AI in Call Centers: HR Guide to Managing Automation Risks

The national call‑center strike has pulled back the curtain on a looming wave of automation, with unions warning that up to 13,000 positions in Italy’s telecom sector could disappear. For HR leaders, the headline fact is clear: a human‑centric transition plan is now essential to avoid costly reputational fallout and preserve workforce morale.

What happened

According to Best Tech Partner, the strike highlights a deep tension between technology and labour, with 13,000 jobs estimated at risk from “wild” automation. The Ministry of Labour’s observatory is urging a human‑centric approach to safeguard professional dignity. The article notes that simply cutting costs is insufficient; managers must also weigh reputational risk tied to a poorly handled tech rollout.

Best Tech Partner reports that successful AI integration in call centers hinges on hiring an automation specialist, as “nearly 49% of new profiles require advanced IT and mathematical skills” (Unioncamere data). The firm claims it can locate such talent within an average of 30 days from mandate. The Italian market, however, suffers a “strong deficit of specific digital competencies,” making recruitment challenging.

Adoption of CRM systems reached 73.6% in the telecom sector in 2025, underscoring that automation costs extend beyond software licences to workforce re‑organisation. Transforming seasoned agents into AI‑supervisors can reduce turnover and retain institutional know‑how, while a hybrid model—bots handling first‑level queries and humans tackling complex cases—requires new shift designs based on analytical and problem‑solving skills.

The article also stresses compliance with institutional guidelines to maintain operational continuity, prevent service outages, and avoid data loss. Continuous training is presented as a mitigation against early‑stage generative‑AI errors, and an immediate internal audit of current digital skills is recommended before any new software implementation.

Why it matters for small HR teams

For small HR teams, these findings translate into three urgent imperatives. First, the 13,000‑job risk figure is not abstract; it signals a real threat to morale and brand perception if layoffs are perceived as indiscriminate. A transparent, human‑centric transition can soften that blow and keep employee engagement high.

Second, the 49% figure reveals that half of the future talent pool will need capabilities far beyond traditional call‑center skills. Small firms often lack the bandwidth to run lengthy recruitment drives, so upskilling existing staff becomes a cost‑effective way to meet the demand for analytical and technical expertise.

Third, the hybrid AI‑human model demands a re‑thinking of shift patterns and performance metrics. Without clear role definitions and reskilling pathways, resistance can stall the expected efficiency gains, turning automation into a bottleneck rather than a catalyst.

In short, HR leaders must treat AI adoption as a people‑first project, balancing technology benefits with ethical workforce stewardship.

What to do this week

1. Launch a rapid internal audit to map current digital competencies and identify skill gaps among your call‑center staff.
2. Design a concise reskilling roadmap that moves at least 20% of agents into AI‑supervisor roles within the next three months, leveraging existing training resources.
3. Initiate a targeted search for an automation specialist, setting a 30‑day deadline for candidate shortlisting as suggested by Best Tech Partner.

Sources

• Intelligenza artificiale per call center: gestire il personale — Best Tech Partner