Human resources professionals have more tools than ever available for screening candidates at a variety of different levels. Predictive analytics tools allow them to gauge the suitability of candidates based on their answers to specific tests. These tests may range from simple questions about their responses to hypothetical situations to complex puzzle-solving games that include ethical dilemmas alongside problem-solving simulations. Predictive analytics attempts to use the massive amount of data being generated every day by applicants and workers to ensure that each human resources team hires and promotes the best possible candidates.
Many HR professionals are quick to seize new technologies that can help them screen the hundreds or potentially thousands of candidates who apply for open positions. Predictive analytics can help filter the number of candidates during the application process to include only those with specific traits desired by the hiring manager or HR team. It may also have additional uses, including evaluating candidates for promotion to leadership positions. Some HR pros are even testing the use of predictive analytics software to work out the likelihood of continued employment.
Accuracy remains one of the biggest concerns facing HR professionals who use the new technology. The biggest names in predictive analytics software claim only an 85 percent accuracy rate with many predictions. While this is definitely a good number, HR teams that hire or promote based on this level of accuracy may be losing out on many great candidates over time. This means that the software cannot always replace traditional methods used for screening workers.
Another concern lies in the ability of humans to get all the answers right without being fully honest. Predictive analytics that work with human traits require honest answers for the best accuracy. It is possible that an applicant with an understanding of the software or an extensive knowledge of human psychology could easily fool the system and wind up as a valid candidate for a position they lack the background or skills to undertake. HR teams may also find themselves in trouble if they rely on software with predictive analytics questions and answers that may have inadvertent discriminatory biases.
Predictive analytics is not an answer to all of an HR team's hiring and promotion needs. It is simply one more tool in the arsenal of a well-equipped business. The tool is still in development, and many professionals have only rolled it out as part of a testing phase to see how it works over time. Software that uses predictive analytics should not replace or prevent further background checks, interviews, and other traditional methods of selecting candidates. It may work well with larger groups, but some extremely qualified candidates may still slip through the cracks.
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