by Jenny Reid

Employee Screening is an ever-evolving process, no employee screening policy should be cast in stone and remain that way long term. This process should be regularly reviewed and updated to evolve as the human risk factor evolves.

Skills assessments should be part of your employee screening policy, and if you use a trusted employee screening company, you can be rest assured that the skills assessments will evolve over time too.

While basic screening should still include ID verification and criminal record checks, putting an employee to work without knowing if they have the required skills to perform the job, is not ideal. An employee may have the required skills but not have the levels of proficiency you had hoped for, which is a reality that will require time and effort to change.

This time and effort would be better spent, managing your core business. A skills assessment is the obvious choice to ensure your candidate is up to the task and properly skilled.

Conducting a Skills Assessment offers several other benefits:

Ensure Candidates Meet Job Requirements:

Skills Assessments help confirm that candidates possess the specific skills and knowledge required for the job. This is important for technical roles or positions requiring specialised expertise.

Assess Practical Abilities:

While résumé and interviews can provide insights into a candidate’s background and communication skills, a skills assessment evaluates their practical abilities and performance in real-world scenarios.

Reduce Bias:

Skills assessments objectively measure a candidate’s abilities, helping to reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process.

Identify Top Performers:

Skills assessments can identify candidates likely to excel in the role based on their demonstrated abilities.

Better Hiring Decisions:

Skills assessments help employers make better hiring decisions by more accurately predicting job performance, leading to increased productivity and reduced turnover.

Better Fit:

Hiring candidates with the right skills and abilities improves their chances of success and job satisfaction, leading to higher retention rates.

Reduce Turnover Costs:

Employers can reduce the costs associated with turnover, such as recruiting, hiring, and training new employees, by selecting suitable candidates from the start.

Documented Process:

Skills assessment provides documented evidence of a candidate’s abilities, which can be necessary for compliance and accountability, especially in regulated industries.

Defend Hiring Decisions:

When hiring decisions are questioned, a skills assessment offers objective data that can help defend against claims of unfair hiring practices.

Some examples of Skills Assessments used in pre-employment screening today are:

Basic Computer Literacy:

At least 80% of employees need basic computer skills, and the balance will require trade-specific qualifications. Whilst a candidate with basic computer literacy will not produce an IT expert, it will ensure that the candidate knows their way around a computer.

Customer Service:

Good customer service skills are crucial for employees in any organisation, as they significantly impact customer satisfaction, loyalty, and the business's overall success. The customer skills assessment is essential if you have potential customer-facing employees. There are assessments purely for the retail trade and then basic customer skills for general industries.

Accounting Skills:

Accountants are often challenging to assess because of the very specialised skills they need to have. An accounting skills assessment will ensure you know which accounting skill the candidate possesses, and at beginner, intermediate or advanced levels. This will shorten the hiring time and the onboarding process.

Overall, skills assessments are a valuable tool for ensuring that candidates have the necessary abilities to perform the job effectively. They contribute to better hiring outcomes and overall organisational success.

It is recommended that you make relevant skills assessment part of your employee screening process.

Jenny Reid is a Human Risk Expert and Professional Speaker, and the owner of iFacts based in South Africa, a specialist employee screening and vetting service. She is constantly assessing new and innovative ways to remove the people risk in any organisation. Since 2009 when she took over iFacts completely, she has seen the company double in size and hopes to continue this growth. iFacts specializes in employee Screening, risk assessments, employee wellness, investigations, and truth verification. Jenny is a past President of the Security Association of South Africa. Contact Jenni via email jenny@ifacts.co.za