Author: April Ogden, Founder and CEO, It’s Your Outcome

Are You Missing Out on Top Talent?

1 billion people globally live with disabilities, and many companies are unknowingly letting talent slip away because of hidden barriers in their AI hiring systems. Imagine the innovative and diverse minds your company might be missing because of outdated algorithms.

Emma, a highly skilled software engineer, was rejected by over 50 companies—not due to her abilities, but because the AI systems screening her applications failed to recognize the assistive technology she uses.

Could your AI be creating similar barriers?

This is the first post in a 3-part series designed to help you unlock the full potential of inclusive hiring by addressing AI biases. By fixing your AI systems, you’ll not only hire better talent but also connect with an $8 trillion global market of consumers and advocates.

Rigid Keyword Matching and Resume Gaps: Are You Overlooking Talent?

AI-powered hiring tools often prioritize candidates based on rigid keyword matching and penalize those with non-linear career paths. For people with disabilities, this might mean being overlooked due to medical leave or work with advocacy organizations. These experiences showcase leadership, resilience, and adaptability—qualities that businesses need—but AI systems frequently flag these as gaps.

Think about it: Have you ever considered how a gap due to medical leave might unfairly disqualify a candidate? It’s more common than you think, and it could be costing you top talent. Some ATS systems may even flag resumes with disability-related terms, leading to unintentional bias.

SOLUTION: Review and retrain your AI tools to recognize transferable skills from advocacy work or other non-traditional career paths. Ensure your AI doesn’t deprioritize resumes that mention medical leave or disability advocacy. By fixing these gaps, you’ll open doors to talented individuals who can bring fresh perspectives to your organization.

Inaccessible Online Assessments: Are You Shutting Out Diverse Communication Styles?

Beyond resume screening, AI systems also play a key role in candidate assessments. Unfortunately, these tools often rely on factors like eye contact, body language, or tone of voice during video interviews. But for neurodivergent individuals or those with speech impairments, these metrics can be misleading and lead to the exclusion of highly qualified candidates.

Imagine losing a candidate because they didn’t maintain typical eye contact—are you really evaluating their skills, or are you missing out because of narrow AI metrics?

A leading tech company realized their AI was screening out candidates who didn’t maintain typical eye contact during video interviews. After adjusting the algorithm to accommodate diverse communication styles, they saw a 30% increase in qualified candidates.

SOLUTION: Ensure your AI-powered assessments accommodate diverse communication methods and integrate assistive technologies like screen readers or alternative keyboards. By doing this, you’ll allow all candidates to showcase their abilities without being unfairly penalized for how they communicate.

Fixing the Bias: How to Train AI for Inclusive Hiring

Inclusive hiring is more than just a checkbox—it’s about building stronger, more innovative teams. It’s not enough to rely on AI systems that may shut doors; instead, your AI should help you find talent in unexpected places.

TIP: Regularly audit your AI systems to ensure inclusivity. Involve a diverse team—including HR, IT, and disabled employees—to evaluate and refine these tools. By doing this, you’ll ensure your hiring processes are finding the most qualified candidates, regardless of their background or how they communicate.

MEASURABLE OUTCOME: Track the number of candidates with disabilities making it through your AI-driven hiring process. Compare your results before and after implementing these changes and watch how opening the doors to a broader talent pool enhances your workforce’s creativity and innovation.

Why Inclusion Matters: The $8 Trillion Market You Could Be Ignoring

Improving your AI systems isn’t just about fixing internal processes—it has the potential to connect you with a larger, more loyal customer base. Hiring people with disabilities not only opens up access to untapped talent but also gives your insight into a global market worth $8 trillion. Consumers with disabilities and their families are loyal to companies that reflect their values of inclusivity and accessibility.

Think of the potential your company could unlock by embracing inclusive hiring. You’re not just doing the right thing—you’re positioning your brand to better serve a massive and influential market.

Supporting data: According to Accenture, companies that actively recruit and hire people with disabilities see 30% higher profit margins and stronger customer loyalty.

Your Next Steps: Start Auditing Your AI Today

It’s clear that your AI systems may be unintentionally filtering out talented individuals who could drive your business forward. Here’s how you can fix this today:

1. Start identifying and eliminating hidden barriers in your hiring tools.
2. Train your AI systems to be more inclusive by involving a diverse team, including people with disabilities, to assess and improve your tools.
3. Book a free consultation with our experts on building an inclusive hiring strategy using AI.

What Talent Are You Missing?

How much talent and innovation are you overlooking because your AI systems are screening out non-traditional candidates? Start your audit today to unlock the full potential of your workforce.

Coming Up Next

This is just the first in a 3-part series. Next, we’ll explore how AI is impacting remote work environments and how businesses can ensure their disabled employees are set up for success.

Preview for Day 2: 

How AI is Failing Disabled Remote Workers and What Your

Business Can Do About It

Stay tuned—by embracing inclusivity now, you’re not only preparing for the future, but you’re creating it.