Emirates Group has significantly reduced its candidate selection time from 60 days to almost instantaneous, saving Dh1.9 million in recruitment expenses, as reported by a senior executive. The integration of artificial intelligence has optimized the hiring process, minimized redundancy, and reclaimed over 1,100 days for recruiters.
During a presentation at Dubai AI Week, Manal Al Soori, Senior Vice President of HR Group Recruitment, shared these insights. She noted that the automation of various recruitment phases utilizing Hirevue software has led to quicker candidate selections.
The company now maintains a talent pool of several high-performing candidates, allowing for immediate recruitment as openings arise. “For instance, with June marking the beginning of our peak travel season, the demand for additional check-in agents escalates,” she explained. “Thus, we draw from our talent pool of previously assessed candidates, effectively reducing our selection time to zero.”
Last year, the organization received 3.2 million job applications, resulting in approximately 14,000 hires, according to Al Soori.
Upon applying for a position, candidates are automatically validated by the system, which then sends them a digital assessment. Based on the assessment results, candidates are categorized into three groups: those who will advance, those needing further validation, and those who have been rejected.
To prevent any hiring bias, the group employs strict checks and balances. Al Soori stated, “Recruiters review both the validation and rejection categories to ensure that clients are not affected by any bias, whether human or AI. If they identify a suitable candidate who was initially rejected, that candidate can be moved to the progression category.”
Candidates who qualify will receive relevant ‘Terms and Conditions’ and share necessary documents. If selected, they will then receive an offer letter.
Through this AI-driven method, the company has processed over 333,851 applications, resulting in more than 26,000 shortlisted candidates and approximately 2,500 offer letters issued, with a 65 percent acceptance rate.
Al Soori illustrated the inefficiencies faced before adopting technology, noting significant time waste with similar job roles across the organization. “We had four positions: Emirates airport check-in agents, call center agents, Marhaba agents, and Dnata customer service agents, all requiring nearly identical qualifications,” she explained.
She pointed out that candidates were applying for all four roles, leading to duplicated efforts for recruiters and extended timelines. “We consolidated these roles into a singular job description, streamlining the application process for candidates,” she added, highlighting improvements in applicant quality and the overall recruitment experience.
This innovation has allowed 4 out of 6 recruiters to concentrate on more valuable activities, leading to a savings of 8,849 hours of recruiter time.