Advantages of the Scientific Selection of Employees

Businesses of all sizes struggle to recruit, hire and hold onto the best employees. The majority of human resources professionals treat employee selection like an art rather than a science. But applying scientific principles to the recruitment and selection processes can save money and improve a business's advantage when it comes to the talent of its workforce.

One beneficial result of a scientific employee selection process is the time savings it generates for human resources professionals. Standardized tests remove the need for human resources staff to prepare specific questionnaires to determine qualifications. Likewise, standard interview formats expedite the process and give new human resources staff a predetermined formula for conducting interviews and compiling information about each candidate. This allows workers who deal in recruitment and selection to contact more candidates and spend more time on other tasks without sacrificing attention to the employee selection process.

Scientific selection methods help a business improve its employee retention rate, which saves money and improves the workplace culture. Employee retention is important because of the high cost of replacing an employee, which involves advertising for the vacant position, conducting interviews, reviewing applicants and training the replacement worker. Retention also encourages loyalty and keeps specific skills and experience in the workplace where it can benefit everyone. Scientific selection ensures that workers are hired for their skills and aptitudes, not their personality or ability to talk their way into a job.

The scientific selection of employees relies on tests and standardizes procedures that are relatively easy and inexpensive to implement. Besides the time it saves a staff, a scientific selection process also generates returns in the form of retention and the presence of more skilled workers who are capable of performing at a high level. According to Rocket-Hire, a 2003 study by Kincaid and Gordick showed a return on investment of up to 2,300 percent for businesses using a scientific selection method.

A scientific selection process also allows employers to make hiring decisions without worrying about personal biases. Test results and the answers to standard interview questions will help compare candidates of different ages, genders, experience levels and cultural backgrounds on a level playing field. Human resources staff can also focus on evaluating skills and qualifications rather than concerning themselves with overcoming personal biases to make the best decisions. This helps employers comply with anti-discrimination laws and also improves the chances of a diverse workplace with a high level of worker competency.