The rise of AI from experimental processes to a productive technology has further accelerated the long-term trend of automation within recruitment. The nature of recruitment for healthcare staffing firms is quickly evolving as hospitals lean on contingent workers to improve overall efficiency and help meet increased patient demand. To maximize value for healthcare clients and minimize waste in business processes, healthcare staffing firms are leveraging technology to replace tasks in recruiting.

The emergence of staffing platforms is a current example of the more theoretical predictions of automation. The staffing platform model offers a self-service experience with minimal human mediation along with intuitive features that simplify client ordering. Platforms are also bolstered by technology-led automated matching, skills assessment/testing, onboarding, scheduling, time tracking and even payroll benefits.

According to SIA’s 2024 North America Internal Staff Survey, 43% of internal staff across traditional and platform staffing companies reported using AI over the past year in North America. However, staffing platforms are uniquely positioned to benefit from AI even more as nearly every interaction on a staffing platform can be recorded into data to train AI algorithms. For example, AI-powered analytics can predict candidate no-show risk and inform buyers on fill rate probabilities based on selected pay rates. AI algorithms can also forecast potential shifts in demand, fueling a shift to predictive, dynamic pricing models and leaving traditional fixed pricing as an outdated model. This advantage may widen over time as the models constantly improve.

According to SIA’s Temporary Staffing Platform Update: 2024 report, platforms gained share from traditional US staffing models across all four subsegments of the healthcare sector in 2023. Platforms represented more than 20% of US temporary staffing revenue in 2023, up from just 9% in 2020. Where temporary staffing platforms have proven to be effective in adding to overall growth is in terms of scalability, or the benefit of processing efficiencies which enable platforms to handle spikes in demand compared to the traditional staffing model.

According to respondents in SIA’s Staffing Firm Use of Automation: Survey Insights report, the effect of a staffing platform on revenue was boosted a median 10%. Ultimately, rising margin pressures in healthcare staffing may further stimulate the transformation of healthcare staffing to platforms due in part to their ability to offer greater operating efficiencies.

For more information on redefining recruitment and thriving in a tech-driven future, register for SIA’s thought leader webinar, Transforming Recruitment with AI Agents: Automate, Optimize, Succeed at 10 a.m. Pacific time/1 p.m. Eastern time on Feb. 25.