The Selection Process in HRM - Essay Example

To be effective in meeting the long-term objectives of the organization, the human resource system must fulfill at least two needs of organizational objectives: (1) accurate forecasting of the human resource requirements and (2) providing management with the tools and knowledge for sound personnel decisions. These two decisions serve as the foundation of the selection process that defines and measures the potential of the job candidate. Appropriate selection process saves the organization from severe damage that can be done to the careers of individuals and to the organization's human resources by procedures if classified individuals inappropriately.

The labels attached to employees as a result of such procedures often dog their footsteps throughout their work-life with the organization. It is not uncommon for supposedly infallible 'high potentials' to find that they cannot perform effectively in a different functional department or in positions with increased responsibility. It is in such failure-prone situations that work 'burnout' begins to appear and, depending on the organization's human resource policy, the afflicted individual may either be given extended leave and advice to seek help, put out to pasture in some non-sensitive position, or ruthlessly severed from the payroll.

Just as bad, and more difficult to document, is the number of 'low potentials' who are never given the opportunity to try out for other positions (Baehr, 1992, p. 7). The sad results of the procedures are the flawed careers of individuals and the irresponsible expenditure of the organization's human resources. The Testing Process The testing process allows the organization to measure the standards of the individual as an employee so that his personal organizational practices at the time of recruiting and selection inform the organization about his professional and behavioral capabilities.

These effects generalize from the specific practices to a wide range of perceptions and work-related attitudes. For example, applicants form impressions upon the organization of general personnel practices, anticipated treatment by the supervisor, expected interactions with peers, and perceptions of the organization climate. The results show clear conflicts between the organization's interest in obtaining valid information and attracting the individual versus the individual's interest in gathering information for his or her own decision-making process.

Nevo (1989) has analyzed three solid reasons for gathering information from examinees about their reactions to testing procedures. First, it is in the moral rights of the examinees to be given a chance to express their opinions, secondly, it is practically in their interest to be useful to find out what they think and, theoretically, it is interesting to learn about examinee's reactions from a psychological point of view (Schuler et al, 1993, p. 65). Physical Ability Tests Physical ability tests provide us the means and measures to evaluate the physical abilities of an individual in context with the physical ability required to perform a particular job.