The COVID-19 pandemic upended the workforce and caused employee turnover rates to rise exponentially. Many employers found themselves in a constant state of needing to hire more people, and previous tactics like standard in-person interviews proved to be a challenge. This left many employers to hire new employees based off their resume and perhaps a Zoom call or two. However, few candidates can truly be deduced down to a sheet of paper and a phone call. Many candidates possess soft skills that are typically not fully displayed during today’s interview process, leading employers to potentially rule out strong candidates.
In a world where communication largely happens via screens, how can employers possibly understand the full picture of who their potential employees are as both people and professionals? Personality and behavioral assessments are becoming an increasingly popular part of the hiring process due to their highly successful outcomes in picking the right candidate for your workplace. Although technical skills are important, employee attributes like empathy, communication skills, and the ability to collaborate are high indicators of success in a role. Most employees can be taught hard skills, but soft skills are often innate. People can undoubtedly work on their soft skills, but they are often harder to teach employees.
Personality assessments are proven to reduce employee turnover, minimize unconscious bias in the interview process, and lead to better outcomes for both the employee and the employer. These assessments allow companies to see the “whole person”, as opposed to just seeing a snapshot of who they are via their resume. While it is always important to hire based on skillset, employers who use assessments can refine their candidate search process and find the right fit for their team. The ideal candidate has both hard and soft skills that align with a vacancy in the company. If the employee is lacking in either of these areas, it likely will not be a good fit.
As we continue to navigate a post-pandemic workforce amidst the Great Resignation, hiring managers must use all tools available to them to ensure they get a full picture of their perspective candidates.
Katherine Posniak