Companies Are Using AI to Recruit a More Diverse Workforce

New Seramount research explores how progressive companies are using generative AI to find and employ candidates from different backgrounds

Washington, DC, December 10, 2024—Seramount, a talent services firm that partners with more than half of the Fortune 100 companies, released a new report today, “Leverage GAI to Diversify Talent,” that illuminates how generative AI (GAI) will transform the future of candidate recruiting and hiring.

“Our interviews with Chief Diversity Officers, DEI teams, Chief Human Resource Officers, and technology experts show that GAI holds enormous potential to help in-house experts promote DEI best practices and have more influence on hiring outcomes for historically excluded talent,” said Meredith McNeill, a senior director of research at Seramount. “A lot of the conversation has been about the risk of AI perpetuating stereotypes and bias, but our interviews and secondary research highlight the potential of AI to help organizations diversify their workforce.”

The report outlines how GAI can help companies create diverse workplaces in three ways:

1. Reduce Bias in Job Descriptions: DEI teams are often asked to review hundreds of job descriptions to identify biased or gendered language. GAI can edit job descriptions and remove harmful or exclusionary language at scale so that companies do not unintentionally exclude cohorts of candidates.
2. Source More Candidates: GAI can generate messages with specific tones or cultural nuances to appeal to targeted audiences. Moreover, GAI can personalize multiple messages for many audiences to better engage candidates from different backgrounds.
3. Screen Applicants Equitably: GAI leverages skills-based assessments at scale, which reduces bias by standardizing the questions, format, and experience for all candidates. Using a skills-based assessment offers a more objective method than, for example, relying on a hiring manager who may believe a candidate would be a good culture fit because they attended the same university.

Earlier Seramount research indicates 78% of employees want an inclusive workplace that provides equal opportunities regardless of background or demographic characteristics. Inclusive workplaces contribute to higher employee retention rates, improved productivity, and increased engagement.

“A diverse workforce is proven to improve business outcomes, and it is what most employees want, but it is difficult to make positive changes at scale,” McNeill continued. “GAI can enable companies to increase representation without placing the onus on time-crunched talent teams, leveling the playing field for all.”

About Seramount

Seramount is a talent services firm dedicated to supporting high-performing, inclusive workplaces. Over four decades, we’ve established a strong, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Seramount partners with over 650 of the world’s most influential companies, large and small, to offer pragmatic solutions, including best practice DEI research, workplace assessment, employee learning and development, and talent sourcing. These offerings empower organizations to navigate a dynamic corporate environment and to cultivate a resilient, connected workforce that achieves extraordinary outcomes.