Hiring new staff is an expensive and time-consuming process. And considering the statistics it’s like walking through a mine field. Consider this:
- 95% of applicants are willing to exaggerate to get a job.
- 45% of job seekers will lie about their criminal backgrounds, 44% about their past job titles, and 18% about the degrees they hold.
- 35% of employees admitted stealing from employers and 31% admitted abusing drugs or alcohol.
- Up to 70% of all identity theft starts with an employee inside an organization.
Problems with traditional hiring methods
Many employers rely on traditional interview-only hiring methods to find the best applicant. But in light of the above statistics, there are several problems with traditional hiring methods. Most employers admit that they often make their hiring decisions within the first few minutes of an interview. While good instincts are essential in the business world, relying on first impressions as a means of hiring staff is like buying a used car without ever checking under the hood or taking it for a test drive. Identity theft, embezzlement, and fraud are just some of the reasons you want to know as much as you can about an employee before inviting them into your company and giving them access to customer files, financial documents, and equipment and supplies.
With a typical interview lasting 30 minutes to an hour, it can be very difficult to determine if a person is qualified, no matter what questions you ask. And things like chemical addictions, anger issues, and other personal problems don’t usually show up in the interview process. Reference checks provide limited information because past employers are reluctant to tell you detailed information for fear of a lawsuit. And criminal background checks are not always accurate or comprehensive.
Even in an honest, good-faith interview, it can be difficult to match the right candidate with the job. Many people apply for jobs that aren’t in their field or background area. Because they interview well they get hired, only to find they don’t like the job, or worse yet, aren’t qualified. As a result, employers end up with excessive staff turnover or decreased production. Unhappy employees tend to leave for different jobs, or if they stay, they feel a lack of loyalty and commitment and may end up calling in sick all the time, leaving early, showing less effort, or even stealing supplies or money from the company. Their negativity impacts other workers and undermines the entire morale of the organization.
Employment assessments help to avoid those ticking time bombs
So what’s the answer? Many employers have found that pre-employment assessments help take the guesswork out of the hiring process. Assessments like the Step One survey from VIP Innovations are designed to help hire honest, dependable, hard-working and drug-free employees. “If this survey is used consistently, it will help gain productivity, improve morale and increase profits,” explained Eva Jenkins of VIP.
The Step One survey, which potential employees complete on the Internet or in booklet form, consists of two parts. The first part is described as a direct-admissions structured interview format that asks about recent work history, record of honesty, drug and alcohol use, and related issues. The second part of the Step One survey includes another set of questions that assess the candidate’s attitudes toward integrity, reliability, work ethic and substance abuse.
Why is this different than simply asking interview questions? Most employers don’t know what questions to ask or aren’t comfortable asking tough, personal questions. The assessments are developed by people with backgrounds in psychology, human resources, and related fields. They are specially designed to ask the right questions.
On the employee’s end, being asked these types of questions from a person sitting across the desk from them usually puts them on the defensive and makes them hostile or embarrassed. As a result, they are less likely to answer truthfully. The assessments provide a non-threatening way for employers to ask the difficult but important questions. And in the end, an employer is more likely to get an honest, hard-working, employee with the skills and abilities needed to do the job on a long-term basis.