Design and delivery of a virtual assessments model

The traditional skills-based interview was operating ineffectively in a virtual environment and not assessing the required competencies, behaviours and values

The client was experiencing significant challenges presented by the implications of virtual recruitment:

• Their interviewing did not assess candidates in a thorough or standardised way
• They did not have any exercises that would effectively measure candidate potential in the form of values and behaviours
• Their process was not robust or defined, which resulted in significant candidate dropouts
• They were experiencing a high-volume of applications which resulted in a slow turnaround time, perpetuating the issue of dropouts
• They wanted to elevate their recruitment process and increase their EVP by running an engaging event that would mitigate the impact of high-volume applications

We analysed all jobs in scope to identify what needed to be assessed. We then designed the exercises and virtual event to deliver on our findings.

The deliverables of the project were as follows:

• Mapped skills, strengths, values and behaviours across the organisation.
• Created a bespoke assessment toolkit (a bank of a wealth of different assessment exercises and techniques depending on categories of role, ranging from in-tray exercises to job simulation).
• Provided several psychometric and ability tests to act as a sifting tool as well as a more in-depth analysis of candidate capability
• Designed an engaging virtual assessment event to host these exercises
• Conduct validation by testing the assessments and creating norm groups from the incumbent high performers.
• Implement the change across the organisation through workshops, training, wider L&D work and changing the culture of recruiting within the organisation, focusing on the hiring managers.
• Delivered the virtual assessment centre with a team of qualified assessors

Candidate quality and engagement increased.

We completed a full review of the processes, challenges and successes for our client, finding that hiring managers had witnessed an improvement in the quality of candidates at interview stage, but most importantly the quality of candidates hired was reportedly vastly increased.

Below is a summary of feedback from candidates:

• The event was well structured, informative, fun and gave me a good understanding of the role
• The event felt special, particularly getting to see others involved and converse with them and the team members running the event.
• It was a great way to get around current restrictions, I especially enjoyed participating in the role play

Below is a summary of feedback from managers:

• The event was clear, efficient and engaging. I am glad we have systems in place that allows us to adapt to the ever-changing recruitment market
• It was well organised and structured, allowed candidates to see each other and know what was expected on the day, gave an overview of the business and let candidates see and ask questions to team members
• I was given enough training beforehand and a thorough explanation as to what will be happening. I felt I was supported, and that event was well organised.