Employee Testing and Selection Discussion Questions 6

Question – 1: Why is it important to select the right employees for a position?

Answer - 1: First, a manager’s own performance depends in part on his or her subordinates. Second, it is costly to recruit, hire, and train employees. Third, there are legal implications to incompetent hiring. Courts will find employees liable when employees with criminal records or other problems take advantage of access to customers’ property to commit crimes. Hiring workers with such backgrounds without proper safeguards is called negligent hiring.

Human Resources Management 12e Gary Dessler Question – 2: What is the difference between reliability and validity? Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Answer - 2: Reliability is the consistency of scores obtained by the same person when retested with identical tests or with an equivalent form of a test. It is a measure of internal consistency of the instrument. Validity is the degree to which a test measures what it is purported to measure. It is a measure of external consistency. They are similar in that both are concerned with aspects of consistency of the instrument, and that reliability is a necessary condition for validity.

Human Resources Management 12e Gary Dessler Question – 3: What are the advantages of using the work sampling technique for employee selection? Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Answer - 3: The work sampling technique measures how a candidate actually performs some of a job’s basic tasks. It measures actual on-the-job tasks so it is difficult for applicants to fake answers. Work samples are more clearly related to the job being tested so the test is fair. Work sampling does not include assessment of an applicant’s personality or mental state so it cannot be considered an invasion of privacy. When designed well, work sampling tests also show better validity than other tests designed to predict performance.

Human Resources Management 12e Gary Dessler Question – 4: What is a management assessment center? What else can managers use these centers for besides selection? Provide five examples of typical simulated exercises used in management assessment centers. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Answer - 4: A management assessment center is a 2-3 day simulation in which 10-12 candidates perform realistic management tasks under the observation of experts who appraise each candidate’s leadership potential. Typical simulated exercises include the in basket, leaderless group discussion, management games, individual presentations, objective tests, and the interview These centers can be used for promotion and development purposes as well as for selection.

Human Resources Management 12e Gary Dessler Question – 5: Assess the ethical questions raised due to employers carrying out extensive, and invasive background checks on potential employees. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Answer - 5: Since many companies have strict policies regarding the release of information about former employees, it may not be possible to get information at all, good or bad. However, conducting a thorough reference audit by contacting at least two superiors, two peers, and two subordinates will help increase the chance that you will find someone who is willing to give you the information you need.

Answer - 5: Also, making the contacts by phone rather than in writing will increase their belief that the information may not be traced back to them. Using the additional technique of asking references for the name of someone else who might be familiar with the applicant's performance will also increase the possibility of getting more information.