New report shows strong preference for human-led hiring process
Job applicants still prefer a human-led recruitment process amid the growing deployment of AI tools in hiring, according to a new report.
Findings from Staffmark Group's 2026 Heart of Work Index, which polled over 3,000 workers, revealed that respondents still strongly prefer an all-human hiring experience.
In a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 represents an all-digital experience and 100 represents an all-human one, the final score settled at 71.
"The moment the stakes get real — an interview, an offer, a first day — people want a person in their corner, not a chatbot," said Stacey Lane, CEO of Staffmark Group.
According to the report, 70% of the respondents want a human-led post-application and pre-interview stage, while only 30% want a digitally led experience.
Onboarding should also be human-led, according to 64% of the respondents, while they were divided on whether résumé-building and job search should be human or digital.
| Hiring Stage | Prefer Human-Led | Prefer Tech-Led |
| Resume-Building | 54% | 46% |
| Job Search & Apply | 53% | 47% |
| Post-Apply / Pre-Interview | 70% | 30% |
| Onboarding | 64% | 36% |
The findings come amid the growing adoption of HR tools in hiring across the world, with employers seeing it as a solution to ease their work amid surging volume of applications.
A recent report from HireRight found that 17% of employers in North America are already using AI for talent acquisition, with the figure rising for HR professionals in the Asia-Pacific region (35%).
Separate findings from BambooHR also found that 67% of HR professionals would trust AI to conduct an interview on its own.
Knowing where to apply AI
Employers are already facing strong expert warnings when it comes to AI deployment in the hiring process, especially amid persisting concerns of AI biases.
"AI shouldn't replace the interviewer, it should be used to make the interviewer better at the part we actually need humans for," said Nicole Csiszár, Sr. director of HR services at BambooHR, in a previous statement.
Lane also underscored the importance of knowing where to deploy AI tools in the hiring process.
"The right approach isn't choosing between the ease and efficiency of technology and the heart of human connection. It's knowing exactly where each one belongs," the CEO said.
