Sussing psychometrics

With conflicting rpeviews and an endless range, it is important for companies to ensure the tests they use on their people are credible and meet the organisation's requirements. Keith Rodgers investigates.

Faced with thousands of different types of tests, lingering controversy over internet-based measurement techniques and a host of legislative complications, it is hardly surprising that some HR managers approach psychometric testing with a degree of trepidation. The occasional horror story about its misuse - from firms that fired individuals because their results were 'wrong', to organisations that adopt it as the basis for redundancy selection - haven't exactly helped.

The reality, however, is that psychometric testing is widely used among The Times' 1,000 companies and beyond. Championed in many instances by highly-qualified professionals from the psychology field, it has a long pedigree and well-established best practices. Not only are online mechanisms maturing, but the application of testing continues to expand into new fields, complementing its traditional role in the recruitment process. Applications are now in areas such as employee development, managerial decision-making and improving workplace relationships.

Organisations that use this testing, however, do need to bear certain challenges in mind. Robert McHenry, chairman of OPP, says the first priority is finding the most suitable instruments to use. He believes there are some 5,000 published personality tests available, of which only 20 are top quality. There are another few thousand aptitude offerings, so it is important to be confident the test is credible and meets your organisation's specific requirements.

In addition, the quality of reporting remains a concern. Many computer-based tests generate crude results that are little more than a series of pre-written 'observations' triggered by the associated response. Testing output is ultimately only of value when the candidate's answers are analysed in the context of other biographical information, and interpretation is key. E-testing company ASE, for example, matches individual psychometric reports against its clients' competency frameworks, examining the output against the specific requirements of each role.

Likewise, feedback to respondents - whether job applicants or employees - needs to be carefully handled. OPP asks customers to sign up to a code of ethics that covers a number of sensitive issues, from basics such as keeping results confidential, to ensuring employers don't use the output to challenge individuals about what they think or feel.

"Testing can be intrusive," says McHenry, "so you need to make sure you protect the integrity of the individual."

This awareness extends to legislative responsibilities, and organisations need to ensure that their procedures clearly meet their responsibilities under the demands of race, sex, disability and data protection legislation.

Experts also advise HR practitioners to be inclusive. One large financial services organisation found that its biggest challenge in adopting online recruitment was gaining acceptance from managers used to handling CVs and managing the process themselves. Faced with a mix of practical and emotional resistance, it had to invest significant amounts of time managing expectations and demonstrating tangible benefits. Roy Davis, head of communications at SHL, argues that HR should also involve IT from the outset when online testing providers are being selected, given that there will be security and other technical implications.

Above all, as Neville Osrin of Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow points out, there is a danger in putting too much credence on the tests. One company he encountered fired staff on the basis of their responses, regardless of their actual performances at work. The key is to contextualise, viewing tests as one element of a broader exercise.

Looking forward, psychometric testing will increasingly be seen in the context of a broader human capital management remit, and its effectiveness will ultimately be measured in new ways. As companies look for a return on the time and money they invest in testing, organisations will seek statistical validation that will help them hire the right kind of talented individuals, who stay with the organisation long term.

What is psychometric testing and why do organisations use it?

While many people think of psychometric testing as a recruitment tool, a number of organisations are adopting it to help with employee development, management training and personality-based workplace issues.

Andrew Hill, managing psychologist at occupational psychologists Pearn Kandola, has used testing to help organisations with a wide range of development goals, including improved decision-making and conflict resolution.

Rooted in Jungian and Freudian psychology, the tests help individuals understand key dimensions of their personality, such as whether they are introverts or extroverts, how they gather information, how they make decisions and whether they tend to seek closure of an issue or hear out all the possibilities.

This process helps establish key differentiators in the way people work. Are they detail-focused, or do they like the big picture? Do they step outside a problem and tackle a high-risk decision logically, or do they put themselves into the situation and assess risk in terms of whether they would personally be comfortable with the answer?

These factors have come into play in numerous scenarios. At one client site with a high focus on worker safety, the tests allowed two feuding middle managers to understand what motivated each other and they learned to work together more constructively. Managers at the same site were also able to analyse their own decision-making capabilities.

Neville Osrin, of Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow, also uses testing to assist in personal development. In a 360-degree appraisal, for example, a manager may receive feedback explaining that they are inaccessible. Psychometric testing will help them analyse their behaviour towards staff and understand which innate traits they need to counter-balance.