The application of the sensemaking perspective for the examination of employees’ behavioural responses to the HR chatbot

Abstract Background and Purpose The emergence of new technologies affects different business areas, including HR activities. Employee communication is an HR activity that can be automated with the application of chatbots. Besides the numerous advantages these artificial entities offer, the challenges generated by them also need to be considered. One such challenge is user acceptance, which plays a substantial role in the implementation. This study aims to explore employees’ behavioural responses to HR chatbots. Thus, we applied the sensemaking perspective, according to which new, unknown phenomena induce the need for interpretation in individuals that simultaneously shape individuals’ behaviour toward the phenomenon. Methodology For data collection, we conducted semi-structured interviews that were analysed with interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). The sample consisted of 6 HR professionals and ten general users. The study took place at the Hungarian organisations of a multinational company. Results The analysis revealed that subjects who attributed positive meanings to the HR chatbot typically engaged in actions that aligned with organisational expectations, i.e., using the digital assistant became part of their routine. Interestingly, the closer HR professionals are to technology in their work activities, the more positively they perceive it. However, having ambivalent feelings towards technology resulted in occasional use or avoidance, while experiencing negative feelings led to the rejection of use. Conclusion We explored the different meanings employees attributed to the HR bot and their actions directed towards it both in the initial and transitional technology adoption phase. The results contribute to understanding how an HR chatbot can be successfully implemented in an organisation.