Use Employment Assessments to Achieve 2024 Business Goals

Employment assessment testing is essential for organizations that want to improve hiring and employee development outcomes. A McKinsey study shows that hiring and developing top talent increases productivity by around eight times.

Unfortunately, it is challenging to recruit top candidates because we are amid a global talent shortage. According to a Korn Ferry report, there is a worldwide talent shortage of more than 85 million people. Around 77% of employers say they are having difficulty finding qualified candidates.

Using a leading employment assessment testing solution to implement hiring and employee development strategies can lead to a more engaged, productive workforce during 2024. Employment assessments help managers evaluate team members’ abilities, identify skills and knowledge gaps, and offer training opportunities that help employees succeed in their current roles and acquire skills to take on new challenges.

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, organizations need an employment assessment testing tool like the eSkill Talent Assessment Platform^TM to measure competencies, identify growth areas, and enable personalized career progression. Annual and semi-annual performance reviews are no longer sufficient because organizations must continually assess and develop employee skills to remain competitive.

Why Employment Assessments Are Important

Consistent employment assessments are invaluable for empowering workforces. There are several reasons why organizations find it beneficial to conduct regular evaluations:

• Recognize Top Talent: Employment assessments help identify top performers with potential for advancement so they can be groomed for leadership roles.

• Identify Skill Gaps: Employment assessment testing helps determine where employees need further training and development to succeed in their current jobs and develop skills to advance their careers.

• Provide Constructive Feedback: During assessment reviews, managers can set expectations by giving clear feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.

• Facilitate Goal Setting: Insights from employment assessments help managers ensure goals and objectives are aligned with staff development needs and organizational objectives.

• Determine Rewards and Recognition: Assessments provide documentation that supports compensation, bonus, and promotion decisions and shows they were based on merit and achievements.

• Improve Staff Engagement: Employees’ engagement improves because they know employment assessments lead to growth opportunities.

Types of Employment Assessment Tools

There are many employment assessment tools that can be used to evaluate hard and soft skills. The ones you need depend on your organizational goals and the positions you need to fill.

• Skills Tests: Skills tests measure the technical proficiency of candidates who apply for positions that require competency in software development, accounting, equipment maintenance, operations, and other areas.

• Simulations: Exercises replicate realistic job situations so HR teams and hiring managers can see how candidates will perform on the job.

• Psychological Assessments: Personality, cognitive skills, and emotional intelligence assessments show whether candidates can learn on the job and determine whether their behavior traits are compatible with your company culture.

• 360-Degree Feedback: Gathering perspectives from peers, managers, and subordinates provides a comprehensive evaluation of job candidates and current staff.

• Performance Appraisals: Annual and quarterly reviews help managers measure execution against goals and expectations.

• Work Sample Reviews: Evaluating writing samples, presentations, reports, and other contributions provides insight into applicants’ abilities.

• Behavioral and Cultural Fit Assessments: Show whether candidates’ behavioral tendencies and motivations are in alignment with your company values.

Best Practices for Employment Assessments

These are some guidelines to follow that will ensure your employment assessment testing initiative drives results:

• Use a variety of employment assessment tools to get a complete view of candidates’ competencies.
• Customize employment assessments based on the most critical requirements for each role.
• Do not just conduct annual or semi-annual reviews. Make employment assessments part of a regular, ongoing program.
• Train managers on consistent, unbiased employment assessment techniques.
• Establish clear rating criteria that are aligned with job expectations and company standards.
• Share results transparently while maintaining confidentiality.
• Tie employment assessments directly to business objectives and capabilities needed to achieve them.

The Importance of Minimizing Hiring Mistakes

Hiring mistakes are expensive and negatively impact productivity. If a manager earning $60,000 is terminated, the cost to a company can be as high as $240,000, including hiring costs, salary, benefits, severance, disruption to productivity, and lost business opportunities. The business also loses what it has invested in the employee.

Employment assessments help minimize the risk of hiring mistakes by enabling you and your team to make hiring and training decisions based on proof of candidates’ ability instead of on gut feel.

Get Started with Employment Assessments

Organizations need teams that can pivot in response to industry transformations, and employees want the opportunity to expand their capabilities and meet their career goals. Comprehensive employment assessment testing makes both possible by helping HR teams and hiring managers proactively identify workforce opportunities.

Implementing continuous employment assessments is a smart talent strategy for organizations that want to build an agile, resilient workforce. Assessments provide the tangible insights required to nurture capabilities, improve job fit, evaluate highflyers, and guide personalized development.

Want to learn how employee assessment testing can help you improve hiring and employee development goals in 2024? Contact us to request a demo.