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Progress thoughts:-Andreas Klug
09.10.2022
About the format:
"Fortschrittsgedanken" appeared weekly on the FAIR.nrw blog 2020 and presents the opinions of various experts from research and practice on questions that always remain the same. The primary topic is algorithms in personnel selection.
About the Author:
Andreas Klug is a board member of ITyX AG, which helps automate business processes based on artificial intelligence. He is also chairman of the "Artificial Intelligence" working group in the digital association Bitkom. He regularly deals with the digital transformation and its manifestations in lecture series, trade journals and blogs. As a speaker, he mainly talks about the potential of collaboration between people and machines.
What opportunities do algorithms offer in personnel selection and where are the risks?
What opportunities do algorithms offer in personnel selection and where are the risks?
Algorithms can make some of the "experience" we gather in the selection process usable by machines to support a better application process. This allows humans to focus on the essentials and provides crucial support for precise candidate selection. The biggest risk is actually in the mechanization of reservations. To note: humans have the reservations. Machines can only take over reservations from humans, but cannot develop or even feel any themselves. Seen in this light, algorithms are even useful for transparency and compliance. They just have to be used in the right way.
What influence does discrimination have in personnel selection?
In my opinion, discrimination still plays a big role in recruiting. There are hardly any encounters between people that are free of conscious or subconscious prejudices. In personnel selection, the effects of discriminatory decisions are particularly severe. Transparency and traceability are therefore very important features of a good selection process.
Can algorithms help reduce discrimination in personnel selection?
Yes
Specifically, what is the ideal process for personnel selection?
Even though I am not an HR professional and am not familiar enough with the "subject matter" here, it is clear to me that artificial intelligence can also support humans in personnel selection processes. AI can add value especially in the collection of data, such as the submission of the application, and the plausibility check of the content. In addition, algorithms can help prioritize candidates and highlight conspicuities and special features, such as the absence of certain data. The goal of using artificial intelligence should always be to support people as best as possible and create measurable added value, regardless of the area of application.
