDF)

We work with organizations that are using the insights they gain from the real-time analytics of the customer/ agent conversations to provide in-time coaching tips on improving their performance, highlighting areas of strength and looking for coaching opportunities to grow an agent’s skill set. This goes to show that technology, when implemented with the right outcomes in mind, doesn’t have to be intrusive and focuses on the positive aspects of growing and developing one’s skill set.3 In conclusion, technology is a vast and ever-changing industry that organizations are continuously exploring in order to meet their business needs in a more cost - and time - effective manner. It is imperative that HR and business leaders are equipped with the knowledge and understanding of the specific technologies that are or may be useful to help their organizations reach their goals.

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Asha McClean, CHRP, is an HR Consultant at Ryerson University and a member of the HRPA Durham’s Communications Committee.

3 Romeo, Jim. “Artificial Intelligence Boosts Employee Performance.” https:// www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/ technology/pages/artificial-intelligenceboosts-employee-performance.aspx

12 ·AI & HR

HOLIDAY PARTY DO’S AND DON’TS As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to revisit the law of employer host liability. If your organization is planning to host a workplace holiday party where alcohol or other legal intoxicants may be served or used, you’ll want to protect your guests from harm and your organization from the potential for significant liability for damages sustained or caused by an impaired employee.

The Law of “Host Liability” – A Refresher The 2001 decision, Hunt v Sutton Group Realty (“Hunt”), is a good illustration of the scope of the duty of care that may be owed by an employer to an employee who becomes impaired at a company event and hurts him/herself. In Hunt, the employer was found partially liable for injuries an employee, Ms. Hunt, suffered during a car accident that occurred while Ms. Hunt was driving home from the office holiday party. At the party, Ms. Hunt had consumed alcohol made available through an unsupervised open bar. After the party, she and a number of other employees went to a pub where they consumed further alcohol.

At the trial, the employer argued it was not responsible for Ms. Hunt’s injuries because it had taken all reasonable steps to protect her from injury, and it was unreasonable for the employer to have been expected to do more. Specifically: • The employer offered a taxi to all employees at the party.

• Recognizing Ms. Hunt was impaired, the employer asked if she wanted her husband contacted to come and pick her up.

• The employer refrained from putting Ms. Hunt into a taxi because it was concerned this may have amounted to false imprisonment or even kidnapping.

• It was not possible for the employer to monitor the alcohol consumption of its employees.

• It was not possible for the employer to anticipate a group of employees, including Ms. Hunt, would stop for a drink on the way home from the party.

The trial judge rejected each of these arguments finding the employer had breached its duty of care and was negligent. The employer and pub were held jointly liable for 25 percent of the damages suffered by Ms. Hunt who was held 75 percent liable on the basis of self-induced alcohol consumption.

The judge concluded the employer was liable because it owed a duty of care to Ms. Hunt as its employee: …I find that the defendant Sutton, as the plaintiff’s employer, did therefore owe a duty to the plaintiff, as its employee to safeguard her from harm. This duty to safeguard her from harm extended beyond the simple duty while she was on [the employer’s] premises. It extended to a duty to make sure that she would not enter into such a state of intoxication while on [the employer’s] premises and on duty so as to interfere with her ability to safely drive home afterwards…

As for the additional drinking while at the pub, the court held this “intervening act” did not absolve the employer from liability; according to the court, the employer should have reasonably foreseen or anticipated this result.

The trial judge’s ruling was appealed. While the Court of Appeal ultimately allowed the appeal and ordered a new trial on both liability and damages, it did so for reasons unrelated to the trial judge’s comments on an employer’s duty of care; that part of the decision remained unchanged. The matter ultimately resolved before a new trial was held.

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 13

Holiday Party Best Practices In light of Hunt, employers must be aware they may be held responsible for the damage suffered by an employee who becomes impaired at a company sponsored event. Accordingly, short of a total ban on impairment while at a workplace event, employers may wish to consider the following steps and protocols: • Do not have a self-serve, open bar.

• Retain the services of a professional bartender trained to identify and appropriately deal with an impaired party-goer.

• Restrict alcohol consumption. Consider imposing a twodrink limit or provide non-transferable drink tickets or a cash bar.

• Provide non-alcoholic beverage options and food.

• Designate a team leader to monitor consumption and assist anyone who has become impaired and requires transportation.

• Address impaired guests immediately; do not wait until they are about to leave.

• Make transportation arrangements and clearly communicate them to guests (preferably before the event). This may include: » Providing taxi chits. » Organizing carpooling with designated drivers. » Arranging for discounted hotel rooms near the event.

• Insist impaired party-goers turn over their car keys. If the guest insists on driving, call the police.

• Ensure senior management leads by example.

• Have appropriate liability insurance in place.

Finally, we recommend every workplace have a policy regarding the use of legal intoxicants at the workplace, including at a company-sponsored event. The policy should emphasize your concern for employee safety and establish the expectation that employees will not consider a work event an opportunity to “party” to excess.

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Let’s all have a happy and safe holiday season!

To learn more and/or for assistance preparing for this holiday season, contact a member of the Sherrard Kuzz LLP team.

Ashley Mulrooney is a lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz LLP, one of Canada’s leading employment and labour law firms, representing employers. Ashley can be reached at 416-603-0700 (main), 416-420-0738 (24-hour) or by visiting www.sherrardkuzz.com.

The information contained in this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice, nor does accessing this information create a lawyer-client relationship.

This article is current as of November 2019 and applies only to Ontario, Canada, or such other laws of Canada as expressly indicated. Information about the law is checked for legal accuracy as at the date the article is prepared, but may become outdated as laws or policies change. For clarification or for legal or other professional assistance, please contact Sherrard Kuzz LLP.

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e strive to provide informative, interesting and useful information in Resource Magazine.

Please take a moment to let us know your comments, suggestions and ideas for our next release. We value your opinion and would like to hear from you!

Contact us at: communications@hrpadurham.ca.

We look forward to continuing to be an excellent resource for our Durham Chapter members. Thank you for your help!

14 ·AI & HR

PHOTO GALLERY New Member Welcome Event – September

Member of Excellence Award Winner Rosanna Keys, CHRL

Resource: Shaping Organizational Excellence · Fall/Winter 2019 · 15

How to Grow Human Capital Using Financial Intelligence Session – October

Volunteer Information Session Recent CHRL Recipients – November

Introduction to Relationship Systems Intelligence Session – November

Boosting the Mentorship Experience Session – November

16 ·AI & HR

Upcoming Events

The HRPA Durham Chapter offers events to help you make connections and expand your network while you learn something new. Your participation in certain ones also earns you continuing professional development hours to maintain your CHRP, CHRL or CHRE designation. We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!

For more information and to register, visit our website: www.hrpa.ca/HRPAChapters/durham/programs

January 21 February 5, March 11, April 8, May 27, June 17 February 18 March 26 April (TBD)

Breakfast Series: Artificial Intelligence and the HR Profession • 7:15 AM to 10:15 AM • The Royal Oak, Whitby South Career Transition Network Group • Evening Event • 105 Consumers Drive, Whitby

Breakfast Series: AI and HR • 7:15 AM to 10:15 AM • The Royal Oak, Whitby South Breakfast Series: HR and IT: Partners in Change!

• 7:15 AM to 10:15 AM • The Royal Oak, Whitby South Unconscious Bias • Evening Event • Location TBD

April (TBD)

Volunteer Appreciation (complimentary for Chapter volunteers) • Evening Event • Location TBD

May (TBD)

Annual Business Meeting (ABM) • Dinner Meeting • Oshawa Golf and Curling Club

June 5 June 18

Employment Law Conference • Full-day Event • Ajax Convention Centre Annual Networking • Evening Event • Location TBD

Check the website regularly for more events!