Nearly a quarter of human resources say they use automation or artificial intelligence to support HR-related activities, including recruitment and hiring, according to a survey of HR executives released last week by the Society for Human Resource Management. Many survey respondents said such tools speed up the hiring process, but vendors may not be transparent when it comes to how they handle potential bias.
SHRM’s survey found that 53% of HR executives said the time it takes to fill open positions is somewhat better and 16% said it was much better when automation and AI are used. However, only two in five say vendors are very transparent about the steps they use to ensure the tools protect against bias.
“Clearly, automation helps HR deliver value to organizations, especially when it comes to acquiring top talent,” said SHRM Chief of Staff and Head of Government Affairs Emily Dickens. “But we need to be assured the tools we use do not lead to bias in the hiring process, performance management, or other areas of HR.”
Other findings in the survey:
- The use of AI in HR is mostly among larger companies. Only 16% of employers with fewer than 100 workers use automation and AI; whereas 42% of employers with 5,000 workers or more do.
- One in four organizations plans to start using or increase their use of automation or AI in recruitment and hiring in the next five years.
- 30% say the use of automation or AI improves their ability to reduce potential bias in hiring decisions; 46% would like to see more information or resources on how to identify any potential bias when using these tools.