SAP plans to release a new job analyzer application to help organizations eliminate unconscious bias during recruitment. Using machine learning algorithms, the app will flag language that reflects bias during hiring. 

“Many businesses continue to have unintended blind spots when it comes to their hiring practices, and this is stopping them from finding the best talent,” said Greg Tomb, president, SAP SuccessFactors*.

“We are introducing digital innovation with machine learning to help HR teams uncover new insights across the full range of HR processes, in this case, to support unbiased decision making in the hiring process. With the job analyzer, leaders are better positioned to attract and engage the best available people, which equates to a stronger business impact.”

SAP applications and services enable more than 355,000 business and public sector customers.

With new functionality embedded within its SAP® SuccessFactors® Recruiting Management solution, organizations are empowered to expand their talent pools and target the best candidates for every role, the company said. The announcement was made at the 2017 HR Technology Conference & Expo, taking place October 10-13 in Las Vegas.

SAP is also expanding its Business Beyond Bias focus to help companies optimize existing features throughout the SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite to eliminate inherent biases around age, ethnicity, and differently-abled and LGBT communities.

“The global workforce is increasingly diverse, with more employees of different backgrounds and perspectives joining the labor market each day,” said Lisa Rowan, research vice president, HR, talent and learning strategies, IDC.

“At the same time, companies worldwide are facing widening talent shortages that they are struggling to address. With these tools available throughout the SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite, customers are better placed to remove the blind spots that are hindering them from attracting, selecting, engaging and advancing the best talent.”

Available in beta in the fourth quarter of 2017, the job analyzer functionality enables businesses to integrate diversity and inclusion considerations into talent management decisions.

The new functionality utilizes SAP Leonardo Machine Learning capabilities to help managers and recruiters identify and eliminate gender-biased language from job descriptions.

With the power of external data, hiring managers can analyze market competitiveness and salary ranges and scrub bias language from jobs descriptions for the global shortage of talent.