Informed HR for a Better Workplace

ChatGPT in HR: What It Can Do — and What It Can’t

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by

Asmaa Ebrahimian
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When ChatGPT first made waves, many HR professionals wondered: Is this just another tech trend, or could it really change the way we work?

After digging deep into how it functions and what it can realistically offer HR teams, I’ve come to a clear conclusion:
ChatGPT is not a magic wand, but it is a powerful support tool. Used right, it can help HR professionals work faster, write better, and think more creatively. But like any tool, it requires human judgment, ethical use, and strategic thinking.

Let’s unpack what that means for us in HR.

🔮 What Is ChatGPT, Really?

ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI. It was trained on huge amounts of data from the internet — books, blogs, websites, forums, and more. The goal? To predict the next word in a sentence in a way that sounds human.

It doesn’t “know” facts or understand context like a person would. It predicts text based on patterns.

So while it can sound intelligent, it’s essentially autocomplete on steroids. That distinction matters a lot for HR professionals.

📊 What ChatGPT Can Do for HR

Used with care, ChatGPT can become a productivity enhancer. Here are a few of my favorite use cases:

1. Writing Support:
Drafting job descriptions, onboarding messages, HR policies, or internal communication? ChatGPT can give you a clear first draft. You still need to review for tone, accuracy, and legality, but it saves a lot of time.

2. Brainstorming & Ideation:
Need ideas for improving employee engagement or designing a training program? You can prompt ChatGPT for suggestions and use them as a starting point for deeper strategy work.

3. Summarizing Information:
You can input long pieces of text and ask ChatGPT to summarize, highlight key takeaways, or simplify legal/technical language into something more accessible for employees.

4. Policy Comparison & Revision:
Trying to modernize or regionalize HR policies? ChatGPT can help compare language across versions, propose edits, or help localize the tone.

5. Support with Surveys and Feedback:
ChatGPT can help refine the language of engagement surveys, pulse checks, and feedback forms so they are clear, neutral, and effective.

❌ What ChatGPT Can’t Do

1. It Can’t Replace Human Judgment
ChatGPT doesn’t know your people, culture, or context. It can’t decide what’s legally compliant in your region or what will resonate with your unique team.

2. It Doesn’t Guarantee Accuracy
It may generate plausible-sounding information that is completely false (a phenomenon called “hallucination”). Always fact-check!

3. It Lacks Emotional Intelligence
It can write in a tone you ask for, but it doesn’t feel anything. Empathy, timing, tone-shifting — these remain human skills.

4. It Can’t Interpret Complex Dynamics
ChatGPT doesn’t understand company politics, interpersonal conflicts, or unwritten workplace norms. It can offer advice, but not wisdom.

📈 The Research Speaks

In one MIT study, workers who used ChatGPT completed writing tasks 37% faster and produced outputs that were 20% higher in quality. That’s a meaningful productivity gain — especially for HR teams managing competing priorities.

But the study also confirmed: human oversight is still essential.

✨ How I Use It in My Own HR Work

  • I use it to draft content for onboarding emails, surveys, and policies — but I always localize the language.
  • I use it to brainstorm frameworks for new programs or initiatives.
  • I use it to summarize learning materials, helping me process content more efficiently.
  • I use it for practicing data storytelling and refining slide copy before meetings.

🤝 Final Thoughts: Partner with AI, Don’t Compete with It

ChatGPT can boost your productivity and creativity. But it’s not a replacement for your insight, experience, or care. The future of HR belongs to professionals who know when to use AI — and when to lean on human skill.

Use ChatGPT to:

  • Go faster (not skip thinking)
  • Spark ideas (not outsource strategy)
  • Build drafts (not avoid expertise)

If we use this tool responsibly, we can do more of what HR was meant to do: support people.

Sources & References:

  • MIT Working Paper: Noy & Zhang (2023), “Experimental Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Generative Artificial Intelligence”
  • OpenAI documentation on ChatGPT functionality
  • AIHR: ChatGPT for HR

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