Transforming Employee Experience with the New Self-Service Agent

The world of HR and IT service delivery is poised for a significant transformation, and it’s all about convenience for employees. As we approach 2025, a pivotal change is on the horizon with the introduction of the Employee Self-Service Agent, an innovative solution designed to streamline various workplace services. This tool is part of the Microsoft 365 Copilot license and will also be available to non-licensed users on a pay-per-use basis via Copilot Chat starting June 2025.

Our employees today desire a unified platform where they can manage multiple requests, whether it’s a parental leave query or securing a VPN connection. Meanwhile, HR and IT teams need efficient ways to scale, streamline their services, and decrease the number of support tickets. By leveraging advanced AI, the Employee Self-Service Agent promises to meet these needs head-on.

This new agent integrates with major systems such as Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, and ServiceNow, along with Microsoft SharePoint. Through this integration, employees can access personalized assistance and tackle everyday tasks easily. The goal is to minimize friction in support resolutions while reducing operational overhead for organizations.

Real-world feedback has been invaluable during the tool’s private preview phase. For example, Dave Warren, HR Digital Portfolio Manager at Chevron, notes that various functions within a company look to the self-service agent to improve the digital experience across the board. Similarly, a private preview customer expressed the need for a single entry point for answers from various platforms like ServiceNow and Workday, which the agent successfully addresses.

A key feature of the Employee Self-Service Agent is its ability to provide reliable, AI-driven responses for important employee inquiries. HR and IT teams can now blend AI capabilities with administrative oversight to ensure accuracy and compliance. This includes setting up specific knowledge bases that can deliver exact answers. For sensitive HR matters, the tool is designed to offer options for escalation, such as connecting to a live agent through ServiceNow or creating a ticket directly.

The integration capabilities extend to enabling users to update their personal data seamlessly, like phone numbers and addresses, through dedicated connectors to platforms like Workday and ServiceNow. Employees can also check on their benefits or understand their IT policies without jumping between different systems.

Moreover, it doesn’t stop there. The Employee Self-Service Agent is structured to support multi-agent experiences, allowing handoffs to specialized agents for tackling complex HR tasks. For instance, if an employee seeks assistance with peer reviews or goal updates, the system can transfer them to the Workday Agent, thereby providing high-quality, relevant support without unnecessary delays.

Microsoft continues to innovate with further enhancements planned for this agent. By the second half of 2025, the Agent will expand its functionalities to accommodate various scenarios, including benefits management and training, ensuring that it evolves alongside organizational needs.

From a practical standpoint, the benefits of this tool are clear. The Employee Self-Service Agent ensures 24/7 support availability, streamlining processes such as leave applications and payroll queries. By significantly decreasing the dependency on service teams for common inquiries, the initiative helps cut operational costs while enhancing employee satisfaction.

The customization aspect of the Employee Self-Service Agent is another important feature. Companies can tailor the system according to their specific requirements, ensuring that it meets the distinctive needs of their workplace environment.

In summary, the Employee Self-Service Agent is set to redefine HR and IT service delivery, providing employees with easy access to resources and support. As organizations prepare to adopt this innovative solution, it presents an exciting opportunity to enhance employee engagement and operational efficiency.

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