1. What I need to know about Psychometrics as an HR Practitioner
Dr. Sharon Munyaka Judy Janse van Rensburg Babalwa Desi (Industrial Psychologist) (Psychometrist) (Industrial Psychologist)
What I need to know about Psychometrics as an HR Practitioner

2. Outline of the Panel Discussion
Case Study and Debrief
Psychometrics and their role in organisations
Job level, competencies, suitability
Ethical considerations
Budgetary constraints
Legal implications
Assessment policy

3. Case study 33 year old male on apprenticeship programme
Assessed only on technical skill
No personality profile completed
Competency profile present
Sent for further training at 3rd party company – training report received indicating…...
Counselled by supervisor and HR
Referred to “wellness consultants”
Medical check up and neurologist screening
Clinical Psychologist observation
Psychometrist

4. Debrief Case Study From the case study you have just heard:
What are the psychometric issues that you have identified?
Think back to your workplace: is this a familiar scenario or something you have encountered previously?
Which questions do you think are relevant to ask the assessment provider?

5. Why Psychometrics? Psychometrics defined: Psychometric tests measure:
The science of measuring mental capacities and processes
Psychometric tests measure:
Ability
Personality
Learning potential
Values/ Motivation/Interests
Who needs psychometric assessment?
Various job levels have relevant tests

6. What Do Psychometric Tests Measure?
Ability e.g. ability tests to measure numerical, verbal and spatial ability
Personality- preferred or typical way of behaving at work
Learning potential- candidate’s ability to learn new information
Risk Profiling/ Integrity – assists to determine risk profile of a candidate
Values/ Motivation/Interests: candidate’s interests and the values they hold.

7. Choosing an Assessment Battery
Assessment Battery defined
It’s the combination of psychometric tests utilised by an accredited professional based on the job, individual needs, company requirements
Examples of Assessment Batteries
Executive level
Senior or divisional level
Middle management or senior specialists
Administrative or operational positions

8. Key questions to ask What are the questions I should be asking?
Job description
What are the requirements of the job?
Competencies: essential vs desired skill
Development, recruitment, selection?
Be clear on purpose of testing, how will the results be used

9. Suitability Are you the right fit for the job Environmental fit
Learnership
Will it do more harm than good?

10. It’s a complex environment
More complex than we think
Implications are huge if we are not clear on purpose
Assessments with limited budget?
Do you go cheap and do a shoddy job
Find the money?

11. Assessment Policy Is it there? Is it updated Who developed it
How is it used?
Is it aligned to business strategic intent?
Ethics

12. Policy: Content Essentials
Purpose
Security of material/scores
Test User credentials
Test User accreditation/training,
Test Taker preparation,
Access to Results,
Confidentiality boundaries,
Feedback: Test Taker & referring Client…
Rights & Responsibilities of Test Takers
Accountability of Test Users

13. Recent legal changes with regard to Psychometrics
SCRAPPING OF AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE 8(D) OF THE EEA:  ATP VS THE PRESIDENT AND OTHERS
It will no longer be prohibited to use psychological assessments that are not “certified by the HPCSA or any other body which may be authorised by law to certify those tests or assessments”.
Psychological assessments used on employees, according to the Employment Equity Act, still need to adhere to the requirements of being valid, reliable, fair and unbiased.

14. Recent legal changes with regard to Psychometrics
Judge Mali delivered the following judgment on 2 May 2017: 1. That the Proclamation 50 published in Government Gazette on 25 July 2014 is null and void and of no force or effect to the extent that it brings into operation the amendment of section 8 of Employment Equity Act, Act 55 of 1998 in terms of section 4 of the Employment Equity Amendment Act, 2013, Act 47 of That Section 8 of the Employment Equity Act, Act 55 of 1998 as it pertained on 31 July 2014 continued, and continues, unabated as from the aforesaid date. 3. That this order be published by way of one notice in the Government Gazette, and a notice in each of the Sunday Times, Rapport and City Press. 4. That the respondents are ordered to pay costs of this application, costs to be paid jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved. Costs to include the cost of Senior Counsel.