Using assessments to drive organisational improvement: recruitment, selection and retention

Managing talent is a crucial component of every successful company’s HR strategy. And yet, many companies are not only struggling to recruit effectively but are also failing to build the all-important pipeline of skilled candidates needed to fill key positions as their business grows.  

For ambitious organisations looking to elevate their recruitment processes, assessment centres can be a valuable resource, helping HR professionals find candidates with the skills needed to fill existing positions and the potential to grow into future roles. 

Taking a strategic approach to talent acquisition 

Assessment centres – and their close cousins, development centres – offer a structured system for predicting candidates’ suitability that goes beyond the traditional resumé-and-interview format that’s more regularly deployed by internal or external HR consultants. Instead, these centres engage applicants in a range of activities and exercises – including presentations, teamwork simulations, role play and real-world business cases – designed to offer greater insights into how individuals are likely to perform on the job.  

While assessment centres are primarily focused on talent selection, recruitment and fast-tracking opportunities, development centres are used by companies to identify and optimise opportunities for employees’ ongoing personal and professional growth. 

Assessment centres are already widely deployed for companies looking to fill high-value positions, like senior management roles. But they are also becoming increasingly popular across all grades as their insights can help organisations to avoid making poor (and, ultimately, expensive) recruitment decisions.  

A 2022 survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) showed that 77 percent of respondents experienced difficulties attracting candidates, with more senior or skilled roles among the most difficult to recruit. The same survey reported that although the increased use of technology has enabled employers to tap into a wider pool of applicants – potentially decreasing unconscious bias and increasing diversity – many respondents were concerned that these methodologies didn’t allow them to confidently screen out unsuitable applicants. 

Assessment centres provide several advantages over traditional selection methods, including: 

• Offering candidates a more in-depth understanding of the role. Assessment centre tasks and activities enable individuals to make an informed decision about whether the role is a good match for their skills, interests and career goals.  
• Screening candidates thoroughly to get the right fit. Using a variety of exercises to evaluate candidates across a broader range of metrics allows employers to more efficiently assess skills, competencies, and potential.  
• Accurately predicting future performance. Assessment centres not only assess candidates’ current performance but also offer valuable insights into their ability to acquire new competencies and adapt to future challenges. 
• Evaluating competencies fairly and comprehensively. Assessment centre methodologies help keep the selection process fair by calculating performance across a number of tasks and activities that also involve skills like problem-solving, communication and teamwork.  
• Cherry-picking the best talent. Where candidates have similar qualifications and experiences, assessment centres can help employers select those with the highest potential (HiPos) – something that’s increasingly valuable in a competitive labour market.

Growing your internal talent pool 

Taking a more in-depth approach to selection and recruitment has long-term benefits. Businesses that want to attract top talent will improve their success rate if they are able to effectively communicate the organisation’s brand values. You’ve a much higher chance of building a deep and rich talent pool if you can curate prospects whose beliefs align with your mission through a hiring process that’s both fair and transparent.  

A PwC report from 2021 showed that 86% of workers surveyed actively preferred companies that ‘cared about the same issues’ as they did. It stands to reason, then, that businesses that are able to share their priorities at an early stage of the recruitment process are more likely to attract the HiPos they seek. Giving candidates a realistic job preview will also offer a valuable opportunity to make important connections from the get-go.  

The detailed feedback that is a feature of any good assessment centre’s service not only furnishes unsuccessful candidates with specific, actionable information about their performance, but also helps successful candidates by flagging available development resources and opportunities during the on-boarding process. By assessing potential, as well as competencies, companies will not only boost their recruitment processes, but can also build a healthy talent pipeline that will continue to provide benefits over the long-term.  

Prioritise clarity for the best outcomes 

Naturally, assessment centres deliver the best results when companies are clear about their objectives, agree unambiguous targets and define key competencies as part of their preferred candidate profile. Without this clarity from the outset, it’s easy to see how the process could stall.  

When deployed successfully, though, assessment centres can effectively support medium- and long-term workforce planning, delivering business vision-aligned candidates with highly relevant skills and experience and the potential to help organisations move to the next level.