Artificial intelligence has taken the world of staffing and recruiting by storm over the last few years. More and more, we’re seeing AI functionality baked right into the candidate sourcing and hiring process. And there are many benefits to AI in the recruiting world—time and money savings, for example, not to mention promoting diversity and inclusion.
Another way that AI can benefit hiring is by reducing cognitive hiring biases. And it turns out that a slightly different approach to AI—augmented intelligence, sometimes known as intelligence augmentation (IA) or intelligence amplification, machine augmented intelligence, or cognitive augmentation—is perfect for this goal, too.
Read on for a closer look at augmented intelligence and how it can reduce hiring biases for your organization.
What is Augmented Intelligence?
Augmented intelligence is a type of artificial intelligence focused on the assistive role of AI. The idea is that augmented intelligence enhances, or augments, human intelligence instead of replacing it the way traditional artificial intelligence does.
Augmented intelligence systems work to enhance human intelligence and decision making, not to have intelligence and make decisions themselves. It was developed partially because of concerns over AI, which has the potential to impact human life negatively. Augmented intelligence may be a way to develop technologies in a safe way that doesn’t run the same risks as building artificial intelligence.
How Does Augmented Intelligence Work in Recruiting Software?
You may wonder what all this has to do with the world of recruiting and staffing. The truth is that artificial intelligence and machine learning has been involved in this field for some time. AI for recruiting means applying concepts like machine learning, sentiment analysis, and natural language processing to streamline or automate certain parts of the recruiting process.
In short, many recruiting software programs utilize AI to scan resumes, source candidates, filter out unqualified candidates, and reach out to potential candidates. Sourcing, screening, and outreach are the most common ways that both artificial and augmented intelligence are used in recruiting, but the benefits go beyond taking some tasks off a recruiter’s plate.
How Can AI in Recruiting Software Promote DEI?
One of the biggest advantages of using both AI and augmented intelligence in recruiting is this technology’s ability to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It does that by reducing cognitive bias that is inherent in the process, including unconscious bias.
What is unconscious bias? It’s the automatic mental shortcuts that we use to process information and make quick decisions. The trouble with it is that it can sometimes introduce unfair bias into the hiring process without us even intending it. And that’s where augmented intelligence comes in.
AI in recruiting software promotes DEI in these ways:
Blind Applicant Screening
When human eyes scan over multiple applications, we might take in—even unconsciously—certain personal details about each candidate, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, or age. And try as we might to be completely objective and impartial, our minds might form certain biases based on these factors. It’s simply human.
Augmented intelligence allows for blind applicant screening, which means the personal details are removed, leaving only the hard skills and experience necessary to do the job. The candidate is screened based on nothing more than their qualifications, completely eliminating the possibility of bias.
It Can Assess Much Larger Candidate Pools More Efficiently than a Human Could
Another great thing about augmented intelligence-based recruiting software solutions is that it’s more efficient. Think about it: A human recruiter might be able to assess a few candidates per hour, while a machine could assess dozens, perhaps hundreds, in that same time frame. When there is a large pool of candidates applying for a particular role—hundreds, maybe thousands—using AI or augmented intelligence to get through those applicants is much more efficient.
Reduces Similarity/Attraction Theory
Similarity or attraction theory is the tendency for people to seek out others who are like them. Human beings tend to like other humans who are similar to us; for obvious reasons, this can introduce bias into the hiring process.
There is also confirmation bias, which is when people favor information that confirms the beliefs they already hold and discount everything else. A hiring manager might ask questions to one candidate that they don’t ask another, for example, as an unconscious way of confirming what they already think about the candidate.
AI and augmented intelligence get rid of these potential human biases by looking only at the hard data. Machines don’t have biases, so there’s no chance of attraction theory or confirmation bias affecting the screening or sourcing process.
Encourages Fair Employment Decision Making
For all of the above reasons, augmented intelligence helps to make the decision on who to hire fair. Eliminating biases, assessing large amounts of applications efficiently, and using blind application and resume screening approaches promotes fair employment.
One of the reasons that augmented intelligence is often superior to artificial intelligence in this area is that, as you know, finding the perfect hire is about more than the hard data. There is the human element as well—is the candidate a good cultural fit within your organization? Do they mesh well with your existing team? What kind of growth potential do they display? Augmented intelligence has the advantage of using technology to get you part of the way, and then allowing for real people to determine whether or not the resulting candidates are the best fit.
Predictive Capabilities
Another way that AI and augmented intelligence can benefit staffing software solutions is in its predictive capabilities. Recruiting software of this type can predict market standards for pay rates, typical benefits packages, bonus opportunities, and more. That way, when employers are ready to post a job, they’ll be able to use the software to generate a competitive offer. This ensures not only more applicants to any given job, but more qualified candidates as well.
More Benefits of Using Recruiting Software
We’ve already learned about AI-based recruiting software’s ability to reduce bias in order to promote DEI, and how it can use predictive analytics to help employers make competitive offers. But the benefits of staffing software with AI capabilities don’t stop there.
Pre-Selection/Resume Parsing Process Saves Time
Recruiting software can handle a large volume of applications in a much more efficient way, as we’ve seen. But no matter the amount of applications an employer may get for a certain job, recruiting software can save a lot of time. That’s because pre-selection and resume parsing using artificial intelligence weeds out the unqualified candidates right off the bat, saving human eyes from going over hundreds of resumes that don’t fit the bill.
Reduces Time to Hire
Because of the efficiency and speed inherent in using AI-based recruiting software, the average time to hire is greatly reduced. Using AI from the initial application process all the way through onboarding means there will be far less time spent on wasted efforts. And that’s a good thing for just about any employer out there.
Improve Applicant Quality
You won’t just get applicants faster when using AI recruiting software. You’ll get better applicants who fit your organization’s needs. By scanning applications and resumes digitally and quickly sifting out the unqualified candidates to leave the best options, you’re finding the individuals who you really want—and the ones who will help move your operations forward in the future.
Build a More Diverse Team with Recruiting Software Today
Improving DEI, making hiring more efficient, using predictive technology to craft competitive offers, finding better candidates… it’s clear that artificial intelligence and augmented intelligence have their benefits for the world of staffing and recruiting. It’s time to put this kind of technology to work for you.
Looking for staffing and recruiting software solutions to improve your organization’s hiring? You’ve come to the right place.
Whether it’s augmented- and artificial intelligence-based recruiting software systems to make your hiring process more efficient and diverse, or electronic employee onboarding software to help aid in getting new hires up to speed, COATS Staffing Software can help. We’ve been offering staffing and recruitment software in the industrial, professional, medical, technical, clerical, legal, financial, and hospitality industries—just to name a few—for more than 25 years.
Reach out to a member of our team to schedule a free, no-obligation demo. We’re looking forward to finding out how our staffing software solutions can improve your business and help you achieve your goals.