4-Oct-2024 | Taha Kisat
The Role of Human Judgement in Background Checks
“I AM NOT A ROBOT!”
How often do we have to prove our identity to a machine while using the internet? Have you ever paused to consider why? It is because, despite the immense capabilities of AI, it cannot see, feel, touch, or hear. It is deprived of these human sensations. Similarly, although artificial intelligence (AI) has brought unprecedented advancements to the recruitment industry, AI-powered tools can streamline and automate various tasks, making hiring more efficient, accurate, and cost-effective, but just like a machine it is devoid of any emotional intelligence.
Thus this dependence on AI in background checks gives birth to many concerns, the most important being: How do we strike the right balance between AI and human judgment in the recruiting process?
The Importance of Human Judgment in Interpreting Background Check Information
While AI offers numerous advantages, it is essential not to overlook the value of the human touch in the recruitment process. Human judgment brings unique strengths to the table, such as:
- Emotional Intelligence
Human recruiters possess emotional intelligence, which allows them to evaluate cultural fit, soft skills, and other intangible qualities that AI may struggle to assess accurately. This human insight is invaluable for understanding candidates on a deeper level. - Complex Decision-Making
Some recruitment decisions involve nuanced considerations that extend beyond AI's data-driven capabilities. To make informed choices, human judgment can weigh various factors, including team dynamics and long-term potential. - Relationship Building
Establishing rapport with candidates and understanding their motivations requires human interaction and empathy. Human recruiters can cultivate meaningful connections with candidates, contributing to a positive candidate experience and long-term engagement. - Adaptability and Flexibility
Recruiters can adapt to changing circumstances, address candidate concerns, and pivot recruitment strategies based on real-time feedback. This flexibility is essential for effectively navigating the dynamic nature of talent acquisition.
The Evolution of Background Checks
Background screening is a relatively new practice. Just a few decades ago, determinations of job or creditworthiness were generally made in good faith— resting largely on the words and confidence of applicants.
The journey of what we now know as Background Checks started with an accident killing of a co-worker, in 1908. In that case, the court held the employer liable for the death as it found that the employer had continued to keep the wrongdoer in employment even after witnessing a pattern of reckless behaviour. This led to the expansion of negligent hiring laws between 1911 and 1933 to include actions that took place outside of employment and violent acts against customers by employees.
Over the two following decades, many more employers were held liable by the courts for negligent hiring. As a result, by the late 1970s, employers across different industries began focusing on providing a safer work environment and started scrutinizing resumes and job applications for false information.
During the 1990s, a growing number of employers began to recognize the need to involve professional background screening service providers in the hiring process. These professionals developed the tools, resources, and techniques to obtain critical background information about job applicants that could provide insights into their personality and skills.
In 2003, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS)— now the Professional Background Screening Association— was founded to promote the cause of third-party screening services. Thus the background check industry was born. The organization also guided background check professionals about maintaining ethical standards and staying on the right side of the law while conducting their candidate screening.
The result has been a culture of commitment to upholding compliance with the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act), protecting consumer privacy, and following fair business practices among PBSA-accredited background screening partners.
The Limitations of Automation
When it comes to utilizing AI in background checks, there are valid concerns. One major worry is the potential for inaccurate results.
Primary concerns revolve around:
- AI not interpreting data correctly, or
- AI being influenced by faulty input, leading to incorrect assessments of individuals.
For many companies, the lack of transparency and accountability is a concern too. Most HR leaders and recruiters won’t understand the technology behind the decisions made. The inner workings of these algorithms can often be complex and difficult to decipher for the people who build them. This makes it challenging to understand how decisions about backgrounds are made – and even harder to explain the why behind hiring decisions.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical considerations also play a significant role in the debate over AI background checks. Questions arise about privacy, consent, and fairness. There’s already enough risk in background screening! How can leveraging AI in the background checks raise questions regarding ethical considerations?
For starters, the most crucial element of AI-powered background checks is Biases. Biases can occur in the training data used to build hiring AI tools. Biases inherent to the developers might also inadvertently pass into the model based on training decisions. Similarly, using AI for social media screening and related processes might introduce inadvertent biases against certain groups. These concerns are rooted in fears about unfairness and potential discrimination in AI-powered processes.
Correcting these biases takes time and requires a proactive effort to identify them. There are also concerns about AI's impact on privacy, primarily when used to scan the web for information about an applicant.
What about securely handling all the personal information in background checks and job applications? With an ambiguous and slow-moving regulatory environment, companies face a risky landscape surrounding AI background checks.
Conclusion
The integration of AI in talent acquisition has ushered in a new era of efficiency and data-driven decision-making. However, the human element remains crucial for understanding candidates on a deeper level, building meaningful connections, and making complex decisions. Striking the right balance between AI and human judgment is the key to success in modern recruitment.
By leveraging AI's strengths and combining them with the unique qualities of human recruiters, organizations can create an efficient, inclusive, and candidate-centric talent acquisition process. Check Xperts in Pakistan, a background check company that embraces AI as a powerful ally in its talent acquisition journey, all the while allowing human judgment to be the compass that guides its decisions and builds lasting connections with top talent.
F.A.Qs
- Why is human judgment still important in background checks despite advancements in technology?
Human judgment is essential because it brings emotional intelligence, cultural understanding, and the ability to assess nuanced situations that AI may overlook, ensuring a more holistic evaluation of candidates - How can human judgment help to identify potential red flags that automated systems might miss?
Human recruiters can spot inconsistencies in behaviour, assess character traits, and evaluate soft skills that automated systems may miss, allowing for a deeper analysis beyond mere data points. - What is the role of human judgment in determining the appropriate level of screening for different positions?
Human judgment helps tailor the level of screening based on the job's complexity, responsibilities, and potential risks, ensuring that higher-risk positions receive more thorough checks. - What are some best practices for incorporating human judgment into background check processes?
The best practice is to partner with third-party background check providers, like Check Xperts in Pakistan, and outsource their talented team which knows how to strike a balance between AI-driven tools for recruitment and human resources
