Hire Right Testing methods for screening iob applicants

nUE to an influx of deliveries, the Uback door to the warehouse is open and ready to receive merchandise. John Doe, a warehouse receiver, sees two co-workers running out the back door with boxes of power tools, while a third is acting as a lookout. This is the second time he has seen thefts like this one and, he decides, his last. Either Doe turns in his fellow employees, knowing they will lose their jobs, and may even go to jail, or he can watch the company he feels loyal to be ravaged by internal theft. Uncomfortable with either choice, he decides to find anotherjob.

The situation is not uncommon.

The U.S. Justice Department estimates up to 3OVo of the nation's employees are hard core pilferers, and up to 807o will become involved in internal theft when no active security me€rsures are in effect.

Companies fail to understand that there are few things more demoralizing to an honest employee than to have to work among dishonest employees. Dishonest workers put honest ones in a very frustrating position, having to decide whether to turn them in or mind their own business. In choosing to look the other way, they are aiding and abetting dishonest employees. Over time, honest workers may be repelled to the point of quitting to find a more desirable work environment. Dishonest employees then recommend their dishonest friends for the positions vacated by honest employees, literally creating a den of thieves in the company.

Honesty in the workplace is best achieved by hiring honest people. Unfortunately, traditional hiring methods are often ineffective. Because of the potential for lawsuits, former employees are reluctant to reveal information about an exemployee's past performance, especially if it is negative. References are a weak source of documentation because applicants are smart enough to provide only those names that will ensure them a good reference. Probably the least reliable method is obtaining an applicant's credit rating; thieves often have solid credit ratings.

Relying on "gut feelings" when hiring is very risky. As experts in deception, dishonest people may come out well in interviews. They tend to manipulate the environment for their own end and are oftentimes described as extremely charming.

To better screen applicants, many firms are now using "honesty tests," written psychological instruments that claim to identify people who have a tendency toward dishonesty or irresponsibility in the workplace. Such exams :ue legal in every state except Massachusetts.

Although formats vary, the typical test works like this: Job applicants are given a booklet with a series of 100 or more yes-or-no, true-or-false and multiple choice questions. Tests take 20 minutes to an hour to complete. They are then scored and analyzed, usually by software. Tests do not tell an employer whom to hire but classify applicants according to high,

Story at a Glance

Dishonest employees can do in your business ... honesty tests can help weed out potential thieves. moderate or low risk desirability.

On the whole, most people are not intimidated by written honesty tests, possibly because tests are such a prevalent part of our culture. Studies show that when questioned about past pilfering, people tend to admit just l/8 to l/10 of what they actually took. In other words, if a person admits to stealing $50 from a previous employer, he probably took $400 to $500.

A good test should be able to measure a test taker's capacity to rationalize dishonesty, testers claim. Since honest and dishonest people do not think alike, they can be differentiated from each other. "People who are dishonest rationalize their actions. Even though they tend to minimize how much, they are not reticent in admittine dishonest behavior." said honestv test creator Dr. Gregory M. LousigNont. "They feel their conduct isjustified; they do not see themselves as being out of the ordinary. They perceive themselves as ordinary people in a dishonest world where everyone is stealing. The honest simply do not have this intrinsic ability to rationalize dishonesty."

One study on Lousig-Nont's test revealed a direct correlation between those who score high on the test and those who have a high work ethic and value work for its own sake. "Values do not exist in a vacuum," he said. "It's an all or none proposition - people who have values such as honesty will tend to have a whole set of positive values. Responsible parental guidance teaches the value of honesty early in life, along with the related values of hard work, dedication and always doing your best. Some people do not have the ability to internalize these qualities."

Values affect every aspect of behavior, he explained. A trustworthy person is looking toward advancement, performing at his or her utmost, while a high-risk employee will be trying to beat the system. Honest people tend to be more goal-oriented and are able to delay gratification while dishonest people tend to have a "live for today/I've got to have it now" attitude.

Employers should be cautious when deciding which tests to use. Question the testing firms as to the validity and reliability of their tests. A good test has a validity scale of control questions that act as built-in safeguards to tip off whether test takers are answering honestly. Without this scale. tests can be faked. And before using any test, ask the test publisher for a copy of his Equal Employment Opportunity Commission study that demonstrates that his test does not discriminate.