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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

2010 Global Assessment Trends Report from PreVisor reveals shifts in talent management focus

Sluggish employment and uneven economic recovery impact recruiting programs and practices

PreVisor, the global leader in employment assessments and talent measurement solutions that connect employment decisions to business results, released its 2nd annual Global Assessment Trends report summarizing findings from over 230 companies headquartered throughout the world. Co-sponsored by ADP®, this year’s report aims to provide HR and business audiences with an up-to-date perspective on practices and trends related to talent measurement programs used for hiring, career development and succession planning.


Highlights of the 2010 Global Assessment Trends Report (GATR) include key HR trends related to assessment, an overview of talent measurement practices around the world, and changes observed in comparison to the 2009 report results.


“The report findings confirm what we’ve witnessed in the past twelve months: that many of our clients, while recognized as leading HR practitioners, continue to feel pressure from the economic downturn”, observed Noel Sitzmann, PreVisor CEO. “However, the data also indicates that many organizations have made the necessary adjustments to move forward with effective talent measurement and management programs that will contribute to business growth going forward. These are exactly the kinds of strategic initiatives we work hard to support.”


Among the key findings from the report:



  • Top Talent Priorities for 2010 – Emergence of performance management and career development.

  • Economic Recovery Impact – Most companies (68%) indicated concern about employee retention.

  • Focus on Quality of Hire – 70% of respondents feel pressure to demonstrate ROI for the use of assessments in the staffing process.

  • Social Media for Hiring Receives Mixed Results – While almost 70% of organizations plan to use various social media sites in their recruiting efforts, 50% remain unsure if the efforts are effective. Only 24% of companies agree that social media websites have a large impact on talent management.

  • Applicant Reaction Critical, but not always Tracked – 84% of companies agreed that applicant reaction to the hiring process is important; however, only 41% obtain feedback from candidates.

  • Formalized Post-Hire Talent Programs Could Improve – Only half of respondents use assessment tools with their current workforce. Less than 30% have established formal career development for employees.


“Reduced staff, budgets and an overload of applicants will remain a reality for most organizations in the coming year,” stated Sarah Fallaw, Ph.D., co-author of the report. “As a result, the development of internal talent is an increasing focus for many companies. In 2009, a key finding showed respondents anticipating more time spent on employee development. The 2010 data supports an even stronger shift from a focus on external recruiting and hiring to the current workforce, including employee development and promotion.”


Andrew Solomonson, Ph.D., co-author of the GATR, added, “Not surprisingly, we saw a decrease in respondents’ plans to try or deploy new tools or processes. This is likely due to lack of funding and reprioritization of new initiatives, although we would expect this trend to reverse as the economy recovers. Use of social media sites as sources for candidate information was the exception, as companies plan to increase their use of these channels, despite uncertainty over their effectiveness.”


For more information on how organizations will measure their talent in 2010 and beyond, request a copy of the 2010 Global Assessment Trends Report at: www.previsor.com/resources/gat/2010