Diversity, equity, and inclusion — or DEI — efforts are making headlines in the US right now. But what does that mean for recruiting teams across Europe?
While some companies expect to see a decline in diversity efforts that mirrors those across the Atlantic, many others anticipate that the focus on DEI to hold steady — or even increase. Most European countries still have mandatory DEI regulations, and study after study has demonstrated that a diverse, inclusive workforce benefits both workplace culture and the bottom line. So getting DEI in recruitment right should probably be on your to-do list (if it isn’t already).
AI and DEI Recruiting: Yay or Nay?
Artificial intelligence tools are gaining traction with recruitment teams across Europe. Most often, AI tools are used to write job descriptions, screen applicants, or answer candidate questions. But how does the use of technology affect DEI in hiring efforts — does it hurt or help?
Short answer: It really depends on how AI is used.
AI in recruitment can be a bit of a double-edged sword. While AI technology can help expand candidate pools and create more inclusive job descriptions and interview questions, it must be used with caution. An AI system trained on biased or incomplete data will only perpetuate — or even amplify — discrimination and exclusionary practices.
Are you ready for the ways AI is changing recruitment?
Get insights on the latest hiring technology trends and how to select the solutions that will benefit your company in our free ebook, 3 Ways Recruitment Technology Will Change Hiring in 2025.
The DEI Benefits of AI in Recruitment
First, let’s examine some of the ways AI technology can support DEI hiring practices.
- Writing more inclusive job descriptions
AI tools (like the ones built into Hirematic) can identify language in your job ad that could discourage certain groups from applying and suggest alternative phrasing that is more inclusive.
- Expanding your candidate pool
Confining your hiring efforts to the same few platforms or job boards could mean you’re not reaching all qualified candidates. AI-powered recruitment marketing platforms can distribute your job advert to a broader selection of channels, without increasing your costs or workload.
- Reduce bias in job requirements or screening
Unconscious bias can creep into the factors used to determine whether or not an applicant is the right fit for your team. Using AI tools can help you focus on objective criteria (specific skills or experience) rather than subjective traits like age, gender, or physical ability.
- Data analysis
AI algorithms can quickly identify patterns or trends in your recruitment data that can help you recognise where diversity efforts are succeeding — or where they’re falling short.
Beware of These DEI AI Pitfalls
The benefits of AI in DEI recruitment efforts are hard to argue with, but there is a dark side to leaning too heavily on artificial intelligence in your hiring practices. Avoid these pitfalls that can actually hurt your DEI initiatives.
- Lack of transparency in hiring decisions
AI recruitment tools are just that — tools. They cannot (and should not) replace actual human hiring experts. Leaving decisions on which candidates succeed and fail entirely to algorithms can hamper DEI efforts, damage your brand reputation, and even lead to legal issues.
- Discrimination amplification
Algorithms are effectively just maths — they’re not thinking or reasoning; they’re just making calculations based on the data you provide. If your recruitment data is incomplete, siloed in different systems, or already includes biases, AI solutions will only make those issues worse.
- Data security and privacy concerns
Exposing all the data of your applicants and employees to an AI tool — especially one that you don’t fully understand — can cause more problems than it solves. It’s critical to ensure the tool you choose protects applicant data and complies with all applicable privacy laws.
Improve DEI Recruitment with Hirematic
The Hirematic omnichannel recruitment marketing platform features a suite of AI optimisation tools that let you leverage the power of artificial intelligence without exposing your organisation to the associated risks.
Our deep learning architecture is trained on millions of jobs across multiple sources, eliminating your need to worry about biased or incomplete data. Hirematic automates time-consuming and repetitive tasks like job ad distribution and budget allocation, and can also add screening questions to your process to weed out duplicate or unqualified candidates. But the biggest boost for DEI recruitment efforts comes in the form of our built-in bias checker.
Simply click the bias checker button after uploading your job ad (or ads), and Hirematic uses AI to review your job title and description and highlight any words or phrases that could be interpreted as insensitive or discriminatory. The platform recommends new language, so all you have to do is review and accept the changes to bring your job posting in line with your team’s DEI efforts.
Want to see it in action? Book a customised demo today. (Not sure you’re ready for a demo? Check out our What to Expect in a Demo PDF to understand what’s involved.)
