The market for behavioral biometrics-a technological evolution whereby patterns in human movement and activities can be identified, captured, and analyzed-is expected to exceed US $11 billion by 2031. We highlight the evolution from early physiological biometrics (e.g., fingerprints and iris scans used to verify the identity of individuals) to today's behavioral biometrics. Technological advancements now turn our retail stores, offices, and warehouses into live data streams that let us closely and automatically monitor employees' conduct at work. Although this development raises several legitimate surveillance and privacy concerns, behavioral biometrics can potentially benefit organizations and employees alike. Such mutual benefits compel managers to approach behavioral biometrics using our TRUST framework: transparency of intentions, respect for concerns, understanding the importance of choice, sharing the data benefits, and proactively timing the development. Managers who do so will gain a clear focus on organizational and employee well-being.
A large body of research has well established that changes in net balances between labor supply and demand can drive competition for human capital. We propose that AI-enabled recruiting tools constitute a force that will intensify the war for talent above and beyond episodic changes in net balances. We also propose that three seismic shifts will further intensify the war for talent by increasing the value of human capital and lowering its switching costs. Lastly, we bridge human resource management and military escalation literatures and examine how three key onset conditions relative to the use of AI-enabled recruiting tools have the potential to spark an arms race for those tools. Finally, we examine the managerial implications of these dynamics so that managers prevail not just in short-term skirmishes but also in the long-term war for talent.
AI-enabled recruiting systems have evolved from nice to talk about to necessary to utilize. In this article, we outline the reasons underlying this development. First, as competitive advantages have shifted from tangible to intangible assets, human capital has transitioned from supporting cast to a starring role. Second, as digitalization has redesigned both the business and social landscapes, digital recruiting of human capital has moved from the periphery to center stage. Third, recent and near-future advances in AI-enabled recruiting have improved recruiting efficiency to the point that managers ignore them or procrastinate their utilization at their own peril. In addition to explaining the forces that have pushed AI-enabled recruiting systems from nice to necessary, we outline the key strategic steps managers need to take in order to capture its main benefits.
Recruiting talent has moved from a tactical HR activity to a strategic business priority. This has been driven by shifts in the source of firm value and competitive advantage and the critical role of human capital in those shifts. Technological advances have moved digital, AI-enabled recruiting from a peripheral curiosity to a critical capability. However, we know little about candidates'reactions to AI-enabled recruiting. Consequently, in this study, we examine the role of social media use, intrinsic rewards, fair treatment, and perceived trendiness on the intentions of prospective employees to engage with and complete digital, AI-enabled recruiting processes. The positive relationships between these factors and candidates'engagement with AI-enabled recruiting have several important practical implications for managers. We also examine the larger implications and make general recommendations to firms about using AI-enabled recruiting technology and tools.