Human Capital Assessment
The World of Assessments
Why should I use assessments?
Assessment tools can provide information that will assist an individual and/or an organization in making better decisions. In fact, the only reason to use an assessment is to enhance decision making. An assessment tool, properly administered and interpreted, can provide information about:
- Who are you really hiring?
- Are you hiring the "right" person for the right position?
- How can you help your team work together more successfully?
- What developmental needs do your employees have?
- Who should be considered for a promotion?
- How do you improve performance?
- Should you remain in a position?
- How do you improve your operations?
- Are your employees and customers satisfied with your performance?
Are assessments valid?
Do assessments really measure what you're after? The answer is "yes" if the proper tool is selected for the proper purpose. Time tested and thoroughly researched instruments have high validation rates. Your Strategic Advantages consultant can assist you in the selection and interpretation process. Among the most often used assessments in Organizational and Leadership Development Consulting are the following:
- OAD (Organizational Analysis and Design)
- Meyers Briggs
- 16PF
- Birkman 2000
- DISC
- Benchmarks (360)
- FIRO B
Who should administer, interpret and evaluate assessments?
Just about anyone can distribute, process and read the results of an assessment. This is especially true if your organization happens to use an assessment tool that provides a computerized print out which interprets the test results for you! In fact, and unfortunately, many organizations have not trained their employees to properly administer, interpret and evaluate test results, leading to disastrous results for both the individual and the organization. The entire process is one that is best left in the hands of a professional. Proper certification and/or training assures that the results will be interpreted and delivered to both the individual and the organization in a positive and productive manner. Using a third party professional ensures:
- Confidentiality of results
- Validity in interpretation and evaluation
- Professional delivery of results
- A 'trained eye' for issues that may otherwise be overlooked
- A 'big picture' comparison instead of a potentially biased view
- An unbiased perspective based more on data internal factors than just internal factors
What situations might require the use of an assessment?
There are many uses of assessment tools in just about every department of an organization. Our client companies have traditionally used assessments in the following areas:
- Selection of external candidates
- Selection for internal placement
- As a first time step in executive coaching to help determine development needs
- Career management decision making
- Team building
- Strategic planning
- Succession planning
- Developmental plans for management
- Employee opinion and attitude surveys