Challenge:
In most small-to-midsized companies HR is not a department or even a full-time position. More frequently – like at Centriq – HR is the part-time responsibility of the CFO. And even though most answers to HR questions are in the company employee handbook, employees continue to seek answers directly from the CFO. This is time-consuming for the part-time HR person and often frustrating for the employee when they don’t get a timely response. Centriq needed an HR solution that takes the burden off of its CFO but didn’t require additional staffing.
Solution:
Centriq developed and deployed an AI-powered HR Assistant (or chatbot) trained on a “knowledge base” of all HR policies. In this case the knowledge base was the employee handbook. Centriq utilized AI to “train” the HR Assistant by creating a custom chatbot using OpenAI’s Assistant API that responds to user questions based on uploaded documents and personalized instructions. Centriq then embedded the solution in SharePoint via iFrame (which ensures full privacy within the organization’s Microsoft environment). The HR Assistant now provides the company staff with instant, 24/7 self-service access to all company policies and HR information.
Impact:
The HR Assistant accomplished the following HR tasks with no additional headcount:
- Instant HR access and support for Centriq employees
- Reduced HR workload enabling the CFO to focus on primary responsibilities
- Increased employee satisfaction
- Reduced day-to-day interruptions for HR