AI is revolutionising HR and that’s great news for Engineering & Manufacturing.
In these fast-paced industries, where precision, speed and innovation are critical, outdated HR processes can quietly but significantly undermine performance. Manual admin, slow response times, and reactive people management don’t just cause frustration, they can impact talent retention, productivity, and business growth.
But a transformation is underway. AI is reshaping the way HR functions, and it’s not just hype. The shift is real, and it’s already delivering results.
From Firefighting to Forward-Thinking
Traditionally, HR has been bogged down in reactive tasks: handling grievances after they escalate, manually processing leave requests, and firefighting people issues once they’ve already done damage. Fortunately, that’s becoming a thing of the past.
AI-powered Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) like Workday, BambooHR, and Rippling are ushering in a new era of HR, one that’s smarter, faster, and fairer. According to Gartner, 81% of HR leaders are piloting AI in their processes this year.
Here’s how AI is delivering real change:
Predictive insights - Spotting early signs of absenteeism, burnout, or disengagement before they become problems
Task automation - Streamlining routine work like leave approvals, onboarding workflows, and policy updates
Bias reduction - Enabling fairer, more consistent handling of grievances and detecting unconscious bias
Proactive retention - Identifying employees at risk of leaving and recommending timely, personalised interventions
Imagine knowing when a high-performing engineer is on the verge of burnout and being able to act before they hand in their notice. Imagine grievance handling that’s faster, fairer and totally free from human bias. Imagine HR teams who aren’t bogged down in endless forms and spreadsheets, but are designing leadership programmes, building culture and driving growth.
It’s Not the Future. It’s Already Here
The latest HR Management Systems are predicting issues, fixing them early and freeing up HR professionals to focus on what matters most - people, not paperwork.
The results speak for themselves: PwC reports that companies using AI in workforce management are seeing 15% higher retention rates, and the Harvard Business Review predicts AI will wipe out 40% of HR admin tasks by 2030.
But let’s be clear, AI isn’t about replacing HR teams, it’s about enabling them to do higher-value work - driving development, building engagement and shaping a workplace culture where people thrive.
AI is no longer "emerging tech" for HR, it’s essential infrastructure. If your HR processes are still manual, reactive, and bogged down in admin, it’s probably time for a rethink.