Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYER RELATIONS

Table of Contents HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYER RELATIONS ..................1 Table of Contents.........................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................2 AIMS OF EMPLOYEE SELECTION....................................................................2 THE CONCEPT RELIABILITY AND TYPES OF RELIABILITY AS THESE RELATE TO SELECTION...................................................................................................3 THE CONCEPTS VALIDITY AND TYPES OF VALIDITY AS THESE RELATE TO SELECTION...................................................................................................4 JOB DESCRIPTION AND ITS ROLE IN SELECTIONS..........................................6 STEPS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS .............................................................7 TYPES OF INTERVIEWS.................................................................................9 REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EFFECTIVE INTERVIEW.........................................10 DECISION MAKING FOLLOWING SELECTION INTERVIEWS............................14 THE ROLE OF PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS IN SELECTION...................................15 SUMMARY...................................................................................................17 LIST OF REFERENCES................................................................................17

1
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

INTRODUCTION In this highly competitive environment companies are striving to do things right the first time. The best way to ensure that this is achieved is by selecting and recruiting the right people for the right jobs. With increased competition heavily affecting many companies bottom lines, it has become all the more crucial for all organisations to make sure that they select and recruit the right candidate for the available job. Hiring an individual without the required competencies and commitment can have catastrophic consequences to the companys future success and sustainability. Swanepoel, Erasmus & Schenk (2010) quotes Muchinsky, Kriek & Schreuder (2005: 137-138) in defining personnel selection as the process of identifying from the pool of recruited applicants those who a job will be offered the process of separating the chosen from the rejected applicants (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:279). Our chosen company for this assignment is Cresta Hospitality (Pvt) Ltd (Cresta), a company incorporated in Zimbabwe. It is a group of hotels providing quality accommodation mainly to business travellers. The company is a 100% subsidiary of TA Holdings, a conglomerate listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. Cresta operates four hotels in Zimbabwe namely: Cresta Jameson Hotel, Cresta Lodge Hotel, Cresta Oasis Hotel, and Cresta Churchill. Cresta has been associated with hotel operations as far back as 1958. Cresta has 337 permanent employees and 127 contract employees. Our main contact at the company was Mrs Sarah Mukombo, the Human Resources Manager. AIMS OF EMPLOYEE SELECTION The main aim of employee selection is to hire the best qualified candidate for the position to be filled. In practice we have noted that the direct and indirect costs of employing an inappropriate employee can have a huge impact on a companys profitability, competitive advantage and sustainability. Gatewood, Field and Barrick (2008) stated that the fundamental objective of employee selection is to distinguish from a pool of potential applicants those who have the relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform well on the job. The same authors also give the following as other aims for selection as maximising the probability of making accurate selection decisions about applicants; and ensuring that these selection decisions are carried out 2
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

in such a manner as to minimise the chance of a judgement of discrimination being made against the organisation. The other main aim of employee selection is to make sure that the process is fair and equitable. According to Rees & French, (2010:184) Decisions made in the course of a recruitment and selection process should be perceived as essentially fair and admissible to all parties, including people who have been rejected. In practice we have also observed that organisations select to comply with minority quotas mandated by various equity legislations. Organisations also carry out employee selection as part of their succession planning. According to the Cresta Employee Selection Manual the aim of employee selection is to increase the likelihood of hiring individuals who possess the right skills and abilities to be successful in their jobs. This clearly shows that Cresta is in agreement with the various authors quoted above. THE CONCEPT RELIABILITY AND TYPES OF RELIABILITY AS THESE RELATE TO SELECTION. Cascio (2010) states two possible errors that any organization can make during the selection process. These are selecting someone who should be rejected and rejecting someone who should be accepted. In order to limit the risk of committing these errors organizations need to ensure that their selection methods are both reliable and valid. Reliability is defined as the consistency of a measure (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:281). This means that the results of a selection instrument should remain constant over time or when used on different groups of people. Organizations want to use selection tools that would produce similar results if repeated or where tests are not possible to get quantitatively measured, different assessors award a similar score. Swanepoel, et al., (2010) propose the following four methods for testing for reliability: Test-retest method: the test group is made to take a test and then retake the same test. If there is a strong correlation between the two sets of results then the test is deemed reliable. Correlation is a measure of the strength of the relationship between two

3
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

variables and lies between negative one and positive one. A correlation closer to positive one shows a strong positive correlation between two variables. Parallel forms method: two versions of the same test are taken by the same group and a strong positive correlation between the results of the two tests is indicative of the reliability of the test. Organizations have to be careful in administering these tests as it is difficult to be sure that the two tests are actually truly parallel. Split-half method: an assessment is divided into equal halves with a score being tabulated for each. A strong positive correlation between the two sets of results signals reliability. Internal consistency: measures the degree to which a score obtained from one item in a test can be generalized to those obtained from the other items in the same test. A strong correlation indicates reliability. Organizations may seek to enhance the reliability of their selection tools by increasing the size of the test. This, however, may disrupt and discourage respondents. A short and properly developed test is therefore much better. THE CONCEPTS VALIDITY AND TYPES OF VALIDITY AS THESE RELATE TO SELECTION. Validity refers to the degree to which the evidence supports inferences that are drawn from scores or ratings on a selection procedure. (Cascio 2010:240). In other words validity is a measure of the relationship between the expectations derived from the scores obtained from a selection procedure and performance observed on the job. Swanepoel, et al., (2010) state that there are three types of measures that can be used to test validity which are criterion-related validity, content validity and construct validity. Criterion-related validity is broken down into two types of validity; predictive validity and concurrent validity. Predictive validity: A test is given to all applicants and results are recorded. Performance on the job afterwards is then compared to the test results to check for the existence of a strong correlation which is its validity. An example of a test that is likely to have predictive validity is hiring personal assistants or secretaries after checking their typing speed. This test is likely to have predictive validity with regards to typing ability. 4
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

Concurrent validity: Here the test is given to current employees and results are compared to current performance to assess the strength of correlation. If a strong positive correlation exists the test is deemed to be valid. Both tests require that actual performance on the job be evaluated objectively in order for the conclusions drawn on the comparisons to be useful. Content validity measures the degree to which a test contains a majority of the tasks involved in the job. A test that contains a significant number of the tasks involved in a job has more validity than one with less. It therefore follows to reason that if an organization puts employees under a number of tests that cover different aspects of the employees prospective job, the results of the combined tests have more predictive ability relating to job performance. It is for this reason that organizations not only subject employees to structured interviews, but psychometric tests as well. Cascio (2010) seems to agree with this when he says that when job performance has many dimensions more than one predictor with each one addressing key competencies should be used. Construct validity which is generally more difficult to evaluate incorporates an assessment of the degree to which a test measures the construct (trait) that it ought to measure. This is coupled with the need to evaluate relevance of the characteristic being measured to job performance. Recruiters must constantly seek assurance that the tools they apply in their selection processes measure the traits that they want to measure in order to predict performance expected on the job and in turn select the candidates that will most likely excel. We have observed that a common mistake in practice is to use generic IQ tests which measure more of numerical ability whereas the job requires spatial intelligence. According to Cascio (2010), predictors of job performance include but are not limited to the following: tests of general cognitive ability, work sample tests, structured and unstructured interviews, job knowledge tests, integrity and honesty tests, bio-data measures, interests, conscientiousness tests and training and experience test methods. For each job, the organization ideally should rate the correlation or relevance of the above assessments. When calculated, these are generally a positive or negative fraction of one where the bigger the fraction the higher the correlation. As organizations do not have the resources and time to carry out all possible tests that can be done on job applicants in order to finally select the right candidates, practice has it that they limit assessments to a few tests that will give a high indication of job performance. These are the tests with high correlation coefficients, meaning high validity. For instance, a bank teller may be interviewed to assess her interpersonal skills and also be taken 5
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

through a numeracy test in order to assure the organization of her numeracy and attention to detail.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND ITS ROLE IN SELECTIONS Workforce planning is very crucial and needs to be integrated to the overall business strategy. This is supported by Casio (2010) who says that the principles of job design and job analysis are very crucial in work force planning. Job description is an overall written summary of task requirements. Cascio (2010:167).A job description defines the purpose of the job, the position of the job in the companys structure, the key tasks, duties and responsibilities and is part of the legally binding document for the employment contract. It clarifies the nature and the scope of the work. Swanepoel, et al., (2010) went on to add that job description should be a written statement of the content of the job which is derived from the job analysis. Therefore it stipulates what work is required to be done. According to Swanepoel, et al., (2010) the following are contents of job descriptions: Job title; Duties and Responsibilities; Purpose of Job; Employment conditions (may include safety issues); Expected Qualifications; and Reporting relationships, for example, subordinates and superiors. Job descriptions determine the type of candidate that the organization is looking for and it is the foundation for selecting a candidate and the following are steps in selection process as laid down in Swanepoel, et al., (2010). In practice job descriptions help in coming up with job specifications which in turn guide organisations in determining the best predictors to be used in the selection process. Cresta maintains job descriptions for all the posts in the organisation. However, an analysis of some of their job descriptions reveals that they do not contain employment conditions and reporting relationships, for example subordinates and superiors.

6
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

STEPS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS According to Swanepoel, et al., (2010) the following are the steps in the selection process: Preliminary Interviews This is the first stage in selection and is normally used for screening and elimination of applicants who are not suitable for the job and do not have the required qualifications. At Cresta no preliminary interviews are performed but are compensated by other procedures. The organisation seems to consider the cost implications involved. Written Applications

After being successful in the preliminary interviews the applicant is then requested to submit a written application form. A curriculum vita (CV) is also crucial at this stage. A fully completed application form is a document consisting of educational background and qualifications, employment history, experience and personal information. .Although this information does not prove its accuracy it is usually used as an indication of the applicants suitability for the job. In some cases on top of the application form candidates might be asked to submit a supporting document as part of selection criteria which is usually specified in the advertisement. The selection criteria are often derived from the job descriptions and specifications of the job in question. Swanepoel, et al., (2010) say a useful way of building this into a process is to suggest to applicants to address each criterion based on the STAR acronym S (situation), T (task), A (Action), R (results). (Swanepoel et al., 2010:284). At Cresta, the first stage is to obtain written applications from prospective employees. The Human Resources department and the line managers shortlist suitable applicants using information from their CVs being guided by the job description. The short listed candidates will then be invited for an interview. Employment Tests

These tests are used as a tool for personality assessment. Tests usually attempt to measure the applicants abilities, aptitude, interests, intelligence and personality among other things. Swanepoel, et al., (2010:285).These instruments seek to find out about the personal characteristics of an individual and are very important when placing one on the job. Cascio (2010) highlights the following predictors which employers use in selection: Mental ability or cognitive tests, aptitude tests, personality tests, performance test and interests tests. The tests 7
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

that Cresta performs differ for each job position, for example, where a position requires skills such as shorthand and typing, the human resources department will conduct such tests and the results are then assessed by line managers. We believe this sufficiently enhances the validity of the selection process. Employment Interviews

These are one to one interviews between the employer and top rated applicants. One of its objectives is to gather crucial information and explore areas that are necessary in determining the applicants suitability for the job. These interviews are carried out by a panel of line mangers and human resources personnel at Cresta. The composition of the panel of interviewers depends on the seniority of the post to be filled. For instance, the post of Internal Auditor Executive the panel included the Audit Committee Chairman and the Managing Director. Recommendations, References and Background Checks

Reference checks are done after employment interviews as a means of verification and finding more about the applicants details. These checks are used to evaluate past job performance basing on information gathered from the referees given. The referees may include superiors, subordinates and/or colleagues who have interacted and worked with the applicant. A number of referees can be consulted from which strengths and weakness of the applicant can be obtained. Cascio (2010) provides four kinds of information about the job applicant which the organization needs to take into consideration before hiring someone: education and employment history, character and interpersonal competence, ability to perform the job and the willingness of the past or current employer to rehire the applicant. The human resources department at Cresta considers the references of the suitable candidate prior to deciding on the selection of the applicant. Physical/Medical Examinations

These are done to determine the candidates physical fitness in relation to the physical job requirements. These are usually done before offering employment. The physical and medical examinations are done on successful applicants before an offer of employment is given to the successful applicant by Cresta human resources department. We have noted that at Cresta, 8
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

people in different kinds of jobs are subjected to similar medical examinations which imply little relevance of the examination to job performance. Offer Employment

A formal appointment or contract letter is then awarded to the successful candidate. This is the last stage of the selection process and normally it is a written contract between the employer and the employee.

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS According to Swanepoel, et al., (2010) interviews range from structured to unstructured. The unstructured interview refers to coincidental, loosely organised type of interview (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:287). We have observed that here the questions are not specific and set and the conversations can flow freely. In unstructured interviews several topics can be discussed and the questions are not necessarily predetermined by the interviewer. This enables the interviewer to get more information as the environment is usually relaxed which enables the applicant to talk freely. However there is no coherence in trying to find information in a specific area. The questions asked may not be important or relevant to the job performance. In an unstructured interview there is a risk of being seen as unfair in the selection process (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:287). Errors in the information gained from the applicant can occur and the final choice maybe determined on unclear circumstances. This method can give rise to a lack of reliability if the interviewer has no training in conducting interviews (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:287). Structured interviews, on the other hand, involve careful, systematic planning of the interview and use of skilled people in the interview process (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:288). The questions are set out and followed thoroughly. The interview is planned according to the requirement of the job and the purpose of the interview is to obtain precise job related information. The systematic approach allows for identification of characteristics to be evaluated, methods to obtain the information and procedures to assess the information. The interview provides for a more organised approach and stable basis for assessment of different candidates (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:288). Structured interviews can also involve multiple interviewers and use of welldefined rating scales with specific rating procedures. Structured interviews have higher predictive validity than unstructured interviews.

9
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

Crestas interviews are structured. Questions are planned prior to the interview and they make use of well-defined rating scales with specific rating procedures. Interviewers are given a set of questions to ask. Interviewers are tasked to assess an applicants skill, qualification and experience which are specific to the job. The organisation also makes use of multiple interviewers. REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EFFECTIVE INTERVIEW Swanepoel, et al., (2010) suggest, as a preparatory measure, that interviewers must be very sure about the job requirements. The job requirements are best drawn up through an extensive job analysis exercise. Cascio (2010) says job analysis results in a job description and job specification. At this stage behavioural job descriptions can also be formulated in line with the fast changing business environment. The job requirements clarify the knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience and personal attributes required for successful job performance. This forms the basis of an appropriate approach to the interview. Cascio (2010) also suggests the development of interview questions that are strictly based on the job analysis results as a way of improving the effectiveness of employment interviews. Cascio (2010) advocates for the screening of resumes and application forms with respect to key words that match job requirements, an evaluation whether applicants have these requirements and the skills that might transfer from the previous job to the new job. This further solidifies the need to have clear job requirements in place in preparation for interviews as this maintains a concrete focus on job requirements germane to the job in question. After the screening a further detailed study of the remaining resumes and application forms allows the interviewers to formulate probing questions that need to be asked in respect of noted discrepancies and insufficient information. Armstrong (2006) further supports the above mentioned pre-study arguing that it is essential to probe during an interview to establish what the candidate really can do and has achieved. Armstrong (2006: 444). Cascio (2010) points out that the validity of pre-employment interviews will be reduced to the extent that interviewers decisions are overly influenced by such factors as first impressions, personal feelings about the kinds of characteristics that lead to success on the job, and contrast effects, among other non-objective factors Cascio (2010: 254) .In this regards interviewers should maintain awareness of such non-objective factors and ensure that applicants should be

10
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

evaluated in an objective manner based on the job requirements to further improve the effectiveness of employment interviews. Cascio (2010) recommends the use of multiple interviewers. This increases the effectiveness of the interview as more people are given a chance to assess the applicant leading to a fairer assessment. Swanepoel, et al., (2010) say those involved should get together to plan who is going to ask questions about what, and so in what order. This creates a framework for a coherent and structured panel interview where members of the panel come in with follow up questions on relevant issues in a logical manner. Armstrong (2006) emphasises the importance of training in interviewing techniques as an automatic part of the training programmes for managers and team leaders. Cascio (2010) also supports the need for extensive training on interviewing. Cascio (2010: 254). This equips interviewers with the appropriate skills to make informed judgements and decisions as employment interviewing can be a complex task. In order to gather information from the applicant during an interview it is crucial for the interviewer to ensure a cordial and relaxed environment for the applicant from the onset of the interview. This can be seen as a process of creating a harmonious relationship between the interviewer and the applicant so as to develop the applicants confidence in the interviewer to such an extent that he or she begins to talk spontaneously. (Swanepoel, et al., 2010: 290). Establishing rapport and managing to put the applicants increases the likelihood of the applicants to talk freely thereby releasing crucial information about their strengths and weaknesses. The manner in which questions are asked in an interview has a great bearing on the effectiveness of the interview. Ask the same general questions of each candidate. That is, use structured interview (Cascio 2010: 254). A structured interview ensures clarity of objectives, a well-defined strategy to obtain job related information from the applicant and prescribed ways of assessing the information thus increasing the effectiveness of the interview. Asking the same questions to all applicants further levels the playfield for the applicants allowing the interviewers to a more accurate decision in terms of evaluating the interview findings against the job requirements.

11
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

Cascio (2010) encourages the use of open ended questions in employment interviews. This encourages a full response from the applicant and goes a long way to unearth the applicants performance abilities, motivation and how well he or she can fit into the organisational value system. Swanepoel, et al., (2010) say due caution must be exercised by interviewers to avoid bringing into the interview issues that may be deemed to be unfairly discriminatory such as race and age. This tends to impart mixed views about the organisation to the applicant in the negative direction and may be generally against legislative measures. In addition to the questioning guidelines already mentioned Cascio (2010) suggest the use of situational questions. The applicants are asked how they would approach a given scenario. Situational questions can provide some insight into how applicants might respond to particular job demands and have the advantage of being work-related (Armstrong, 2006: 447). It is important to note that situational questions increase the effectiveness of interviews by enabling the interviewers to predict how applicants will acts in particular cases. Take detailed notes that focus on behavioural information about candidates. (Cascio, 2010: 254). We are of the opinion that this allows interviewers to then use past performance and behaviour in predicting future performance and behaviour in line with the specific job requirements. Do not discuss candidates or answers between interviews. (Cascio, 2010: 254). We find that this can fuel a biased assessment of the interview findings and mislead interviewers at the decision making stage and thus should be avoided in adherence to good ethical behaviour to enhance the effectiveness of interviews. Taking notes on every applicant during the interview and between interview breaks when the information is still fresh is also important lest interviewers forget some critical points. This ensures that detailed information on every applicant will be available for decision making purposes. The effectiveness of an employment interview can be described as the degree to which a reliable decision can be made from the information gathered during the interview. This is further explained by Cascio (2010) where he recommends the use of detailed rating scales, with behavioural descriptions to illustrate scale points. This creates a more reliable framework with 12
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

the necessary qualifiers, quantifiers and specifications for the interview assessments thereby improving the effectiveness of the interviews. The employment interviews can be made more effective by interviewers selling the organisation to applicants with respect to future projects and new product areas typically in the concluding remarks of the interview. This will make the organisation more attractive, create excitement and encourage positive feelings that will be important if the interviewer decides to make an offer to a candidate. Candidates are, in a sense, selling themselves, but they are also buying what the organization has to offer (Armstrong 2006: 415). At Cresta, a panel which includes members of the human resources department is set up to carry out the interviews. The objectives of the panel are to critically scrutinise and assess the qualifications, experience and skills of each short listed applicant. After the respective interviews the panel recommends the most suitable candidate to the General Manager or Group Human Resources Manager. The interviews are structured and include specific questions that will be asked to all candidates. An interview assessment summary form is used to rate candidates on a scale for certain characteristics and behavioural descriptions such as presentation, communication, technical skills among others. Crestas policy is also cognisant of the implications of discriminatory questions and behaviours as panel members are required to be familiar with anti-discriminatory legislation. Crestas policy is silent on the importance of training of interviewers, a tool which is essential in increasing the effectiveness of interviews. However, Cresta makes use of multiple interviewers for a much fairer assessment of applicants. Their questions are the same for all candidates, allowing for comparison across all applicants. The company also uses standardised rating scales which demonstrate that applicants are evaluated on the same basis. However the form is standard for all job interviews and does not take into account the different specifications of each job. The panel of interviewers does not meet prior to the interview to plan on who is going to ask what questions and in what in order. The organisation does not use statistical weights for each dimension (Cascio, 2010: 254). The risk is that applicants can be hired for scoring high on overall scores but with low scores on key areas that are important to the performance of the job. Crestas policy does not include situational and behavioural based interviews which have the effect of increasing the validity of 13
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

employment interviews. Whilst Cresta is making use of some of the tools discussed in this paper the company still needs to incorporate more tools to maximise the effectiveness of the interviewing process. DECISION MAKING FOLLOWING SELECTION INTERVIEWS Selection becomes relevant concern only when there are more qualified candidates than there are positions to be filled: Selection implies choice Cascio (2010:239). He therefore sets the tone for decision making post the selection interviews. In essence, Cascio (2010) is saying organizations need to make a decision on the candidate they regard to be the most suitable for a job because people are different in their abilities, aptitudes, interests and personality traits. Cresta agrees in principle with the two authors on the need to hire the best candidate for a job vacancy as this is highlighted in their recruitment and selection policy document. Swanepoel et al., (2010) states that selection decisions must stand the test of fairness to buttress the requirement for reliability and validity in the journey towards deciding which candidate to hire. They also point out the need for decision makers to be conversant with what distinguishes successful performance in a specific job and the pivotal role that job analysis plays in providing the necessary information that is relevant to the job performance criteria. Cascio (2010) states that: as the complexity of work increases, organizations use selection methods that capture the applicants ability to do the work Cascio (2010:245). Here he seems to imply that decisions can be made soon after the interview for less complex jobs. Methods that help organisations decide who to hire from drug screening tests to more controversial exercises such as Graphology (handwriting) Analysis which is: the study of character or personality through handwriting Cascio (2010:247) and polygraph examinations; integrity and mental ability tests, personality and projective measures, Emotional Intelligence (EI) measures and several other methods which include Personal-History Data, Work-Sample tests and eventually Assessment Centres (AC). These are not done at Cresta. It is Crestas policy to ensure that appointments after successful interviews are only done when an interviewee has passed a medical examination. Organizations must be careful when specifying a physical qualification to ensure that it is job related and that the employee would not otherwise be able to do the job properly. One would have to prove, for instance, that certain medical conditions will hamper the execution of a particular job. Cascio (2010:261).

14
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

Cresta makes use of employee tests in the form of job-skill testing. The example given in the policy document is that of people who need short-hand skills and typing proficiency and they are tested for these abilities as they relate to the job opening. Cascio (2010), in quoting the American Management Agency Survey findings of 2001 shows that 68 per cent of organizations were using job-skills tests as part of their decision making process post selection interviews. It is interesting to note that Cascio (2010) puts references and background checks as part of the initial screening process before the interviews while Swanepoel, et al., (2010) explicitly state that: Reference checks are conducted after the employment interview (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:293). Both authors actually mention employment interviews as a tool to be used for decision making which may seem to suggest that select applicants may be subjected to a second round of interviews before a decision on who to employ can be made. Our organisation of choice, Cresta conduct reference checks as a means to decide on which candidate to hire According to Cresta, no appointment will be valid unless a person to whom the offer has been made has signed to indicate acceptance of the offer. As soon as the assigned acceptance of the offer is signed, the Human Resources department should open a personal file for the employee. In the case of unsuccessful applicants, a polite letter of regret should be sent to them. Documents of unsuccessful applicants who are thought to have potential elsewhere should be forwarded to the Group Human Resources Administrator Head Office. THE ROLE OF PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS IN SELECTION Cascio (2010) in discussing various assessments methods in selection points out several tests that organisation can use to understand potential employees better and their likelihood to match job requirements. Tests discussed include Integrity Tests that: are designed to assess directly attitudes towards dishonest behaviours aim to predict a broad range of counterproductive behaviours at work (Cascio 2010:248). He also presents Mental-Ability tests which measure general intelligence. Cascio (2010) seems to be saying that tests can be used to uncover traits that may not be unearthed during interviews which Swanepoel, et al., (2010) alluded to as well. As if to validate our previous statement, Swanepoel, et al., (2010) also highlight several tests used during the selection process such as cognitive ability (intelligence) tests which: give an indication of general intelligence by a single score. (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:285); aptitude tests which the authors state that are used in employee 15
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

selection amongst other things to test for verbal ability, word fluency, memory, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning and several other facets of an a potential employees ability. In his narration of Personality measures, Cascio (2010) had this to say: Among employers, the most prevalent reasons for using personality tests is their contribution to improving employee fit organisations use some type of psychological testing in screening job applicants. (Cascio 2010:251). The author here points out the relevance and role of psychometric testing in employee selection that of ensuring job fit. Swanepoel et al., (2010) go two steps in furthering Cascios (2010) view when they say: An employment test is an instrument which is used to obtain information about personal characteristics The purpose of tests is mainly to predict job success Psychological tests are used in different walks of life In other organisations, tests are used to help select employees Psychometric assessment can play a key role in placing people in the right kinds of careers (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:285). From this excerpt, we can deduce that employment tests, psychological tests and psychometric assessment have a strong link and are used in selection primarily to acquire additional information about individual applicants as well as to predict their suitability for a specified job. Swanepoel, et al., (2010) also suggest that, psychometric tests must be used carefully and involve not basing ones decisions exclusively on psychometric results but viewing such a valid and reliable test results not only as a source of information in decision making process. Such tests must also have cross-cultural validity and reliability and preference should be given to tests that measure potential and competencies. (Swanepoel, et al., 2010:414). Swanepoel, et al., (2010) also state that most experts are in agreement that personality has an influence on work performance further validating that the purpose for the use of psychometric testing in employee selection is really to understand more about individual candidates traits and to help predict which personality would be most suitable to fill an available vacancy. Cresta Hospitality does not make use of psychometric testing in their recruitment and selection efforts. We are however of the opinion that the use of psychometric testing would greatly benefit the organisation in the following areas: To unearth the applicants inclination towards dishonest behaviour as Cascio (2010) points out to be one thing test can do. As an hotelier, Cresta needs to hire people of high integrity as cleaners who have access to guests rooms where guests usually leave their belongings while attending to their other business. Cashiers who handle cash transactions, procurement personnel who deal with potential suppliers and waitresses

16
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

serving customers in the bar or dining room all need to be people of honesty and psychometric tests can assist in ensuring the right people are hired ultimately. The ability of tests to help with employee fit in an organisation as alluded to by Cascio (2010) is another reason Cresta needs to consider their use in employee selection.

SUMMARY Although not all organisations have the capacity to carry out employee selection according to the rule book, it must be every organisations quest to have measures in place that compensate for all the omitted procedures. We have learnt from the above theory that all the considerations recommended by authors contribute immensely to identifying applicants who will perform well and in turn contribute to the profitability, growth and sustainability of the organisation. Many people worry about awarding the job to applicants who will fail to perform excellently and yet take for granted the missed opportunity when they do not identify the applicants who will excel. They are unable to pick out potential stars when they select using generalized predictors whereas care should be taken to analyse each job and define the most valid indicators to spot requisite skills and eliminate bias and similar errors. Many organisations do not invest in training and preparation to enhance the effectiveness of their interviews, which, as we have observed, are the most heavily depended upon predictor of job performance. The common pitfall of information collected being usually inadequate, inconsistently and erroneously collected reduces the reliability of this tool in the selection process. One hardly ever hears of an organisation carrying out extensive analysis of the reliability and validity of selection tools per job. For instance, psychometric tests are seldom defined per job post but are generalized. It may be deemed as tedious and costly but indeed Organisations will reap success when they implement proper selection procedures.

LIST OF REFERENCES
Armstrong, M. 2006. A handbook of human resource management practice . 10th ed. London: Kogan Page Limited. Cascio, WF. 2010. Managing human resources: Productivity, quality of work life, profits. 8th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

17
Group Name: ZIM0112A

Human Resources Management and Employer Relations Assignment 1.2

Gatewood, R, Field, H, & Barrick, M. 2008, Human Resource Selection. 8th ed. NJ: Prentice-Hall

Rees G and French R.2010. Leading, Managing and Developing People, 3rd ed. CIPD

Swanepoel, B, Erasmus, B, Van Wyk, M, & Schenk, H. 2010. South African human resource management: Theory and practice. 4th ed. Pretoria: Juta.

GROUP MEMBERS: NAME 1. TAFADZWA COMFORT NYAMBIRA 2. COURAGE SHONIWA 3. NORMAN TAFADZWA MHONDIWA 4. HAPPIAH JANE REVAI 5. VIMBAYI COLLETA MAWIRE 6. PRINCE BHURABHURA 7. NIXON NEHANDA 8. CHRISTINA TAPESANA STUDENT NUMBER 77454685 77435834 77442555 77459458 77442350 77457374 77480465 77433351

18
Group Name: ZIM0112A