SEATTLE ñ Superior employee performance and retention depends on hiring the right employees. It is often stated that employees are hired for eligibility and fired for suitability. Companies measuring suitability at the point of hire will reap the benefits of employee productivity and commitment.
According to a new positioning paper from Impact Achievement Group, companies can measure levels of candidatesí suitability, rather than just traditional eligibility factors, using tools like the Harrison Assessment(TM) at the point of hire.
Most companies set minimum requirements for open positions, but they only rule out those who donít meet the criteria. Whatís left open is how to quantify the level of eligibility of the remaining candidates.
Compounding this lack of information, most organizations pay little attention to determining a critical factor ñ the suitability of remaining candidates.
In his positioning paper, ìBest Practices in Assessment Drive Performance, Development and Retention,î Dr. Dan Harrison documents the most critical criteria to consider in applying assessments to talent management best practices. The paper can be downloaded free from www.impactachievement.com/articles.html.
ìMost hiring processes examine components of eligibility education, previous experience, skills, abilities or certifications and occasionally try to assess suitability. Suitability is very difficult to assess with interview questions, so having an instrument specifically designed for this purpose is key,î said Lee Klepinger, president of Impact Achievement Group, which exclusively uses the Harrison Assessment with clients. ìWe know of no similar instrument that compares candidatesí suitability for a position in the comprehensive and predictive way that Harrisonís instrument does.î
While personality assessments are often considered in recruitment scenarios, the Harrison Assessment is a predictive ìjob behaviorî assessment. It provides valuable data for measuring suitability levels such as attitude, motivation, integrity, interests, work preferences, fit with the company culture, as well as fit with the manager.
Once an employee is hired, the Harrison Assessment data becomes an integral part of further development and engagement.
ìThe Harrison Assessment is a great tool in helping people understand the importance of balance and how what they say and do ultimately impacts others and the organization,î said Lillian Bynum, vice president of human resources, Delicato Family Vineyards. ìThe Harrison helps participants understand how others operate and builds unity around that understanding instead of opposition.î
Bynum added that the Harrison provides participants a plan to leverage strengths and build up weaknesses to increase their personal effectiveness (inward reward), and the effectiveness of the leadership and management team (outward reward) to achieve company goals. The Harrison is also a great tool for Delicato managers to use when coaching their direct reports. It lessens the emphasis of what the manager thinks about the person and places more emphasis on how the personís preferences are viewed by othersóa much easier discussion.
More detailed information on the Harrison Assessment Profile is available as a complementary download at:
The Role of Assessments in Predicting Exceptional Employee Performance and Retention
Harrison Assessments(TM) produces key measures leading to better employee performance and retention, says Impact Achievement Group
