Artificial intelligence is hot and trending – in HR and beyond. The abbreviation AI is everywhere nowadays. Whether as podcast topics, magazine covers or in hollywood movies. Robots and intelligent software are “in” and companies from every sector are preparing and implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning in software, cars and machines to be modern and competitive.
But is artificial intelligence ready to be implemented in every business process? Or is AI just usable for easily automated tasks without human interaction?
Is artificial intelligence in human resources still only a dream or already a dream coming true?
Read below why companies feel unprepared but are not sceptical towards the new technology.
Artificial Intelligence in Recruiting Processes and Personnel Selection – Is it a Match?
The answer is YES – Certainly only if the technology is mature, working well and both, applicants and recruiters are open to use it. Technological development is progressing rapidly. Viasto conducted an independent market research study with more than 1,000 job applicants to find out how well they accept artificial intelligence in recruiting processes. The result: Applicants are initially sceptical about artificial intelligence. However, the doubts are dispelled when they are explained a clear benefit of the application and the AI never takes the decision for the recruiter but is only a support for a real person behind the process.
In addition to the survey on applicants attitude towards AI, viasto carried out a company survey focusing on AI in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Inga Mertin from the University of Media, Communication and Business in Cologne.
Read about the results of the company survey on AI usage in HR in this article.
No doubt in the increasing Significance of AI in Human Resources
First of all, we asked the recruiters whether they expect artificial intelligence to become increasingly important in human resources. The clear answer is yes. As many as 76% of the employers surveyed said they were convinced that applications based on artificial intelligence would play an essential role in the HR workday of the future.
Even though employees in HR are expecting a change, a majority does not feel ready yet. 71% of the HR managers surveyed believe that they are personally not prepared very well for the use and deployment of artificial intelligence. Isn’t it enough to have to deal with Excel, Word and so on? A human resources manager is not an IT specialist and artificial intelligence was still a distant dream until a few years ago. It is understandable and logical that hardly any recruiter feels confident in dealing with artificial intelligence. The applications are simply still too new to have a significant proportion of them come into contact with it.
Recruiters and applicants have the same perception of artificial intelligence
The difference between the expected role and the perceived willingness for the further introduction of AI in HR was also shown in the study with applicants. The majority of them (80%) also believe that artificial intelligence will play an essential role in the application process in the future. But – as with employers – the majority (67%) of applicants also feel poorly prepared for this development.
However, the positive signals clearly outweighed the negative ones among the applicants and there was noticeable anticipation of benefits such as the reduction of discrimination. How about recruiters and companies?
Artificial intelligence overwhelms personnel and entire companies (for now)
Recruiters were asked how well they perceive their companies to be prepared for the introduction of artificial intelligence into personnel selection. The results showed that most companies seem to be hardly better positioned in terms of AI than the recruiters themselves. Or at least this is how it is perceived: Only roughly one third (35%) of the interviewees perceive their own company well prepared for the use and deployment of AI solutions. This is only 5% more than the recruiters who feel well prepared for AI themselves. And of the two-thirds who have doubts about their employers being well informed, a full 44% see their company as even very poorly prepared for AI.
It can therefore be concluded that there is a correlation between the perceived overwhelming feeling when thinking of artificial intelligence of businesses and their employees. Applicants and recruiters are no exceptions – there is a certain need to catch up at the company level as a whole.
HR Professionals welcome the Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in Personnel Selection
Although many of the respondents to the survey do not feel well prepared for artificial intelligence, their general attitude towards the technology is positive. 57% of the surveyed employers stated that they have no concerns about using AI in an HR environment. Only one in ten company representatives from the HR sector expressed explicit doubts about the suitability of artificial intelligence for recruiting. Even possible doubts on the side of applicants generally do not give cause for concern from the companies’ point of view after all. A positive amount of 84% do not believe that the use of artificial intelligence in personnel selection processes could scare of candidates. This is also confirmed by viasto’s October 2018 survey, in which more than two-thirds of the applicants surveyed gave a positive assessment of the use of algorithms in the application context .
Here we can see an even more positive attitude from younger applicants. 78% of applicants between 18 and 29 years of age were in favour of AI.
It’s time to put the potential of AI in recruiting to use!
The results from the separate surveys with applicants and recruiters are very similar as explained herein before. On the concerned side, there is mainly the fear of contact with the unknown. Hardly anyone has a broad understanding of modern technology, and that is why it is initially overwhelming when the term “artificial intelligence” suddenly appears in one’s own sphere of life. On the other hand, there are a whole range of positive aspects that recruiters in particular see. Nowadays, modern technology no longer scares anyone away – not even applicants. And artificial intelligence – once you understand how to use it – offers enormous potential.
AI can make personnel selection faster, more effective and more precise.
As a conclusion of the studies we can see that there is a need of clarification and familiarization with the topic and the technology to make implementation less scary and make users more comfortable with what the modern technology has to offer. We could speak of a desire for empowerment. Recruiters see the potential in AI, but they and their employers are not prepared for it. Ways must be found to enable individuals, but also entire departments and companies, to use artificial intelligence in a useful and safe way.
We are ready for AI and excited about what’s to come – are you?
If you want to learn more about how we put AI to support your recruiting, book a consultation with our experts on the possibilities of AI in recruiting now!
About viasto and our artificial intelligence in recruiting
Viasto is the leading innovator and market leader for video recruiting solutions. We are working with external AI experts developing useful AI applications for personnel selection processes in every field. The viasto interview suite, a web based software as a service (SaaS), enables companies to improve their recruiting. Using competence based interview structures, recruiting becomes more efficient, more flexible and more reliable. Viasto was founded in 2010 and is based in the technology hotspot Berlin. Our customers, for example Telekom, BOSCH, AXA and Beiersdorf trust our expertise and believe in the benefits of artificial intelligence in HR.
About the survey:
For the survey HR- representatives in leading roles from 78 different companies were asked for an assessment regarding the usage of AI in HR processes. The survey took place in October of 2018.
