While the Clergy only has a 0.81% probability of automation, according to data from the book “The Future of Jobs” the author believes even algorithms might one day replace the ordained! Earlier this year I attended one of the ‘Banter series’ at the Bullitt hotel entitled ‘The Robots are coming’ there is no doubt that artificial intelligence is here and growing at a rapid rate.

At the event there was a very lively discussing about artificial intelligence and jobs it will replace in coming years especially in manufacturing and supermarket sectors but equally about the ‘soft skills’ that robots can’t replace. I attended this event with one of my fellow Belfast PA Network committee members. Both Lorna and I can do our jobs because of cloud based technology, apps and smart devices but more so because of our emotional intelligence and emotional intelligence is something that can’t be taught to a robot (at least not yet!).

I read an article about a year ago about how the art of making locks was going to be lost because of smart technology and on Friday past I saw an advert that Yale have made a key-less smart door lock for residential use so no more dramas of broken or lost keys!

Technology for conducting meetings

There have been so many advances and there is so much technology available now:

-to conduct virtual meetings with platforms like Zoom, GoTO, Webinarjam

-to record minutes (smartphones, business multi-way Skype calls, video conferencing etc).

-to transcribe minutes allowing you to listen at a slower pace and hotkeys on your keyboard to allow you to pause/fast forward etc.

-to translate into foreign language (#caveat here as a foreign language student I state that no technology is smart enough yet to pick up on the nuances of language)

I often take minutes at HR Investigations and Committees meetings and despite all these advances, technology can’t teach you:

·        How to interact with people when you enter a room

·        How to let someone pause if they are upset or people are talking over each other

·        Technology can’t decipher voices if the recording device is placed next to someone rustling papers!

5 advantages of hiring an external independent minute taker

Whether you are the Chairperson of a Board of Directors/Committee or conducting a HR investigation, here are 5 advantages of letting someone external and independent take minutes for you at a meeting:

1.   Allows you to really concentrate on what is being said in the room

2.   Allows you to really concentrate on what is not being said and body language of others which may be just as important!

3.   Forces you to be succinct so that actions are clear to everyone

4.   Gives you the time after the meeting to follow up action points rather than losing hours typing up minutes

5.   As I’m independent and neutral meeting participants are often more comfortable speaking openly than if the minute taker is part of organisation

So, if you are on a Board of Directors on Committee and need someone neutral, professional and trustworthy to help take minutes at any kind of meeting please get in touch today. The Robots are coming but they can’t replace everything yet!