Many companies use assessments as a tool to help with the selection process when hiring a new employee. It is a valuable tool used by the human resource department to give the hiring manager some insights into the individuals they are considering for the position. Fortunately, more companies are realizing the benefits and value a professional assessment can contribute to helping select the right person for the opening. Unfortunately, in most companies, the use of assessments stops there, and managers are missing an opportunity to use a resource that already exists in the files to help make employees successful for years to come.
Maximizing the use of an employee assessment can help save time and money. More importantly, it can maximize employee and team performance, adding value to the company while increasing bottom line results. Those are two immensely powerful sentences. Save time, save money, increase performance, add to bottom line results. You would have to look long and hard at your organization to find another resource that can match what assessments, used to the maximum extent possible, can do for your company.
To get the most out of using assessments, you need to select an assessment designed to give you the information you are looking for. Many assessments, especially those free ones, focus on personality. This is important but is only scratching the surface when it comes to trying to figure out if an individual will be successful in your organization. There are more robust assessments out there and an exploration of several can be beneficial.
Any assessment you are considering should be a professional assessment that is scientifically validated. This gives you the confidence that the assessment was evaluated and does what it says it is going to do. When it comes to using assessments for company employees, my experience leans toward those that are more predictive of future performance. These assessments tend to cover:
- How a person thinks
- Their ability to use information to solve problems
- How a person learns
- Their personality traits
- Their professional attributes
- The areas where they show the most interest
- Their potential for success in each position
- How the individual fits into your team and culture
Two additional factors:
- The assessment should take an hour or so to complete. (Once an assessment goes too long the individual tends to lose interest and may start giving quick, inaccurate answers just to finish).
- The assessment results should be easy to interpret. This ensures all stakeholders can use the results without having to consult a psychologist to figure out the information.
An individual assessment, used properly, can be a valuable resource for years and used repeatedly to help manage the employee lifecycle. Once completed, an assessment can help with:
- Selection
- Onboarding
- Training and development
- Team building
- Promotions and reassignments
- Leadership assessment
- C-Suite potential
Most good assessments are valid for about five years. It is recommended the individual be reassessed as maturity, mentoring, and continued education may have an impact on areas of the assessment after a five-year period.
Save time, save money, increase performance, add to the bottom line. Seems like a big win to me!
If you are interested in learning more about assessments and how they can help your organization, call us at 616-460-8140 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We will be happy to help!
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