People are an organisation’s greatest asset and selecting the best of them is what can guarantee its success. From competency-based interviews to role-play exercises, there are several different tools that hiring managers can choose from when recruiting. However, the one that stands out as one of the most reliable predictors of future performance is the Assessment Centre. Often referred to as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of selection methods [1], the Assessment Centre has gained its well-renowned reputation among recruiters. So why should you consider using it next time you are selecting talent?
What are Assessment Centres?
An Assessment Centre is a methodology where multiple assessment tools are combined, giving the candidate a number of opportunities to demonstrate their strengths and skills, and how well those match the competencies identified for the role [2].
Assessment centres have a long history. The German military was first to use the process as a way to select officers during World War I [3]. The practice was later adopted by the United States Army to objectively select both military and civilian recruits for espionage activities. Seeing the success of this recruitment method in the public sector, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) introduced assessment centres to the private sector [3]. Not long after, assessment centres started being implemented across Europe and the first formal guidelines on how to design and implement them were published in 1975. Since then, the popularity of the methodology has further grown and secured its position as a preferred recruitment tool for organisations across the world.
Benefits of Assessment Centres
Whether we are assessing multiple candidates or a single individual for a position, assessment centres have a significant advantage over standards assessment tools. They offer:
- Prediction of success
Research shows that assessment centres have high reliability and validity [4]. This means that using them as part of an organisation’s recruitment process allows to measure the abilities and skills of a candidate more accurately, thus being a good predictor of future performance in the role.
- Fair and unbiased selection process
Assessment centres control for factors such as age, sex, race, gender, etc, providing an unbiased and objective assessment of an individual’s suitability for the role. This ensures that successful candidates are hired based on merit [2].
Why use Assessment Centres?
The combination of assessment tools helps recruiters paint a full picture and gather sufficient evidence of a candidate’s skills and behaviours. Team activities will demonstrate how they problem-solve as part of a team but also highlight their natural leadership skills. Using psychometrics, such as a personality questionnaire, will help you determine whether they may be a good fit to the team. Using multiple carefully selected and combined assessment tools on the day will provide you with the confidence that you are making the right choice [5].
Conducting an assessment centre is also a great way to bolster your employer brand. You can show potential employees what ‘a day in the life of’ your organisation really looks like. If the day is held in your organisation, candidates will have a chance to learn more about your values and culture and how those are demonstrated by you and your team. You can introduce your candidates to current employees to help them paint a vivid picture of life in your organisation. If they have lunch or a short coffee break with your team, this will give them a better experience and allow you to observe how they interact with different people [6].
Providing feedback to candidates whether successful or not is essential. Assessment centres are also a chance for you to get feedback from them too! Having spent time with you and interacted with your employees, they would have made some observations about how you work. Asking for feedback at the end of the day, will ensure there is a two-way communication and give you some helpful insights.
Some Final Considerations…
With the recruitment process becoming more digitally fluid, it is important to consider how virtual assessment centres can provide the same value and candidate experience as in-person assessment. Although the switch raises some justifiable questions about the compatibility, there are a few things you can do to show the human side of the business even when hiring remotely.
- Demonstrate clear candidate communication
Send clear messages to candidates to offer reassurance and provide a positive experience of your employer brand. With virtual assessment, regular touchpoints throughout the day are more important than ever to ensure candidates still feel this is a two-way process.
- Ensure a fair and unbiased virtual experience
What virtual assessment tools will give all candidates an equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills and potential? What reasonable adjustments can you offer if required? Will they all have access to a stable internet connection and a private space where they will not get disturbed? These are some of the questions you should consider when designing the remote assessment centre to create a process that is inclusive and fair [7].
How Can Impact Help?
Our team of Business Psychologist and consultants are trained in BPS Test User: Ability and Personality. We have a broad experience of designing and delivering small and large-scale assessment centres in the private and public sectors. We use a variety of psychometric tools accredited by the British Psychological Society which help increase the predictability of a candidate’s success in the role and gain insight into their preferences and suitability.
To learn more about how we can support you in selecting the best people for your organisation, click here to talk to us.
Helpful Resources
[1] Ekuma, K. J. (2012). The importance of predictive and face validity in employee selection and ways of maximizing them: An assessment of three selection methods. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(22), 115.
[2] Hermelin, E., Lievens, F., & Robertson, I. T. (2007). The validity of assessment centres for the prediction of supervisory performance ratings: A meta‐analysis. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 15(4), 405-411.
[3] Waghmare, S., & Iyer, R. Assessment Centres: An effective Tool for Competency Development.
[4] Robertson, I. T., & Smith, M. (2001). Personnel selection. Journal of occupational and Organizational psychology, 74(4), 441-472.
[5] Sponton, J. (2015). Managing Assessment Centres Pocketbook. Management Pocketbooks.
[6] Povah, N., & Povah, L. (2011). Succeeding at assessment centres for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.
[7] Lievens, F., Van Dam, K., & Anderson, N. (2002). Recent trends and challenges in personnel selection. Personnel review.