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WorksHub<\/h5>\n
AI, machine learning, blockchains. If you\u2019re in the tech sector, or just interested in emerging technologies, you\u2019ll already be familiar with these terms.\u00a0 WorksHub<\/a> is an innovative way to connect skilled tech experts and software engineers with companies through specialist job boards, open-source problem solving, and software and tech-related discussion. It was great to see such an innovative solution that successfully bridges the gap for recruiters and HR teams, especially given the specialist nature of many tech roles.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Matt Bradburn from People Collective<\/a> gave an excellent talk about the kind of things hiring managers and recruiters need to do to make sure they are following the demands of both changing business landscapes, and the shifting priorities and needs of employees and candidates.<\/p>\n Diversity and inclusion are key, for example, and there\u2019s really no excuse for overlooking this when hiring in today’s landscape. There is, after all, mounting evidence that proves diverse teams are happier and more productive, and this generally translates into increased revenue. This was an interesting point: HR teams and hiring staff need to be able to \u2018speak the language of the boardroom\u2019 to director-level positions, in essence giving them quantifiable evidence that diversity decisions are also good business decisions.<\/p>\n Some of the other main points we took away were:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A highly entertaining and impactful talk by Toby Mildon from Mildon Consulting<\/a>, about how diversity and inclusion can be implemented in a way that makes lasting change, rather than simply as a box-ticking exercise.<\/p>\n Focusing on getting diversity and inclusion into the very fabric of a business is key, and this isn\u2019t just HR\u2019s responsibility – the entire organisation needs to be on board. It\u2019s also important to remember, as Toby pointed out, that diversity includes everyone<\/i> – an often overlooked yet extremely salient point. One problem organisations often faced, according to Toby’s experience, is a lack of engagement from senior positions. This can often roadblock HR departments, and is generally caused by a failure to link diversity to business goals.<\/p>\n Job advert language came into focus (again), and HR teams and recruiters need to ensure they are thinking about how to make job adverts as inclusive as possible. Even simple things like making it clear that a worksite is disability-friendly can go a long way to attracting a greater range of candidates.<\/p>\n The talk touched on the dangers of AI in recruiting, including the potential for inherent bias against certain groups. Toby also called out the fact that just because an organisation has won awards for diversity, it isn\u2019t necessarily indicative of real cultural change. Very often, organisations simply take the steps necessary to get a good assessment from an awarding body – slipping back into their old way of operating once the celebrations are over. The short term perception gains ultimately mean nothing without lasting implementation, of course.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The impact of technology and the digital space on HR and recruiting has certainly been massive, and Resource Solutions<\/a>\u2019 Tom Lakin took us through some of the best and most interesting tech that he and his team have recommended to clients, or use themselves.<\/p>\n He highlighted the importance of ethics in recruitment tech too, and how both HR professionals and recruiters should always make sure to keep an eye out for products that aren\u2019t operating in an ethical way. Facebook ads are one example<\/a>, as is Amazon’s recent AI hiring systems, which were excluding CVs that mentioned the word \u2018women\u2019 or \u2018woman\u2019. That said, rather interestingly, the Amazon AI was still found to be less biased than a human recruiter. Food for thought. It certainly does highlight the need to thoroughly vet any software or AI hiring solutions that you might be considering, however.<\/p>\n Once again, bad job descriptions were highlighted as a major block for hiring the right candidates, especially when used in conjunction with AI and chatbots. As these solutions become more common, making sure a job description is clear, has the right keywords, and is coherent will make all the difference in allowing automated systems to accurately target the right candidates.<\/p>\n It was also interesting to hear Tom point out the current limitations in chatbots and AI. Free text chatbots aren\u2019t particularly effective for example, but tree-based dialogue bots can be effective at candidate screening, or for FAQ purposes. In terms of AI, bias was highlighted as a key problem area once again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nTalks<\/h2>\n
\nThe Future of Recruiting<\/h5>\n
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The Diversity Dividend<\/h5>\n
![\"Toby](\"\/explore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/IMG_20200219_102744-e1582735805564.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRecruitment Megatrends<\/h5>\n
Neurodiversity at Work<\/h5>\n
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