Introducing pre-hire assessment offers many benefits: faster time-to-hire; resource savings for the firm; an engaging candidate experience; and showcasing the commitment to fairness in hiring decisions.
However, the most important component to the return on investment in pre-hire assessment is its impact on business performance.
Our clients who make hiring decisions using assessments make significant business gains:
- Delivery drivers with 40% fewer accidents
- Maintenance workers who are 78% more likely to work safely
- Sales professionals who deliver 50% more profit
- Retail sales associates who sell 12% more than others
- Managers who are 180% more likely to be a top performer at a global financial services company
- Staff who are 60% more likely to be recognized by customers as providing great service at a global hospitality company
The key is to discover which assessments indicate in-role performance.
4 steps for choosing assessments that predict performance
1. Understand what ‘great’ looks like in the role
To introduce the right pre-hire assessment, you must first understand exactly what is required in the role and what great performance looks like. This involves identifying the key metrics that define success for the specific position. You also need to be clear as to what is expected of the job incumbent regarding skills, behaviors and competencies.
This initial step is fundamental when deciding which tools to deploy. Without it, you may fall foul of second-guessing which behaviors or abilities need to be hired.
To ensure an objective view of what is necessary, we recommend partnering with assessment and job performance experts. Through interactive and exploratory tools and methods, they will help define and articulate exactly what is needed for the role. They will also help you set up the process to track and monitor how performance is changing over time as you hire against the new requirements.
2. Choose assessments that will measure these newly-defined skills and behaviors
With the skills, capabilities and behaviors defined, work with an assessment partner to determine the optimal assessment process.
Certain tools are best deployed early in the hiring stage – allowing you to screen out those without certain game-changing competencies. Also, some tools may not be needed as other tools may duplicate the information being generated.
The aim is always to find the pre-hire assessment protocol that is delivered in the most engaging way, in the shortest timeframe and which presents the greatest insight.
3. Carry out a business impact or validation study
The next stage is to test out the assessment process and its link with performance.
We help many clients achieve this by using current employee metrics and asking them to complete the proposed assessment.
Data analysis will show which of the assessments correlate with business outcomes. You can also check on any adverse impact for talent subgroups, allowing you to proceed with the knowledge that you are being fair and equitable.
4. Monitor and analyze assessments
Once implemented, you will want to assess the impact of your new assessment process. It may need tweaking or you may discover that it can be refined. Perhaps, for example, a ‘pass’ score to the next stage could be amended or assessments could be introduced earlier to the hiring process.
Work with an assessment partner who can take your data and walk through the scenarios with you.
At the core is data
Measuring the success of hiring campaigns, recruitment programs and new cohorts of workers requires one thing: data. You need data from job performance metrics – whether managers’ ratings or productivity achievements – and data from pre-hire assessment. Only then can you fully measure the impact of your assessment.
To learn more about how to optimize your workforce through the use of assessment, download our guide.