Automation without accountability is a liability!

The recruitment industry is awash with optimism around Artificial Intelligence.

Some of the excitement borders on hysteria. Many promise AI will unlock productivity, free up recruiters’ time, and drive profitability. Agencies everywhere are scrambling to embed AI into their processes, convinced it is the path to a leaner, more high-performing future.

But there’s a fallacy in the belief that AI inherently creates ‘free time‘ or automatically makes consultants more productive. Rushing to implement poor-quality AI or technology that does not solve real problems is an existential danger. Sadly, ‘snake oil salesmen‘ are on the loose, and a great deal of pain and disruption will be created for those who implement AI or automation without a carefully thought-through plan.

I spoke to Guy Day, CEO of Kamal, the AI Business Management Partner for Agency Leaders.

(Connect with him on LinkedIn. Smart ‘guy’.)

Guy told me that without a clear understanding of what efficiency looks like in practice—and how to measure it—we risk mistaking activity, or even ‘change‘, for progress.

The Buzz vs. the Reality

AI can be incredibly powerful. It can automate repetitive tasks like candidate sourcing, CV matching, and even first-round outreach and candidate process flows. However, adding AI to a workflow doesn’t automatically translate to better recruitment outcomes. There are several critical questions:

• What problem does this AI actually solve?
• What parts of the process are improved by automating them?
• What parts should we not automate and make sure recruiters manage?
• What are the outcomes for stakeholders, clients, candidates and consultants?
• And then critically. What happens to the saved time when we implement great tech that speeds up the routine?

Guy Day explains, “If consultants aren’t equipped with a clear structure, targets, and visibility over how their day is spent, then AI’s ‘time savings’ become a mirage. In fact, it can create a false sense of productivity while diverting focus away from what really drives margin and client impact”.

I wholeheartedly agree, and it becomes exponentially worse when the consultant not only does not know what to act on, but lacks the skills to make an impact anyway!

This is the crux of it.

AI is not a panacea. It is not an automatic fix. “Wack it in and see the benefits flow“. You may end up with dysfunctional tech that no one uses and highly expensive recruiters doing less and less valuable work.

The Measurement Gap

Many Agency leaders struggle to track the full scope of a recruiter’s day.

I can tell you this from a lifetime of managing large recruitment businesses and advising hundreds of recruitment owners. They might know how many calls were made or CVs sent—but not how long was spent on strategic client development, pipeline building, or high-yield candidate conversations. And even if they measure the volume of activity, they do not know the outcome of that activity. Why would you tell someone to ‘make 100 calls‘ if you knew that it took 500 calls to connect with one prospect? You would find a better, more effective way.

The truth is that when faced with two recruiters sitting next to each other, one billing 500k and the other billing 200k, many recruitment leaders do not understand what drives that outcome. You need to measure inputs and the effectiveness of the outputs to advise the 200k person to change tactics and increase the volume of the most effective activities. And the individual needs to see and understand this.

Guy Day expands on this, “AI may streamline parts of the job, but without visibility into consultant workflows, it’s impossible to know where time is saved or lost—and whether it’s translating to revenue”.

Even the management of the simplest metrics can initiate a solution.

The Brisbane office is doing better than Sydney. Aha! Brisbane fills one job out of 2 taken. Sydney, one job out of 4! Let us dig into that. London and Manchester offices have the same number of temps, but Manchester is generating 20% more GP. How come? Check the temp margin percentage for sure, but also look at average bill rates and the average length of the assignment. You need that data in real time to effect meaningful change.

That’s where structured measurement and data-led analysis become essential.

Three Steps to Validate AI’s True Value in Recruitment (with a Data-Led Approach)

To ensure AI isn’t just another shiny tool but a true force multiplier for your agency, leaders need a structured, data-first approach to validate impact and reallocate time wisely. Here, Guy Day explains how using Kamal methodology:

1. Map the Consultant Workflow with Real Visibility

Start by breaking down the full consultant day: outreach, admin, client calls, candidate screening, business development, and everything in between. But don’t stop at assumptions or gut feelings—use real, consolidated data from your CRM, ATS, timesheet tools and calendars to understand how time is spent. Only with this lens can you identify where automation is making a real dent—and where it isn’t.

And now my two cents on this. If you are veering towards thinking, ‘But this is micromanaging’, stop yourself and reflect. There is no area of excellence in human endeavour where those at the top do not measure their activity, quality and subsequent results to improve them.

Quality data and measurement are not micromanaging. They are empowering!

Giving your team accurate data is the greatest form of respect because accurate data means leadership can show the team and the individual what is working and what is not.

That is where growth and improvement begin

Or is it better to say, ‘Try harder’?

Not very helpful, is it?

2. Define What Efficiency Looks Like

Before launching AI-driven changes, define the outcome you’re aiming for. Is it more candidate reach-outs? Improved CV-to-interview ratios? More margin per placement? Better client coverage? You need clear metrics tied to commercial outcomes—because if ‘more time’ doesn’t lead to ‘more impact’, the efficiency gain is lost.

3. Track Where the Time Actually Goes

Post-implementation, don’t just assume the time saved is being well used—measure it. Has it been reinvested in pipeline development, relationship building, or higher-margin roles? Or has it been eaten up by task switching, non-core work, or low-value activity?
Platforms that unify workflow data make it possible to track shifts in behaviour and output in real time, enabling leaders to coach consultants on making the most of their time and ensure tech investment is truly delivering ROI.

This is where AI meets accountability, and visibility becomes your competitive edge.

By the way, accountability should always be delivered with empathy. This isn’t managing by numbers. This is using the power of science to equip people to understand why they need to do certain activities and improve specific skills.

Conclusion

AI can reshape recruitment—but only if we understand the problem it’s solving, define success, and measure its real-world impact on consultant output.

Simply adding automation doesn’t guarantee productivity.

The real gains come from visibility, accountability, and intentional action.

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You cannot manage what you do not measure.

If agency leaders focus not just on adding tech but on aligning it with measurable consultant performance, they’ll be in a far stronger position to turn AI into a real competitive edge.

Follow Kamal on LinkedIn for the latest insights, industry trends, and expert tips to supercharge your recruitment strategy.

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“Kamal is the AI-powered operating system for modern recruitment agencies. By connecting your ATS, payroll, finance, and timesheet platforms, Kamal creates a unified view of your business—eliminating data silos and guesswork. Its analytics engine doesn’t just surface metrics; it reveals the patterns behind them, helping you understand what drives performance and profitability. You can track consultant activity in real time, link it to outcomes, and uncover what your top billers are doing differently. Kamal also gives you complete visibility into gross margin by client, job, or desk—so you can see where you’re making money, where you’re not, and where to focus next. If you’ve been relying on scattered dashboards and disconnected reports, Kamal gives you the clarity, consistency, and control to run your agency smarter.”

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Follow Kamal on LinkedIn for the latest insights, industry trends, and expert tips to supercharge your recruitment strategy.

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