Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way we live and work. Like all advancements, it has the potential to create new opportunities and challenges for various sectors, and the hospitality industry is no different. But, asks FM Recruitment's Chris Denison Smith, what impact is this technology likely to have on recruitment in the hospitality industry?
Hospitality Skills
Firstly, it is important to ask how AI might make a difference in the type of roles or skills that may become more sought after in future.
AI can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of many jobs across the sector by automating repetitive and routine tasks, such as data entry, reconciliation, invoicing and payments. This can free up time and resources for employees to focus on more strategic and innovative activities.
While the reduction of manual tasks may certainly affect the number of employees required, it may also help augment the skills and capabilities of employees to help them to deliver more value for their businesses and guests. This would require the industry to continue to adapt and evolve roles and responsibilities and acquire new skills and competencies to leverage the power of these technological advancements.
The Benefits of AI in Hospitality Recruitment
We know that finding and hiring perfect candidates for hospitality roles is a challenging and time-consuming process. AI will certainly be able to help streamline and improve certain recruitment processes including:
Screening and shortlisting candidates based on their resumes, skills, qualifications and experience. AI could help save recruiters time and effort while also reducing human bias and errors
Providing personalised and timely communication, feedback and guidance throughout the recruitment journey. This can increase candidate engagement and satisfaction, and elevate the employer brand
Providing insights and recommendations for recruiters and hiring managers. This can help them make better and faster decisions, optimise their strategies, and identify talent gaps and opportunities
Helping candidates find and apply for roles that match their preferences, goals and potential. This can increase the quality and diversity of the talent pool, and reduce the turnover rate
The Challenge of Using AI
In 2019, a Harvard Business Review article, Will AI reduce Gender Bias in Hiring, highlighted that AI does not need to engage in unconscious biases to penalise based on gender or other under-represented groups in order to get a self-esteem boost.
There is no doubt that reducing human bias is a fairer solution, but this lack of bias could also be a significant drawback to AI-based recruitment. If a business wants to diversify its workforce or business culture, to help pivot the business goals or strategy, recruitment without any human judgement may not serve the purpose. Candidates with atypical work experiences, the hidden gems that help businesses see opportunities that they may have otherwise missed, could fail the algorithm standards and create a future that lacks the inspirational eccentricities that are so vital to the theatre of hospitality.
The Future of AI in Hospitality Recruitment
As specialists in people strategy, we appreciate that our view may come from a position of bias. However, we also strongly feel that AI will never replace human recruiters . It will likely become a powerful tool that can augment human capabilities and performance, reducing the impact of mundane and non value-adding tasks.
This will allow the recruiter to focus on the human aspects of people and performance strategies, such as building relationships, focusing on retention and culture, and providing added value to businesses and candidates.
FM Recruitment is part of Hospitality People Group, offering specialist recruitment, people strategy and advisory services within the international hospitality industry.
If you would like to have a chat about your people strategy, please get in touch and we can chat - human to human – on:
Chris Denison Smith +44 7775 711923 I Email chrisdenisonsmith@fmrecruitment.co.uk Andrea Shaw +44 7714 236469 I Email andreashaw@fmrecruitment.co.uk
Office +44 20 8600 1160 I Email fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk