Testing, Testing, Testing - Future Focus: Emerging Issues - pre-employment testing - Brief Article

HR Magazine, Feb, 2002 by Dave Patel

A combination of the globally competitive economy, heightened security concerns and a continuing shortage of labor--especially skilled labor--will make it ever more critical for HR professionals to hire the right workers. And, like it or not, testing remains the only objective measure by which employers can assess the potential performance of future employees.

As a result, employers are likely to increase their use of pre-employment testing. But many may not be ready. That's because the use of testing--which used to be much more prevalent, surging in the aftermath of World War II--has been declining since the 1960s.

Currently, employers test for quantifiable skills (such as computer knowledge and clerical skills) and personal qualities (such as honesty or emotional intelligence). But security-conscious times may prompt employers to begin testing for subjects previously considered taboo.

As pre-employment tests become more common--and shift from paper-and-pencil instruments to online exams--employers may have to grapple with the following issues to ensure that their tests are both equitable and effective:

Culture. Several studies show that age and education levels are significant determinants when it comes to comfort with technology. As our nation's population ages, employers may need to structure computer- or online-based testing around the needs of an aging workforce. The same may be true regarding education levels.

Technological glitches. E-mail never crashes and Internet connections never time out, right? Imagine the company server crashes while you're taking an online test from a remote location. Unlike a paper and pencil test, you most likely have no proof that the computer ate your test. Yes, you can take the exam again, but will doing so be worth your time and effort--especially if the test was particularly long or difficult? How will you feel about the company if you must repeat the process?

Security. As long as there have been tests, there's been cheating. And as more testing is offered online, and applicants are able to take tests from anywhere, the security of the testing database becomes that much more critical.

Validity. Once upon a time, everyone took exactly the same test. Now employers can offer online tests that are computer adaptive, meaning answers to the current question determine what the next question will be. (The GMAT--which is a prerequisite for most business schools--is one example of a computer-adaptive test.) While this method of testing may be more effective because it may provide a truer picture of the applicant, it also is more difficult to design in an equitable way and may be more open to questions of validity or adverse impact.

Cost. Cost savings is usually one of the advantages of any new technology. But people often forget that most savings occur over time. Computer- and online-based testing may be much more expensive for the short term than paper-and-pencil tests.

As employee testing becomes more critical to bottom-line productivity, and as technological advances change the nature of testing, employers may need to reformat testing procedures to ensure equity and effectiveness.

Dave Patel is the manager of workplace trends and forecasting at SHRM.