The strain is showing. Recent research reveals that 84% of HR leaders report frequent stress, 81% feel burnt out, and 95% describe the job as "too much work and stress." Other surveys report HR departments are increasingly “stretched beyond capacity” with survey participants reporting a deterioration in the quality and effectiveness of their work.

The implications for businesses are tremendous, with declining employee recruitment and retention rates tied to an overworked HR team making it harder for organizations to adequately staff for current demands, let alone the future. With the monthly cost of an unfilled position ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, depending on seniority of the role and the industry, and replacement costs as high as 200% of a typical employee’s annual salary, getting the most from existing employees is absolutely critical.

Employee engagement too is in decline due to lack of support, engagement and career clarity with quiet-quiting becoming an increasing norm. This is becoming a troubling trend when a few percentage points decline in employee engagement can translate into millions of dollars lost output for a firm.

Clearly, something has to give, and increasingly, the answer isn't more headcount or another point solution. The organizations pulling ahead aren't doing more with less; they're fundamentally rethinking what HR does, what AI does, and where the two meet.