Psychometric testing online

In years gone by, employers relied on subjective tools such as CVs and interviews to identify the best talent. However, it has become clear in recent years that personality and ability assessments play a valuable role in recruitment and development processes, offering managers unprecedented objectivity when identifying whether somebody has the right skills or attributes for a role.

Today more than ever, global businesses have recognised that the quality of their people can make or break their success and this has led to a close examination of recruitment, retention and talent management, with psychometric testing now playing a central role. Assessment is no longer seen as an optional extra. It gives organisations competitive advantage by helping identify the best and appropriate talent, saving time and cost in recruitment and increasing retention by ensuring optimum employee-job fit. This could not be more important for businesses than in the current economic environment.

Such assessments are also beneficial from a candidate’s perspective, ensuring that the role for which they are applying is right for them. Plus, given the current questions being asked about ethics and transparency in business, particularly in the financial sector, taking a psychometric test gives applicants an assurance that the company is following best practice in its recruitment and that it is serious about taking on the best people. 

The Growth of Online Assessment
Up until the early 2000s, psychometric testing, like many now web-based activities, was carried out on paper. SHL was one of the pioneers of online, on demand assessment through a ‘software as a service’ model and since then, its application has exploded. Fewer than 15 percent of SHL assessments today are delivered via paper – in the last 12 months alone, more than two million SHL online assessments have been completed worldwide by a vast range of organisations.

Saving Time and Cost
The move online provided numerous benefits that had not previously been possible with assessments. It meant that candidates could take assessments remotely from anywhere in the world at any time. This made it easier and quicker for the candidate, removing the need for them to take time out of their current role.

From the employer’s perspective, online assessment now enables them to screen out unsuitable applicants quickly at an early stage, facilitating short-listing  of the best people to be interviewed. Given that employers often need to assess a large number of people, such as during an annual graduate recruitment programme, this has huge time and cost-saving implications. And this does not just apply to graduate programmes; many businesses have recently seen a steep increase in the volume of applicants for individual roles, due to the unfortunate influx of candidates into the job market.

The development of online delivery systems has also led to unprecedented global reach and, with multilingual assessment offerings, has truly opened up a global, cross-border recruitment and selection market.

The Next Generation
That’s the story so far, but what of the future? With increasing demand for online testing, leading psychometric assessment providers are investing in online architecture to maximise the potential of the web. For example, “SHL On Demand” is an £11m investment which is at the forefront of the next generation of online assessment technology. This new architecture is revolutionising the assessment experience for both employers and candidates. 

SHL On Demand is the system that powers most of SHL’s online assessment tools, from the client interface, where employers can administer the different tools available, to the candidate interface, where candidates go to take the tests.  The system also incorporates administration functions, such as the analysis and distribution of results, report generation and customer support.

Working Harder for Employers
The advanced technology gives the system significant scope for expansion and provides a platform for development. It supports up to 10,000 concurrent users globally, and can deliver an impressive 8,000 assessments and generate 5,500 reports per hour.

Users benefit from faster set∞up times, faster processing speed and real time results – scores are available within seconds and reports within a minute, so candidates can be told almost instantly how they have performed. These improvements mean that psychometric testing works harder for employers, speeding up the process and making it easier to identify and recruit the perfect talent for the business. Leading∞edge e∞learning is also on hand to help users learn their way around the system and get the most from it.

Another important benefit to the employer is the system’s ability to integrate with third party talent management systems, of which there are a growing number. This means for example that SHL’s online assessment content can fit seamlessly with an independent recruitment management system, so that managers only need to interact with the one system and all data is stored in one place.

Global Solution
The candidate’s online assessment experience has been completely re-designed following a two year investigation into improving usability, whilst maintaining principles of best practice in assessment. The system meets the highest standards of internet accessibility (to WAI 1.0 Level 3) and usability, and being available in 30 languages, it is a truly global solution.

With the additional facility for a business to brand the candidate interface according to their requirements, SHL On Demand provides a credibility boost to their employer brand and gives candidates a consistent positive view of the company.

Building for the Future
The current economic downturn is dramatically changing the world of work. While many companies are reorganising and streamlining, the focus on cost-effectively identifying the right talent to drive the business forward has become more critical. There is also a growing demand for increased transparency across the industry spectrum, with companies and public sector organisations under intense scrutiny from the government, regulatory bodies, employees and the public at large.

The growth in psychometrics not only highlights the increasing importance that organisations are placing on the talent at their disposal, it also reflects this growing need for compliance and transparency, by providing tools to make recruitment and talent management as effective and objective as possible. Enlightened businesses are also recognising that the development of sophisticated online assessment systems is facilitating this drive and will support them in retaining a competitive edge through talent management strategies, both during the current uncertainty and in better times beyond