Chatbots in HR are one of the most powerful modern productivity trends.
Let’s talk about benefits like powered-up efficiency and 24/7 support. Then see how chatbots handle tasks like onboarding, benefits, and feedback.
Finally, we’ll discuss building your own Lindy HR chatbot, so you can automate and innovate.
Let’s get started.
The benefits of HR chatbots
Chatbots have quite a few benefits for HR — most importantly, the fact that you won’t have to field questions about PTO for the millionth time.
Here’s how chatbots can take things off your plate:
- Efficiency at its finest. Imagine never having to explain your company’s complex benefits program to employees again. Chatbots can field common questions instantly without needing bathroom breaks or vacations.
- No waiting around. Chatbots provide forever support to your employees. Bots don’t sleep, so your employees can get the information they need anytime day or night.
- Scaling made simple. As your company grows, so does your HR workload. Yikes! Chatbots make scaling a breeze since they can handle an endless influx of questions, requests, and tasks without needing bigger office space or more resources. No more scrambling to keep up with increasing demands.
- Data that you can actually do something with. Every conversation with a chatbot produces valuable data about your employees and processes. Bots keep records of all interactions which provide major insights to help improve HR initiatives and uncover important trends. You’ll have the information you need to make data-driven decisions that benefit both employees and the company.
Improving and refining onboarding with an HR chatbot
Onboarding new employees can be like hosting a party — you want everyone to feel welcome. An HR chatbot can be like the peppy doorman at the door, ready to answer any questions with a smile.
- It never gets tired of saying, “Welcome!” Using a chatbot for onboarding means new hires get instant answers to FAQs about everything from dress code to parking spots. No more waiting for an email back from HR or bugging their new boss on the first day. A chatbot is there to walk them through paperwork, policies, and next steps so they can focus on the fun stuff — like decorating their new desk or joining the lunchtime soccer league.
- A chatbot frees up human HR reps. Let people handle tricky negotiations or personal introductions. While the chatbot is busy helping newbies enroll in healthcare and choose their 401k funds, your HR team can meet with executives or take new hires out for a welcome lunch.
- They get smarter all the time thanks to analytics. If a lot of new hires are confused about a certain policy or process, the chatbot can let HR know. Its knowledge base constantly improves to serve the next batch of eager new employees better.
Managing benefit package administration with an HR chatbot
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a chatbot that could handle some of the routine questions, like a smart virtual assistant? Well, there is.
Now, your employees can get answers to common questions about their benefits instantly without waiting on hold or sending multiple emails.
Let’s go in a bit deeper:
- They can go ahead and explain those eligibility requirements. An HR chatbot can walk employees through the details of their medical, dental, vision, and other benefits packages, outlining exactly what’s covered for them and their dependents.
- Submitting and tracking claims electronically. Filing and following up on insurance claims is enough to give anyone a headache. An HR chatbot can make the process virtually painless by allowing employees to submit claims electronically through an easy-to-use interface. The chatbot will review the claim for accuracy, submit it to the insurance provider on the employee’s behalf, and track its status through to payment — all without HR lifting a finger.
- Unlike HR staff, a chatbot never sleeps. Employees can get answers to questions about their benefits anytime, day or night. No more waiting until the next business day for a response or help resolving an issue. With a chatbot, your benefits support is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Chatbots in HR for learning and development
Want to upskill your employees but don't have the time or resources to develop personalized learning programs?
Chatbots can help, and here’s how:
- Spotting skill gaps: Chatbots can regularly survey employees to determine what skills they want or need to develop. By analyzing the results, chatbots can identify trends and areas where additional training would benefit both employees and the organization.
- Recommending relevant resources: Once skill gaps have been identified, chatbots can suggest online courses, videos, books, and other resources to help employees strengthen key competencies. Chatbots have access to thousands of materials and can match content to employees' specific needs and interests. Employees can get started right away, rather than waiting for HR to develop customized programs.
- Tracking progress: Chatbots never stop working, so they can keep tabs on which employees have completed recommended resources and follow up to see how new skills are being applied. This helps guarantee training initiatives are effective and employees feel supported in their ongoing development.
HR chatbots for leave requests and management
There’s nothing like making a leave request and having to wait a million years for a decision.
Here’s how chatbots can help with requests:
- Chatbots can take the headache out of managing time off. Instead of filling out forms and waiting for approvals, employees can simply tell the chatbot what kind of leave they want to take and when. The chatbot will walk them through the request, making sure all the necessary details are provided so HR has everything needed to process it.
- Bots can alert the employee. AI lets them know the request has been received and when they can expect an update. No more wondering if the time off was approved or if the request got lost somewhere in the HR backlog. The chatbot is on the case and will provide status updates as the request moves through the approval pipeline.
- Chatbots have all your policies in their programming. AI bots can absorb company leave policies, guidelines, and processes into their systems. They can quickly determine if a request adheres to policy or if additional approvals or exceptions are needed. The chatbot acts as an impartial policy enforcer, freeing up HR from having to repeatedly explain policies and procedures to employees.
Chatbots for feedback on HR initiatives
You’ve launched some new programs in the HR department recently, like that mindfulness app or the mentorship program. But how do you know if your employees actually, you know, like them?
Yes, a chatbot can help:
- Poking around for feedback: Chatbots are great at casually dropping in on employees and asking how they’re doing with the latest HR initiatives. A simple, “How’s that new wellness challenge going? Finding it helpful?” can start a conversation where the chatbot gently probes for feedback. Employees may feel more comfortable opening up to a chatbot rather than reporting directly to HR.
- Following up without nagging: A chatbot never gets tired of following up and never comes across as nagging. It can check in on employees who started a new program but didn’t finish it, asking open-ended questions to understand why their participation dropped off. Its persistence may even encourage some employees to re-engage!
How to make an HR chatbot with Lindy
Tired of answering the same HR questions over and over again? Well, good news! You can build your very own HR chatbot with Lindy, even if you don't know a lick of code.
Here's a quick and easy guide to get you started:
Option 1) Pre-built templates (easy)
- Sign up for Lindy (it's free!): Head over to Lindy.ai and create a free account. You'll get a 7-day trial to test out all the features, and then it's only $49 per month.
- Check out the marketplace: Take a peek at the marketplace. There might be a pre-built HR chatbot template that's perfect for your needs. No need to reinvent the wheel!
- Tell Lindy what you need: If you can't find a template, no worries. Just type in a request like "I need help creating an HR chatbot," and Lindy will guide you through the process.
- Connect your tools: Lindy plays well with others! Connect it to your HR software, Slack, email, and any other tools you use regularly.
Option 2) Build your own
- Click the "+" button: In your Lindy dashboard, click the "+" button to create a new Lindy.
- Name your chatbot: Give it a catchy name that your employees will remember.
- Define its purpose: Tell Lindy what you want your chatbot to do. For example, "Answer HR questions about benefits and time off."
- Provide examples: Show Lindy how you want your chatbot to respond to specific questions. This will help it learn and provide better answers over time.
- Test and refine: Have a conversation with your chatbot and see how it performs. Make adjustments as needed until you’re ready for the big reveal!
Summing up
At first glance, it may seem like chatbots in HR are just a passing tech fad — but don't dismiss them so quickly.
Implementing an HR chatbot may be just what your HR department needs — we're talking boosted efficiency, 24/7 support, and priceless insights into making your workforce happier.
Next steps
Lindy isn't just an AI tool; it's an all-in-one AI suite that can tackle common HR challenges — and way more.
How Lindy helps:
- The gift of gab: Lindy understands context and nuance, allowing for more natural and effective communication — just like chatting with a colleague.
- Keeps learning from you: Lindy is always learning from your interactions and feedback, constantly improving its ability to anticipate your needs.
- Adapts to your way of working: You don't need to be a tech whiz to tailor Lindy to the way you do things, not the other way around.
- Connects with 3,000+ tools: Lindy plays along with others, integrating with the tools you already use, from email and calendars to project management software and CRMs.
- Builds a team of AI helpers: Create a whole team of Lindy AI agents (“Lindies”), each specializing in different tasks like customer support, candidate sourcing, or interview scheduling. Then watch them work together like a team to tackle complex projects.
- Easy onboarding: Lindy can handle those dreary onboarding tasks, from sending welcome emails to collecting new hire paperwork, so your HR team can focus on creating a great first impression.
- Creates personalized learning paths for each employee: Lindy can help you make sure everyone has the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
- Reimagines performance management: Streamline performance reviews, goal setting, and feedback processes, making it easier to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
- Make data-driven decisions: Get real-time insights into your HR data to make informed decisions about talent acquisition, retention, and engagement.
Don’t take our word for it: Try out Lindy for free.
