AI: Human Touch Will Always Be The Secret Sauce To A Perfect Hire

Exclusive interview with Manu Saigal, Director - General Staffing, Adecco India

In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Manu shares insights into the incorporation of artificial intelligence in their organization's recruitment procedures, utilization of AI, the challenges encountered during implementation, and strategies employed to overcome these hurdles, and more.
Excerpts from the interview:

Q: In what ways are you using artificial intelligence in your organization's recruitment processes?

Manu: Adecco is pioneering the use of AI in recruitment, streamlining processes, and fostering a more human-centered experience. AI powers several key initiatives:

Smart matching: algorithms analyze talent and job requirements for precise matches, eliminating bias and speeding up hiring.
Automated screening: AI handles initial CV reviews, freeing recruiters to focus on top candidates and deeper interactions.
Predictive insights: AI models anticipate future workforce needs, allowing proactive talent acquisition and development.
Personalized experiences: AI-powered platforms tailor candidate journeys, providing targeted job recommendations and career guidance.

We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Microsoft focused on enabling worker preparedness as Generative AI (GenAI) reshapes the workforce with four areas of focus: responsible and ethical use of GenAI by organizations; inclusive use of GenAI at work; organization adoption of GenAI; and joint go-to-market solutions.

Q: What are the challenges you faced during the implementation and usage of AI technology? How did you overcome the issues?

Manu: 
Here are the challenges we faced while implementing AI technology in our workplace:
 

1. Existing biases in data sets can be amplified through AI, leading to discriminatory hiring practices and unhappy employers.
2. Lack of transparency makes it difficult for candidates and even recruiters to understand why certain decisions are made.
3. Some employees may feel threatened by AI or resist its integration into established workflows.
4. Using AI raises ethical concerns around data privacy, human oversight, and potential job displacement, and we have created a user guideline to empower our recruiters on the right usage protocol.
5. Implementing and maintaining robust AI infrastructure requires significant financial and technical resources and can add to the cost of hiring.

Here is our strategy to overcome the challenges:
 

1. Adecco actively works to diversify its data sets and mitigate bias through careful data cleaning and algorithmic audits.
2. We invest in training programs to educate recruiters about AI and its benefits, fostering acceptance and collaboration.
3. We have established an ethical AI framework outlining principles like fairness, transparency, and accountability to guide its technology development.
4. We collaborate with technology providers to access expertise and optimize AI implementation while managing costs.

Q: What does the current technology lack in terms of optimizing your recruitment decisions?

Manu: While AI has revolutionized recruitment, there is still a lacuna in optimizing hiring decisions. It can scan through resumes at speed but cannot pinpoint relevant skills and experiences. AI tools are unable to understand the nuanced tapestry of human potential. It overlooks soft skills, cultural fit, and the spark of passion that drives a candidate beyond just paper qualifications. It can misinterpret data, leading to biased predictions and overlooking hidden gems.

To truly optimize recruitment, we need AI that delves deeper. Models that sniff out soft skills and cultural fit, understand the human story behind the resume and adapt to the ever-changing job landscape. We need transparency, ensuring AI doesn't replace human judgment but empowers it. And we need continuous learning, constantly refining these models to reflect the evolving world of work. Only then can AI truly unlock its potential, helping us find the perfect fit, not just the perfect match on paper.

Q: What are legal pitfalls and other challenges HR must be mindful of when using AI technology?

Manu: While AI promises to revolutionize HR, biased data can lead to discriminatory decisions, overlooking the hidden gems that don't fit the paper-perfect mold. Privacy concerns should be considered while working on sensitive employee data, demanding strict adherence to data protection laws. Beyond the legal hurdles, ethical challenges are another concern. Replacing humans with robots for tasks like resume screening may sound efficient, but it raises the specter of job displacement. 

HR must tread carefully, ensuring responsible implementation and offering reskilling opportunities. Employee monitoring, another AI perk, can quickly turn into a dystopian nightmare if not handled ethically and transparently.

By ensuring diverse data sets, regularly auditing algorithms for bias, and embracing transparency, HR can build trust and mitigate legal risks. Human oversight remains crucial, guiding AI towards ethical decisions, not replacing human judgment. Upskilling HR professionals in data ethics and human-AI collaboration paves the path for responsible AI adoption.

Q: To what extent will tech recruiting technologies, like AI, etc. impact human touch in hiring? What is your take?

Manu: AI can be a powerful ally, freeing recruiters from resume drudgery and automating tasks like initial screening. This allows them to focus on what truly matters: building rapport, understanding motivations, and making final decisions guided by intuition and human judgment. AI can provide valuable data and insights, but ultimately, it's the human touch that builds trust, assesses cultural fit, and sniffs out the spark that makes a candidate shine.

The future of hiring promises synergy between technology and human interaction. Recruiters who embrace this hybrid approach, honing their data skills while sharpening their interpersonal skills, will be the ones who are successful in this new era. This will enable them to leverage AI to streamline processes and gain valuable insights, but not lose sight of the human element that makes hiring an exchange of trust, connection, and the power of human potential.

Q: What would be the future of AI in recruiting?

Manu: AI's recruiting revolution won't stop at parsing resumes and spitting out matches. It's diving deeper, analyzing social listening, communication styles, and even online footprints to paint a better picture of potential hires. Forget one-size-fits-all experiences; AI will tailor the journey, recommending jobs, suggesting interview formats, and keeping candidates engaged. And it's not just about filling open slots – AI will predict future needs, proactively attracting talent before they even start looking.

AI will be a powerful partner, automating tasks, providing insights, and informing decisions, while recruiters focus on  – building relationships, assessing cultural fit, and making that final call. The future of AI in recruiting isn't about replacing humans, it's about empowering them to create a personalized, data-driven hiring process that benefits everyone. So, while AI will handle the paperwork; the human touch will always be the secret sauce to a perfect hire.
 

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