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Executives have long promised that AI will change the way their organizations function. But figuring out exactly what products will drive return on investment takes trial and error.
A new report sheds light on exactly which tools are a hit with HR teams, and which ones are falling by the wayside. Employees who used AI copilots reduced the time they spent searching for basic company information by 95%, according to a survey from the Josh Bersin Company, a research and advisory firm. That technology also reduced the time it took HR to manage help tickets by 81%.
“I think what we’re finding is that even though there’s confusion around what to buy and where to start, the ROIs are really high,” says Josh Bersin, CEO of his eponymous company.
The research also found that using AI-driven career assistants can help boost employee satisfaction with their career opportunities by 25%; that kind of technology allows workers to find available training courses, pinpoint relevant job skills, and find mentors across the organization. AI can also be used to analyze employee performance, and provide workers with tailored growth recommendations based on previously documented feedback.
“I’m especially pleased that the data confirms what I’ve long believed: AI’s business benefits extend far beyond efficiency and cost savings,” says Bersin. “It’s fundamentally about enhancing the employee experience, driving better business outcomes, and dramatically improving workforce performance.”
While these tools can certainly be helpful, Bersin cautions that to be truly effective, companies need to constantly monitor what’s working, and how much employees are using the tech. If HR leaders don’t pay attention and treat the technology like a “black box,” he says it’s unlikely they will get much out of it. But he adds that now is the time to take chances when it comes to AI experiments in the workplace. “If you can be fearless about the implementation of this stuff, you’ll be surprised at how high the return on investment can be.”
“If you can be fearless about the implementation of this stuff, you’ll be surprised at how high the return on investment can be.”
Brit Morse
brit.morse@fortune.com
Around the Table
A round-up of the most important HR headlines.
Unsure of whether to seek further employment, federal workers are dazed and confused, uncertain of whether or not to move on from their previous roles. Washington Post
Economic forecasts are starting to look bleak, reeling from the administration’s changes to tariffs, immigration, and the federal workforce. New York Times
Elon Musk told Republican lawmakers that he is not to blame for the firings of thousands of federal workers, including veterans. The Associated Press
Watercooler
Everything you need to know from Fortune.
Hard conversations. Fired federal workers are facing a difficult time when dealing with relatives who openly praise DOGE and recent cuts to the government. —Matt Sedensky and The Associated Press
Getting ahead of layoffs. As the World Health Organization moves to cut costs, it’s asking employees to consider taking an early retirement. —Ashleigh Furlong, Naomi Kresge and Bloomberg
Job Ghosting. Gen Z job candidates are treating new roles like blind dates, not showing up to interviews or the first day of work. —Orianna Rosa Royale
