Blog
Bias in Hiring

5 Ways AI Enhances Diversity Hiring in the Recruitment Process

Fostering diversity through hiring is no longer just a "nice-to-have"—it's a crucial element of creating a thriving, innovative, and resilient workforce

September 30, 2024

Fostering diversity through hiring is no longer just a "nice-to-have"—it's a crucial element of creating a thriving, innovative, and resilient workforce. However, achieving diversity in hiring consistently and at scale remains a challenge for many companies, often due to biases that are either consciously or unconsciously introduced into the process. 

While some news coverage has focused on AI systems that perpetuate bias due to their unexplainable algorithms, it’s worth noting that – in aggregate – significantly higher degrees of bias occur through talent acquisition efforts without automation. In fact, ample automation of recruiting efforts is what supports greater accessibility, meeting candidates where they are, and effective screening that gives all candidates a fair chance. 

We’ve been on the front lines of ethical AI implementation for hiring at scale. And have seen how systems built on principles including diverse implementation teams, training datasets, guardrails, explainability, and routine audits can move diversity hiring initiatives light years beyond efforts without AI. 

Below we’ll detail the five most impactful ways we’ve seen AI for hiring support diversity hiring in recruitment.

First off, what is diversity hiring?

Diversity hiring refers to the intentional practice of seeking out and recruiting candidates from underrepresented groups, such as individuals of different races, genders, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, and other backgrounds. The goal of diversity hiring is to build a more inclusive and representative workforce, ensuring that a variety of perspectives, experiences, and ideas are present in the organization. This approach not only helps in creating a more equitable workplace but also drives innovation and business success by fostering a diverse range of viewpoints.

Diversity hiring goes beyond traditional recruitment methods, actively addressing biases that can occur during the hiring process, and employing strategies to reach and attract a broader range of candidates. Companies often use metrics, ethical AI tools, and structured interview techniques to reduce unconscious bias and promote fairness throughout the recruitment process.

Incorporating diversity hiring practices is part of building a more equitable work environment that values and leverages differences to improve organizational performance and inclusivity.

Monitoring and Reporting Diversity Metrics

The first way AI enhances diversity hiring is through more robust analytics and tracking. Organizations employing automation to support all stages of the hiring pipeline tend to create more data points for future improvements. By tracking and visualizing data around sourcing, engagement, and conversions, recruiters can better understand where their diversity efforts succeed or need improvement.

For instance, data from Humanly across hundreds of companies and millions of searches over the last five years shows that male candidates have received, on average, 3x more outreach than female candidates (25% vs. 75%). This discrepancy highlights the persistent gender bias in candidate sourcing, particularly in technical roles where 84% of engineering outreach targets male candidates, while roles such as Executive Assistant (66%), People Ops (56%), and Recruiting (51%) see more outreach to female candidates.

These insights are essential because, as the adage goes, "You can’t effectively change what you don’t measure." With tools like the Humanly platform, companies can identify these disparities and take actionable steps to correct them, optimizing their recruitment processes to build more diverse and equitable teams.

Enabling Consistent and Equitable Candidate Engagement

AI recruitment tools can provide a seamless way to ensure candidates receive consistent and personalized engagement throughout the recruitment process. Automated systems allow for 24/7 interactions, offering candidates the flexibility to engage with the hiring process at their convenience, whether that's after hours or across different time zones. This flexibility is vital for ensuring that no candidate is left behind due to scheduling limitations, especially for those juggling work, caregiving, or other responsibilities that may traditionally exclude them from more rigid recruitment timelines.

For underrepresented candidates, such as women, minorities, or those in underserved geographical areas, this kind of continuous engagement can make a significant difference. These groups may often feel neglected or underserved by traditional recruitment processes that tend to favor majority groups due to historical biases in hiring patterns. Without consistent communication and engagement, underrepresented candidates are more likely to drop out of the hiring funnel.

Moreover, many hiring processes have been unintentionally designed to suit the availability and preferences of a narrow pool of candidates—those who traditionally dominated the workforce. When a recruitment process mirrors the experiences of past candidates, particularly if they come from homogenous backgrounds, it can inadvertently exclude new and diverse candidates. AI tools can help rectify this by offering a more adaptable and inclusive approach to scheduling, engagement, and responsiveness

Reducing Bias in Initial Screening

A third significant challenge in diversity hiring is the introduction of bias during the screening process. Humanly’s AI-powered platform engages candidates in 2-way conversations, pre-screening them based on objective criteria such as skills and qualifications, rather than demographic factors like race or gender. 

By automating this initial step, AI minimizes the influence of unconscious bias on candidates simply “getting in the door.” Across thousands of initial screens, this simple first step supports significant strides towards more diverse workforces. Additionally systems like Humanly's disqualify candidates automatically when they don't meet predefined job criteria, helping recruiters focus on the best talent regardless of background​.

Streamlining the Recruitment Process to Remove Barriers

Barriers – through bias as well as poorly designed systems – are at the root of why many diversity hiring initiatives fail. AI has the potential to transform recruitment by automating many time-consuming tasks, thereby allowing recruiters to focus on more strategic, human-centered responsibilities. This shift is particularly important when aiming to foster diversity and inclusion, as a well-designed AI system can help remove traditional barriers in the hiring process, ensuring that it’s more accessible to a diverse pool of candidates.

One of the key areas where AI makes a significant impact is in automating repetitive administrative tasks such as resume screening, interview scheduling, and follow-ups. These tasks, while essential, can be time-consuming for recruiters and lead to bottlenecks in the hiring process. By automating them, tools like Humanly allow recruitment teams to spend less time on manual processes and more time engaging with candidates personally, which is crucial for fostering relationships and improving the candidate experience.

Reducing friction in the hiring funnel is particularly important for engaging underrepresented candidates who may face additional challenges during the recruitment process. For example, minority candidates, women, or individuals with caregiving responsibilities may experience higher drop-off rates due to inflexible scheduling or slow follow-up processes. Automated systems like Humanly’s ensure that candidates can self-schedule interviews, receive timely updates, and move through the process efficiently, reducing these points of friction.

Furthermore, AI can help reduce drop-off rates by providing more consistent and equitable communication. Traditional hiring processes can often leave candidates waiting for updates, which can be particularly alienating for underrepresented groups. AI chatbots and automated workflows provide candidates with immediate responses, clear next steps, and ongoing engagement, helping keep them informed and less likely to lose interest or disengage​.

By streamlining administrative tasks, reducing points of friction, and improving accessibility, AI-powered recruitment platforms contribute to a smoother, faster, and more inclusive hiring process. This shift is crucial for companies looking to engage diverse candidates and reduce barriers in the recruitment funnel. Ultimately, these technologies provide recruiters with the tools to focus on human-centered, relationship-building tasks, driving both efficiency and diversity in hiring.

For more insights into how AI can streamline recruitment while supporting diversity, consider reviewing tools that incorporate both automation and ethical AI principles (see our white paper on AI governance and safety), ensuring you remove both logistical and bias-related barriers.

Ensuring Guardrails For Communication at Scale

One of the main concerns with using AI in hiring is the risk of amplifying biases, rather than eliminating them. When AI systems are trained on biased data, they can unintentionally perpetuate discriminatory practices. This issue can stem from both the data fed into the system and how the algorithms make decisions. However, with the right strategies and ethical safeguards, AI can be a powerful tool for reducing bias and fostering diversity.

To mitigate this risk, organizations must implement responsible AI practices. A key aspect of this is ensuring that AI is fed with diverse and representative datasets that don’t skew toward a particular demographic. As highlighted in Humanly’s article "AI is What It’s Fed," the quality and balance of training data play a crucial role in ensuring fair outcomes. This means actively monitoring and filtering data to eliminate biased inputs, a practice that should be a priority for any talent acquisition team adopting AI.

Furthermore, explainability and transparency are essential when evaluating AI vendors. It is critical to choose systems where you can understand how decisions are made and ensure that the system’s algorithms are continuously audited for fairness. According to Humanly’s checklist for evaluating AI vendors, transparency in data sources, bias mitigation practices, and regular audits should be non-negotiable when selecting a solution​.. For example, asking vendors how their systems manage potential bias or how often they conduct audits is vital to safeguarding fairness in the hiring process.

Incorporating AI with built-in ethical guardrails allows organizations to confidently scale their hiring efforts while promoting inclusivity. Key questions to ask when evaluating AI vendors include:

  • What steps are taken to ensure diverse datasets?
  • How do they monitor and mitigate bias?
  • What are the transparency mechanisms for decision-making?

The goal isn’t just to automate tasks but to ensure AI systems align with the organization’s diversity and equity initiatives. For talent acquisition professionals, the focus should be on how these tools not only increase efficiency but also contribute to building a diverse and equitable workforce. By asking the right questions and incorporating rigorous oversight, AI can be an ally in promoting diversity hiring initiatives rather than a risk.

More Resources

View all
Sort
A Checklist for Evaluating AI Vendors: Key Questions to Ask
When considering an AI vendor, you need to ensure their tech aligns with your value, protects your data, and is tailored to your needs.
September 26, 2024
Just as Humans Are What We Eat, AI Is What It’s Fed
Bias in data is not just an abstract concept—it’s a real-world problem that affects everything from the design of safety equipment to how we hire and promote employees.
September 25, 2024
Automated Candidate Sourcing: Best Practices For Skipping Recruitment Drought and Deluge
We explore new playbooks for candidate sourcing predictability
August 8, 2024
Humanly Placed in Will Reed's Top 100 Workplace Culture Ranking
Humanly a top 100 culture award recipient
September 10, 2024
Humanly Placed in Will Reed's Top 100 Workplace Culture Ranking
Humanly a top 100 culture award recipient
September 10, 2024
Humanly Named Top AI Recruiting Software By Select Software Reviews
4.7/5 rating and a "must buy" for mid-sized teams already using an ATS
January 1, 2024
Humanly Named Top AI Recruiting Software By Select Software Reviews
4.7/5 rating and a "must buy" for mid-sized teams already using an ATS
January 1, 2024
Humanly Named Geekwire 2022 Best UX Design Of The Year
GeekWire Awards judges said they “We were impressed with their focus on diversity and this was apparent in several areas and features of the platform.”
October 11, 2022
Humanly Named Geekwire 2022 Best UX Design Of The Year
GeekWire Awards judges said they “We were impressed with their focus on diversity and this was apparent in several areas and features of the platform.”
October 11, 2022
Humanly Named 2022 HR Tech Awardee For Talent Acquisition
We welcome this large step for our quickly growing organization.
September 19, 2022
Humanly Named 2022 HR Tech Awardee For Talent Acquisition
We welcome this large step for our quickly growing organization.
September 19, 2022
Humanly Wins Multiple Placements In G2 Winter 2024 Reports
Our journey in shaking up talent acquisition just hit new heights, nailing spots in both Recruiting Automation and Chatbot sectors.
January 1, 2024
Humanly Wins Multiple Placements In G2 Winter 2024 Reports
Our journey in shaking up talent acquisition just hit new heights, nailing spots in both Recruiting Automation and Chatbot sectors.
January 1, 2024
TheKey
10x decrease in application time with TheKey
April 21, 2024
Moss Adams
5x hiring team productivity with Moss Adams
April 23, 2024
There are no other white papers at the moment
Mr Meaningful Work and Arkesh Mishra
Tim and Arkesh Mishra - Head of People @ Walmart U.S. Tech - explore how AI is reshaping the future of work, the importance of skills-based approaches in talent management, and the critical role of empathy and well-being in driving performance.
July 9, 2024
Mr Meaningful Work and Tim Sackett
In this episode Tim Sackett shares his view on the evolving landscape of recruitment and leadership in the age of AI. Delving into the importance of embracing AI and technology, focusing on data-driven decisions, and enhancing organizational talent.
June 25, 2024
Mr Meaningful Work and Guests Kick Off What's Humanly Possible
Join Mr. Meaningful Work, Tim O'Leary and the Humanly team as we kick off our podcast "What's Humanly Possible"
June 11, 2024
Mr Meaningful Work and the Queen of Hearts
In our second episode of "What's Humanly Possible" Tim - Mr. Meaningful Work - O'Leare meets with Chief Heart Officer at Vayner Media Claude Silver. The pair talk through the role of empathy in building high performing teams as well as the whole lifecycle of hiring and talent acquisition
June 11, 2024
Efficient, Equitable & Empathetic Candidate Conversations with Katrina Collier and Prem Kumar
Katrina Collier, author of The Robot-Proof Recruiter, and Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly, dive deep into the evolving role of AI in recruitment
October 2, 2024
Efficient, Equitable & Empathetic Candidate Conversations with Katrina Collier and Prem Kumar
Katrina Collier, author of The Robot-Proof Recruiter, and Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly, dive deep into the evolving role of AI in recruitment
October 2, 2024
Chisel Presents: Learnings From Building AI Products
Featuring Humanly CEO Prem Kumar
September 16, 2024
Chisel Presents: Learnings From Building AI Products
Featuring Humanly CEO Prem Kumar
September 16, 2024
The Role of AI in Modern Recruiting [Podcast]
Listen in as Prem explores the potential of AI to match candidates, manage high applicant volumes, and improve communication, and highlights the need for data protection and trust in AI systems.
August 15, 2024
The Role of AI in Modern Recruiting [Podcast]
Listen in as Prem explores the potential of AI to match candidates, manage high applicant volumes, and improve communication, and highlights the need for data protection and trust in AI systems.
August 15, 2024
AI in Hiring: From Microsoft to Humanly's Recruitment Solutions | Episode 14
AI in hiring podcast chats with Prem Kumar on Humanly's approach to high-volume hiring using conversational AI
August 6, 2024
AI in Hiring: From Microsoft to Humanly's Recruitment Solutions | Episode 14
AI in hiring podcast chats with Prem Kumar on Humanly's approach to high-volume hiring using conversational AI
August 6, 2024
How Can Technology Optimize the Hiring Proceess? With Prem Kumar
In this Endevis "Talent Tide" podcast episode, Chris discusses the benefits of using AI in the hiring process with Humanly CEO Prem Kumar.
October 18, 2022
How Can Technology Optimize the Hiring Proceess? With Prem Kumar
In this Endevis "Talent Tide" podcast episode, Chris discusses the benefits of using AI in the hiring process with Humanly CEO Prem Kumar.
October 18, 2022
Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly.io: $5.5 Million Raised to Build the Conversational Hiring Category
Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly, a recruiting tech platform that has raised $5.5 million in funding.
November 7, 2023
Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly.io: $5.5 Million Raised to Build the Conversational Hiring Category
Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly, a recruiting tech platform that has raised $5.5 million in funding.
November 7, 2023
Transforming the Recruitment Process with Humanly's Prem Kumar
HR Tech Spotlight discusses Humanly.io with a focus on conversational AI for high-volume professional hiring.
September 6, 2022
Transforming the Recruitment Process with Humanly's Prem Kumar
HR Tech Spotlight discusses Humanly.io with a focus on conversational AI for high-volume professional hiring.
September 6, 2022
Firing Squad: Humanly's Prem Kumar
It's not often we get a Y Combinator company to pitch on Firing Squad, so let's start with 'you're welcome, listeners.' So, who's up? CEO Prem Kumar brings his A Game.
October 17, 2023
Firing Squad: Humanly's Prem Kumar
It's not often we get a Y Combinator company to pitch on Firing Squad, so let's start with 'you're welcome, listeners.' So, who's up? CEO Prem Kumar brings his A Game.
October 17, 2023
HR Tech Insights Featuring Markellos Diorinos, Prem Kumar And Rob Catalano
This interview is part of a new series called HR Tech Insights for the Workology Podcast, sponsored by UpSkill HR and Ace the HR Exam.
August 10, 2021
HR Tech Insights Featuring Markellos Diorinos, Prem Kumar And Rob Catalano
This interview is part of a new series called HR Tech Insights for the Workology Podcast, sponsored by UpSkill HR and Ace the HR Exam.
August 10, 2021
Deck Review: Humanly
Humanly's founders communicated a big opportunity on a level investors could easily understand
November 18, 2020
Deck Review: Humanly
Humanly's founders communicated a big opportunity on a level investors could easily understand
November 18, 2020
A Chat with Prem Kumar, CEO of the HR Tech Company Humanly.io
Favorite podcasts, AI-augmented recruiting, parenting app wishlists, and more.
October 14, 2020
A Chat with Prem Kumar, CEO of the HR Tech Company Humanly.io
Favorite podcasts, AI-augmented recruiting, parenting app wishlists, and more.
October 14, 2020
The New Age of Hiring: AI Is Changing the Game for Job Seekers
Automation, algorithms and machine learning are taking over recruitment and hiring. How do we compete with the rise of robots?
June 9, 2023
The New Age of Hiring: AI Is Changing the Game for Job Seekers
Automation, algorithms and machine learning are taking over recruitment and hiring. How do we compete with the rise of robots?
June 9, 2023
SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco Future of Work Cohort
Meet the startups joining the Spring 2021 Future of Work Program at the SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco
April 14, 2021
SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco Future of Work Cohort
Meet the startups joining the Spring 2021 Future of Work Program at the SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco
April 14, 2021
All the companies from Y Combinator’s W20 Demo Day, Part I: B2B Companies
Y Combinator’s Demo Day was a bit different this time around.
April 24, 2020
All the companies from Y Combinator’s W20 Demo Day, Part I: B2B Companies
Y Combinator’s Demo Day was a bit different this time around.
April 24, 2020
Product Manager To CEO | Using AI To Increase Equity When Hiring
Today’s job application experience often falls very short of that world. Candidates find themselves repeating the same steps without feedback, positive or negative, while key questions are left unanswered until late in the process.
January 29, 2024
Product Manager To CEO | Using AI To Increase Equity When Hiring
Today’s job application experience often falls very short of that world. Candidates find themselves repeating the same steps without feedback, positive or negative, while key questions are left unanswered until late in the process.
January 29, 2024
Recruiting automation startup Humanly lands $12M as it doubles down on AI
GeekWire’s in-depth startup coverage tells the stories of the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial scene.
September 13, 2023
Recruiting automation startup Humanly lands $12M as it doubles down on AI
GeekWire’s in-depth startup coverage tells the stories of the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial scene.
September 13, 2023
GeekWire Awards: How this startup CEO adapted to the pandemic, economic downturn and his own fatigue
Geekwire covers the founding story of Humanly and the challenges surmounted by CEO Prem Kumar
September 20, 2023
GeekWire Awards: How this startup CEO adapted to the pandemic, economic downturn and his own fatigue
Geekwire covers the founding story of Humanly and the challenges surmounted by CEO Prem Kumar
September 20, 2023
From Artificial Intelligence to Human Intelligence
A once in a generation opportunity to revolutionize HR with AI
March 20, 2024
From Artificial Intelligence to Human Intelligence
A once in a generation opportunity to revolutionize HR with AI
March 20, 2024
Humanly Acquires Teamable, Introducing an AI-First End-to-End Recruiting Powerhouse
Raising the Bar: Putting Candidates First, With Recruiting Teams in the Driving Seat
May 28, 2024
Humanly Acquires Teamable, Introducing an AI-First End-to-End Recruiting Powerhouse
Raising the Bar: Putting Candidates First, With Recruiting Teams in the Driving Seat
May 28, 2024
Empowering the Future of Hiring: Humanly Raises $12M Series A to Fuel Innovation and Growth
$12M to Innovate Hiring, Promising a Future Where AI Leads the Way.
November 29, 2023
Empowering the Future of Hiring: Humanly Raises $12M Series A to Fuel Innovation and Growth
$12M to Innovate Hiring, Promising a Future Where AI Leads the Way.
November 29, 2023
Ask the Question: What’s Beyond What You Already Think and Know About Hiring?
The future of recruiting is build on transparent relationships
November 29, 2023
Ask the Question: What’s Beyond What You Already Think and Know About Hiring?
The future of recruiting is build on transparent relationships
November 29, 2023
What's AI Sourcing?
Discover how Humanly's AI-powered sourcing tools can revolutionize your candidate sourcing process, making it faster, smarter, and more efficient.
September 10, 2024
What's AI Sourcing?
Discover how Humanly's AI-powered sourcing tools can revolutionize your candidate sourcing process, making it faster, smarter, and more efficient.
September 10, 2024
What's AI Referrals?
Employee referrals can be your secret weapon, even in times when hiring is competitive.
September 10, 2024
What's AI Referrals?
Employee referrals can be your secret weapon, even in times when hiring is competitive.
September 10, 2024
Transforming Hiring with AI
Join Humanly CEO Prem Kumar in conversation with recruiting innovator Anthony Rotoli, CEO of InterviewAI
September 4, 2024
Transforming Hiring with AI
Join Humanly CEO Prem Kumar in conversation with recruiting innovator Anthony Rotoli, CEO of InterviewAI
September 4, 2024
Ethical AI Governance and Best Practices for AI-Powered Recruiting
How leading HR teams are navigating AI governance to ensure ethical practice and compliance in a rapidly-evolving landscape.
August 29, 2024
Ethical AI Governance and Best Practices for AI-Powered Recruiting
How leading HR teams are navigating AI governance to ensure ethical practice and compliance in a rapidly-evolving landscape.
August 29, 2024
SHRM - Ethical HR to Talent Trends, AI in HR
Explore the future of ethical AI in HR with SHRM and Humanly.
March 1, 2024
SHRM - Ethical HR to Talent Trends, AI in HR
Explore the future of ethical AI in HR with SHRM and Humanly.
March 1, 2024
Empowering Skills-First Hiring using AI
iMocha, Bryq, and Humanly explore merging soft skills and technical expertise to build future-ready teams
April 23, 2024
Empowering Skills-First Hiring using AI
iMocha, Bryq, and Humanly explore merging soft skills and technical expertise to build future-ready teams
April 23, 2024
Ensuring Responsible AI: Humanly's Governance and Safety Measures
How Humanly Implements Industry-Leading AI Governance and Guardrails
September 16, 2024
Building Trust with Ethical AI in Recruitment: Humanly's Approach
Empowering People, Amplifying Potential with Responsible AI Solutions
September 16, 2024
Navigating Candidate Overload and Drought: Sourcing Tactics For Recruiters
Traditional candidate sourcing faces numerous limitations. See how we're solving sourcing with AI that keeps smarter human conversation at the center of hiring.
July 19, 2024
What Does Equitable AI For Hiring Look Like
The risks and what you can do about them
April 24, 2024

Book a demo with us

Humanly is trusted by Fortune 500's and quickly-growing startups alike.