The number of jobs in HR services will decrease as the level of automation increases. Example: the sourcing work many recruiters were doing is rapidly being taken over by intelligent machines. HR advisors/assistants/business partners will become less necessary. Top HR professionals will [nevertheless] be needed in HR services, and on a high level HR architects can (and should) play an important role in the transformation of organisations. (Haak, 2017)

Research and critically report on the extent to which HR services in your organisation are automated. Then describe how the level of automated HR services could be improved. Conclude with a critical assessment, specific to your organisations strategic goals, of the pros and cons of HR service automation, including dimensions expected of HR practitioners such as emotional and spiritual intelligence, and ethics. (For example, would intelligent machines be able to make ethical choices? (15 Marks)

Preliminary reading:

Tom Haak is a Netherlands-based expert in human resource management, and director of the HR Trend Institute. Read his predictions: Haak, T. 2017, 8 major HR Trends for 2018, HR Trend Institute. The question is based on this article.