In an increasingly dynamic labor market, which requires constant changes and adaptations, digital transformation has become an essential priority for companies seeking to maintain their competitiveness and relevance. However, according to the Eurostat Digital Intensity Index, one of the key indicators established by the European Union in terms of digital transformation, half of Spanish companies have a basic level of digital intensity (2023 data), while those with an advanced level are barely close to 6%. The digital transition of companies seems stagnant and face-to-face channels remain at the forefront as the most used, especially for those in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors; and micro and small businesses. This fact is extracted from the last Digital transformation report that InfoJobs has carried out, coinciding with the Day of Microenterprises, Small and Medium Enterprises (which is celebrated next June 27).
In terms of Human Resources, the report from the leading employment platform, carried out for hiring decision-makers to understand the impact of digitalization on companies, confirms that 65% of companies use digital tools in HR functions. H H. (People Analytics), while 1 in 3 do not use them. The use par excellence is personnel selection (53%). This is followed by the professional development of employees (29%), the analysis of their performance (23%), and the implementation of personalized measures (22%).
In the words of Mónica Pérez, director of Communication and Studies at InfoJobs: “Digital transformation is a great opportunity for the future of employment and for companies, in aspects such as automation or agility in hiring processes. After the pandemic, digitalization experienced a great improvement, but there is still a long way to go to advance within companies, and it is necessary to bet on innovative technologies and have expert digital profiles in the field.“.
By company size, the results of the survey indicate that the use of these tools is concentrated in large companies: 88% of them declare they use them. Therefore, the path to be followed for its total digitalization is much shorter than that of smaller companies. Thus, only 59% of microbusinesses use digital tools for HR functions. However, personnel selection is the action that is carried out the most regardless of the size of the company, followed by far employee professional. Furthermore, identifying behavioral patterns prevails among medium-sized companies, that is, those with more than 50 employees and less than 250, as it is one of the actions that is most developed with digital tools.
24% of Spanish companies use AI tools
If we compare the results with the previous Report on digital transformation carried out by InfoJobs, in 2024 the number of companies that use AI for HR management has increased by almost 3 percentage points. HH, until reaching 8%. This year, the platform wanted to ask, not only about the use of AI in this area, but also for other tasks not related to Human Resources. This option receives 19% of the mentions, so that, adding both possibilities, approximately 1 in 4 companies uses some AI tool. If those that plan to incorporate them in less than 12 months are also counted, the percentage rises to 43%. However, there are still 60% of companies that do not use them.
This 24% declared use increases by 23 percentage points to 47% when companies are asked for suggested use (actual use). In this sense, automatic translation is the most used tool, with 34% of mentions. This is followed by chatbots (24%), and voice assistants (14%), while the use of the rest of AI tools is more residual.
By company size, there are quite a few differences in the use made of artificial intelligence. Microenterprises are the ones that use it the most for tasks not related to HR. H H. (22%), while larger companies stand out for using AI to a greater extent for these purposes (13%). On the other hand, 1 in 4 medium-sized companies plan to use the tool in less than a year, and 66% of small companies still do not use AI tools. By sector of activity, quaternary and quinary companies are at the forefront in the use of AI, both for HR-related tasks and tasks. H H. (12%) as for any other (28%).
The use of AI in HR HH: searching for candidates and planning interviews
Companies that use artificial intelligence in selection processes do so primarily to search for candidates (38%, and 32% plan to use it) and to plan interviews (38%, and 26% plan to use it). However, the gap between current use and the forecast in the match or coincidence of the candidate with the functions of the position stands out especially. 29% use it, while only 16% expect to do so in the future.
The result of dealing directly with artificial intelligence in HR tasks. HH, companies have more knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages they can bring. In short, 94% of companies that use AI for Human Resources functions mention some advantage (vs. 37% of non-user companies), while 86% of companies that use it mention some disadvantage (vs. . 47% of non-user companies).
Among the advantages, companies comment on the agility in the selection processes (35%), the increased possibility of fit between candidate and organization (23%), and the possibility of predicting and segmenting the candidate (21%). In relation to the disadvantages, they mention that algorithms cannot replace human empathy and intuition (37%), that there are not enough trained personnel (25%), and that the cost of implementation is high and requires a large investment (19 %).
Companies lose confidence in using AI as a means to ensure inclusive and diverse hiring
Asked about the impact of this new technology on gender inequality and discrimination, 1 in 4 companies point out that it could reduce it, which is 7 percentage points less than in 2023. Therefore, this year more companies do not believe that artificial intelligence has some type of impact on reducing inequalities and discrimination when hiring. 37% of companies are still unclear about the role – positive or negative – that AI can play in hiring.
Cybersecurity, perceived as the most useful function of AI by companies
Regarding the assessment of the usefulness of AI tools, cybersecurity receives a 7.4 out of 10. Companies also believe that artificial intelligence is very optimal for tasks related to marketing (with 7.1), management processes (with 6.9) or finances (6.8). For selection processes and talent acquisition, companies are less positive in terms of a high usefulness of AI, the majority of them (53%) mention a medium usefulness.
