Ciphr launches new AI HR assistant

Ciphr’s in-built chatbot assistant, which is being rolled out to Ciphr HR customers from this month, can be activated with a single click. Its easy-to-use, natural language interface enables conversational data exploration, so users can find information from across their HR system quickly and continuously. What they can access will depend on existing permission settings for their role.

For employees it means improved self-service for common HR queries. They can ask about their remaining holiday allowance, for example, and then book time off using the AI assistant without any further form-filling. Soon, it’ll also be able to answer questions about their organisation’s HR policies, including direct citations and links to source documents for further reading.

Managers and HR users will see even bigger benefits and time savings, with less reporting delays and less administration for everyday actions. 

Ciphr's HR AI assistant encourages admin users to easily interact with their people data using ‘normal’ conversational queries (and follow-up questions) to surface real-time, accurate insights. It provides immediate and clear visibility into their HR system’s data at an individual or team level, across multiple departments or the entire company, without using dashboards or navigating through multiple filters. Making it easier to get quick intel about who’s off on a certain day to identify overlapping holidays, or who hasn’t completed specific training to spot compliance gaps without needing to build reports. Or they can dig deeper into sickness absence patterns, employee tenure trends, performance reviews, skills and qualifications, and pay history. Ciphr HR’s assistant will generate a personalised response, including summaries, tables and charts, in seconds. 

Key benefits:

• Enables faster, ad-hoc data exploration

• Gives instant and consistent answers to queries to inform decision making

• Reduces technical barriers and reporting delays

• Handles routine HR queries from employees, saving on HR admin

• Simplifies absence management tasks

• Supports 24/7 access, converses in multiple languages

 

Many HR leaders see “ensuring effective, secure and ethical use of AI” as one of their biggest HR challenges this year, according to a recent Ciphr survey. That’s why Ciphr has focused on building AI capabilities with data privacy, accuracy, and oversight of AI outputs top of mind.

Sion Lewis, CEO of Ciphr, says: “HR teams want AI that takes the administrative burden off their plates, that gives them better insights, and that works securely within their data boundaries. And that’s what we’ve been developing at Ciphr – practical AI tools, like our new HR assistant, which solve real challenges, add real value, and delivers real efficiency gains. 

“AI in HR done well is an enabler. It can lessen time-consuming admin tasks, and busywork with little strategic value, and empower HR professionals to do more of what they do best: support their people and drive organisational growth.

“HR teams are stretched in every direction, they have more compliance pressures than ever, and heavy workloads continue to contribute to HR stress. The organisations who start experimenting with AI now (even in small ways), and focus on maximising the benefits, are going to be the ones with a more competitive edge and a more resilient HR function in the years to come.”

Feedback from customers using Ciphr’s HR AI assistant in the early adopter phase has been overwhelmingly positive. 

Paultons Park’s HR team were among the first to trial its capabilities. Matthew Buckler, assistant HR & central services manager at Paultons Park, says: “We came to Ciphr’s AI chatbot as an early adopter, and the value was clear almost immediately. Data that used to require running a formal report is now accessible in seconds – I can just ask the question and get the answer. For our employees, being able to check holiday balances or find information through simple conversation is exactly what a mobile-first workforce needs – I can’t wait for them to get access via their mobiles. This isn’t an incremental improvement, it genuinely changes how our people interact with HR.” 

Karen Lough, director of people at Ciphr, adds: “HR teams have always been the keepers of critical people data – but accessing it quickly, in the moment you need it, has usually meant building reports, chasing the people team, or navigating multiple system screens. Ciphr’s HR AI assistant changes that completely. Asking a natural language question and getting an instant, accurate answer is a genuinely different way of working – for HR leaders and managers who need fast intel, and for employees who want answers without raising an HR ticket. Fewer inbound queries and more time for the work that matters is something we can all buy into.”

To request a demo, please visit www.ciphr.com/request-a-ciphr-demo 

Future iterations will include broader absence type booking, the ability to amend and cancel bookings, bulk approvals for managers, return-to-work interview support, and approval delegation.

Ciphr is committed to delivering functionality-rich, people-centric technology that helps organisations to make better, data-driven decisions when it comes to recruiting, managing, developing and retaining their people, so they continue to grow and succeed. The Group’s software rollout roadmap includes plans to integrate AI across its suite of products, including its LMS, employee benefits platform, and payroll software.

Ciphr recently announced the launch of an AI form summarisation tool within its talent management functionality. The built-in AI analyses historical performance reviews and 1-to-1 discussions recorded in the Ciphr HR system to generate suggested responses for current performance appraisals, saving time and enabling better development conversations.

Personalised AI coaching is also now available to Ciphr customers, thanks to its partnership with MyTeamBuilder. The personal AI coach uses personality psychology to provide employees and managers with ‘always on’ data-driven coaching and resources to support professional growth and boost team cohesion. 

Ciphr is the go-to HR, payroll and benefits software partner for UK organisations with 200 to 2,000 employees. Its integrated HR, payroll, benefits, learning and recruitment software, services and content provide invaluable insights to HR teams to help inform their people strategy and grow and develop their organisations. Ciphr is on a mission to amplify the voice and value of HR through intelligent people data solutions that help HR be heard – in the boardroom and across the business.

More than 1,400 organisations use people management solutions from Ciphr, including Natural History Museum, Haygrove, Amaze Hotels, Barnardo's, University of Cambridge, CitySprint, Crisis UK, Coople, Greater London Authority, the Irish Universities Association, Lebara, Action Against Hunger, Eversheds Sutherland, the Church of England, Evri, Allpay, Bensons for Beds, Jonas, Taylor Wessing, Newcastle University, Bunzl, Bluelight Commercial, Prudential, University of Oxford, Together Housing, AND Digital, Knauf, Aptos, and Crest Nicholson.

For more information, please visit www.ciphr.com. 

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Media enquiries:

Emma-Louise Jones, digital PR manager at Ciphr
e:  ejones@ciphr.com  

Chris Boddice, chief marketing officer at Ciphr
e: cboddice@ciphr.com
Website: www.ciphr.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ciphr 

About Ciphr

Ciphr is the go-to HR, payroll and benefits software partner for UK organisations with 200 to 2,000 employees. Its integrated HR, payroll, benefits, learning and recruitment software, services and content provide invaluable insights to HR teams to help inform their people strategy and grow and develop their organisations. Ciphr is on a mission to amplify the voice and value of HR through intelligent people data solutions that help HR be heard – in the boardroom and across the business. 

The Ciphr Group is a privately held company backed by ECI Partners and headquartered in Reading. Over 230 employees work across the group, which includes Ciphr and Avantus (FlexGenius), as well as its previous acquisition Marshall E-Learning (now known as Ciphr eLearning). 

Ciphr spokespeople are available to provide expert media comment on a broad range of topics, including HR strategy, people management, employee experience and wellbeing, AI in HR, payroll, benefits and rewards, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), learning and development, the future of work, tech trends, business and leadership, marketing, and more.