The influence that the HR department has on the success and progression of a business cannot be understated. Since they are such a critical factor when it comes to bringing on new talent that could sway the company closer to their goals, HR reps must have the best resources available to find only the most qualified candidates.  

Sadly, many businesses fall short in this area – as over half of all recruiting leaders still state that finding the best candidates for the job is the most difficult challenge they face. However, utilising data-backed technology can make this task far easier and help hiring managers make better final decisions.

According to a study from HRWins, the use of technology systems specifically designed for talent acquisition and pre-employment assessment are directly tied to better results within the business. Therefore, adopting a more data-driven recruiting process is one of the smartest ways to improve your operation, and ultimately, the bottom line.

Here are four key reasons why your HR team should be using this kind of technology sooner rather than later.

1. Filter Through Qualified Candidates Faster

One of the most time-consuming tasks in the recruiting process is manually assessing each application and resume that comes flooding in once the job is posted. Recruiters are often inundated with a massive amount of applications, many of which are dismissed because they do not meet the requirements, making it a huge waste of precious time for the HR department.

In order to speed up this process, many recruiters are turning to AI for assistance. This task of assessing applications based on skill level, relevant experience, and other important qualifications can be conducted by AI automation systems for better talent acquisition.

This technology poses several other benefits beyond just a speedier assessment rate. It entirely removes recruiter bias from the equation, which means that candidates are only approved or passed over based on their qualifications. It also diminishes the chances of human error that can occur when recruiters skim over a resume. It is easy to overlook important information that may be hidden in text-heavy applications, but since AI technology is programmed to pick up on certain keywords and phrases, they will never be missed.

2. Creates a Better Candidate Experience

According to a Talent Board report, workers are far less likely to not only accept a position, but also to remain with a company if they have an unfavourable experience from the beginning. However, when they do have a positive experience throughout the entire recruiting and hiring process, it can increase the likelihood of long-term success. This report found that in order for a candidate to have a positive experience, they wanted to know what to expect before they arrived for an interview.

While recruiters traditionally just typed up a job description and passed that off as “enough information”, candidates these days want a more realistic preview of what they should expect. AI-assisted pre-employment assessments can be beneficial to use here because they provide both parties with highly relevant information about a position to move forward. First, it can provide candidates with a more accurate representation of the job they are applying for by asking situational questions and assessing their responses. From the HR department’s perspective, these assessments are designed to gauge key indicators like communication skills, problem-solving ability, and professional values. These reports can then be used by both the candidate and the recruiter to determine whether or not they would be a good fit based on their skill levels and working styles.

3. Supports a Smarter Interview

It is incredibly difficult to judge a candidate based solely on one (or even several) interviews. Of course, candidates are going to be on their best behaviour, and many will answer questions based on what they think their interviewer wants to hear – rather than speaking authentically. This can easily lead to poor hiring decisions, of which might not be fully realised until weeks – or even months – into the job.

While the interview process is certainly not going to go away any time soon (or be entirely taken over by robots…yet anyways), AI can provide some helpful assistance here as well. Businesses like Goldman Sachs and Unilever have started using AI programs to analyse a candidate’s facial expressions, word choice, and behaviour during a job interview. Through the use of machine learning technology, these programs can detect when a candidate is being dishonest. It can even assess their personality traits and emotional intelligence and help recruiters decide whether or not they could be a good fit for the job.

Of course, this technology is still in its infancy stage, so recruiters should not rely totally on a computer program to hire a candidate. However, systems like this could certainly be a game changer for the recruiting process and provide helpful insight for final decisions.

4. Guarantee a Better Employee Experience Down the Road

As mentioned before in the TalentBoard report, the candidate experience is extremely influential in the long-term success of an employee. These programs can be used to boost the employee experience by creating a more engaging process that benefits both the employees and the business as a whole. When a candidate has a pleasing first impression with a business along with a positive experience throughout the recruiting process from application to interview, they will be more likely to have an optimistic perspective on the business as a whole. This will have an impact on how engaged the entire workforce is, a factor that has been linked to overall productivity and success within the company.

Another way that AI recruiting affects the long-term success of the business is by giving hiring managers the means to fill a company with employees who create a healthy culture. Since machine learning assisted recruitment can be used to identify candidates who possess both the hard skills and soft skills needed to fulfil the position, hiring managers are able to determine the personality qualities and how they could benefit the internal culture. By understanding the candidate’s motivators, leadership styles, and other important traits, recruiters will have a better understanding of how different personalities can impact the team and where their skills would be utilised best within the company.

One of the main goals that an HR team should have is to make their company a more enjoyable place to work. When an internal culture is happy and healthy, its productivity and profitability soar. AI can help support this type of culture expectations from the very beginning.

Conclusion

Technology in the HR department does not need to be intimidating. In fact, the more willing a team is to adopt and utilise AI, machine learning, Big Data, and other tech, the better they will be able to connect the people in the office. This type of technology can support a smarter and more data-driven recruiting process from start to finish. This saves HR teams time, money, and frustration while allowing them to focus on the important task of hiring the best talent for their organisation.