OPQ AND THE SELECTION OF TRAINEE REFINERY OPERATORS QNI (BHP Billiton)

THE QNI PROBLEM  Yabulu Expansion Project (YEP)  Aim: to increase nickel production at QNI’s Yabulu refinery from around 31,200 tonnes per year to 76, 000 tonnes per year  entry level trainee operator roles  Requirement: Strong cultural fit, potential for development and long term commitment to business

THE INITIAL SITUATION  Existing relationship with another firm of consulting psychologists  Used NEO personality questionnaire  Issue: too clinical and not integrated into overall selection data  Used in conjunction with basic cognitive ability tests without assessment centres, added little value

THE PSYLUTIONS ALTERNATIVE  We proposed a holistic methodology integrating cognitive ability tests, OPQ and behavioural data (assessment centres)  Emphasised the importance of job relevance and data integration  Ran the process 4 times across 2 years, 4 week end-to-end projects  Candidate numbers e.g. Jan 06, 508 applications shortlisted to 20 roles

STAGE ONE  MatchMe! our own ATS (application tracking system) online data collection including biodata, education, work experience, motivation and competency based behavioural questions  Shortlisted based on biodata, education, work experience and motivation  Our team of assessors then evaluated the behavioural responses of those who were shortlisted

STAGE TWO  Shortlisted candidates invited to complete online cognitive ability tests (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning)  Presented spreadsheet of rank ordered results to QNI for review

STAGE THREE  Shortlisted candidates invited to complete OPQ online  Invited to attend assessment centres in Townsville

STAGE FOUR  Assessor training; balance of theory and practical skill development  Assessment Centre; behavioural interview, team activity and individual problem solving challenge  Designed interactions based on close consultation with QNI HR and Line  Integration sessions included candidate scores from cognitive ability tests, OPQ scales and assessment centre performance

CHALLENGES  Implementing change; from a strong emphasis on informal interviews and family connections to a more rigourous approach – cultural shift  Education process with line managers (assessors); selling the benefit of psychometric and behavioural data to a group of seasoned refinery workers  Very strong views about the type of people who could do the job, i.e. gender, cultural background

CHALLENGES  Mapping OPQ scales to non-behavioural criteria, BHP Billiton Values such as ‘respect for others’- drawing long bows with Trusting, Caring  Ultimately they embraced the OPQ and initiated discussions about individual profiles, OPQ terminology became part of their language

LEARNINGS  Methodology – honed it each time to improve predictive validity e.g. earlier approaches included safety assessment tool which often contradicted OPQ so eliminated this in later iterations  Profiling – developed benchmarks for the more highly predictive scales e.g. detail conscious, conscientious and rule following  Adapted our interpersonal style to connect with QNI staff, e.g. ‘mate’