When Applicant Testing Is Predictable for Success and Managers Are Using Behavioral Interviewing, but Turnover Is Too High, Try Realistic Job Previews
An HR Recruiting Manager (client) reached out to me frustrated that her Claim managers were blaming the PXTS (hiring assessment) for the reason they had so much turnover in field claim adjusters. So I asked her to have them identify six-to-eight incumbents who had left, voluntarily or involuntarily. When selecting the group of eight, also identify for me a few low, moderate, and high performers.
When I ran the PXTS One Position: Multiple Candidate report for the terminated group, their Claim Adjuster job pattern matches for top performers were very good matches – 83-88%! So was the pattern inaccurate? Or was it something else?
What else could be a factor for why people leave or are let go? For instance…
- What are the reasons for letting the poor performers go? Does the reason for termination have anything to do with the dimensions being measured on this assessment? And were all low performers let go for the same reason?
- What do the top performers have in common that caused you to put them in a top category together? Or do we need to make sure the top performers we pick have the same success factors?
- Could expectations of CLAIM adjusters vary depending on Region, Expectations of Adjusters Supervisor, Product or Service, etc. Which would mean we need to differentiate PXTS models around such a factor instead of one size fits all.
- What is your reasoning for how your top and bottom groups are distinctly different?
What we discovered is that the job is very demanding, i.e. they drive a lot from location-to-location which makes for long hours to meet their daily quota, then they are expected to complete paper work once the return to home base, making the day even longer. In addition, there is a lack of training on the computer applications and the technology applications are cumbersome. Last, the hours are long, and the compensation doesn’t satisfy the job commitment.
When we investigated into the content and consistency of the interviews, one thing we discovered is the hiring managers are not providing a realistic description related to the demands listed above. Since the PXTS assessment IS doing its job, we recommended creating Realistic Job Previews to be used at the end of the interview to reduce turnover.
The Benefits of Realistic Job Previews
Realistic Job Previews (RJP) give the job applicant an honest description of the position and the culture in which the position inhabits. It defines both the favorable and unfavorable aspects of the job or culture and exposes the candidate to actual job conditions and activities.
The RJP serves to:
- Reduce turnover because the candidate more wisely self-selects him/herself into the organization.
- Increase job satisfaction and productivity because the recruit enters with more realistic expectations about the job.
- Increase commitment to the company because applicant feels s/he made an informed decision.
- Improve the ability of new hires to cope with negative aspects of the job.
Developing Realistic Job Previews
In developing RJP information, consider what type of information will help the individual to decide whether or not they “fit” the position and your organization’s culture. Supervisors, as well as the candidate, should assess how the candidate will match up with existing demands of the job, plus norms, values, and attitudes of the work environment.
Realistic Job Previews should include some of the following:
- Organization mission/vision
- Divisional/departmental goals and objectives statements
- Type of population attracted to the position. And why people leave.
- What your employees have identified as strengths and weaknesses of working in the position and work environment
- History and culture of the organization
- Demographics of the population
- Common practices, values, benefits, occupations, and working structures within the organization
The RJP Exercise
In leading the exercise, I recommend asking the team to create a t-chart with what’s good about the job and working environment on one side and what’s not so great about the job on the opposite side.
Once they have created this list, then turn both sides of this list into statements that are objectively true without any judgement. Such as: This job requires x% of driving per week, plus x amount of paperwork required to be completed per day.
Usually, the time it takes you to complete the paperwork when learning the multiple data entry applications can take you 2 hours longer per day than those who have become familiar with the applications and process.
The RJP exercise need not take longer than an hour. Then you type it up for them and they all share this info at the END of an interview.
If you feel your HR department is doing everything right, that your applicant testing is predictable for success, that your managers are using behavioral interviewing, and turnover is still too high, try an RJP.
