Dr. Ray Martin 11 May 2015
With today’s Labour Law offering a great deal of protection to the employee, it is imperative that staff selection includes security vetting of a more holistic nature than pure verification and clearance checks. This especially so when appointments are to be made at a managerial level where there is potential risk of future financial loss. Too often appointments are made on the basis of past experience and competency to fulfill the vacancy.
“What” the employer should be asking himself, “is the possibility of the successful candidate having a tendency or potential to conduct him/ herself in a manner which is detrimental to the business?”. If some or other past dishonest behaviour has not been recorded, how will the employer know? In addition, many businesses are loath to disclose acts of dishonesty where dismissal has taken place for fear of legal repercussions.
It is the author’s opinion that a holistic approach as offered by the PISA Integrity Assessment Programme will go a long way to eradicating this problem. I will be posting a more detailed description of this programme later in the week but for now here is a brief explanation of the various components.
Firstly, polygraph testing serves to uncover dishonest behaviour in the workplace which only the examinee may know about. Thus the problem of unrecorded dishonest acts is addressed. It is noteworthy how often the illicit use substances comes to the fore under the eye of the polygraph.
Secondly, the use of appropriate diagnostic tools as offered by certain psychometric tests may highlight the potential for dishonest or disruptive behaviour in the workplace.
Lastly as is best known to employers, are the various verification tests such as identity, citizenship, qualifications, criminal record, credit checks etc.
The use of this approach will go a long way to ridding the workplace of acts of dishonest behaviour. Remember that a more detailed article will follow this week.
I can be contacted at 083 7396396 or docray@lantic.net