Technology is often viewed as a double-edged sword. It can be a good thing when it helps to make processes more efficient and pleasant, but it can be a negative when it takes the job of a human being.
In the past few years, recruitment has seen a large uptick in the use of software and systems that streamline processes. We’ve highlighted the increasing use of artificial intelligence tools in recruitment. The real concern: Will technology ever successfully remove the human element of human resources and recruitment?
New survey says humans could be replaced by software automation — sort of
A new CareerBuilder survey indicates 72% of employers expect that at least some of the roles that today’s talent management and HR pros handle today will be completely automated in the next 10 years. This study was conducted on a national level at the very end of 2016, interviewing 719 HR managers and recruiters at private organizations with at least 250 or more employees. It indicated that more companies are turning to automation to cut down on time-consuming tasks (such as sourcing candidates, screening resumes, etc.) and labor-intensive tasks that are prone to human error.
Interestingly, the study also showed that around one-third of these companies don’t use any type of automation at all for recruitment purposes, and another 44% don’t use automation for onboarding of new hires. More than half stated that human beings are still in charge of HR management activities as a whole.
It’s pretty safe to say that, for the time being, humans are still in the driver seat when it comes to many recruitment and HR processes – at least, based on this recent data. What is being automated in workplaces include tasks such as employee messaging, employee benefits enrollment, payroll management and background screening of candidates. 93% of the respondents of the CareerBuilder survey said these practices helped to save time and increase efficiency, and another 71% said that they believed automation improved the candidate experience.
Companies still warming up to automation
These results are similar to the 2016 Global Human Capital Trends report delivered by Deloitte that indicated only 38% of companies are actively thinking about automating HR processes, although 72% believe that it should be a priority. Companies are seriously looking at ways to reduce the time to hire, attract more candidates using mobile-friendly apps, and improve internal processes that often stand in the way of hiring and managing talent.
If automation sounds like a scary proposition to anyone, consider that it still must be managed by human recruiters and HR pros who understand the nature of their organizations better than anyone else. It’s up to teams to collaborate and choose the right automation to close gaps in processes that are slowing things down or creating a poor candidate experience.
How do recruitment pros look for ways to enhance their abilities?
One way to look at automation is to consider the benefits of this technology to improve the way recruitment takes place. Recruitment will always be and must remain a highly competitive business, therefore automation of some processes can give professionals an edge. Seeking out technology that extends one’s influence as a recruiter should be the focus. This can happen through enhanced communication with candidates and task management tools. When automation is used in this way, it can give back time to focus on more valuable human interaction with targeted talent.
By elevating one’s abilities as a recruiter, it’s possible to become irreplaceable and therefore not have to worry about what the future brings. Embrace the right technology and get used to it, because it can become a valuable tool for building a recruitment legacy.
