.png)
Did you know there’s a near-even split between employees who have used generative artificial intelligence (AI) at work and those who haven’t? 49% of employees say they’ve never used AI at work, and only 20% use it daily or weekly. However, those who are using AI are reaping its benefits —80% say it’s already enhancing their productivity, a clear testament to its potential in the workplace.
The use of AI in human resources is a bit more complicated than in other business departments, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. In fact, it’s best to do the opposite to keep up with your hiring competitors. 84% of HR leaders expect increased productivity thanks to generative AI tools, and 81% of leaders are already exploring or using AI.
It’s clear that AI isn’t going anywhere, so it’s essential to prepare for the AI revolution and ensure you’re getting the most from your tools. If your team is using AI or plans to in the near future, now is the time to equip yourself with knowledge so you can leverage the tool to its full potential. One way to do that is by curating a library of prompts that fit a multitude of use cases to create high-quality output.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the benefits of AI in HR and then dig into how to write an effective AI prompt. Finally, we’ll share 12 AI prompt examples for HR to begin —or add to —your prompt library.
Why HR Is Using AI
Did you know that employees who use AI save an average of nearly two hours per day? Saving time each week is just one reason why 40% of HR professionals say they plan to incorporate automation and AI into their workflows this year. In addition to operating more efficiently, HR can use AI to increase accuracy, engage employees, and learn from their people data in every aspect of talent management.
HR teams are most often using generative AI and automation to create written materials faster than ever and streamline administrative tasks. Automating processes like data entry, candidate outreach, onboarding, performance review cycles, and other repetitive processes frees up hours of time. With the time they regain, your team can move beyond the logistical side of managing employees and instead work on developing a comprehensive talent management strategy and building relationships with employees.
In recruiting and hiring, AI can be used to create content and stay in touch with candidates. Generative AI tools are helping recruiters write job descriptions, create text and email templates, and compose offer letters. AI-powered chatbots are available 24/7 to field employees’ frequently asked questions and schedule interviews with applicants visiting your career site.
When applications start to roll in, an AI assistant can quickly identify top candidates based on the criteria set. That way, you can prioritize those top candidates and decrease your time-to-hire. Your HR team can also use AI to help develop strategies for engagement, retention, and performance by asking questions and providing context.
In short, HR has numerous use cases for AI, and teams are already using it to save time and refocus on their people.
How to Create Your Own AI Prompts
The output you get from generative AI tools, like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, is only as good as your input. For the best possible output, you need excellent input —or prompts. Here are some tips to help you create effective and relevant AI prompts for HR tasks.
1. Be specific.
Specific, straightforward prompts are best to help AI models understand what kind of output you’re looking for and generate the most accurate response. For example, if you want to leverage AI to create an onboarding plan for new hires in a particular role, your prompt should include the job title and industry.
The prompt should include any other important details for your plan, such as the desired length of onboarding, any specific training new hires will need to complete, and the inclusion of an icebreaker activity with new team members.
2. Provide context.
The more background information you can provide in your prompt, the better to improve AI-generated content. Context helps the AI put itself in your shoes and understand the “why” behind your prompt and your target audience. That gets you more relevant and effective responses.
To continue our example of creating an onboarding plan, you might give context by including why there’s a need for a new plan. You can also add details like the average experience level of new hires in the role and the skills they need to demonstrate to be fully productive. Whether it stems from high turnover among new hires or feedback from your employees that onboarding didn’t leave them feeling prepared for their roles, providing context gives AI more to consider.
3. Set objectives.
It’s clear that, well, clarity is the number one rule for your AI prompts, and that’s true with this tip. Just like setting goals at work helps you reach the desired outcome, including an objective in your AI prompt gets the most complete output. In our prompt to create an onboarding plan, the objective could be to increase new hire engagement and decrease turnover.
4. Define the answer format.
Another way to improve your AI prompts for HR is to tell the AI the format you want it to use for its response. We most commonly work with AI tools that produce text outputs, so you can ask for responses in an outline, numbered or bulleted list, or table. For example, your prompt for your new onboarding plan might ask the AI to separate the tasks under different headers for each day.
If you’re not ready to write your own prompt from scratch, don’t worry. We’ve compiled 12 of the best AI prompts for HR teams that you can try. These prompts can help you with tasks as simple as writing emails and as complex as developing career paths. Try them out to see how AI can help you break through writer’s block or inspire creative new strategies.
AI Prompts for Recruitment and Hiring
- Writing Job Descriptions: “Create a detailed job description for a [Job Role], highlighting [Key Skills] required for the role and aligning with [Description of Company Values and Culture] to ensure the candidate is a good fit. Emphasize the importance of [Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives] within our organization. Include responsibilities, qualifications, and how the role contributes to our company's goals and values. Use short paragraphs of copy and bullet points to list responsibilities, qualifications, and employee benefits.”
- Communicating With Candidates: "Draft a personalized email to engage a candidate who has been shortlisted for the [Job Title] position. The message should convey our excitement about their potential contribution to the [Department] team, highlight key aspects of our company culture that align with their experience, including [Key Values or Details About Company Culture], and encourage them to share any questions or thoughts they might have about the role or our organization. Include a call to action for scheduling an interview at their earliest convenience."
- Structuring Interview Processes: "Generate a comprehensive framework for a structured and standardized interview process tailored to [Position Name], which ensures fairness and inclusivity. Include a sequence of phases, starting from candidate greeting through to the conclusion, encompassing behavioral and technical question segments that are relevant to the role's responsibilities, and incorporate guidelines for maintaining consistency in questioning and evaluation across candidates to eliminate bias. Then, outline procedures for interviewer training on this framework to ensure every candidate is assessed fairly based on predetermined criteria."
- Nurturing Talent Pipeline: “Develop a personalized email template to target [Candidate Name] specifically. This template should focus on recognizing and highlighting their notable experience and achievements in [Field/Technology]. Emphasize the significant impact and value their expertise would bring to our team and overall objectives at [Company Name]. Additionally, briefly introduce our company culture and the potential for growth and opportunities within our organization, and include a CTA for scheduling an interview.”
AI Prompts for Engagement and Retention
Adjust prompt #6 for remote teams:
“Compose a survey for employees to gather insights into their preferences for virtual team-building activities. This survey should include questions about preferred types of activities (e.g., virtual team-building games, online skill-sharing sessions, interactive digital social events), availability and ideal frequency of events, and any suggestions for past activities they found particularly impactful or enjoyable. The goal is to compile data that will guide the planning of future team building initiatives, ensuring they are both engaging and conducive to strengthening team dynamics at [Company Name]."
- Recognizing Employee Achievements: "Acknowledge [Employee Name]'s exceptional work on [Project or Task] by composing a personalized message that showcases their [Specific Achievements], [Impact], and the [Value] they bring to our team. This act of recognition will boost their sense of appreciation and inclusion at [Company Name]."
- Planning In-Person Team Activities: “Compose a survey for employees to gather insights into their preferences for in-person team-building activities. This survey should include questions about preferred types of activities (e.g., outdoor adventures, skill-based workshops, casual social gatherings), availability and ideal frequency of events, and any suggestions for past activities they found particularly impactful or enjoyable. The goal is to compile data that will guide the planning of future team building initiatives, ensuring they are both engaging and conducive to strengthening team dynamics at [Company Name]."
- Developing Employee Wellness Programs: "Develop a set of questions to understand the wellness needs and preferences of employees at a company in the [Industry] industry. Tailor the wellness questions to not only cater to physical health but also support the mental and emotional well-being of our team, reflecting our commitment to their overall health."
- Sending Employee Satisfaction Surveys: "Craft a survey to collect feedback from employees on their level of satisfaction with their workplace and their preferences for how to improve the workplace, including [Potential Changes, e.g., changes to the office environment and flexible working options]."
AI Prompts for Performance Management
- Creating Performance Improvement Plans: "Generate a tailored performance improvement plan for a(n) [Employee Role], focusing on areas such as [Specific Skills to Improve] and [Performance Metrics to Meet], with a timeline of [Number of Weeks/Months]. Include actionable steps, support resources, and scheduled check-ins."
- Writing Performance Review Questions: "Draft a comprehensive template for quarterly performance reviews for [Job Title], incorporating sections for evaluating employees’ achievements against their set goals, areas for development, [Specific Skills], and overall contribution to [Project/Team]. Include prompts for feedback and future goal setting."
- Starting Lunch and Learns: “Develop a monthly 'Lunch and Learn' program for [Department or Role] that encourages employees to come together informally over lunch to dive into topics pertinent to their work or the latest industry trends. Plan each session to highlight a different theme, with speakers ranging from internal team members sharing their expertise to external professionals bringing fresh insights. This initiative will not only foster a culture of continuous learning but also promote cross-departmental collaboration and knowledge sharing.”
- Mapping Career Paths: "Design a workshop for HR and managers at [Company Name] focusing on the construction and refinement of career paths for employees in [Department]. The workshop should include exercises to identify key competencies and skills required for different roles within the [Industry/Field] [Company Name] operates in. Include guidelines for setting realistic career milestones, aligning employees' personal growth goals with organizational needs, and strategies for continuous learning and development. The objective is to empower managers to guide their teams effectively, ensuring each member has a clear understanding of their potential career trajectory within the company."
To get the best output from generative AI tools, you have to provide them with the most complete, specific information possible. Use our AI prompt templates and add your own information, and don’t hesitate to perform some prompt engineering and tailor them to fit your organization. Be sure to use AI tools responsibly and review responses for bias before using the output you receive.
Want to try AI without writing a single prompt? See its time-saving power with ClearCompany’s AI-Assisted Job Description Generator.
