How many times have you heard people say this in defense of how they hired a job candidate? Maybe you have even said it yourself. Either way, what often happens after making this statement is that the ''gut feeling'' eventually turns into an employee who has probationary action taken based on how they do the job.
What Behavioral Assessments Are
Most behavioral assessments measure four traits: dominance (how they solve problems), influence (how they influence others), steadiness (how they pace themselves in their environment), and compliance (how they comply with rules and regulations set by others). Typical behavioral assessments consist of a series of multiple-choice questions. There are no right or wrong responses in these assessments, just items that make the subject think about which response reflects him or her most or least accurately.
The majority of behavioral assessments today involve technology, making them quick and convenient for all parties involved. For example, the interviewer can provide a password to the candidate to go online and complete the assessment in a quiet, interruption-free environment any time, rather than scheduling a specific time and place to take the assessment.
Behavioral assessments can vary greatly in terms of areas covered, time needed to take them, and cost. They range from a basic small set of queries to complete online to intensive assessments that require a phone conversation with the person asking a multitude of questions over the phone. It is up to the employer to determine how much money and effort he or she wants to expend on a behavioral assessment in order to select the one that best meets his or her position and needs.
Studies have shown that behavioral assessments, when properly done, reflect accurately at least 80%, if not more, of a person’s normal behavior. Usually the subjects question no more than 10% of the results as being erroneous. When I encounter someone who disagrees with the results strongly, I often find that they misinterpreted a few questions, and I then clarify its intentions.
How to Use Behavioral Assessments
Once you receive a candidate's behavioral assessment, you can evaluate the results and compare them against those of other employees who have taken the same assessment. The differences between the profiles will let you know prior to hiring someone what areas to watch and benchmark as ones with possible adjustments for all parties to make, as well helping to identify key areas of common ground.
Once the candidate is hired, discuss the assessment to see if he or she comprehends how their behavior patterns can conflict with your staff, and see how they intend to address these potential hurdles. Keep all candidates’ assessments as a reference for you as well — seeing something on paper is easier than filing it in your memory.
Why You Need to Use Behavioral Assessments
The main reason why you should use a tool such as a behavioral assessment in your business is an important one — money. The fee that you pay someone to handle the behavioral assessment of your candidates is a fraction of the cost that you face with employee turnover, which is one of the biggest ''invisible costs” for any company.
Look at it this way: There are no line items for turnover cost on financial spreadsheets. But if you take a position you are filling at a company and calculate how many man-hours it takes to train a person, allow for mistakes on the job during the review period, and then have to put together paperwork to dismiss the person — all the while paying for the employee’s work costs, such as insurance — ou’ll find that turnover can be quite costly. On average, it can run anywhere from $40,000 to $50,000 to replace an employee. Thus, through the proper use of behavioral assessments, you are able to reduce employee turnover by finding the best talent for the position and in turn save funds for other uses.
Another rationale for behavioral assessments is that an increasing number of job duties today can be classified as intangible, meaning ones that call more for troubleshooting and project work than what might be referred to as routine daily work. Such tasks call for a better trained workforce, and if the selection method includes behavioral assessments, it can help in finding someone who is a team player and focused on the goals of the business.
Given both of the reasons listed, it is not surprising to note that service, manufacturing, and technology businesses are among the heaviest users of behavioral assessments, particularly among employees paid by the hour, where turnover can be the highest. If the business falls into one of these categories, you should note that chances are competitors are using these tools and achieving a competitive advantage.
Some Behavioral Assessment Tips
When searching for a behavioral assessment, look for one that is validated by research and recorded data that shows the tool has proper accreditation.
You may be tempted to change what assessment you use every few months or years in order to ''freshen up” the testing or prevent applicants from copying the assessment and sharing information. Resist this urge. If everyone in a company understands what a report says, it is easier for everyone to stay with the same assessment for all employees and compare results equally.
The Future of Your Company with Behavioral Assessments
Although hundreds of businesses already take advantage of behavioral assessments, that leaves hundreds more that do not, and these especially include smaller businesses that are in need of having people able to work alongside them whom they can trust.
I find that when a company is growing or replacing its employees, it has to know the strengths and weaknesses of its staff. They are the investment in the future of the company. By having behavioral assessments and understanding their results, you can lessen conflicts and develop superior managers. The result can make the difference between the ultimate success or failure of a business, so by that measure alone, behavioral assessments are well worth the investment.
About the Author
Linda Leake is president of execUchange, a national firm that transforms organizations through planning, people, and processes to take control of their futures using customized assessments and techniques to achieve targeted results. ExecUchange specializes in behavioral assessments, management intervention, conflict resolution, management and organizational development, recruitment, and selection of executives and sales professionals. With 18 years of proven results for clients, Leake has worked with both Fortune 500 companies and small businesses to solve management problems, reduce turnover, and resolve conflict. Executives transform the way they do business. You may contact Linda by calling 919-787-7861 or by visiting http://www.execuchange.com.
