OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025HR TECH OUTLOOK9AI in HR and Ethical ConsiderationsThe Golden Rule also called the ethics of reciprocity is essentially the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. This should be one of the main ethical considerations companies keep in mind when using AI-driven tools in HR and recruitment ­ we need to treat candidates and employees fairly i.e. how we want to be treated ourselves. AI-driven tools are definitely a boon rather than bane but effectively and sensibly harnessing them will be critical in defining their success and stay in the mainstream usage.At the end of the day, HR is a people function and candidates/employees appreciate that human touch (and empathy) so organizations need to keep in mind that in considering moving any HR-related work to be supported by AI-driven tools.Talent acquisition ­ as with many other HR functions ­ is both an art and a science from being able to advise the business on the job description and how best to attract suitable candidates to interviewing and assessing candidates' suitability and fit aside from what is represented on paper in the form of their resumes.That said, increasingly, organizations use AI-driven tools for talent acquisition for example, virtual interviews fronted by AI analyzing your interview answers transcript and facial expressions to determine your eligibility for a next interview round. Behind this though, the need for the human element remains and judgement calls do have to be made ­ previously there were reports of AI being the downfall of their own success e.g. hiring with the same biasness due to the perceived success of those previous hires.So I definitely do see more technology coming into play to better support recruiters in their day-to-day administrative work e.g. interview arrangements and essentially filtering out the first layer of noise for candidate shortlisting to leave recruiters with more time to focus on the value-adding work so HR leaders need to be on the ground paying attention to new technologies and make the necessary recommendations to the organizations as to which technologies to adopt.HR's Role in Business StrategyAside from technology, HR leaders need to have a good oversight of the talent landscape as well e.g. what candidates are looking for and how can employers meet their needs. Post-Covid, especially for candidates with no or limited financial commitments, their career goals could very well be prioritizing their health and mental wellness i.e. doing what they like rather than in the past, when financial needs rank top. This goes back to Maslow's hierarchy of needs which might not be ranked the same way or be a pyramid for that matter i.e. all needs are equally important. This allows organizations to reassess their employee value proposition or to create one that truly attracts talent.I am a firm believer that HR has a seat at the table and increasingly more business leaders feel the same so besides creating value and showcasing the value we bring, it is also understanding what you hope to contribute to the function.For me, I want to be a business enabler so it means understanding the business first and HR second; utilizing HR data to understand our employees and turn that into tangible business results; transforming processes and policies that slow the function and business down; setting the right culture that moves the organization in the one and same direction; leveraging AI whilst retaining human judgement to ensure the right human decisions are made ­ we have to own the decisions.As someone once said, being great in HR is not about implementing and enforcing policies and procedures, it should be about driving business success through people. Being great in HR is not about implementing and enforcing policies and procedures, it should be about driving business success through people
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