Application of psychodiagnostic methods in the recruitment process for factory workers

• Main Authors: Klára Seitlová, Denisa Schiedková
• Format: Article
• Language: ces
• Published: University of Ostrava 2014-01-01
• Series: Psychology and its Contexts
• Subjects: employee recruitment; psychodiagnostic methods; Test of Attention d2; Tower of Hanoi; welder
• Online Access: http://psychkont.osu.cz/english/archiv_en/5-S-2014_en.htm

Human resources (HR) are the most valuable asset in any organization and many successful managers regard work with people as the most important aspect for the prosperity and health of the society. Work and organizational psychology is therefore facing a number of challenges in this a rea. The correct process of recruitment is just one of them. The selection process is a process which aims at recognizing the best candidate for a specific position. It does not always require that all procedures be carried out (preliminary interview, testing, selection interview, etc.), rather, the selection process requires a critical examination in relation to the position, number of applicants, etc. The present study focuses on the use of psychodiagnostic methods in the process of selecting workmen, highlighting their usefulness in the selection process. The Tower of Hanoi test (ToH) and d2 Test of Attention (d2) were applied and further supplemented by practical assessment examination of the candidate in the recruitment process. It was investigated whether the results of ToH and d2 tests together with the result of the practical test may help predict the overall work quality of a future employee. The quality of work of employees was evaluated based on the following criteria: effort and performance, interoperability, performance of tasks, respect for rules, attendance, quality of work. The overall evaluation was the average of the partial results of the individual criteria. The data were collected between August 2013 and September 2014 in a production company with a focus on engineering production in the Moravian - Sliesian region. The research group consisted of 30 people who applied for the position of a welder and, after having succeeded in the recruitment process, entered into a labor - law relationship with the employer. All respondents were acquainted with the ethical conditions of the study. The results show that the use of the above-described tests in the recruitment process partially predicts the quality of work of future employees in the position of welder. Partial results confirm suitability of the evaluation criteria in the process of evaluation. Furthermore, results show a statistically significant difference in the values of quality of work and evaluation among respondents who completed and those who did not complete the ToH. The most interesting outcome of the study seems to be the negative correlation between the age of candidates and movements in the ToH. Another significant correlation has been confirmed between the age and evaluation, namely the criterion of quality of work. The statistical analysis shows that the less time the candidate spends completing a ToD part 3D, the more points he obtains in the d2. Finally, it is worth mentioning the finding that unless a candidate from the very beginning of the process (i.e. ToH - 3D) violates rules (and consequently obtains less points for the respect of rules), he subsequently obtains more points in the criterion of quality of work. The study was based on specific practical needs of HR department of a manufacturing company. The data show trends in the recruitment process for the position of welder. However, results should not be accepted without critical reflection. The combination of two psychodiagnostic methods (ToH and d2), together with practical assessment examination, was the appropriate choice. What is not seen in the statistical evaluation but is reflected in the qualitative part of the recruitment process, are valuable qualitative data acquired from the observations of the candidates during the selection process. Despite efforts to standardize the whole selection process, subjective aspect of evaluators may have played its role in the evaluation. As noted above, the aim of the present study was to determine the predictive validity of particular psychodiagnostic methods in selecting the most efficient recruitment process for a specific working position. The Tower of Hanoi test and d2 Test of Attention, together with the practical assessment examination and structured job interview seem to be the right choice. Nevertheless, results must be viewed through critical lenses to prevent the overestimation of psychodiagnostic methods, whose role in the selection process is only supplementary, yet essential.