Abstract:

Organizations attempt to identify and develop high potentials within their personnel in order to cover their demand for executives. Therefore, they increasingly conduct individual psychological assessments (IPA), which often provide detailed assessment feedback. The according feedback may not only be useful to guide human resource planning from the perspective of the organization, but can also be beneficial for individual development. Firstly, feedback can increase one’s self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, the feedback provides concrete ideas for development that should be beneficial for planning and accomplishing developmental actitivies [1].

This study explores effects of assessment feedback on candidates’ development. As there is little empirical research about feedback within the context of employee selection on the one hand and about IPAs on the other hand, the development of the research model draws upon two research perspectives: Research about feedback, based on the process model by Ilgen, Fisher, and Taylor (1979) depicts the process of effects of feedbacks and influencing variables [2]. Research on applicant reactions to selection systems identifies important variables of the feedback context [3]. Perception of feedback source, message, and context is influenced by the selection decision and itself influences acceptance of feedback. The effects include motivation to react on feedback, planning and accomplishing developmental acitivies, and improvement of self-awareness.

A field study was conducted in a multinational pharmaceutical company. Employees who participated in an IPA for selection for a talent program completed a questionnaire (n=19) and a problem-centered interview (n=17) after receiving oral and written feedback. To measure improvement of self-awareness a congruence coefficient was calculated, comparing self-ratings and assessor ratings before and after the feedback.

The results show that the feedback was accepted very well and resulted in developmental effects. The candidates were motivated for development, had planned and accomplished informal developmental activities and had gained insights into their strengths and weaknesses. The effects were comparable to effects within the developmental context. The relationships of the research model could predominantly be confirmed.

The study shows that well designed feedback given in a fair selection context can have positive impact on employees’ development. From a practical perspective the results emphasize the understanding of feedback in IPAs as the first step within the developmental process. Selection of internal candidates and human resource development should thus be viewed as an integrated process. From a theoretical perspective the study provides a model of developmental effects of assessment feedback based on the integration of two fields of research.

References:
[1] London, M. & McFarland, L. (2010). Assessment Feedback. In J. Farr & N. Tippins (Eds.), Employee Selection (S. 417-436). New York, London: Routledge.
[2] Ilgen, D., Fisher, C. & Taylor, M. (1979). Consequences of individual feedback on behavior in organizations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 64, 349-371.
[3] Gilliland, S. W. (1993). The perceived fairness of selection systems: An organizational justice perspective. Academy of Management Review, 18, 694-734.

Keywords:

Assessment feedback, human resource development, self-awareness, developmental activities.