The use of intelligent tools to automate HR processes has picked up pace in the past few years. One such tool that has gained widespread popularity and adoption is the HR chatbot. Chatbots are programs, usually powered by AI, that can simulate text or audio based conversations. They are used extensively in customer service, marketing, healthcare, and e-commerce. In HR, they have been used to automate employee query management, conduct employee surveys and implement innovative learning programs. According to one study, nearly 75 percent of the HR teams plan to implement chatbots in the near future, and 92 percent of HR professionals agree that HR chatbots will be crucial in directing employees to vital company information.  

Recently, the use of HR bots in recruitment has also been on the rise. These recruitment bots are being used to design an engaging, intuitive and streamlined hiring process. Let us look at some of the ways in which intelligent HR chatbots are helping employers ace new age talent acquisition trends:

Uniform candidate experience

HR bots can elevate each step of the candidate experience by eliminating the need to wait for the right information. From helping the candidate view relevant job openings, answering critical queries about the remuneration or the experience of assisting the candidate in applying for the position – HR chatbots can do it all. Since we’ve all used IM apps and smart assistants, there is virtually no learning or training required to interact with HR chatbots. The instantaneous nature in which they answer questions and queries ensures that candidates get accurate information regarding the job and the organization in real-time without any delay. Upon successful selection, HR chatbots can also be used to engage the candidate until the joining date and can answer queries regarding joining formalities, documentation and other company information. Post joining, they can support the implementation of a standardized onboarding and induction process for new employees as well.

Paperless and efficient processes

HR personnel and recruiters spend an unusually high amount of time in peripheral hiring activities like searching for resumes, scheduling interviews and managing the repository of candidates. HR chatbots, on the other hand, effortlessly store candidate information, screen potential candidates, schedule interviews and manage several candidates at the same time. They do away with the need to maintain endless excel sheets and overflowing folders with resumes.

Automating these processes not only reduces the time taken to select the relevant candidates, but also collects standardized responses from candidates regarding their skills, experience and salary expectations.  What’s more, the process can be optimized further by inserting knock-out questions that filter out the candidates that aren’t the right fit. Thus, by assisting HR professionals in identifying the right candidate, managing the talent database and coordinating interview schedules with candidates, HR chatbots ease the burden of manual work in the preliminary stage of recruitment.

Objective assessment

Despite the advances made in the past few years, the hiring process remains vulnerable to unconscious human biases and prejudices. While there are laws and policies to ensure that outright discrimination doesn’t take place, unconscious biases often creep into the workplace, and by extension, the recruitment process as well. HR chatbots help remove these biases and support objective decision-making by taking into consideration pre-determined factors. Chatbots can be trained to assess essential candidate attributes, like experience, skill or achievements, to determine their fit for the role. Although there have been recent concerns regarding AI inheriting human biases, experts believe that a recalibrated approach to developing technology can fix the issue.

In a nutshell, there are several benefits of using AI-driven HR chatbots in the recruitment process. By taking over the manual and administrative processes, they not only make hiring more efficient but also help free up the time and resources of HR professionals to focus on designing engaging people policies and scouting for the best talent. The fact that they are powered by intelligent technology means that they will only get smarter, more adept and efficient with time. This explains that despite the existing challenges, like language barriers and the inability to mimic complex human conversations by comprehending emotions, HR chatbots are expected to play a significant role in the future of HR.