INP4004

6. SELECTING EMPLOYEES

Selection Problem: Choose best person for a job

1. Best performer

2. Best social fit (team player)

3. Best person‑job fit (worker adjustment/well-being)

Empirical process: Data based and objective

Legal process: Government regulation and law

Utility: Benefit of using a selection procedure

Recruitment of good applicants necessary

Web-based recruitment becoming most used

Monster-com

PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS

Reliability

Test‑retest

Internal consistency: Multiple items required

Validity

Criterion related: concurrent vs. predictive

Content

Face

Convergent vs. Discriminant

Construct: Overall case necessary for legal defense

MAKING SELECTION DECISIONS

Human judgment: Hire whoever seems best

I/O approach: Use emprically (research-based) proven assessment methods

Steps involved in I/O method

1. Analyze job

2. Define criteria

3. Define abilities needed

4. Choose potential predictors

5. Validate (determine equation)

6. Cross‑validate

Multiple cutoff option: Must meet each selection requirement

Multiple regression: Must achieve a certain total score regardless of performance on each requirement

Validity generalization: Effective selection devices work in all settings

UTILITY

Value of selection system to the organization

Cost/benefit ratio

Utility is maximized by

1. Validity of selection device—should be high

2. Selection ratio (hired/applicants)—should be low

3. Baseline for success—should be 50%

4. Cost of selection program—should be low

5. Cost of bad selection (recruitment, training, low productivity)—should be high

Best seen in Figure 6-4

Hunter‑Schmidt programmer aptitude test for federal government

Cost: $6000/year

Estimated gain: $5.6 million to 97.2 million

If universally adopted could save $1.5 billion in U.S.

However, this assumes unlimited supply of applicants and no constraints on performance in organizations

EXAMPLE OF SELECTION UTILITY

G.E. Study of assembly workers

Two tests used

Scovill Classification test of general ability

MacQuarrie Test of Mechanical Ability: Hand eye, finger dexterity.

	Below average job performance	Average job performance	Above average job performance
Above average on both	18%	38%	65%
Above average on one	21%	35%	29%
Below average on both	61%	27%	6%

Source: Herbert H. Meyer, Emeritus Professor, USF
LEGAL ISSUES

Civil Rights Act (1964) prohibited discrimination

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC charged with overseeing compliance

Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection (1978).

Adverse impact (80% rule based on selection ratios)

Discrimination Case based on

Adverse impact

Invalid selection/placement procedures

Job irrelevance

Lack of business necessity

Affirmative Action

Required of all organizations with > 50 employees or

government contracts > $50,000

Includes universities with grants

Requires a plan to increase female and minority representation

Hiring unqualified forbidden by Supreme Court

Preferential Treatment

Not required except under unusual circumstances

E.g., organization unwilling to practice fair selection

Can have negative effects

Beneficiaries--poor self-image

Nonbeneficiaries--negative attitudes and resistance

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990

Extends civil rights protection to disabled

Similar to Civil Rights Act in how it works

Reasonable accomodation

What is reasonable?

Essential functions

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS OF DISCRIMINATION

Objectivity in selection procedures

Focus on job relevant characteristics

Panel interview with diverse membership (Prewett-Livingston et al.,

1996, Journal of Applied Psychology)

Training of people who make selection decisions