How To Implement A Practical Work Assessment In Your Recruitment Strategy

The recruitment process in any organisation can be long and drawn out, often with many different stages involved before finding the right candidate. Implementing a practical work assessment can help speed up this process and improve your chances of finding the best person for the job.

With a majority of candidates (68%) believing that a company’s hiring process is indicative of how it will treat its employees, making sure that your assessment is a positive reflection of your business is essential.

In this article, we’ll explore what a work assessment is, how to implement one, and the benefits of doing so.

What Is A Work Assessment, And Why Is It Essential In Recruitment?

A work assessment allows a company to evaluate a potential employee’s ability to do the job they are applying for. It is an integral part of the recruitment process as it allows companies to assess candidates’ skills, abilities, and job suitability. Work assessments can be carried out in different ways, such as through interviews, tests, role play exercises or online questionnaires.

Typically work assessments will either be done in-person (offline) or online via a works simulation or Realistic Job Assessment.

Main Benefits Of Work Assessments

The main benefits of carrying out a work assessment are as follows:

Helps To Improve The Candidate Experience

Improving your recruitment strategy as a whole can be a daunting task, but adding a work assessment can have a positive impact to your overall candidate experience. 

Carrying out a work assessment shows candidates that the organisation is serious about finding the right person for the job and are willing to invest time and resources to it. A work assessment will help the candidate learn about the job, tasks and company they are applying for.  Research shows that this will improve the candidate experience, as well as your employer brand.

Reduces The Time To Hire

Work assessments allow businesses to identify whether a candidate is suitable for the role early in the hiring process. This means that you can respond more quickly to relevant talent and move on to other candidates if they are unsuccessful.

This benefits both the company and the candidate, as it means that the company can fill the role more quickly, and the candidate does not have to wait as long to find out if they have been successful.

Improves Candidate Retention

Work assessments can communicate the realities of the job to candidates in the hiring process. This can help improve candidate retention. Research by ThriveMap shows that 48% of people have left a job becuase the reality of it was different from how they expected it to be ahead of joining. 

Work assessments are also more predictive than other assessment types. This means that a business can better identify whether a candidate is likely to be successful in the role. Job-realistic work assessments will therefore inevitably help to reduce staff turnover and improve retention rates in the long run.

Helps To Identify Potential Red Flags

Finally, the last benefit of carrying out a work assessment is that it can help to identify potential red flags in candidates. Making a bad hire can have a huge impact on team morale, productivity and staff engagement. As the person doing recruitment, you should also look for signs that the candidate may be unsuited to the role, such as a lack of enthusiasm or poor work ethic.

Looking at it from a positive perspective, employers can also identify positive traits such as enthusiasm and a strong work ethic.

Implementing A Practical Work Assessment In Your Organization’s Recruitment Strategy

Here are the main steps to take when implementing a work assessment in your recruitment strategy:

• Define what you’re looking for – The first step is to define what you’re looking for in a candidate. This will help you choose the correct assessment tool and ensure that you assess the right skills and abilities. Conducting a job analysis is a good place to start.
• Find the right tool for the job – There are various assessment tools available. It’s essential to find the one that best suits your needs. Consider factors such as cost, time, resources, and ease of use when deciding.
• Train your hiring managers – Once you have chosen an assessment tool, you must train your managers on how to use it effectively. This will ensure that they can get the most out of the device and make the best decisions about candidates.
• Make it part of the process – Work assessments should be part of your organisation’s standard recruitment process. This will ensure that they are carried out consistently and that all candidates are assessed fairly.
• Evaluate and adjust – It’s important to regularly evaluate your work assessment process to ensure it is effective. If you identify any areas for improvement, adapt your strategy accordingly.

What Makes Work Assessments Realistic?

Using realistic job assessments is key to making sure that they are effective. However, what exactly are practical job assessments? Here are some factors to keep in mind:

• Work assessments should be job-related – Work assessments should be based on the skills and abilities required for the job. This will ensure that they accurately reflect what candidates will need to do in the role.
• Work assessments should be conducted in a realistic setting – Holding such assessments in either a location that is as close to the actual work environment as possible or in an online setting via a “day-in-the-life narrative” will help to ensure that they are a true reflection of how candidates will react in the role.
• Work assessments may be timed – If completing a task quickly is intrinsic to doing it well then work assessments should be timed so that candidates can show their actual ability. This can also reflect the  pressure that will happen when they start the job. This may help identify those who can think quickly and work effectively under pressure.
• Work assessments should be scored – Having assessments that are scored is important to ensure that candidates can be compared objectively. This will help you to identify the strongest candidates for the role. Consequently, by taking all of these factors into account, you can create work assessments that are realistic and accurate.
• Multiple people should review work assessments – Various people should review work assessments to ensure they are fair and objective. If you’re using an online realistic job assessment then this can be done in the assessment design process. If you’re using an offline test, such as a role play exercise then this can be done in person. This will help to ensure that the best candidates are chosen for the role.

Conclusion

Work assessments can effectively identify the best candidates for the job but it’s essential to ensure that they are carried out correctly. The above steps will help you add the right work assessment in your recruitment strategy. 

By following the steps above, you can ensure that your recruitment-based work assessment is fair, accurate, and effective. 
Finally, if you want to make your 2023 recruitment strategy a roaring success, get in touch with us today! We’ll be happy to help you get started with the right assessment planning.