Over the past year, AI seems to have ‘exploded’ onto the scene. From personal assistants to AI-powered research tools, studies estimate that over 250 million people used some form of AI in 2023 alone – a figure that will only continue to increase in years to come.
Many of those working within recruitment consider AI tools to be an asset. For example, they can help with anything from streamlining business operations to responding to basic client inquiries. In fact, a study from ZIPPA found that 65% of recruiters currently use AI tools.
However, there are many ethical challenges that can arise when AI is mishandled or misused, particularly in the recruitment world. This is something we as a recruitment consultancy must consider when incorporating this technology into our business.
What are the ethical challenges that arise when using AI in recruitment?
There are many ethical challenges that could arise when AI is used during the recruitment process. This is because AI relies on historical data, which can contain numerous biases.
These biases could mean candidates of a specific demographic are ‘filtered out’ during the early stage of the recruitment process. Not only could this stand in the way of finding top-talent, but it also goes against workplace discrimination regulations.
There are many cases wherein companies have found the AI tools they were using were producing biased results· For example, Amazon’s AI recruiting initiative was scrapped after it was found that showed bias towards women.
In addition to this, many people also have reservations when it comes to using AI technologies due to data privacy concerns. After all, these systems access a wide variety of sensitive data, including the contact details of potential candidates. Should a data breach occur, the company can be found liable and face significant legal and financial repercussions. This could also harm a company’s reputation, harming future hiring prospects during record talent shortages.
Can you use ethical AI in recruitment?
Fortunately, there are many ways in which AI can be used ethically in recruitment. For example, it can be used to provide unsuccessful candidates with data-backed insights into their performance, so that they are able to improve their hiring prospects moving forward. This is a particularly welcome change when you consider the fact that 60% of candidates report not hearing back after an interview.
Having access to this data (when properly screened for bias) could also make hiring decisions easier, as employers are able to distinguish which high-performing applicant is best for the role based on data. However, it is worth noting that other things should be taken into consideration too, such as ensuring they are a cultural fit.
Furthermore, it can also be deployed to streamline business operations, and increase productivity. For example, it can be used to help recruiters sharpen their understanding of specific job specifications, so that they can connect hiring managers with the best possible candidates for their role. This means that the traditional “human touch” isn’t lost during the recruiting process.
How do we use AI within our recruiting process?
At Manchester Staff, we pride ourselves on our ability to help employers in the Greater Manchester area fill vital vacancies within their companies, all while upholding the relevant ethical standards.
As such, we only use AI internally to ensure that we’re able to work as productively as possible. This means that we’re able to dedicate a larger portion of our time to the tasks that matter, ultimately making it easier than ever for us to find the ‘perfect’ employee for each role.
We also use AI to remove human error from day-to-day tasks, which again ensures that we can continue to offer the highest levels of customer service to our clients.
While new AI technologies are being introduced every day, many of which are designed for use in the recruitment field, we promise to uphold the qualities that make our current recruitment process so great. This means that we will continue to focus on recruiting with a ‘human touch’, throughout every stage of the process, from pre-screening to the final interviews.
If you’d like to find out more about our recruiting services, or the way in which AI is utilised within our business, please do not hesitate to get in touch today. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Book a free 15 minute consultation call info@manchesterstaff.com
Manchesterstaff.com 0161 532 8252
Birminghamstaff.com 0121 392 7848
Londonstaff.com 0203 432 0227
