The Oyo State Head of Service, Olubunmi Oni, has explained how the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will enhance the performance of human resources personnel in organisations.
Oni stated that rapid technological advancements, globalisation, shifting workforce demographics, and evolving employee expectations require human resources personnel to be more agile and forward-thinking.
She made these remarks on Thursday during the 22nd Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Oyo State branch, held at Jogor Centre in Ibadan, the state capital.
Speaking on the topic “Critical Roles of HR Professionals in Organisational Success and Nation Building,” Oni, who was the keynote speaker at the event, emphasised the need for HR professionals to develop new skills and competencies to manage a changing workforce.
According to her, artificial intelligence presents both opportunities and challenges for HR.
She stated, “The rise of artificial intelligence and automation, for instance, presents both opportunities and challenges for HR. While these technologies can improve efficiency and productivity, they also require HR professionals to develop new skills and competencies to manage a changing workforce.”
The President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, Ahmed Gobir, noted that artificial intelligence should not be seen as a challenge to HR but as an aid to the performance of HR personnel.
He added that those who see AI as a challenge are often those who refuse to innovate, emphasising that all HR personnel should embrace AI to support their profession.
Gobir further urged HR personnel to acquire additional knowledge through the use of technology in their practices, highlighting that all human resources personnel from both private and public organisations should embrace AI to enhance productivity.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of CIPM, Oyo State chapter, Mrs. Omolara Onipede, stated that the conference is a call for HR personnel to be more strategic and proactive.
She emphasised that HR is at the forefront of driving success in business, which translates to national development and should showcase skills, abilities, knowledge, and professionalism.
She advised the government to embrace HR in organisations and to fund activities that relate to HR departments.
In his speech, the guest speaker at the event, Wale Adediran, explained that HR professional bodies should establish the capacity to develop blueprints for embedding Strategic Human Resource Management (S-HRM) in public and private organisations.
He added that HR professional bodies should advocate for the embedding of S-HRM in the public sector to drive national development.
“CIPM should constitute a body to regularly review the state of our nation-building, identify the role of S-HRM in advancing our nation-building efforts, and put forward updated optimum proposals for effective political and economic structures, talent pipelining, leadership development, human capital development, change management, and other S-HRM gaps in the MDAs,” he concluded.
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