Job profiling is a structured process that identifies the skills, experience, and personality required for a specific job.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a positive tool for many businesses by reducing employee workloads.
Artificial Intelligence has streamlined and transformed Human Resources processes, from recruitment to performance reviews.
Executive Job Evaluation and Job Profiling Expert at 21st Century, Chimoné Zaayman says AI can analyse large datasets, crunch numbers and generate suggestions. Still, it struggles to adhere to the detailed rules governing job profiling and evaluation.
Job profiling is a structured process that identifies the skills, experience, and personality required for a specific job. It also defines the responsibilities of the role.
“In fact, relying too much solely on AI for job profiles leads to big problems that result in underwritten or overwritten profiles, leading to inaccurate job evaluations and a snowball effect on remuneration and all the other HR processes.”
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Why AI can’t replace human expertise
She lists six reasons AI cannot replace human expertise in job profiling.
1. AI fails to use job profiling and job evaluation rules correctly
Zaayman says job profiling follows specific language rules and frameworks to ensure that roles are clearly defined and aligned with organisational standards.
“AI lacks the contextual understanding needed to apply these frameworks accurately.”
She highlights that AI fails to capture the appropriate level of detail regarding job profiles, which leads to underwritten profiles where key accountabilities are confused with responsibilities.
2. Snowball effect on job evaluations and remuneration
“Inaccurate job profiles affect more than just the description of a role; they can have a ripple effect across the entire organisation, especially in areas like job evaluation and remuneration,” adds Zaayman.
She says underwritten profiles may lead to under-evaluated roles.
“Since salary benchmarking is linked to the base pay or Total Package of employees in most organisations, it causes employees to be placed on a lower pay scale than they should be.”
Overwritten profiles, on the other hand, can lead to inflated job evaluations, where roles are over-graded, and employees are compensated more than their actual responsibilities justify.
Over time, this distorts the company’s pay structure, creating inconsistencies that are hard to rectify and can lead to financial inefficiencies.
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3. AI struggles with contextual understanding
Zaayman adds that another major flaw of AI in job profiling is its inability to understand the organisational context and the nuanced requirements of a specific role.
Job profiles are not just about technical skills; they often need to incorporate the need for scarce skills, special working conditions, and the role’s contribution to the organisation’s strategic goals.
“AI might be able to list typical qualifications or technical requirements, but it cannot truly understand the context in which a role operates.
“For example, a managerial position may require the ability to lead in a specific corporate culture, or a specialist role might need unique problem-solving skills that aren’t easily captured by AI-generated profiles.
“Human insight is critical in this case to ensure that the job profile reflects the actual needs of the business and the responsibilities/accountabilities of the role.”
4. Language precision and clarity matter
“Job profiles require precise language to convey the role’s responsibilities. AI can produce generic or unclear descriptions, leading to confusion during recruitment, job evaluations, and even performance reviews,” she adds.
Those employed in the field understand how to write profiles that are clear, concise, and aligned with organisational values.
They also ensure that the profile accurately reflects both the technical and interpersonal skills required for the role.
“For example, making use of the words: ‘Develop strategy, policies and processes’ versus ‘Provide input into developing strategy, policies and procedures’ can have a major impact on the potential outcome of evaluation results, as it is the difference between being accountable VS responsible for something.”
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5. The Broader HR Impact
“The implications of underwritten or overwritten job profiles extend beyond pay grades and immediate evaluations.
“Inaccurate profiles can also distort performance appraisals, succession planning, and even equity and fairness in the workplace.”
She believes AI can support HR processes such as analysing market trends or suggesting relevant skills for specific roles.
She emphasises that it is essential to remember that AI is just a tool; it cannot replace the human expertise required to create job profiles that accurately reflect the position in real life and align with an organisation’s strategic goals.
