AI-influenced decision making is a giant, potentially helpful tool, even for some of the so called “soft skill” employment-related decisions (applicant screening, pay, promotion, performance management, et. al.). Yet, transitioning from the current state by taking the human being, but not the human impact, out of certain HR functions is akin to going from a 22 cal. single shot rifle, to an M-16, in one short, mechanical burst; efficient, perhaps, but dangerous. Anyone who has recruited just a few hundred people knows that HR leaders would do well to adopt such means thoughtfully and deliberately, else people and the business itself will almost immediately be put in jeopardy. 

It’s all too seductive, in recruiting, for example, to delegate the entire applicant screening and interviewing process to the bot. After all, we’re basically screening people in or out of consideration based on the presence/lack of certain stated skills or experience, described in relatively finite words and terms. Yeah, until the fully qualified open reqs outnumber the potential butts in seats; until a coding error on the tool translates three months of grad school or work experience into three years, OR, an exceptional, overqualified candidate is rejected without further consideration for something else. 

Many years ago, I became aware of an applicant screening tool used by a large (and one of the very few profitable) US airlines, with a reputation for hiring exceptionally nice, happy (and qualified) people, regardless of their job assignment. This was as central to their business success as the aircraft model they deployed. The “tool” was a recruiting assistant who presented as a receptionist at the office building housing HR and other corporate staff functions. 

She was a window into every applicant (including pilots) who showed up for an in-person interview (remember those?); taking note of their arrival time, manners, and interaction with other candidates while waiting; and yes, she had a vote in the applicant consideration process. If a well-qualified pilot applicant showed up for an interview and was at all condescending or irascible, he or she wasn’t going to work there no matter how much pilot-in-command flight time they had.

It worked… for decades, they’ve been known, and benefited from a reputation for having nice, happy flightcrew members. Ding! I’m inclined to suggest that if you’ve got a situation like this, take the advice that Col. Harland Sanders offered to the new owners of KFC upon closing the sale of his business: “Don’t F… with the gravy!”

HR professionals are beginning to feel considerable pressure from “bean counter land” to heavily automate these and other important parts of the business process, in order to extract the efficiencies that were promised on the front end of the massive AI investment. That’s as it should be, but let’s be very careful to avoid throwing the baby out with the bath water.