Recent studies have found that 76 percent of organizations with over 100 employees rely on assessment tools for external hiring. That number is expected to jump to 88 percent within the next few years. The studies show that assessments are relied upon more heavily for higher seniority roles. Estimates suggest that 72 percent of middle management positions, 80 percent of senior roles, and 59 percent of entry-level positions rely on assessments.
So, why bother assessing these upper management candidates? Surely, if a candidate is good at doing a job, they must be good at managing people who do that job, right? Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
Whether an outside hire or an internal promotion, an incoming manager must make the mental transition from being an individual contributor—someone that worries about their own success and goals, such as a salesperson—to be responsible for the goals and successes of an entire team. Completing a management assessment not only confirms their capability to fulfill a management role but also reminds them of the skills and qualities it takes to be in that role effectively.
After completing a management assessment, the candidate will receive a couple of different kinds of feedback. First, they will be clued in on what their target organization is looking for in terms of managerial skills, competencies, and characteristics. Second, they will have the opportunity for objective self-reflection—an assessment can’t be biased like looking in a mirror can be. These two forms of feedback are critical for both new managers, as well as existing managers.
Routine assessments can keep them aware of how they are performing, and remind them how they should be performing. Another effective tool for this is a 360 feedback assessment, which allows the manager’s team to provide constructive feedback, allowing the manager to gauge his performance from a different viewpoint.
Employee assessments aren’t just for hiring new entry-level employees anymore. Modern assessment developments have expanded to include all ranges of job positions and provide more than just a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the “Can they do the job” question. No wonder the percentage of companies relying on employee assessments continues to grow at such a rapid pace!
