What Do Employee Assessments Really Reveal?
Hiring new employees is an important task for any business. You want people who will come in with the necessary skills to function right away and a personality that works with the culture of the workplace. Pre-employment assessments are an essential tool to make sure that the right person gets the job.
Pre-Employment Assessments
The number and type of assessments used in the hiring process will depend on the business. At a basic level, a candidate’s resume and interview may be enough to make an informed decision. SmartRecruiters explains, “in a skill-based business, such as a technology company, skill tests may be used to determine if a potential employee’s skills are at the level needed to work in the business.” A variation on this is an intentional trial period, where the employee does the job under observation for a defined period of time.
Another area around which pre-employment assessments are used is risk. You want to maintain an environment where employees feel safe and can be responsible and productive. Common risk assessments include criminal background checks, mandatory drug testing, credit checks and physical exams.
Red Flags
As you work through the hiring process, you want to keep your eyes open for potential problems. These red flags may mean that a candidate is either unqualified or unfit to be in your workplace. A common issue to watch for is out-of-date information on a resume. Most people assume that information that is more than a decade old is usually no longer relevant. If the candidate’s resume lives in the past, it may indicate a person who has not been growing his or her skills. This would also be indicated by a candidate who cannot pass a basic skill test. Another red flag is large gaps in employment. Workopolis explains, “large gaps in employment aren’t always a bad situation, sometimes people have to stop working to care for an ailing relative or other circumstantial reason. That being said, it’s important to note those gaps and ask about them.” Other resume red flags might be references that cannot be reached or long gaps in employment history.
A more serious concern would be an issue with attitude or their ability to work with others. The Hire Talent explains, “behavioral aptitude assessments can reveal candidate traits that may be troublesome or cause for further investigation before hiring.” People with overly strong personalities or who won’t work well with others isn’t someone you want on your team or in your company.
Checking a potential employee’s criminal record is also a good idea as this can give you a little bit of information on their past that they may not be willing to share immediately. Failing a drug test is also a reason for strong concern. Sometimes there can be an innocent explanation, such as prescribed medication, but you will still want to proceed with respect and honest fact-finding. This also means you must explore the newer legal issues around some use of drugs in private versus the workplace.
In the End
You want the best people representing your business. Pre-employment assessments will help you find them. Employees will the skills and personality you need will help your business succeed.
To improve the cohesiveness of your business, and to improve your workplace culture, make sure to get in contact with us to schedule a group workshop. Group workshops are a great way for everyone to get on the same page and work together.
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Many times these posts are generated from a group and peer process so are posted as open theme and drafted content