How AI Automation Improves Candidate Satisfaction
It's safe to say that the U.S. economy has rebounded from the 2008 recession. That’s great news for investors and the public at large — but not so great if you’re responsible for hiring, staffing, and maintaining candidate satisfaction.
Unemployment is low and candidates are more discerning than ever when choosing an employer. From education to manufacturing, industries are facing labor shortages across the board. In education and healthcare services alone, there are 2.26 job openings for every unemployed worker.
Freelancing, contracting, contingent staffing, and flexible workforces are becoming the norm. Experts predict that 50% of U.S. workers will either supplement their income or work full-time as freelancers by 2030.
This places a burden on procurement and HR departments, both of which must work together to find and keep good talent. Thankfully, digital procurement is changing the way these departments interact and fill talent gaps with contingent staffing.
Recruiting the Next-Gen Workforce
While it may seem counterintuitive for a Human Resources to rely on AI, experts believe it can improve the selection process for both staffing agencies and hiring departments.
AI procurement screens talent pools at an exponentially faster rate than humans, placing the most qualified candidates with the most appropriate clients. This doesn’t negate the human element. Rather, it adds a layer of efficiency to an exhausting process by removing repetitive, high-volume tasks.
Instead of manually sifting through loads of information, HR departments can evaluate candidates picked specially for their needs and move forward in the procurement process. This improves candidate satisfaction by minimizing wait times in the recruiting process and diminishing the possibility of a bad placement.
Direct Applications for AI in Procurement
AI isn’t just a matchmaking tool. Instead of engaging in a formal application process, candidates can be screened through AI chatbots that interact with them over SMS or the web.
A chatbot may not be able to delve into a candidate’s moral character, but it can ask basic questions to determine if the candidate has the right skills and background. Naturally, a human will need to evaluate candidates before they are officially placed.
Automated systems and AI also come with a secondary benefit: data.
An AI procurement solution can use behind-the-scenes analytical tools to crunch data, providing feedback about the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement efforts. Such systems can even recommend next steps to recruiters based on where candidates are in their process.
The Standardization of AI
AI has been a hot trend in the realm of recruitment and procurement for years now, but direct applications of the technology are becoming more widespread. The future could be dominated by flexible workforces, so don’t be surprised if AI plays an even larger role in the placement and procurement of contingent staff moving forward.
You can learn more about the future of AI automation in procurement at ProcureCon Contingent Staffing 2019, happening July 23 – 25 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Register for the conference today to stay up to date on the latest developments.