There is a lot of noise about how AI – specifically generative AI and AI agents – is already halfway towards revolutionising how we work, how we create and how we collaborate.

From coding to customer service, from marketing to sales, NLP programmes are making immediate, critical inroads into previously human-centric operations. 

The possibilities beyond this explosion in generative AI (and the presumption that a working AGI is only around the corner) extend the horizon of what AI can do for more complex tasks, such as iterative problem solving and high-level reasoning.

So within this hysteria of disruption, where are the details around how AI will make workplaces better for everyone? 

After all, the main benefit of integrating AI into workplace processes is to reduce the mundane, automate the repetitive, and allow humans to do what humans do best – create, reason, collaborate, ideate, laterally generate ideas, build relationships and create genuine emotional connections between people, products, services and theories.

Amidst the contradictory thought pieces and think tank panics about AI, what seems to be somewhat lost in the mania is how AI can help build more equitable, fair workplaces for many millions of people who are forgotten or incapable of integrating into analogue workplaces. 

So can we create a future where AI is used for good, or are the tech naysayers right in assuming AI will only be used for illicit gains in easily manipulated industries, deep fakes, crypto-scams and hyper-capitalism?

Let’s dive into it.

Diversity, equity, and how AI can help.

According to author and Forbes contributor Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, AI will help diversity in two ways.

• “The first is to diagnose things better, telling us what truly goes on in a culture, revealing some of the hidden dynamics underlying many of the critical interactions between people at work”.
• “The second is being able to actually measure inclusion, in particular, whether someone’s demographic status or identity can predict their actual status at work”.

The analytical power of modern AI programmes “allows us to go beyond perceptions”, giving change makers and leaders insight into “biases in behaviour”. AI fills a gap between what we think is happening, and what really is happening, or what could happen, based on evidence. AI can supplement emotionally driven HR decision making with evidently based logic, which in the case of diversity hiring, network management and fair representation can only be a good thing.

Bridging this evidence/emotion gap is the only way to build HR functionality based on real, performance-driven equity, based on real-time data. That data, and the ability to parse it, is the real power behind how AI can assist in creating a representative workforce.

Of course, this doesn’t mean AI should be used on a whim – there is ample evidence that poor AI implementation can break laws and entrench biases, so oversight is key. 

It’s worth reading pieces, such as this article by Fast Company, on the pros and cons of using AI for diversity hiring practices.

Inclusivity, disability and how AI can help.

As this detailed report by Accenture titled AI for disability inclusion puts it, there are several things business leaders and AI developers both can do to help foster more inclusivity in workplaces, especially around disability access and using tech to help people work more productively.

At the very basic level it starts at the design phase. AI creators need to put “inclusive design principles in place to support “human + machine” collaboration (which is) essential to the development of fair and unbiased AI solutions”. Inclusive AI by design is the foundation of inclusive AI use. 

So what does this inclusive design look like in real life? Well, it can be a poisoned chalice but again with the right leadership and strategy AI can be a blessing. 

• “Biases often occur at the intersections of disability, race, gender, and other identities”, which means whatever and however AI is developed it has to be built around reducing bias between underrepresented and vulnerable groups, rather than exacerbating them.
• AI can help build more inclusive workplaces. For example AI platforms can provide better testing and pre-interview assessments, AI-based accessibility tools such as speech-to-text transcription and sign language into text systems, AI-driven employee feedback, AI-augmented accessible interview processes and AI-augmented language accessibility tools. 

The tools of the future can be implemented today to help those most in need of that extra layer of support.

Minority recruitment and AI. 

This piece by the Data Scientist neatly summarises how AI can help elevate minority hires in the recruitment funnel. 

But much of the theory behind diversity-focused hiring strategies – such as blind screenings and automated assessments – has been known for years. It’s how they’re evolving via AI that HR pros need to be aware of.

• The real power lies in how AI improves data-driven recruitment. AI can operate between a wide array of recruiting tools such as jobs boards, social media, applicant tracking systems and recruitment CRMs seamlessly, to better communicate in real-time with specific candidates on the nature of targeted jobs, or clients on the state of play with candidate funnels and minority talent availability. 

• AI can create more accurate predictions on candidate suitability and hiring success utilising data, and can better identify patterns in background, experience and assessment viability. 
• Coupled with in-house NLP (like ChatGPT plugins), AI becomes more than an automated extra – they become an assistant recruiter in all but name, able to seamlessly and immediately dive into entire recruiting networks to matchmake in real-time.

With the right sort of oversight (and a fixation on making sure bias-free searches are run), AI can be the diversity hiring partner every recruiter needs. 

At Rectec we help organisations to find the best recruitment and talent acquisition technologies to suit your needs. 

From Applicant Tracking System and Recruitment CRM comparison, to vendor snapshots, and technology showcases in our unique technology marketplace, we provide fee-free tools to help you build the perfect recruitment tech stack for your business!

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On one hand, there is the expectation that they will fill roles quickly, and on the other, ensure that the person hired will stay in the role. It is not an easy balance, and rushed hiring can, unfortunately, often lead to poor decisions. It is not a good idea to drag your heels when recruiting, but on the flip side, you need to make sure you get the right candidates. These are some ways to ensure you hire the right person.

Accurate Job Description

The first step in the recruitment process is to ensure you create an accurate job description with all the essential aspects of the role detailed on it. Spend a bit of time on this, so you don’t end up having to make changes to it and to ensure you only attract the right type of candidates. If the job description is not accurate, you can expect to get a stream of candidates that don’t fit the requirements.

Develop a Checklist

It is also a good idea to have a checklist, detailing exactly what you want from your candidate. For instance:

• Do you want sector experience?
• Do they need experience with a specific software package?
• Are you looking for someone that is only interested in a short-term option, or do they need to be viewing it in long term?

When you have your checklist, it can be easier to go through the interview prepared and ensure you don’t make the wrong decision. If you are a direct in-house recruiter, you may want to sit down with the manager and ascertain their exact requirements. If a recruitment agency, make a list of the attributes the client likes and make sure the candidate ticks these off when you pre-screen them. This will help reduce the likelihood of making the wrong hire.

Listen to Candidate’s Needs

In desperation to fill a role, you may neglect to consider the candidate’s needs if they have the perfect skills and experience for the job. For instance, if they only want to work from home, don’t try to force them into an office, as they won’t last long in the role. If the industry isn’t quite right for them, try to find out the reasons, but don’t push them into a job they won’t be happy in. It is vital to ensure that the candidate’s expectations are taken into consideration, as much as you would with your clients or managers.

Relevant Skills and Experience

Of course, it is a given that they should have the necessary skills and experience for the job, otherwise they may not even be able to do it. If the client or manager has specified that they need Advanced Microsoft Excel experience, for instance, and they don’t have this but have every other requirement, it can be easy to gloss over it and hire them anyway. However, with this approach, you are going to end up facing issues, as the candidate won’t be able to meet the expectation of the role. An ATS can be incredibly useful for saving time when hiring candidates while ensuring they fit the criteria. You can filter through specific words and phrases that are essential for the role, making your life easier and reducing the potential of a wrong hire.

Align with Culture

Cultural fit is also worth taking into careful consideration. If the candidate is someone that prefers flexibility and a relaxed workplace, they will probably not last in a controlling, process-driven environment. Similarly, if your brand is centered on sustainability, but you recruit a candidate that has no interest in the environment, the fit just won’t work. Making sure you align the candidate with the culture will help ensure they stay.

Understand the Goals

Whether the goals of the company or the client you are recruiting for, you should understand what these are. If it is an entrepreneurial start-up company that wants to scale the business and progress candidates quickly, it won’t fit with a candidate that wants to do their hours and forget about work. Understand the goals, both from the company and candidate perspective will help you make the right alignment.

Check Background and Credentials

Another way to ensure you don’t hire the wrong candidate is by checking their background and credentials. Make sure you understand the reasons for any short-term roles or gaps in the CV and get references where necessary. Nothing is guaranteed, even if you do check your background and credentials, but with these checks, it will be more likely that you choose the right person.

Your ATS and Finding the Right Hire

As recruiters know, finding the wrong hire is usually down to time constraints. You have managers or clients constantly on your back asking when you will fill the roles, and this can cause rushed hiring decisions. With an ATS you can screen candidates quickly, ensuring you fill your roles with the right candidates.

Ensuring you find the right ATS is paramount and with Rectec Compare, you can find the right tech provider to suit your specific needs in as little as 15 minutes – while mitigating the risk of costly mistakes. 

A quick, responsive process is what you need to attract and engage the best talent.

At Rectec we help organisations to find the best Applicant Tracking System or best Recruitment CRM to suit your needs, accompanied by our unique complimentary tech marketplace, to help you build the perfect recruitment tech stack for your business.

You can click here to register for Rectec Compare – and best of all, it’s completely free of charge.

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