The perceptions of human resource managers on the use of psychometric Instruments in the public sector

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of human resource managers in the public sector on the use of psychometric instruments in the employee appointment process, their concerns and challenges in this regard. Psychometric instruments are regarded as effective tools for rational decision-making concerning the recruitment and selection process; therefore, their non-use, especially in the public sector, is a worrying factor since the public sector forms the majority part of service delivery to its citizens and the economy. A qualitative research design was applied, and data were collected through one-on-one interviews. Data was collected from eight (8) participants acquired through the purposeful, non-probability sampling method. The data was analysed through qualitative content analysis using ATLAS.TI software. The findings of the study indicate that human resource managers in the public sector are aware of the value and effectiveness of psychometric instruments in the employee appointment process. However, despite its usefulness, fair administration and application of psychometric instruments are still debatable in the public sector. Psychometric instruments are still perceived as biased and discriminatory, due to their historical introduction, administration and use of psychometric instruments to disadvantage the minority population of the country. Other concerns highlighted on the application of psychometric instruments are the ethical application of the instrument, cultural diversity, disparity in literacy and education levels, and non-familiarity with the psychometric testing process by lower-level position employees. These negative perceptions about psychometric testing could be further ascribed to the view that the process is too costly for the public sector. The lack of in-house monitoring of the psychometric testing process in the public sector resulted in the disregard of psychometric instruments as valuable to assist in making rightful employee appointment decisions. Therefore, a psychological assessment department within the public sector needs to be established to handle and monitor all psychological assessments in the employee appointment process. The study contributes to the existing knowledge on perceptions about the use of psychometric instruments in the employee appointment process, it raises awareness in the public sector on how to better manage the psychometric testing process, and it elicits interest from professionals who may want to explore issues relating to the study.

Umnqopho wesifundo lesi bekukuzwisisa imibono yabaphathi behlelo lezabasebenzi emkhakheni womphakathi ngokusetjenziswa kwamathulusi wesayikhomethriki ehlelweni lokuqatjhwa kwabasebenzi, ukutshwenyeka kwabo neentjhijilo malungana nalokhu. Amathulusi wesayikhomethriki ngokunabileko athathwa njengamathulusi asebenza kuhle malungana nokuthathwa kweenqunto ezifaneleko ekuqatjhweni kanye nekukhethweni kwabasebenzi; yeke, ukungasetjenziswa kwawo ngokwaneleko emkhakheni wombuso kumnako omkhulu njengombana umkhakha wombuso umnikeli wezenzelwa ezakhamuzini kanye nemnothweni. Idizayini yerhubhululo ngokwekhwalithi yamukelwa kilesisifundo serhubhululo. Idatha yabuthelelwa kubahlanganyeli abasibhozo (8) abatholwe ngendlela yokuthatha amasampula enomnqopho, engekho emthethweni. Ukutsengwa kwelwazi elimunyethweko ngokwekhwalithi kwenziwa ngokusebenzisa i-software ye--ATLAS.TI. Ilwazi elitholakeleko liveza bona abaphathi behlelo lezabasebenzi emkhakheni wombuso babutjhejile ububhadekelo kanye nokusebenza kuhle kwamathulusi wesayikhomethriki ehlelweni lezokuqatjhwa kwabasebenzi. Nanyana-kunjalo, ukulawulwa kanye nokusetjenziswa kwamathulusi wesayikhomethriki kuzakuhlala kuyipikiswano emkhakheni wombuso. Amathulusi wesayikhomethriki kanengi azwisiswa njengamahlelo athatha ihlangothi begodu akhethululako ngenca yomlando wawo wokwethulwa begodu nokungasetjenziswa kwawo ngendlela efaneleko esikhathini esidlulileko lokha nakudlelezelwa inani labantu ebegade baninwa ngaphambilini elizweni. Iminako engezelelako ifaka phakathi ukusetjenziswa ngokulandela imigomo, kwamathulusi wesayikhomethriki, ukwehlukahluka kwamasikopilo, imiraro yezefundo kanye namazinga wezefundo, kanye nokungabi nelwazi lamahlelo wezokuhlolwa komkhumbulo hlangana nabasebenzi bezinga eliphasi. Ukutjheja khulu iindleko nakho kugalela imiqondo emimbi malungana nokuhlolwa komkhumbulo, njengombana nje ihlelweli selibonwa njengehlelo elidure khulu emkhakheni wombuso. Irhubhululo liragela phambili nokuveza ukobana ngenca yokutlhogakala kwetjhejo lemigomo yeziko kezokuhlolwa komqondo emkhakheni wombuso, amathulusi wezokuhlolwa komkhumbulo akathathwa njengamathulusi aqakathekileko ukwenzela ukuthathwa kweenqunto ezizwakalako malungana nokuqatjhwa kwabasebenzi. Yeke-ke, umnyango wezokuhlolwa komkhumbulo kufanele usungulwe emkhakheni wombuso ukwenzela ukungamela kanye nokutjhejisisa woke amahlelo wezokuhlolwa komkhumbulo ehlelweni lezokuqatjhwa kwesisebenzi. Irhubhululo lifaka isandla elwazini elikhona malungana nokusetjenziswa kwamathulusi wesayikhomethriki ehlelweni lokuqatjhwa kwabasebenzi, likhuphula ukutjheja emkhakheni womphakathi ngokuthi lingaphathwa njani ngcono ikambiso yokuhlolwa kwesayikhomethriki, begodu livusa ikareko kibososayensi abangafuna ukuhlola iindaba ezihlobene nesifundo.

Maikemišetšo a nyakišišo ye e be e le go kwešiša dikgopolo tša balaodi ba methopo ya bašomi ka lefapheng la mmušo ka ga tšhomišo ya didirišwa tša monagano mo tshepedišong ya go thwala bašomi, matshwenyego a bona le ditlhohlo mabapi le se. Didirišwa tša monagano di tšewa ka bophara bjalo ka didirišwa tše di šomago gabotse tša go tšea diphetho ka tlhaologanyo go thwaleng le go kgetheng bašomi; ka fao, go se šomišwe gabotse ka lekaleng la setšhaba ke taba yeo e tshwenyago ka ge lekala la setšhab e le moabi o bohlokwa wa ditirelo go badudi le ekonomi. Moakanyetšo wa nyakišišo wa khwalitheithifi o dirišitšwe nyakišišong ye. Datha e kgobokeditšwe go tšwa go batšwasehlabelo ba seswai (8) bao ba hweditšwego ka mokgwa wa go tšea mehlala wo o nago le morero, wo e sego wa kgonagalo. Tshekatsheko ya diteng tša khwalitheithifi ya datha ye e kgobokeditšwego e dirilwe ka go šomiša softwere ya ATLAS.TI. Dikhwetšo di laetša gore balaodi ba tša lefapha la merero ya bašomi ka lekaleng la setšhaba ba tseba ka ga boleng le go šoma gabotse ga didirišwa tša monagano tshepetšong ya go thwala bašomi. Le ge go le bjalo, taolo ye e lokilego le tirišo ya didirišwa tša monagano di sa phenkgišanwa ka lekaleng la setšhaba. Didirišwa tša monagano gantši di tšewa bjalo ka tše di tšeago lehlakore le tša kgethollo ka lebaka la matseno a tšona a histori le tšhomišompe ya nakong e fetilego ya go bea badudi ba naga boemong bjo bo sa lokago bao ba bego ba se na ditokelo goba menyetla nakong e fetilego. Matshwenyego a tlaleletšo a akaretša tirišo ya melawana ya maleba ya boitshwaro ya diteko tša monagano, go fapana ga setšo, go se swane maemong a go bala le go ngwala le thuto, le go se tlwaelane le tshepedišo ya go dira diteko tša monagano gare ga bašomi ba maemo a tlase. Dikakanyetšo tša ditshenyagalelo le tšona di na le seabe go dikgopolo tše mpe ka ga diteko tša monagano, ka ge tshepetšo e bonwa e le ye e bitšago tšhelete ye ntši go lekala la setšhaba. Nyakišišo ye e gatelela gape gore ka lebaka la go hloka tlhokomelo ya ka gare ya tshepedišo ya go dira diteko tša monagano ka lekaleng la setšhaba, didirišwa tša monagano di hlokomologwa bjalo ka didirišwa tše bohlokwa tša diphetho tša go thwala bašomi bao ba nago le tsebo. Ka fao, kgoro ya kelo ya monagano e swanetše go hlongwa ka lekaleng la setšhaba go laola le go hlokomela dikelo ka moka tša monagano tshepetšong ya go thwala bašomi. Thuto ye e tsenya letsogo go tsebo ye e lego gona ka ga ditemogo mabapi le tšhomišo ya didirišwa tša moganano mo tshepedišong ya go thwala bašomi, e godiša temošo ka lefapheng la mmušo ka ga gore go ka laolwa gakaone tshepedišo ya diteko tša didirišwa tša monagano, gomme e tsoša kgahlego go tšwa go ditsebi tšeo di ka nyakago go hlahloba ditaba tšeo di amanago le nyakišišo ye.