To: Mrs Caroline Hatcher ∞ Human Resource Manager ∞ ABC Company
From: Mrs Chrisan Lewis ∞ Occupational Psychologist ∞ The British Psychological Society
Report: Efficient Recruitment

The Report
The ABC Company has been experiencing a high turnover of staff, (particularly with the Call Centre Staff), and is considering the development of an Assessment Centre. The ABC Company requires information which pertains to psychology in relation to psychometric testing. This report will identify individual differences, the supporting theories and the associated psychometric tests (which must be Objective, Standardized, Reliable, Predictive, and Non Discriminatory) for the purpose of effective recruitment. Psychology involves the study of the mind which is complex and is the source of thought and behaviour. It is scientific and examines individuals, their mind and their behaviour, and attempts to understand and explain thought, emotion and behaviour (Wilhelm Wundt 1832-1920).

Individual Differences
Vast Variation among biological populations inspired the formulation of Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection. Individuals are different and in fact unique based on a number of variables such as:- voice, skin tone, disposition, ethnicity, stature, attitude, physical symmetry, trainability, intelligence, aptitude, extroversion, introversion, sex, gender, neuroticism, expressiveness, memory, creativity, conscientiousness, agreeableness, values, beliefs and so on.

The intelligence of the individual varies greatly. Intelligence (which is also referred to as Intelligent Quotient and Cognitive Functioning) concerns the mental ability to learn, the application of knowledge, aptitude - the ability of rational thought, and the capability of abstract thought. It involves also the memory of the candidate (J.P. Guilford’s Structure of Intellect Theory – 1967). Through intelligence the person is able to make evaluations/decisions, to judge, to understand complex ideas or situations, or relationships, is innovative, can create solutions for potential problems, can learn, retain and apply knowledge, and overcome challenges. Verbal Intelligence and Non Verbal Intelligence are the two main forms of intelligence engaged in intelligence assessments.

The assessment centre will identify persons which display a positive disposition (this is an indication of a motivated individual, one who expresses high levels of job satisfaction and performs at a high level – Bandura’s Self Efficacy 1994); those who have a pleasant personality (these persons are more likely to foster healthy relationships and would therefore be effective in the area of customer care/satisfaction – Mc Crae 1992: the Conscientiousness Trait and the Agreeableness Quality); those candidates who exhibit a calm temperament (these persons are usually patient and in control of the situation – The Four Humors Theory: The Phlegmatic); and those who are efficient and capable of achieving tasks in a manner which is in accordance to the standards of the ABC Company (these persons ensure that their job is executed in a way which elevates the standard of the organisation – Raymond Cattell 1970: Perfectionism).

According to Professor Christine Edwards (Professor of Human Resource Management – Kingston University), Individual Differences in life stage and personal circumstances must be understood and examined so that high performance individuals are recruited. Call Centre Staff are representative of the standards upheld by the company and are efficient in the execution of their job. Their positive interaction with customers is instrumental in maintaining healthy customer relationship management and the organisations competitiveness.

A Job Analysis must be employed in the Recruitment and Selection process. It assesses the requirements of a job to identify its component tasks. Algera and Greuter (1998), presents Four Approaches toward the analysis of a job and include Behaviour Description, Behaviour Requirements, Ability Requirements, and Task Characteristics. Flanagan’s (1954), Critical Incident Technique assesses relevant job behaviour(s) that are pertinent to the job whereby the interviewee recalls incidents of job behaviour that are indicative of a highly effective or ineffective job performance. Methods of job analysis include Expert Panels, Structured Questionnaires, Supervisor Interviews, Task Inventories, and so on.

A Job Analysis for Call Centre staff will outline that the employee must be Intelligent: They should be educated in the areas of Mathematics, Grammar, Vocabulary, and Comprehension; They must be able to clearly express themselves; They must be able to provide the customer with accurate information; They must be innovative; They must be able to retain and apply knowledge.
Workers for the Call Centre should display certain Personality Traits: They must exhibit a positive physical disposition; They must be cooperative; They must be calm and patient; They must be seen through efforts of responsibility, capability and efficiency.

The Call Centre Staff should be knowledgeable about their job requirements which include being able to convey information about the company’s products and the desired effect of good customer care (according to Sternberg and Wagner (1986) - tacit knowledge is a critical element for the skilful performance of work tasks). The Call Centre Staff should be able to communicate effectively (Charles Spearman (1927) - presented the Two Factor Theory of the structure of intelligence (single intelligence) which proposed that general intelligence (g) was instrumental in the performance of all areas of human ability and specific factors (s) which relates to the act). The Call Centre Employee should be able to appropriately handle difficulties which may arise in the course of their job functions (Robert Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence (1985) - emphasises a practical knowledge component and consists of three facets which are Analytical (Componential – Problem Solving), Creative (Experimental – Insights), and Practical (Contextual – Ability to Understand).

The Call Centre Staff should have interpersonal intelligence which involves the ability to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people in order to work effectively with individuals (Howard Gardner’s (1983) - Theory of Multiple Intelligences proposes seven different types of intelligence which are linguistic, spatial, musical, logical/mathematical, bodily kinaesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal and is based on neuropsychological evidence).

The Call Centre Staff must be able to foster good working relationships (Emotional Intelligence has been outlined by Daniel Goleman (1995, 1998) - and it involves the ability to motivate oneself, to persevere through challenging times to control impulses, to delay gratification, and to be understanding and hopeful. Goleman’s (1998, 2001) - Emotional Intelligence Theory represents a Model which is based on Content Analysis of competencies in administrations, and outlines four areas which are Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, and Relationship Management, and is in direct relation to behaviours in the workplace).

The Call Centre staff should be able to retain and convey accurate information in the execution of their job (J.P. Guilford’s (1967) - Structure of Intellect (SI) Theory, viewed intelligence as being comprised of Operations (Cognition, Memory, Divergent Production, Convergent Production, and Evaluation); Products (Units, Classes, Relations, Systems, Transformations, and Implications); and Contents (Visual, Auditory, Symbolic, Semantic, and Behavioural). The model comprise of theoretically 150 different components of intelligence. According to the theory, intelligence test results are derived from underlying mental abilities or factors of intelligence).

Personality is an extremely dominating characteristic of human beings. It is one which defines us as it pertains to our behaviour. Personality is seen through the thoughts, feelings, interests and unique behaviour of the individual. The personality of the individual is arrived at through mental forms and processes and remains fairly consistent throughout the natural life of the person.

The Consistency of a single personality can be construed through a recognisable order and regularity of behaviour relative to the individual. Personality is both Psychological and Physiological. Research has indicated that personality is influenced by biological processes and needs. The personality of the individual affects the Perception of the person. It is responsible for our varied responses and our actions. The face of personality exhibits Multiple Expressions and can be identified through the thoughts, feelings, and relationships of the individual.

Feelings, Thought Patterns, Interests, and Other Behaviours define personality. Our individual characteristics however, are distinctive. According to Mc Crae (1992), Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness identify most personality traits. Neuroticism is characteristic of anxiousness, self pitying, worrying and irresolute behaviour. Extraversion is characteristic of active, energetic, and enthusiastic qualities. The individual’s openness to experience outlines curious, imaginative, and insightful qualities. The agreeableness quality of the individual highlights attributes of an appreciative, kind and sympathetic nature. The conscientiousness trait of the person is seen through efforts toward efficiency, reliability, and responsibility.

The Call Centre staff should be motivated to perform well in the execution of their tasks (Sigmund Freud’s (1856 – 1939) - psychoanalytic theories of psychological functioning suggests that our human personality is influenced by instinctive forces such as sex and aggressive disposition, which is manifested outside of our consciousness. Freud’s psychodynamic theory of personality has identified 3 elements of the human psyche which are the Id, the Ego, and the Superego).

The Call Centre employee should be consistent and should be able to overcome obstacles that may present themselves in the work place scenario (Trait Personality Theorist, Hans Eysenck (1970) - describes personality through 3 central factors which include Psychoticism, Introversion / Extroversion and Neuroticism. Psychoticism explores the reality that individuals exhibit some qualities found among institutionalised psychotics. Extroverts are excitable people in need of external stimulation. Introverts are chronically over excited and in need of peace and quiet. Neuroticism is a mental or personality disturbance characterised by high levels of negative effect. Neurotic people have low activation thresholds and are therefore unstable as they are easily upset. Emotionally stable people have high activation thresholds and are able to persevere in challenging times).

Openness to change, self reliance, social boldness, emotional stability are qualities that the Assessment Centre will identify in candidates suitable for work at the Call Centre(Raymond Cattell (1970) - used a statistical technique known as Factor Analysis to develop 16 key Personality Traits which include Abstractedness, Apprehension, Dominance, Emotional Stability, Liveliness, Openness to Change, Perfectionism, Privateness, Reasoning, Rule Consciousness, Self Reliance, Sensitivity, Social Boldness, Tension, Vigilance and Warmth. His efforts in developing the 19 Personality Factors are toward understanding and being able to predict human behaviour. According to Cattell, the personality factors are the source of all human personality. Methods of peer ratings, self report tests, impartial behavioural measures and varied demographics were employed by Cattell in the collection of data in his study of personality).

Call Centre employees should be agreeable, conscientious, and open to change and new insights (Costa and Mc Crae’s (1992) - Five Factor Model (the so called Big Five), comprise of a fivefold structure which includes Extroversion (high amounts of emotional expressiveness, positive emotions); Agreeableness (Prosocial Behaviours like Altruism); Conscientiousness (organised, mindful of details, achievement striving); Neuroticism (emotional instability, angry hostility); and Openness (imagination, insight, values). Research has revealed that the big five characteristic are common in many people across national borders).

Call Centre staff should aspire toward top performance (Bandura’s (1977, 1982, 1997) - Self Efficacy is contained in the Individual’s Confidence which pertain to the person’s abilities toward top performance. According to Bandura, efficacy expectations influence particular behaviours and the extent of persistence toward the accomplishment of a task(s) and hence the positive relation between self efficacy and performance).
The Call Centre Staff should use incentive in the execution of their jobs (Abraham Maslow’s (1943, 1954) - Hierarchy of Needs identifies 5 classes of Human Needs which include Physiological Needs (air, food, sex); Safety Needs (law, stability, protection); Belongingness Needs (family, affection, relationships); Esteem Needs (achievement, respect, responsibility); and Self Actualisation Needs (personal growth and fulfilment). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs provides an understanding of Human Motivation. The individual becomes interested in the higher order needs when the lower order needs are satisfied). Call Centre staff should be motivated to do exceedingly well at work.

The Assessment Centre & Recruitment and Selection
The Assessment Centre should be used to improve the Recruitment and Selection Procedure at the ABC Company. The Assessment Centre appraises the aptitude and performance of selected potential and existing personnel and therefore provides crucial insight into the type of individual and expected outcomes can be analysed. It is considered as a fair and accurate method of recruiting staff. They are evaluated by assessors who are qualified and experienced in using various aptitude diagnostic processes and are able to determine the individual’s level of intelligence and type of personality for purposes of promotion or recruitment.

Assessment centre exercises involve Psychometric Tests in the form of Questionnaires, In Tray Exercises, a Presentation Exercise, Group Discussion Exercises, and Panel Interviews, and are highly structured in their design, application and assessment procedure. Psychometric testing is used largely in the recruitment process globally. It provides useful insight into a person’s personality, ability, and psychological thinking. Through psychometric testing the assessor is able to make recommendations concerning the individual’s suitability for recruitment and is therefore a critical Human Resource Management tool which is used as part of the recruitment and selection process. ABC’s recruitment and selection process should engage the use of the assessment centre. The Assessment Centre can be managed on the employer’s premises or at another suitable facility.

Recommendations
The call centre staff must be able to retain and convey information about all of the company’s products. The queries and complaints of customers must be dealt with in a manner that engages customer satisfaction and high performance. The following psychometric evaluations have been recommended to identify suitable candidates for work at the call centre:-

Intelligence Psychometric Tests:
- The Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Test
The Intelligence Quotient Test measures the intelligence of the candidate through their ability to process information intelligently. It involves 30 questions which must be completed within twenty minutes and must be administered by a licensed psychologist. The test should be done at the recruitment and selection stage for the best selection of candidates.

- The Wechsler Intelligence Scales
This Scale assesses General Intellectual Ability. The Scale comprises of a number of tests and emphasise IQ Scores which pertain to Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, and Full Scale IQ. It must be administered by trained examiners to candidates and should be done at the recruitment and selection stage for the best selection of employees.

- The Wechsler Memory Scale / Third Edition (WMS – III)
The assessment examines learning and memory functions through a literature review. Its reliability averages at 9.1 and must be administered by qualified psychologists. The assessment should be done at the recruitment and selection stage for the best selection of workers.

- The Multi Dimensional Aptitude Battery II (MAB – II)
The Multidimensional Aptitude Battery II, measures Aptitudes and Intelligence. The aptitude assessment is useful for employment purposes. The MAB – II provides insight into intellectual processes and their connection to Psychological Constructs, Job Performance and Learning. The assessment comprises of 10 subtests whereby Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, and Full Scale IQ are determined. The MAB – II is a highly reliable test and must be administered under the direct supervision of a qualified psychologist. The MAB-II should be applied every four months in an effort to re-evaluate the workers training and development needs.

- The Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EIQ16)
The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire measures Trait Emotional Intelligence and is based on the emotional intelligence theory. It provides an insight into a persons emotions as well as the emotions of others. The EIQ16 comprise of 136 questions that can be taken over a twenty minute period and should be done at the recruitment and selection stage for the best selection of candidates. The questionnaire and report is available through the MY Skills Profile Website - http://www.myskillsprofile.com/tests/eiq16?gclid=CK-3v_KSxqACFUiU7QodIVe5eQ Personality Psychometric Tests:
- The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire / Revised (EPQ-R)
The 48 item questionnaire assesses the Temperament of the individual in 4 scales which include (E) Extroversion – Introversion, (N) Neuroticism, (P) Psychoticism and (L) Lie Scale. The administration time averages at 10 minutes, and its reliability has been validated in clinical and applied studies across the globe. It must be administered by a psychologist and should be done at the recruitment and selection stage for the purpose of the best selection of candidates for work at the call centre.

- The Big Five Personality Test
The Big Five Personality Test assesses the big five personality dimensions (main non cognitive personality traits) which include Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. The test identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the individual and therefore the most dominant and least dominant of the 5 five dimensions. This test should be administered at the recruitment and selection stage. Human Resource personnel can administer and interpret this test which is available online: The Central Test Website – http://www.central.co.uk/index/slrrhh.php?infoPAGE=SLRH!personnalite

- The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is a Personality Test which assesses the individuals type of personality. It is based on 4 dichotomies which include Introversion versus Extroversion, Intuition versus Sensing, Thinking versus Feeling, and Judging versus Perceiving. The preference of the individual will indicate the Myers Briggs Personality Type. The MBTI works with 16 personality types. This assessment should be done at the recruitment and selection stage for the best selection of employees. The MBTI test and the report is available online through the Your Life’s Path Website – http://www.mbtireports.com/mbti-reports.asp?gclid=CKqQtdaKxqACFQZg2godU1bwag - The Drive, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance (DISC) Assessment
The Disc Assessment identifies 4 aspects of behaviour which include Drive, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance. The DISC Assessment provides an understanding of people which emphasizes Temperament and Behavioural Styles. The assessment has been developed through research and validation. The DISC should be done every four months in an effort to re-evaluate the worker’s training and development needs. This test and the report is available online through the Your Life’s Path Website - http://www.yourlifespath.com/?view=Assessments_disc - The 16 PF5 Scale
The (Cattell) 16 Personality Factor Scale categorizes and defines personality. Traits of Warmth, Reasoning, Emotional Stability, Dominance, Liveliness, Rule Consciousness, Social Boldness, Sensitivity, Vigilance, Abstractedness, Privateness, Apprehension, Openness to Change, Self Reliance, Perfectionism and Tension are used to develop a profile which indicates the personality of the individual. The administration time of the assessment averages at 35 – 50 minutes and its validity proven. The required training and the product is available through the OPP Website - httt://www.opp.eu.com/oppassessment/16pfworld/Pages/default.aspx This scale should be administered at the recruitment and selection stage for the purpose of the best selection of candidates for work related determinations at the ABC Company.

Conclusion
In today’s world organisations are increasingly and justifiably concerned about effective recruitment as it is the people who provide the organisation with an important source of sustainable competitive advantage (Prahalad (1983), Pfeffer (1994), Wright, Mc Mahan and Mc Williams, 1994). An assessment of individual differences through psychometric evaluation is a critical guiding force for the organisation as it produces informed decisions that are geared toward the success of the organisation.