13.2 Industrial Psychology: Selecting and Evaluating Employees
3 min read•june 25, 2024
Hiring the right people is crucial for any organization's success. The employee selection process involves analyzing job requirements, candidates, and conducting interviews to find the best fit. Once hired, companies invest in training and development to help employees grow and succeed.
Legal and ethical considerations play a big role in hiring and managing employees. Companies must follow anti-discrimination laws, provide reasonable accommodations, and create fair, inclusive workplaces. These practices help build strong teams and avoid legal issues.
Employee Selection Process
Job Analysis, Screening, Interviews
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- Systematic gathering of information about a job identifies essential tasks, responsibilities, requirements
- Methods include interviews, questionnaires, observation
- Job description
- Written document outlining duties, qualifications, reporting relationships based on job analysis information
- Candidate screening
- Reviewing resumes, applications to identify qualified candidates
- Conducting pre-employment tests (cognitive ability, personality, job knowledge)
- Checking references, conducting background checks
- Interviews
- Structured interviews: standardized questions asked of all candidates
- Unstructured interviews: open-ended questions tailored to each candidate
- Behavioral interviews: questions focused on past behavior, experiences (conflict resolution, teamwork)
- Situational interviews: questions focused on hypothetical scenarios (handling a difficult customer)
- Selection decision
- Evaluating candidate qualifications, fit with the organization
- Considering multiple information sources (tests, interviews, references)
- Making a job offer to the selected candidate
Employee Training and Development
Orientation, Training, Mentoring, Appraisals
- Orientation
- Introducing new employees to organization, job responsibilities
- Providing information about policies, procedures, benefits
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- Learning job tasks, skills through hands-on experience supervised by experienced employees or trainers
- Classroom training
- Formal instruction in group setting may include lectures, discussions, activities (role-playing, case studies)
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- Training delivered through online courses or modules allows for self-paced learning, remote access
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- Pairing experienced employees with less experienced employees provides guidance, support, knowledge sharing
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- One-on-one guidance focused on improving performance, developing skills provided by managers, supervisors, external coaches
- Performance appraisals
- Evaluating employee performance against established goals, standards
- Identifying strengths, weaknesses, areas for improvement
- Providing feedback, setting goals for future performance
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Discrimination Laws, Accommodations, Ethics
- (EEO) laws
- Prohibit discrimination based on protected characteristics (race, gender, age, disability)
- Enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities
- Requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations
- Reasonable accommodations
- Modifications or adjustments to job or work environment
- Enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions
- Examples: modified work schedules, assistive technology (screen readers), accessible facilities (ramps, elevators)
- Ethical considerations
- Ensuring fair, unbiased selection and promotion practices
- Maintaining employee privacy, confidentiality
- Fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace (celebrating cultural differences)
- Providing a safe, harassment-free work environment (zero-tolerance policies)
Key Terms to Review (27)
360-degree Feedback: 360-degree feedback is a performance evaluation method that involves gathering feedback about an employee's performance from multiple sources, including their supervisors, peers, and even subordinates. This comprehensive approach provides a well-rounded assessment of an individual's strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
Apprenticeships: Apprenticeships are structured training programs that combine on-the-job learning with classroom instruction, allowing individuals to gain practical skills and knowledge in a particular trade or occupation under the guidance of experienced professionals. They serve as a pathway for individuals to develop specialized skills and transition into a career.
Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales: Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) are a performance appraisal method that uses detailed, behavioral examples to evaluate employee performance. They aim to provide more objective and accurate assessments by anchoring ratings to specific, observable behaviors rather than relying on more subjective judgments.
Central Tendency: Central tendency is a statistical measure that describes the central or typical value in a dataset. It provides a summary of the central or most representative value in a distribution, helping to characterize the central or typical value around which the data points cluster.
Coaching: Coaching is a process of providing guidance, support, and feedback to individuals or teams with the goal of enhancing their performance, developing their skills, and achieving their desired outcomes. It is a collaborative approach that empowers people to reach their full potential.
E-learning: e-learning refers to the use of electronic technologies and media to deliver, support, and enhance learning and teaching. It encompasses a wide range of digital tools, platforms, and approaches that facilitate education and training in both academic and professional settings.
Employee Assessment: Employee assessment is the process of evaluating an individual's job performance, skills, and potential within an organization. It is a critical component of industrial psychology, as it helps employers select, develop, and retain talented employees to achieve organizational goals.
Equal Employment Opportunity: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is a set of laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in the workplace based on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. EEO ensures that all employees and job applicants are treated fairly and have equal access to employment opportunities, regardless of their personal characteristics or background.
Forced Distribution: Forced distribution is a performance appraisal method where employees are ranked and categorized into predetermined performance groups, typically a bell curve distribution, regardless of their actual individual performance. This method forces managers to differentiate between employees and identify top performers, average performers, and underperformers.
Halo Effect: The halo effect is a cognitive bias where an individual's overall impression of a person or thing positively or negatively influences their evaluations of that person or thing's specific attributes. This bias can impact judgments and decision-making in various contexts, including prosocial behavior and employee selection and evaluation.
Job Analysis: Job analysis is the systematic process of gathering and analyzing information about the tasks, responsibilities, and requirements of a specific job or position within an organization. It is a fundamental tool used in industrial and organizational psychology to understand the nature of a job and the skills and abilities needed to perform it effectively.
Job Performance: Job performance refers to the effectiveness and efficiency with which an employee carries out their work-related duties and responsibilities. It encompasses the quality, quantity, and timeliness of an individual's output, as well as their overall contribution to the organization's goals and objectives.
Job Shadowing: Job shadowing is a career exploration technique where an individual observes and accompanies an employee in their daily work activities to gain firsthand experience and understanding of a particular job or industry. This practice is often used in the context of industrial psychology to help evaluate and select suitable candidates for employment.
Leniency: Leniency refers to a lenient or merciful approach, often in the context of judgments, evaluations, or decision-making. It involves showing compassion, understanding, or a willingness to be more forgiving or less strict in one's assessment or treatment of a person or situation.
Management by Objectives: Management by objectives (MBO) is a strategic management model that aims to improve organizational performance by aligning individual and team goals with the overall objectives of the organization. It involves a collaborative process where managers and employees work together to define, monitor, and achieve specific, measurable, and time-bound goals.
Mentoring: Mentoring is a developmental relationship where a more experienced or knowledgeable individual (the mentor) provides guidance, support, and advice to a less experienced individual (the mentee) to help them grow and develop in their personal or professional life. It is a key concept in the field of industrial psychology, particularly in the context of selecting and evaluating employees.
On-the-Job Training: On-the-job training (OJT) is a method of teaching employees how to perform their job duties by having them learn directly through hands-on experience in the workplace. It involves training employees while they are performing their regular work tasks, rather than in a classroom or formal training setting.
Organizational Psychology: Organizational psychology is the study of human behavior and performance in the workplace. It focuses on understanding how individuals, groups, and organizational structures influence and shape the work environment, with the goal of improving employee well-being, productivity, and organizational effectiveness.
Performance Appraisal: Performance appraisal is the systematic evaluation of an employee's job performance and contribution to an organization. It is a critical process in industrial and organizational psychology, as it helps organizations select, evaluate, and manage their workforce effectively.
Personnel Selection: Personnel selection is the process of identifying and hiring the most qualified individuals for specific job roles within an organization. It involves a systematic approach to evaluating and selecting candidates based on their skills, qualifications, and fit with the organization's needs and culture.
Psychometrics: Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement, including the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. It is a critical component in the assessment and evaluation of intelligence, personality, and job-related skills across various contexts, including psychology, education, and industrial/organizational settings.
Recruitment: Recruitment refers to the process of identifying, attracting, and selecting qualified individuals to fill job openings within an organization. It is a crucial component of the employee selection process and plays a vital role in ensuring that the right talent is brought into the company.
Reliability: Reliability refers to the consistency or dependability of a measurement or assessment tool in producing the same or similar results under consistent conditions. It is a crucial concept in various fields, including psychological research, personality assessment, and employee evaluation.
Screening: Screening is the process of evaluating and assessing individuals to determine their suitability for a specific job or position. It involves the systematic collection and analysis of information to identify candidates who possess the necessary qualifications, skills, and characteristics to perform the job effectively.
Simulations: Simulations are models or representations of real-world systems, processes, or scenarios that allow for the study, analysis, and experimentation of complex phenomena in a controlled environment. They are commonly used in various fields, including industrial psychology, to evaluate and select employees effectively.
Talent Management: Talent management is the process of attracting, developing, and retaining top-performing individuals within an organization. It is a strategic approach to ensuring that an organization has the right people, with the right skills, in the right roles, at the right time to achieve its business objectives.
Validity: Validity refers to the extent to which a test, measurement, or assessment accurately reflects or measures the construct it is intended to measure. It is a critical concept in psychological research, personality assessment, and employee selection and evaluation.