Why Talent Acquisition Teams Must Embrace AI in the Right Way or Risk Being Left Behind

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By Euan Cameron On Jul 17, 2024

How AI is going to impact functions across organizations towards the top of almost all agendas at present – and hiring is no different.

A recent Deloitte study found the evolution of the tech is the second biggest trend boards expect to impact their future workforces. Our own trends Report, published earlier this year, found that close to 80% of talent acquisition leaders expect to implement AI in hiring processes in some way – although a significant percentage (45.2%) believe it should be done cautiously.

What’s changing, however, is that the choice on whether to use AI in hiring is rapidly being taken out of the hands of organizations, as candidate expectations and developments in the tech mean those who don’t embrace it risk being left behind. Instead, the focus is now on how to ethically integrate AI to improve efficiency and candidate experience. This isn’t just about keeping up with technology; it’s about setting new standards in talent acquisition.

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It’s why we conducted a recent study, Hiring Humans, to shed more light on how hiring managers at organizations from startups to Fortune 500 companies, including industry giants like Toyota and Accenture, are approaching the technology, and what they’re considering when doing so. The paper explores how organizations can ethically and effectively implement AI technology to improve their hiring processes.

The research, highlighted a significant shift – traditional hiring methods, particularly those focused on qualifications and experience tested by standardized assessment, are quickly becoming outdated.

It’s more than a trend too, it’s a necessary evolution driven by AI’s capabilities.

Research by UK-based recruitment assessment firm Arctic Shores’ shows that ChatGPT, an AI language model, outperforms 98.8% of candidates in verbal reasoning tests. This raises a critical question for us in the hiring field – if AI can excel in these assessments, are we measuring the right attributes in our candidates?

The AI and hiring experts interviewed emphasized that we need to move away from conventional skill assessments and instead focus on attributes such as critical thinking, independent time management, and collaboration. This change is not just about keeping pace with technological advancements, it’s about ensuring we identify qualities in candidates that reflect their potential to thrive in dynamic and complex work environments.

One of the most compelling aspects of the study is how candidate expectations are driving AI adoption in hiring processes. Today’s candidates, especially those targeting positions in forward-thinking organizations, expect the best companies to be leveraging the latest technology. Consequently, companies that don’t use AI in their recruitment processes risk being perceived as outdated and irrelevant.

It’s a compelling argument for firms to adopt AI not only for efficiency, but to enhance the candidate experience and maintain a competitive edge in attracting top talent.

Naturally, incorporating AI into hiring practices comes with its set of challenges, including concerns about bias, ethical usage, and balancing human judgement with machine efficiency. Willo has always said that AI must be used in tandem with human input and oversight, it’s a tool to enhance human capability, not replace it.

Looking ahead, it’s clear AI will play an increasingly integral role in recruitment – what organizations must do is navigate this new landscape ethically and effectively. The goal is to ensure that AI not only improves hiring outcomes and process efficiency but also enhances the overall candidate experience – which is essential for employer brand.

By redefining what we value in candidates and leveraging AI to enhance the recruitment process, we can build more effective, efficient, and future-ready organizations. As we continue to explore and implement these advances, it’s an exciting time to be at the forefront of talent acquisition, as the experts in our research attest to.

The choice may have been taken away from organizations on whether to use AI in their hiring processes, but control of how to implement it remains very much in their hands. The best organizations will embrace the capability, and use it in tandem with human-led input to yield the best results. The largest companies in the world are already looking at this, and where the biggest organizations go, the rest follow.

To help, hiring managers and talent acquisition teams navigating the challenges associated with implementing AI, they should consider the following:

Define Clear Objectives: Determine what you aim to achieve with AI. Whether it’s improving efficiency, reducing bias, or enhancing the candidate experience, having clear goals will guide the implementation process.

Select the Right Tools: Not all AI tools are created equal. Choose solutions that align with your objectives and have a proven track record of success.
Train Your Team: Ensure that your talent acquisition team is well-versed in using AI tools and understands their implications. Training is essential for ethical and effective use.
Pilot and Iterate: Start with a pilot program to test the AI tools in a controlled environment. Use the insights gained to make necessary adjustments.
Monitor and Evaluate: Continuously monitor the performance of AI tools and evaluate their impact on your hiring process. Be prepared to make changes as needed.

6. Ensure Transparency and Compliance: Maintain transparency with candidates about the use of AI in the hiring process and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and ethical standards. We’ve put together internal and external communication templates to help organisations to this

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