About Me

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I am a M.A. in industrial/organizational psychology. Most of my experience has been in human resources and change management. My passion lies in employee assessment, organizational development and employee opinions. Website: www.IanMondrow.com LinkedIn Profile: http://linkd.in/drBYoC

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Significance of Task Significance

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow

Task significance is defined as the perception that one's job has a positive impact on other people. Research on task significance has been limited because many studies focuses on cross-sectional designs that were unsuccessful in proving task significance impacted job performance. Job performance is perceived effectiveness of one's behavior that work strive to achieve organization initiatives. In addition, there are limited studies that manipulate task significance with other job characteristics. Grant (2008) sets out to determine if relational mechanisms (specifically: perceived social impact & perceived social worth)  and boundary conditions (specifically: conscientiousness and pro-social values) mediates task significance using three experiments.

Grant (2008) utilized a university fundraising organization as his first sample. 33 callers were split into 3 conditions that include: (1)a task significant condition where participants read 2 stories on how their job can impact others, (2) a personal benefit condition where participants read 2 stories about how the job benefitted the individual and (3) a control group with no manipulation. The data that was collected was measured pre-intervention and post-intervention. The results were quite promising. Results found that callers in the task significant condition increased the amount of pledges earned significantly, t(11) = 4.60, p = .001. The control group and personal benefit group showed no significant improvement in the post-implementation. The  task significant group continued to shine as they showed an increase in the amount of money earned following the intervention, t(11) = 4.51, p =.001. Once again, no significant improvement was present for the control group and the personal benefit group. Grant's initial study was a success in proving that task significance may actually positively impact job performance.

The researcher and his assistants return to the same fundraising organization, which had already experienced a full turnover of all staff. Before the intervention, all participants completed a self-assessment measuring conscientiousness and prosocial values (one's value of protecting and promoting the welfare of others). In addition, data regarding job performance was collected.Participants were split into two groups: control and task significance. Upon intervention, participants in the control group were asked to read about the organization's policies, while the task significance group read two stories portraying how the job has helped other people. Results show that [once again] the task significance group obtained more pledges than the control group, t(32) = 2.03, p = .05.  A OLS regression indicated that individuals with high prosocial values had a strong effect when they encountered the task significance condition. Again, Grant (2008) has demonstrated that task significance can have a positive impact on job performance.

You may be thinking that this study is limited because it was conducted with the same organization. In fact, Grant (2008) conducted a similar study with lifeguards at public pools. In this study there was no control group, but a personal benefit group and task significance group. He found that lifeguards in the task significance group committed more hours to their job, were more likely to help, and experienced an increase in one's perceived social worth  and social impact. Therefore, this study can be applied to a diverse population.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
This study can make valuable contributions to training managers for performance evaluations. HR professionals can coach managers on utilizing a task significant outlook when addressing areas for improvement (for an individual employee). According to this study, if a manager informs an employee how their improved performance could help others, the employee is likely to understand the value of the specific task. To be most effective, the manager must provide this logic for each individual task (instead of the overall position) that requires improvement.

As humans, we want to know that we are valuable. Therefore, by providing feedback based on task significance, one can see how their performance can positively impact the organization and its stakeholders.






Reference: Grant, A.M. (2008). The significance of task significance: Job performance effects, relational mechanisms and boundary conditions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(1), 198-124.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Repealing of DADT can pave the way for equality

Over 13,500 men and women were dishonorably discharged from the US Military  as a result of President Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) legislation. What originally was intended to protect members of the GLBT community, ended up hurting them.  That all came to a change in the December of 2010. Members of the GLBT community were starting to lose hope in President Obama in fear that he will never fight for equality. He proved them all wrong on December 22nd, when the legislation of DADT was finally repealed.

With DADT no longer in effect, the country is moving one step closer to equality regardless of sexual orientation. Currently, there is no Federal law preventing employers from terminating employees due to their sexual orientation. Some states offer protection but it is not universal across the US. One hopes that DADT will pave the way for the inclusion of sexual orientation in EEOC as a protected class. DADT was a large obstacle to overcome but now comes the time to protect every U.S. citizen regardless of his/her sexual orientation.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

A Diversity-Friendly Holiday Party

By: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.

The holidays are a joyous time of view. From delicious foods to the anticipation of exchanging gifts. However, the holidays can be an offensive or neglected time for those that do not observe the holidays. Christmas has a tendency to obtain more attention than other holidays and thus Jews, Kwanzaa observers and Muslims are often overlooked. Just recently, my client held a holiday pot luck and my coworker decided to compose a Parody to "Twas the Night Before Christmas". Although the poem did not mention Christmas, the fact that it was based on a Christmas poem alarmed me, specifically since there were not other activities to cater to other religions. If employees feel excluded, it can have a negative effect on their commitment to the organization and their quality of work.

Given this incident, I felt it would be beneficial to compose a blog entry that emphasized how to coordinate a diversity-friendly holiday party. When planning holiday parties, I think the best mindset for any event coordinator should be "all or nothing." In other words, it is suggested that the party include all December holidays or not focus around any holidays.

Planning an inclusive holiday party is rather simple, it just takes extra thought. First off, decorations should include components from each holiday. Therefore, there can be Christmas lights/trees, Hanukkah dreidels, and a Kwanzaas Mishumaa Saba. In regards to activities, be sure that if one holiday is represented, that other activities are done to observe other holidays. The same rule applies to food. If holiday dishes are being made, be sure that the entrees of other cultures are included as well.

Hosting a non-denominational party is a simple alternative as well. Instead of holding a "holiday party", host an "employee appreciation party". This party does not focus on the holidays but rather the commitment and hard work on the employees. The decorations will not need to reflect the holiday season and employees will feel engaged by their employers.

Do not overlook the power of exclusion and inclusion. It is very easy to exclude other religions and cultures due to our own personal bias. It is important to understand that while Christmas or Hanukkah may be important to you, it may have no value to another employee. Religion is a sensitive topic for all and I imagine this post is likely offending someone. However, I want to emphasize that the purpose of any company party is not to celebrate the holiday but rather to enjoy the company of your coworkers and celebrate the hard work within the organization.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Effects of Retail Store Image Attractiveness and Self-Evaluated Job Performance on Employee Retention

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.

The costs of a single hourly employee turning over will cost an organization approximately $3,000 to $10,000 (Turnover costs sack retailers, 2000; Gustafson, 2002 as cited in Yurchisin & Park, 2010). Within the retail industry, a sales associate average length of employment is only 80 days (Masters, 2004 as cited in Yurchisin & Park, 2010). This turnover results in customer complaints pertaining to poor customer service and employees with little knowledge or expertise of product knowledge. Previous studies have discovered that organizational commitment is a key factor in employee turnover and turnover has been found to positively correlate with job satisfaction. It was hypothesized that the attractiveness of an organization may be linked to an employee's commitment to the organization.

Yurchisin & Park (2010) were successful in obtaining surveys from 211 sales associates.  Only 21.1% were identified as full-time employees. Unfriendly/Friendly , unorganized/organized, and unreliable/reliable from the semantic differential scales were used to obtain the perceived store image. Each of the items provided anchors to assist participants in selecting the correct adjective. Surveys also measured store image attractiveness, self-assessed job performance, internal job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intention to leave.

Results from the survey revealed that positive store image had a relationship with job satisfaction (t =6.25, p<.001) and organizational commitment (t =8.29, p < .001). An individual that had high self-assessed performance was more likely to have high internal job satisfaction (t = 5.01, p < .001) and a negative relationship with intention to leave. Both organizational commitment and intention to leave were positively related with internal job satisfaction. Finally, organizational commitment was found to have a negative effect on one's intention to leave.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
This study reveals that while store attractiveness does increase job satisfaction and organizational commitment, one's self-assessment is crucial to determine if an employee is likely to leave. Therefore, it is important that managers are encouraging of their employees and are dedicated to the development of their staff. Once an employee's self-perceived performance increases, so will his/her job satisfaction and commitment to an organization. In turn, this will have a positive effect on the store image. From this, we can see that all these factors are connected. Employee satisfaction is not cut and dry but driven by a collection of factors. As HR Managers, we need to ensure that employees feel appreciated and that they feel they are successful in their job. By doing so, it is likely to lower turnover.




Source: Yurchisin, J. & Park, J. (2010). Effects of Retail Store Image Attractiveness and Self-Evaluated Job Performance on Employee Retention. Journal of Business Psychology, 25, 441-450.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Comparing Victim Attributes and Outcomes for Workplace Aggression and Sexual Harassment (Part 2)

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.


Following their previous research, Hershcovis and Barling (2010) decide to conduct a meta-analysis using 112 studies and 134 independent samples. The authors of previous studies that used the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ) were contacted to reanalyze the data with merely a subcomponent of the SEQ. 82% of the samples were returned. Data was analyzed using Hunter Schmidt’s (1990 as cited by Hershcovis & Barling, 2010) for calculating weighted average reliabilities, adjusting for sample error, and measuring confidence intervals. Z tests were used to analyze independent correlations.

Results revealed that sexual harassment had a negative relationship with job satisfaction (rc = -.29), coworker satisfaction (rc = -.35), supervisor satisfaction (rc = -.34), affective commitment (rc = - .29), and psychological wellbeing (rc = -.28). Studies continued to show that sexual harassment had positive relationships with turnover (rc =.21), job stress (rc =.21) and work withdrawal (rc =.29). All of the correlations mentioned above were statistically significant with a probability less than .01. The author fails to mention that while the correlations are significant, they are low correlations and thus may have weak effects.

Workplace aggression was found to have stronger relationships than sexual harassment. It was found to have negative correlations with job satisfaction (rc = -.46), coworker satisfaction (rc = -.37), supervisor satisfaction (rc = -.49), affective commitment (rc = -.40) and psychological wellbeing (rc = -.40). Positive correlations for workplace aggression were present for turnover (rc =.39), job stress (rc =.32) and work withdrawal (rc =.19). All correlations had a probability less than .05.

As already demonstrated with the correlations, Z-tests comparisons revealed that workplace aggression had stronger negative outcomes than sexual harassment in job satisfaction, supervisor satisfaction, affective commitment, psychological wellbeing, and turnover and job stress. No significant difference was present for coworker satisfaction. Work withdrawal had a stronger effect with sexual harassment than workplace aggression.

 IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
As previously mentioned in Part 1 of this summary, this research shows that workplace aggressive has effects that are far more influential than sexual harassment. This may be a result of the lack of action that is taken to address this issue. Sexual harassment is a sensitive topic and organizations attempt to correct the harassment quickly to avoid lawsuits. Workplace aggression,however, can not be easily proven and there is no legal implications of an employee that is rude or excludes other individuals. 

Organizations can prevent these negative affects of by implementing a policy stating no tolerance towards workplace aggression or sexual harassment. For this policy to be effective, the organization must investigate all claims of workplace aggression and avoid discrediting any accusations without proof. 

Regardless, sexual harassment and workplace aggression will continue to be part of our society. We do not live in an ideal world and some people have no guilt for their actions. As HR practioners, we should communicate disapproval of any of these actions and the consequences associated with these actions. We should also take immediate action once any complaint is received. These issues should not go unaddressed or else it could have negative effects on company culture and personnel.






Source: Herschcovis, M.S., Barling, J. (2010). Comparing victim attributions and outcomes for workplace aggression and sexual harassment. American Psychological Association, 95 (5), 874-888.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Comparing Victim Attributions and Outcomes for Workplace Aggression & Sexual Harassment (Part 1)

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.

Sexual harassment has had a large presence in male-dominated organizations. It is believed that it occurs in these organizations because women are holding positions that were traditionally filled by men. Surprisingly, if a woman had masculine traits, then she is more susceptible to sexual harassment. Hershcovis and Barling (2010) suggest that sexual harassment degrades an individuals gender and thus lowers his/her status/credibility. When this occurs, female victims view the incident as an attack on their gender instead of on themselves. Sexual harassment on men is far less threatening and may even reinforce their male gender role.

Unlike sexual harassment, workplace aggression does not focus on one's gender or classification. It is equally threatening to both men and women as it crushes one's status or need to feel a part of a group. Examples of workplace aggression include social exclusion, gossiping, yelling, and rude behaviors, which all suggest that the individual is of lower status. These behaviors often focus on individual characteristics instead of one's member to a social group (i.e. gender).

Hershcovis and Barling (2010) set out to research the attributable differences between sexual harassment and workplace aggression. An online survey was administered to 117 participants. Participants were provided a story that differed based on the following dimensions: gender dominant workplace vs. gender neutral workplace (equal distribution among men & women) and workplace aggression vs. sexual harassment.  Participants were asked to rate the scenario on how descriptive it was of sexual harassment and workplace aggression on a 1-5 scale. They were also asked to allocate the blame based on a hundred points between themselves and the perpetrator. In addition, survey respondents answered questions evaluating internal attribution, personal attribution, gender attribution, external attribution, aggression ambiguity, and severity. Gender was also collected as a controlled variable.

A multivariate analysis revealed a significance between workplace aggression and sexual harassment, F(6,98) = 14.80, p<.001. It was also found that participants in the gender-dominant scenario were more likely to make an internal attribution in the workplace aggression scenario (M = 2.72) than the sexual harassment scenario ( M = 1.67). Participants that were part of the workplace aggression scenario were more likely to take the encounter personally than those in the sexual harassment scenario. Those that partook in the sexual harassment scenario were more likely to blame their bully's attitudes, F (1,108) = 19.01, p < .01, on their gender and account them for the blame, F (1,108) = 8.92, p < .01.  Participants that were in the workplace aggression scenario were more likely to blame themselves instead of the bully than those in the sexual harassment scenario. Gender distribution within the organization had no effect on sexual harassment but participants in the workplace aggression sample were more likely to make a gender attribution than in the gender-neutral environment.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
Based on the findings in this study, HR practitioners need to be conscious of the fact that victims of workplace aggression are likely to place the blame on themselves. Therefore, when counseling an individual, it is important to emphasize that it is not their fault and that bullying does exist in the organization. In addition, the findings show that bullying can be equally offensive as sexual harassment and should not be taken lightly. HR professionals should examine complaints thoroughly to ensure that bullying does not escalate. 

In regards to sexual harassment, victims are likely to blame the harasser. Which they should! It is vital to understand that no employee is responsible for being a victim of sexual harassment. Regardless of one's clothing, gender, or comments, sexual advances are not acceptable in the workplace and every complaint should be investigated immediately. 







Source: Herschcovis, M.S., Barling, J. (2010). Comparing victim attributions and outcomes for workplace aggression and sexual harassment. American Psychological Association, 95 (5), 874-888.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Why are women paid less than men, but given higher raises?

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A. 

Gender differences in pay has been an ongoing issue for decades. Its saddening to think that these differences still exists but an abundance of previous research supports the notion. Regardless of industry, occupation or other variables, women only receive a wage 88% that of men (Blau et al., 1998).  Previous research offers a variety of reasons for this and they include: part-time vs. full-time, employment sector, industry and more. There are also arguments that woman receive reduced starting wage. Some researchers believe that women are less aggressive when it comes to negotiating salary but this is a controversial topic in itself.

Although it does not compensate for a slashed wages, past studies have found that women receive higher pay increases. Redyced stereotyping may be the result of these increases. Reduced stereotyping occurs when a manager does not have a sufficient amount of information to evaluate the individual and therefore base his/her decisions on stereotypes. When enough information is present, reduced stereotype is less likely to occur. Structural features may also be a factor in this gender difference. Many organization base pay increases on a performance rating and their level in their job grade. In this structure, employees that are paid less are eligible for higher pay increases than employees with higher salaries. Therefore, if women start off with lower salaries, they will be more likely to have higher pay increases.

Harris, Gilbreath and Sunday (2002) decided to put these theories to test. Using previous data from a government-owned, contractor-operated nuclear waste facility in the united states. 218 participants were randomly selected to participate; 174 were men and 44 were women.

In their analysis, it was found that seniority, education and performance ratings did not differ between men & women. However, compared to men, women had significantly lower salaries (on average about $1000 less per month) and were in lower grades. When including job grade, education level and seniority as variables in their analysis, it was found that salary differences decreased but did not put an end to the salary differences between genders. On an annual basis, women earned a range of between $1080 (in 1991) and $2004 (in 1993) less than men.

It was found that women received pay increases that were, on average, 5% greater than men. These differences diminished once job grade and base pay were added as variables. Furthermore, performance ratings did not impact the differences between gender.

There are several limitations that must be considered in this study:

  • First and foremost, this study is about 8 years old. 
  • The organization was new and employed individuals for only 4 years. 
  • The organization work with government contracts and therefore may have strict anti-discrimination laws to abide by. 
  • The time frame that was examined was only two years.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS

This picture does not reflect my personal opinion.
It is clearly a controversial image, but I like the
message at the bottom.
How can HR professionals avoid pay differences as a result of gender? This is a tough question and an issue that thousands have been fighting against for decades. First and foremost, ensure that both men and women are offered the initial starting wage. At that point, it is their responsibility to negotiate salary within the range. 

To avoid gender differences in pay increases, pay increases should be based on tenure or performance reviews. Having a structured pay increase guide that correlates with performance appraisal goals can assist in dismantling this difference. In addition, ensuring that managers are provided with sufficient information on their employees will ensure that they do not experience reduced discrimination. Most importantly, always base performance appraisals on a job analysis. For a performance appraisal to be effective, it must be based on the criteria that one needs to be successful in this job.

I am hoping that these pay increases and base salary differences diminish in time.








Source: Harris, M.M., Gilbreath, B., Sunday, J.A. (2002). Why are women paid less than men, but given higher raises. Journal of Business and Psychology, 16(4), 499-514.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Organizational Dual Career Ladder

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A. 


I was recently reading SHRM's HR Magazine when I came across a brief article regarding dual career ladders. A career ladder is the path that an individual takes to grow within his/her position. Often these career ladders only follow one path/trend. As an individual follows this path, he/she gains mores responsibility in managing others and teams.

Unlike a traditional career ladder, a dual career ladder provides an alternative for qualified employees that have little interest in managing others or being a supervisor. One can not ignore the benefits this program provides, including: increased retention (especially among senior members) and continuous development of employees.  These programs are often found in jobs that require professional training and expertise. Furthermore, jobs known for rapid innovation and/or employees receiving national awards or a license are more likely to offer the dual career ladder. This type of ladder also provides organizations with a competitive advantage over traditional organizations and is a method that effectively attract talent of all ages and levels.

Fiester (2010) provides a series of steps in creating a program, and they are as follows:

  1. Determine evaluation criteria for the job.
  2. Determine the proficiency of criteria needed for each level in a ladder.
  3. Develop job descriptions for each position on the ladder.
  4. Use market data to benchmark salary ranges for each level. 
  5. Ensure equity among company personnel.
  6. Regularly communicate the program, especially during implementation. 
Much like any career ladder, a significant amount of maintenance is required. Not only must one maintain the traditional path but also this alternative path. It should be emphasized that this is not meant as an alternative for the traditional career ladder but instead an additional path. 



Source: Fiester, M. (November 2010). What is meant by the term "dual career ladder?" HR Magazine. 

Monday, November 8, 2010

Credit Checks in Employee Selection (Part 2 of 2): Applicant Reactions

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.

Selection tests that have little face validity can kill an applicant's attraction to a job opening or organization. Using a sample of 126 students. Nielsen and Kuhn decide to evaluate the perception of credit reports as a selection tool.

Participants were give one of two job descriptions. Both of the descriptions provided a summary of the job and the organization's history. The only difference between the two documents was that one of them mentioned handling money as one of the job's responsibilities. Participants were randomly assigned to each group and informed that they were invited to an interview where the hiring manager asked him/her to sign a waiver permitting a credit check. They were asked a series of questions of a 7-point scale.

In general, it was found that participants had negative reactions to the credit check as they felt it was unfair, did not predict performance, was not related to the job and was an invasion of privacy. They did believe that employers use credit checks as a way to verify responsibility and reliability in job candidates Including budgeting in the job description did not increase the credibility of the credit report.

 However, 51% of the participants were confident that their credit history would appeal to the hiring organization. Unfortunately, individuals did not feel they knew what a credit report would cover (M = 2.12,  SD = .78). Those who emphasized an understanding of credit checks were more likely to perceive them as a fair selection tool, F = 10.22, p <.01, and had a significant level of face validity, F = 7.11, p < .01. There was no relationship between credit history knowledge and perceived accuracy, invasiveness or predictive validity.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN RESOURCE (HR) PROFESSIONALS
Based on this study's findings, HR professionals should be cautious in utilizing credit checks. Appliants appear questionable in the use of credit checks and feel that it is intrusive. Content in job descriptions provides no variation on this outlook. Therefore, it may be beneficial for hiring managers to explain the usage of credit checks and how the information will be utilized in the hiring process. Managers should also encourage job applicants to ask for a copy of the report to make them feel more at ease.  Many times, applicants are handed the consent form but have no real conversation of the credit checks. It appears that elaborating on its use and how it will benefit the position can overcome any fears shared by applicants. 






Source: Nielsen, M.L., and Kuhn, K.M. (2009). Late payments and leery applicants: credit checks as a selection test.  Employ Respons Rights J21, 115-130.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Credit Checks in Employee Selection (Part 1 of 2)

Summary By: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.


A selection test is a process that employers implement to hire job candidates or make promotion decisions. In national survey of retail employer, it was found that 48% of the participants utilized credit checks as a selection tool in 2005 (Hollinger & Langton, 2006 as cited in Nielsen & Kuhn, 2009). This number has likely increased since then. Unlike most selection test, a credit check does not ask candidates any questions and does not allow for any answers. Credit checks provide information on an individuals financials including credit cards, mortgage debt, payment history, previous addresses and previous employers. Unlike traditional credit checks, an employer will not receive any calcuated credit scores. The date of birth is also not included. Some employers use credit reports to merely verify employment history and previous addresses, while others use them as a formal selection tool.

Credit checks have become a standard process in hiring for many organization and therefore it is vital for every individual to know the legal implications behind this process. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), an employer cannot check one's credit score without obtaining signed permission from the candidate, offering the candidate a copy of the report and inform individuals if the report had any basis for not hiring/promoting them. In addition, federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against an individual has filed for bankruptcy.  Since a credit report is not a series of questions, it is not possible to establish criterion validity and therefore it can be difficult to prove that the report is related to a job. As a result, some states have laws stating that credit reports can not be obtained unless "substantially job-related" to the position. In 2007, this law was passed in the State of Washington as Senate Bill 5827.

There are several perspectives as to why credit checks are used in the selection process: (1) employees  facing financial issues will be more likely to steal and (2) the credit check can be representative of one's consciousness and responsibility. Currently, there are no studies validating that credit checks are related to any personality traits but previous studies have found that credit scores have a positive correlation with counterproductive employee behavior and absenteeism.

To make matters more complicated, credit checks may increase an employers probability of adverse impact as some minorities are more likely to have poor credit histories (Gallagher, 2006 as cited in Nielsen & Kuhn, 2009). If adverse impact is present, employers must prove that a credit check predicts successful job performance. Furthermore, majority of credit reports contain one or more mistakes with one out of four containing a serious error. Therefore, the information may not even be correct!


CLICK Here for Part 2.... 


Source: Nielsen, M.L., and Kuhn, K.M. (2009). Late payments and leery applicants: credit checks as a selection test.  Employ Respons Rights J, 21, 115-130.

Monday, November 1, 2010

From I/O Psychologist to HR Generalist (Part 2 of 2)


Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.

Shifting into an Human Resource (HR) can be a benefit for both the Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychologist and the organization. It allows an opportunity for the Psychologist to learn about the organization and develop future skills. As an HR Generalist, an I/O Psychologist can learn about the organizations operations and then return to the organizational development department with new skills and insight about the business.

Shifting into this position can be a bit of a challenge because an I/O Psychologist may not have the background to address all questions and concerns. While the information can be found in the company, the Psychologist will experience a dramatic learning curve.  One drastic change for Industrial/Organizational Psychologist is loss of power and/or resources. Generalists often have to assume many responsibilities and may need to designate Specialists to assist them, unfortunately, a Generalist has limited control as to how he/she can utilize a specialist. This is a shock for many Psychologists who are use being viewed as the expert in an area and having control. Furthermore, they must learn to let go of their I/O background as it is not required for all HR Functions (but useful in staffing and other areas). An I/O Psychologist should also that HR uses different terminology and it would be helpful to familiarize oneself with the differences.

Although the previous paragraphs have focused on the downsides of the Generalist role, there are many advantages. First of all, the interaction with people will grow dramatically. Plus an HR Generalist interacts with people from different departments on a regular basis. Furthermore, the position offers a variety of Career paths including becoming a specialist or working towards a Director position. The role also have higher levels of compensation with tenure.

Being an HR Generalist is not a challenge for an individual with a background in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Instead, it is when one shifts from an I/O Psychology focused career into HR. Much of their responsibilities and interactions change as a result of this shift and the individual must learn to adapt to these roles. It is important to emphasize that I/O Psychologists make excellent HR Generalist. This article focuses on individuals that have been in the I/O Psychology field and want to shift into a HR Generalist role.




Original Source: Martin, S.L., Latham, V.M. (2010). Moving into an HR generalist roll: a good career move? The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist. 47(4), 29-34.


Picture extracted from: http://rejuvination.me/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/careerchange.jpg

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Becoming an HR Generalist (Part 1 of 2)

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.


A Human Resources (HR) Generalist is someone who is the point of contact for all personnel issues. Unlike a specialist, a Generalist is expected to be knowledgeable in all HR functions including hiring, organizational development, compensation/benefits, and the well-being of employees. He/she is often assigned to one or more departments within an organization (depending on the company size). This position is often a junior position to the highest HR position in the organization. Working in a matrix structure, this individual usually reports to two individuals: a senior HR Manager and the department head.

They are a variety of career growth options once an individual is employed as an HR Generalist. He/she has the opportunity to grow into a separate specialist role focusing specifically on recruitment/hiring, compensation or employee relations. Staying within the HR Generalist role can also provide developmental responsibilities by taking on more responsibilities or managing other HR Generalist.

Being an HR Generalist has both its ups and downs. The great thing about being an HR Generalist is that the job entails a high level of variety. An individual in this position is exposed to different aspects of HR as well as playing an active role in the organization's development. Those who play an HR Generalist role have also identified that the position creates a sense of identity because they often are involved with all levels of the organization and are engaged in the company's growth. Finally, the position allows the opportunity to impact the lives of the employees. Generalists have a say in who is hired, compensation of employees and the termination of employees.

With advantages, comes disadvantages. Moving into the role of an HR Generalist can be extremely stressful because one is expected to learn a large amount of information with a little amount of time. Furthermore, the position includes responsibilities that are not always pleasant. In fact, some of the responsibilities can be heart breaking, such as conducting individual and large-scale terminations. It should also be noted that the position requires tasks that be repetitive and simple including providing benefits information, updating information systems and/or getting the appropriate documentation filled out.

Before pursuing an HR generalist opening, it is recommended to research the company to determine what is expected from an HR Generalist as it can vary from company to company. The job description should also be reviewed carefully to understand the organization's expectations of a Generalist.

To be Continued.....
Part 2: From an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist to an HR Role. Available October 2nd, 2010.







Original Source: Martin, S.L., Latham, V.M. (2010). Moving into an HR generalist roll: a good career move? The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist. 47(4), 29-34.

Picture from: http://www.staffordshire.police.uk/media/images/largeheaderimages/20138/20175/Human-Resources.jpg

Monday, October 25, 2010

There's a Policy for That: Sexual Harassment

Source: Hertzog, J.L., Wright, D., & Beat, D. (2008). There's a policy for that: a comparison of the organizational culture of workplaces reporting incidents of sexual harassment. Behavir and Social Issues, 17, 169-181.

Summary and Commentary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.



Unfortunately, recent research by Hertzog, Write and Beat (2008) reveals that policy alone is not enough to  remove sexual harassment from the workplace. Their study utilized data from 303 companies included in the 2002 National Organizational Survey. All of these companies had policies related to sexual harassment. Out of this sample, 29% of the companies have had a formal complaint filed against them for sexual harassment. These companies were found to experience patterns of negative workplace behavior compared to organizations that did not have a formal complaint. They were also more likely to have occurrences of sexual harassment.

Most the organizations in the study were found to offer training to managers and employees. However, organizations that had claims against them were more likely to offer classes on sexual harassment, workplace violence, conflict resolution, and overcoming negative behaviors.

Since policies alone are not enough to prevent sexual harassment, the researchers suggest implementing behavioral interventions that aim to increase reporting behaviors and reduce sexual harassment behaviors. Merely implementing a policy does not change the organizational behavior, it only protects the company from liability.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
A policy alone is not sufficient in preventing sexual harassment from occurring in the workplace. The policy sets the foundation and then it is up to managers to communicate and support its initiative. To create a culture that reduces the chance of sexual harassment behaviors, the organization should continually offer training on the topic as well as communicate [on a regular basis] that any type of negative workplace behavior is not accepted in the company. 

As HR professionals, we should ensure that the message of the policy is clear and that all accusations of sexual harassment should be investigated. Ignoring any accusations put the organization at risk for a legal complaint. Sexual harassment should not be ignored by any individual and all complaints or concerns should be taken seriously, regardless of the source. 


Effective HR Strategies for Enhancing the Organizational Commitment of HIV-Positive Employees

Summary and Commentary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.

Source: Fulford, M.D., Rothman, R. (2007). Effective HR strategies for enhancing the organizational commitment of HIV-positive employees. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communication and Conflict, 11(1), 91-103.


While there is an abundance of research on discrimination in the workplace, few studies examine the treatment of HIV-Positive (HIV+) personnel. The lack of research may be because HIV+ individuals do not differentiate in image, organizations do not view HIV-status as an area of concern, or HIV+ are not hired or retained (not terminated) if their status becomes public. In reality, HIV+ employees pose no threat to coworkers/customers through casual contact and their HIV-status will likely not affect their performance. It is also illegal to discriminate HIV+ employees/applicants as they are covered by the American Disabilities Act (ADA) if they are able to perform the job with or without reasonable accommodations.

Utilizing previous research and a focus group with 13 employed HIV+ employees, the researchers obtained a list of HR strategies addressed to increase organizational commitment of HIV+ employees.  Organizational commitment is a term that describes one's identification and involvement in their current company. Researchers have established organizational commitment as a psychological state. Through these methods, 18 policies were identified. These policies are listed at the end of this summary.

A survey was filled out by 64 participants, 50 of which identified as HIV+. The initial section of the survey measured the participant's organizational commitment. The second second listed the 18 HR strategies and asked the participant if his/her organization followed the policy and if it was implemented, would the policy increase his/her commitment.

Majority of the participants claimed that all but 3 policies were not in place at their current employer. 10 of the 18 policies were found to significantly affect organizational commitment*. For these scores, commitment was higher for organizations that followed the policy than those who did not follow the policy. The respondents felt that all 18 policies would likely increase their commitment to an organization if they were implemented. Even the lowest rated item (allowing HIV+ employees to take sabbaticals) had a score above neutral at 3.33 (out of 5).

The article did not state any limitations when it is obvious that future research can be improved. Future research can examine sexual orientation, race, or level in the organization. In addition, future research can examine the opinion of hiring managers or co-workers. This topic requires more coverage in the industry and it is an area that I would personally would love to research. Below are the policies identified. Policies written in blue were the items that respondents felt would increase their desire to stay at the organization. Items composed of red font were felt to be the least influential.



  1. Develop a culture that accommodates the special needs of HIV infected employees.*
  2. Gives employees the opportunity to be open about their infection.*
  3. Offer employee assistance programs for infected and non-infected employees and their loved ones.*
  4. Develop orientation, training, team building programs and workshops to help infected and non-infected employees work effectively together.*
  5. Offer the same medical benefits to all employees and their domestic partners regardless of their HIV Status.
  6. Allow infected employees to take medical leaves of absence so they do not use up all of their sick leave for treatment and recovery.*
  7. Allow infected employees a greater range of medical benefit options.
  8. Let infected employees work with a committee of their choice to develop flexible work strategies to the mutual benefit of the company and the employee.
  9. Schedule infected employees for a maximum 5/day/40 hour work week with two days off in a row.
  10. Allow infected employees a greater range of work options to meet their needs, including part-time, flex-time and work at home.*
  11. Allow infected employees to transfer positions as required by their illness.*
  12. Allow infected workers to take sabbaticals (for example, one out of every six years) to focus on other aspects of their lives.
  13. Provide full medical benefits to infected employees who were full-time but are forced by their illness to work part-time.
  14. Promote infected employees strictly on the basis of job performance rather than possible future health considerations.
  15. Ensures responsibilities are not taken away from infected employees unless the employee willingly renounces them or, can no longer perform them.*
  16. Empower infected employees to address issues of possible discrimination, harassment or hostile co-workers.*
  17. Audit managers to ensure non-discriminatory treatment of infected employees.*
  18. Ensure confidentiality regarding HIV related issues. 

*signifies that the policy was found to have statistical significance less than .05.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
When it comes down to it, an individuals HIV-status should not be an employer's concern.  Not only is it illegal, but with today's advanced medications, his/her HIV-status will have little impact on performance. Finally, employees should have the option to be open about their HIV status without the fear of repercussion. This can prove difficult many individuals do not have all the background information on HIV and their lack of knowledge may cause rejection or fear. The best way to overcome this is to provide information on HIV to employees or provide them a list of resources.

The only exception to this rule is if the employee is working in a facility with a high risk of injury (i.e. exposure to bodily fluids). Regardless, all employees should be informed that they should not clean up any bodily fluids and if they are going to provide any first-aid, that they should always wear protective gloves (to protect themselves and the other individual). 


To donate to HIV research and education, please go to http://www.amfar.com/





Monday, October 18, 2010

Future employment selection methods: evaluating social networking web sites

Source: Kluemper, D.H., Rosen, P.A. (2009). Future employment selection methods: evaluating social networking web sites. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 24(6), 567-590.

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.


Social networking websites (SNWs) aim to develop communities of people that share similar interests or desire to learn more about others' interests. These sites also provides a presentation of one's network of friends. With their increased popularity, they have began to become a popular tool in the world of recruitment and selection. In a study by Shea and Wesley (2006) it was found that 50% of employers [that attend job fairs]  and 20-25% of hiring managers (Taylor, 2007; NACE, 2006) utilize SNWs and search engines to screen candidates. However, there is little research on the validity and reliability of SNW. This is crucial to prove to the Legal Justice System that the tool accurately predicts success in the position.

A variety of traits have been found to be a successful predictor of job performance; primarily consciousness. Extroversion agreeableness, and neuroticism have also been found to have positive relationships to job performance. Finally, openness have been a successful predictor of training performance (but not job performance). Kluempter & Rosen (2009) set out to determine if SNW can be use to appropriately measure these traits as well as intelligence and performance.

63 students that were currently enrolled in an employment selection course were chosen to participate in the study. These individuals were trained on employee selection as a result of their coursework and attended a one hour training to cover the focal characteristics required for this study. All participants have utilized SNW and were asked to spend ten minutes to identify aspects of six SNW profiles (that were prochosen) that could relate to a specific trait.

The following measures were gathered from the evaluators:

  • 25 items from the bipolar adjective checklist (Goldberg,1992) to measure the big-five personality traits.
  • An estimate of the individuals IQ [based on the profile being viewed].
  • An estimate of the individuals GPA [based on the profile being viewed].
The following measures were gathered from the individuals' who were having their profiles viewed:
  • Big-five personality traits from the international personality item pool (IPIP).
  • IQ true score from the Wonderlic personnel test.
  • Academic performance from the college's registrar.
The results of the study found that SNW displayed a significant positive correlation of inter rater reliability for consciousness  performance based on 378 responses. The Spearman Brown Prophecy formula was used to determine how many raters would be required to obtain an intraclass correlation coefficient of .5.

 It was found that only 2 are required for consciousness/performance and six are required to measure emotional stability and extroversion [in order to achieve a significant level of inter rater reliability].

In regards to the assessment of SNW profiles, it was found that evaluators with higher IQs and higher emotional stability were more accurate in their appraisals. The group of evaluators with high IQ and/or high levels of emotional stability were more successful in identifying conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness and performance.

The study has a variety of limitation since all of the participants were college students. It is suggested that future studies on SNW use participants that are not in an academic and/or utilize individuals with experience in recruitment or selection.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
Take this study with a grain of salt. Although the results are exciting, the study has little representation of the population and therefore may not be accurate. However, (with the permission of an applicant), hiring companies can obtain assessment results and compare them to the evaluations of SNW profiles. If enough data is collected, statistics may be able to establish reliability and validity for SNW. HR Professionals should never attempt to do this alone unless they have experience/education in validation studies.


The study also identifies that SNW may result in adverse impact. The profiles on these websites contain information pertaining to an individuals age, sex, race, religion and more. With this access to information, an applicant can easily pursue a lawsuit if they feel they are being discriminated against. As HR professionals, we must ensure to avoid collecting/viewing this information. One way to approach this is to have another individual print off the profiles and then black/white-out all the information considered illegal in selection. Overall, it is crucial to be cautious when using these websites in the selection process.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Survey Data and Maintaining Confidentiality

Surveys are powerful tools that can assess the opinions of employees (if done properly). When surveying personnel, it is crucial to emphasize confidentiality to ensure that the answers received are honest and people do censor themselves. Demographics should be asked on an entirely different page to reduce the chances of matching the answers to an employee (although this is difficult if the survey is completed online).

However, the issue arises when a client wants to see the data. It is important that HR professionals and consultants do not provide raw data. All data should be aggregated together to ensure no survey can be matched to an employee. Clients may be insistent on seeing the raw data but it is vital for the survey administrator to stand his/her ground to protect the employees. In addition, only select individuals should have access to the raw data to reduce the probability of exposing information.

It becomes more complex if a survey includes any open-ended questions as these are not easily aggregated. Instead, these questions should be scanned for common messages and then the frequencies should be presented. Direct quotes should be avoided (if possible) as one's writing/speaking style risk be identifiable by the client.

As a survey administrator, our participants must feel comfortable that their comments will not be fed individually but as a mass. Otherwise these employees risk retaliation.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Reduction of Adverse Impact in an Employment Setting Using a Short-Term Memory Test

SOURCE: Barrett, G.V., Carobine, R.G, Doverspike, D. (1999). The reduction of adverse impact in an employment setting using a short-term memory test. Journal of Business and Psychology, 14(2), 373-377.

SUMMARY BY: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.

Previous research has shown that cognitive ability and achievement tests can result in a significant level of adverse impact when used in an employment context. There is approximately one standard deviation of difference between African American and Caucasian participants (Hartigan & Wigdor, 1989; Humphreys, 1988; Jensen, 1980 as cited in Barrett, Carobine, and Doverspike, 1999). Barett, Carobine and Doverspike (1999) suggest that there have been little indications of how adverse impact can be reduced in these tests. When conducting their preliminary research, the authors found no previous studies  examining short-term selection test as a selection tool and the possibility of adverse impact.

The researchers Utilized 1,423 candidates applying for a Police Officer opening in Midwestern city. 415 identified as African American and 1008 as Caucasian. The participants were matched based on gender, education and age which produced 367 pairs of African American and Caucasian candidates. Participants were administed a short-term memory test that was divided into two sections of 21 items. Candidates were shown 21 pictures that were associated with numbers. On the following page, the candidates were provided with the same pictures rearranged (without numbers) and asked to rank them. They were given four minutes to complete this exercise and could not return to the first page.

A reading comprehension test was also administered with 9 reading passages that were followed by 3 questions. Each question had a choice of five options. Participants had 35 minutes to complete this portion.

Results showed that differences existed between African American (M = 20.39, SD = 9.86) and Caucasian (M = 24.37, SD = 10.38) participants, t(1422) = 5.78, p <.01. African Americans (M = 19.99, SD = 4.87) and Caucasians (M = 23.44, SD = 3.72) also differed significantly in reading comprehension, t(1422) = 11.88, p <.01.

The authors attempted to validate their hypothesis by stating that the differences (in regards to race) were smaller when the results were analyzed using matched samples (i.e. removing age, gender, education). In reality, the  means and standard deviations only changed by a few decimal points and the results of the t-test continued showed significant difference. Therefore, short-term memory test  do experience adverse impact similarly to achievement and cognitive assessments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
As much as I hate to admit it, adverse impact will continue to exist in society. Adverse impact will never disappear entirely but HR professionals should attempt to utilize assessments that minimize it. If any selection tool is found to discriminative among any protected class, then an employer must be prepared to show that the test is valid. A valid test ensures that high score on the test will predict success in the position. Criterion validity is the best approach to prove this. Criterion validity can be demonstrated by correlating test scores to performance appraisal scores. This can be tested on current employees or future candidates. It is recommended that HR professionals hire a statistician to analyze the validity.

When it comes down to it, hiring managers must ask,"is this test essential? Is it going to prove that this candidate will be more successful in the positions?" If the answer is no, then the test should not be part of the selection process. In this context, does short term memory predict success on the job? It would depend on the job and qualities required but it does show adverse impact.


Picture from http://www.mybrainx.com/my-short-term-memory.gif

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Lady Gaga as a Model for Human Resource Professionals

Eleven time winner of the MTV music video awards, Lady Gaga, has taken the music industry by storm. With only one album, the artist has won about 56 awards including two Grammys. The new icon inspires todays youth through her youthful energy, shocking outfits and one of a kind performances. Did you know that this artist embraces many of the roles required to work in human resources? How does the music industry relate to human resources? Below are a variety of examples:

LADY GAGA STANDS OUT. At the award shows and concerts, people watch to see what outrageous outfit Lady Gaga will appear in. In regards to human resources, Lady Gaga shows us that it is important for us to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the organization. When an employee sees us, he/she should immediately know that we work in the HR department.

LADY GAGA EMBRACES DIVERSITY. Since the beginning of her career, Lady Gaga has been vocal in regards to equality. She not only made a speech at multiple gay-advocate events but continues to embrace this message. As a HR professional, there is no need to become ordained as a minister to marry gay couples (which Lady Gaga pursued for her gay fans) but we should embrace that diversity is essential for an organization's operation and growth. In addition, we need to be advocate that no employee deserves work be in an uncomfortable environment or experience any type discrimination.

LADY GAGA HAS BEEN TOURING NON-STOP FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. Like Lady Gaga, HR professionals work hard with little recognition from employees. We are required to wear multiple hats and be experts in employee relations, organizational development, compensation and/or more. In addition, it is vital for us to remain updated on new studies or legislations. However, there are always employees who believe that the HR department is not assisting the organization.

THE PAPARAZZI SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON GAGA. Like most celebrities, Lady Gaga has no privacy and she is on the cover of every tabloid. Her fashion and behavior has inspired thousands to act just like her. As HR professionals, we need to model ideal organizational behavior. For instance, if an organization is issuing a company-wide change, HR professionals should communicate their support of the change and embrace it in their job. If an HR professional was not supportive of the change, it is likely that most employees would not take the upcoming change seriously.

LADY GAGA SINGS "BAD ROMANCE". As HR professionals, bad romance is not a new concept for us. Unfortunately, we often have to be the bearer of bad news and inform employees of write-ups or terminations. This puts us in uncomfortable situations that could potential hurt our personal and professional relationships. None of us enjoy this type of work but there are times when it is essential.


There you have it. Proof that Lady Gaga embraces what many HR professionals embody today. She is not only a fashion icon, phenomenal singer, talented lyricist and artist but also a role model. Although her actions are far more extreme than the responsibilities of HR professionals, it is clear that similarities are present.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Gender Schemas: A Cognitive Explanation of Discrimination of Women in Technology

Source: Lemons, M.A., Parzinger, M. (2007). Gender schemas: a cognitive explanation of discrimination of women in technology. J Bus Psychol, 22, 91-98.

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A. 

Gender schema theory suggests that gender expectations are based on previous experiences with role expectations for each biological sex. The schemas are developed as a result of observing common behaviors among sexes repeatively. It is suggested that humans develop these schemas to assist in interpreting new information for the future. The Gender Schema Theory derives from the social learning theory and the cognitive-development features (Bem, 1981). Social learning theory states that children internalize the a framework of each sex based on the social practices observed in a culture. The cognitive-development theory proposes that once a child understands the framework, he/she begins to develop  a self-identity based on sex expectations.

According to Guten and Cohen (1992), employees are more aware of their coworker's sex than any other attribute (i.e. religion, race, age, etc.). Between 1996 and 2002 there was only a slight increase from 25% to 25.3% for the percentage of IT professionals that are women (ITAA,2003). There is also a difference in performance in regards to gender. When a man succeeds, it is because he is skilled but a woman who has the same success is often perceived as luck. Furthermore, when a man fails, it is a result of bad luck. However when a woman fails, it is a result of inability (Deaux & Emswiller, 1974; Feldman-Summer & Keisler, 1974); Taynor & Deaux, 1973). Given these current hurdles for women, the researchers of this study decide to survey Syster members about their experiences as a female professional in the IT industry compared to the general working woman.

218 responses were obtained from working professionals (that were female) and 85 males in college studying an IT related major. The male responses were only utilized to obtain a comparison of the gender schemas for men. Participants answered questions from the Helreigh's Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS), which contains 15 items that evaluate one's perceptions of the rights and roles that women should have.

Results found that women in IT (M =3.45, SD =.30) were perceived to have less gender schemas than women in general (M = 4.07, SD = .57), F(3,491) = 108.40, p < .01. Men in IT (M =3.43, SD = .628) also had lower levels of gender schemas than men in general (M = 3.71, SD = .58), F(27,175) = 58.23, p < .01. This suggest that the IT industry enforces traditional gender stereotypes [for both sexes] more often than other industries. Encouraging others to adhere to the traditional gender-schemas increases the probability of stereotyping of woman (which was described in the second paragraph) and their behaviors that can result in dissatisfaction or stress in the workplace. Women in the IT industry continue to battle the negative stereotypes that other industries have overcome. 

The study has a variety of limitations. First off, more participants are required to make a general assumption of the overall IT industry. In addition, the males that participated in this study were not working professionals and therefore their experiences were limited. Finally, the researchers did not conduct a statistical analysis to determine if gender-scheming differed between men and women within IT. I would have found that information beneficial when reading an article with a title like this.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
This study focuses mainly on the IT industry. Therefore it could provide helpful insight to HR representatives within IT companies. Gender stereotyping still exists and to overcome it, employees need to be educated on inappropriate behavior and corrected when they portray these negative stereotypes. Diversity training can be helpful by starting all employees on a clean slate and enforcing the notion that all individuals can perform equally well regardless of attributes. Training alone is not enough because comments that occur in meetings or side-conversations can set a tone that permits the gender stereotyping.

Although more prominent in the IT industry, this reveals to HR professionals that the need to battle sexism still exists. Organizations need to emphasize that anyone can achieve with the right attitude and hard work. Walk around your office and listen to conversations. Do you hear comments that could enforce negative gender-schemas?

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Future Employment Selection Methods: Evaluating Social Networking Web Sites

Source: Kluemper, D.H., Rosen, P.A. (2009). Future employment selection methods: evaluating social networking web sites. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 24(6), 567-590.

Summary by: Ian B. Mondrow, M.A.


Social networking websites (SNWs) aim to develop communities of people that share similar interests or desire to learn more about others' interests. These sites also provides a presentation of one's network of friends. With their increased popularity, they have began to become a popular tool in the world of recruitment and selection. In a study by Shea and Wesley (2006) it was found that 50% of employers [that attend job fairs]  and 20-25% of hiring managers (Taylor, 2007; NACE, 2006) utilize SNWs and search engines to screen candidates. However, there is little research on the validity and reliability of SNW. This is crucial to prove to the Legal Justice System that the tool accurately predicts success in the position.

A variety of traits have been found to be a successful predictor of job performance; primarily consciousness. Extroversion agreeableness, and neuroticism have also been found to have positive relationships to job performance. Finally, openness have been a successful predictor of training performance (but not job performance). Kluempter & Rosen (2009) set out to determine if SNW can be use to appropriately measure these traits as well as intelligence and performance.

63 students that were currently enrolled in an employment selection course were chosen to participate in the study. These individuals were trained on employee selection as a result of their coursework and attended a one hour training to cover the focal characteristics required for this study. All participants have utilized SNW and were asked to spend ten minutes to identify aspects of six SNW profiles (that were pre-chosen) that could relate to a specific trait.

Picture was extracted from:
http://www.penn-olson.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/social-media2.png

The following measures were gathered from the evaluators:

  • 25 items from the bipolar adjective checklist (Goldberg,1992) to measure the big-five personality traits.
  • An estimate [based on the profile being viewed] of the individuals IQ.
  • An estimate  [based on the profile being viewed] of the individuals GPA.
The following measures were gathered from the individuals' who were having their profiles viewed:
  • Big-five personality traits from the international personality item pool (IPIP).
  • IQ true score from the Wonderlic personnel test.
  • Academic performance from the college's registrar.
The results of the study found that SNW displayed a significant positive correlation of inter rater reliability for consciousness  performance based on 378 responses. The Spearman Brown Prophecy formula was used to determine how many raters would be required to obtain an intraclass correlation coefficient of .5.It was found that only 2 are required for consciousness/performance and six are required to measure emotional stability and extroversion [in order to achieve a significant level of inter rater reliability].

In regards to the assessment of SNW profiles, it was found that evaluators with higher IQs and higher emotional stability were more accurate in their appraisals. The group of evaluators with high IQ and/or high levels of emotional stability were more successful in identifying conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness and performance.

The study has a variety of limitation since all of the participants were college students. It is suggested that future studies on SNW use participants that are not in an academic and/or utilize individuals with experience in recruitment or selection.


IMPLICATIONS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
Take this study with a grain of salt. Although the results are exciting, the study has little representation of the population and therefore may not be accurate. However, (with the permission of an applicant), hiring companies can obtain assessment results and compare them to the evaluations of SNW profiles. If enough data is collected, statistics may be able to establish reliability and validity for SNW. HR Professionals should never attempt to do this alone unless they have experience/education in validation studies.


The study also identifies that SNW may result in adverse impact. The profiles on social media websites contain information pertaining to age, sex, race, religion and more. With this access to information, an applicant can easily pursue a lawsuit if they feel they are being discriminated against. As HR professionals, we must ensure to avoid collecting/viewing this information. One suggested way to approach this is to have another individual print off the profiles and then black/white-out all the information considered illegal in selection. Overall, it is crucial to be cautious when using these websites in the selection process.