Recruiting
an employee is a very costly process than retaining an employee in an
organization. Selecting employees for organizations should be done with good
knowledge and experience and with the assistance of experts and scientific
tools. Psychometric assessment is one of the scientific tools which can be used
for an effective employee selection process. Psychometric assessments measure the
abilities, attributes, personality traits, and various skills of the candidates
under consideration for particular vacancies (Jenkins,
2001). Psychometric tests are used for formalizing this selection
process and help the company in selecting the most suitable candidate for the
relevant job role. Psychometric assessment originated in work related to
education in the latter part of the 19th century (Edenborough, 2005).
Psychometric tests
Intelligence
tests
Intelligence
tests assess a person's ability to do a variety of mental tasks requiring
logical thinking and reasoning (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). This test is meant
to evaluate a candidate's capacity to think and/or general IQ and assesses a
person's ability to absorb, learn, and analyze a situation (Malik, 2018). Intelligence
is a complex notion, and identifying what defines intelligence is challenging
in general (Randhawa, 2007).
Personality
tests
Personality
tests are used to examine candidates' personalities in order to predict how
they will act in a certain job role (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). According to
Malik (2018), the Thematic apperception test, Sentence completion test,
Minnesota personality inventory, Guilford-Zimmerman temperament survey, and
California psychological inventory are personality tests that can use by
organizations (p.232).
Aptitude
tests
Aptitude
tests determine a person's capacity or ability to execute a job by assessing
their aptitude and knowledge of a given field of study (Malik, 2018). Aptitude
tests are vocational or work assessments that determine how well people can
perform certain tasks and normally in the context of work sample tests, which
simulate a key part of the actual work that the candidate will be doing (Armstrong
and Taylor, 2014).
Ability
tests
According
to Armstrong and Taylor (2018), tests of ability determine what individuals are
capable of understanding and doing. There are some measurements based on verbal
reasoning, numerical reasoning, spatial reasoning, and mechanical reasoning (p.
238).
Advantages of psychometric assessment
Psychometric
assessments are maximizing an organization’s performance by improving the accuracy
of selection and improving employee retention (Edenborough,
2005). Psychometric tests assist to collect more information about
shortlisted candidates and help to identify the candidates who think out of
books and are suitable for working in the current work environment.
Psychometric tests lead the organization for identifying the most skilled,
talented, and motivated candidates for job positions. Information collected
through these assessments can be also used for everyday functions of the
organizations. This assessment helps to identify people and their attitudes on
work and the company deeply and leads the management toward wise decisions (Saha, 2020). Psychometric Tests can be used
for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of selected employees which need
for doing their job roles successfully. It measures whether employees have
specific abilities or appropriate personal qualities in relation to the job
specification and whether employees need future training and development for
doing their job role perfectly (Al-Jajjoka,
2010). From an employer’s point of view,
even from the point of view of a small business owner even management, a job
psychological examination may help to decide whether an employee provides a successful
commitment to the organization. Organizations use these psychometric assessments
for their future employees and also current employees working within the
organizations which helps to understand the current employees of the
organization well and helps to plan future training and development programs
effectively (Saha, 2020).
Psychometric assessment: Experience
Sri
Lanka’s one largest supermarket chain did not incorporate psychometric
assessment for the selection processes at ground level when selecting
candidates for supermarket outlets. Outlet managers have to face more difficulties
based on personality, intelligence, ability, and aptitude issues arising among subordinates due to
the unavailability of psychometric tests for staff. As the outlet staff is the
heart of this organization, the introduction of psychometric assessment methods
for the ground level of operation will be a great advantage for this
supermarket chain in the future.
Conclusion
Psychometric
assessment is a valuable tool that can use in the selection process to obtain
employees who are best fitted for a particular job. Although there are more
advantages of psychometric assessments, these tests are not famous in Sri
Lankan organizations. Incorporation of psychometric tests into the selection
process is highly recommended for most Sri Lankan organizations in terms of
selecting better candidates for the jobs.
References
01.
Al-Jajjoka, S., 2010. How to Pass Profetional Level Pshychometric Tests. 3
ed. London: Kogan Page Limited.
02.
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., (2014). Armstrong's handbook of human
resource management practice,13th edn. London: Kogan Page.
03. Edenborough, R., (2005). Assessment Methods in
Recruitment, Selection & Performance. London: Kogan Page Limited.
04. Jenkins, A., (2001). Companies use
of psychometric testing and the changing demand for skills: A review of the
literature (No. 12). Centre for the Economics of Education, London
School of Economics and Political Science.
05.
Malik, P. K, (2018). Sales Management. 7th edn. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press.
Randhawa, G., (2007). Human resource
management. New Delhi, Atlantic Publishers & Dist.
06. Saha, B., (2020). ‘The Significance of Psychometric Tests
in the Recruitment Process for an Organization to induce its Effectivity. International
Journal of Research in Engineering, Science and Management, 3(8), pp.268-273.
The psychometric approach, fitting the person to a specific job, is the dominant perspective in practice and underpins the good practice model of recruitment and selection. This approach espoused, for example by the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, states that: ‘Care should be taken to use techniques which are relevant to the job and the business objectives of the organisation. All tools used should be validated and constantly reviewed to ensure their fairness and reliability’ (http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/recruitmen/general/recruitmt.htm) Bach (2006).
ReplyDeleteI totally agreed with you Naomi, The selection of psychometric testing for a company varied according to the size of the firm and variation of occupational group. Large firms are more likely to psychometric tests, while small firms are much less likely to use psychometric tests, because of the costs involved and because they have few vacancies. Considering about variation of occupational groups firms are highly using psychometric tests in selecting managers or graduates for the jobs. Rarely, used for non-managerial staff and non-graduates (Jenkins, 2001).
DeleteOne of the most critical elements in ensuring organizational performance is recruiting exceptional employees. Researches has shown that psychometric assessment have played a significant role in improving the selection process for both new entrants and internal promotions. If psychometric tests are handled with insight and sensitivity, they remain the most effective way of predicting behavior (Van der Merwe, 2002).
ReplyDeleteVan der Merwe, R.P. (2002). Psychometric testing and human resource management. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 28(2), pp.77-86.
Yes, Pragash, Psychological tests help to judge the behavior of candidates while examining mental ability, aptitude, personality, and intellectual capacity. Also can use for both new entrants and existing employees (Malik,2018).
Delete