The Role of Psychological Testing As an Effort to Improve Employee Competency

Abstract

Objective - Psychological testing and assessment is used to obtain suitable candidates with the ability to achieve the needs of organisations. The purpose of this qualitative study is to evaluate the results of psychological testing as an effort to improve employee competency. Methodology/Technique - This study examines 175 samples from psychological testing reports by psychologists in providing competencies assessments of each potential employee applying for the position of customer service and teller in a State-owned Bank in the Kalimantan area. Findings - The results show that to obtain competent employees, they must meet the standards set by the organisation. Competencies must be future oriented and are not a mechanism for reciting the past, so it is important for organisations to obtain a list of competencies that fit their needs. The results suggest that an organisation does not merely receive a list of competencies from the consultant (psychologist; practitioner and human resources department), but rather organizations should obtain a list of competencies that are personalised to their environment. This finding indicates that competencies are interrelated and do not stand alone. Since competencies are a behavioural approach to emotional, social, and cognitive intelligence, this integrated concept offers more than a comfortable framework for describing humanity as a whole. This suggests that to develop employee competencies characteristics associated with successful performance, organizations and practitioners must exhibit the patterns of behaviour that can be observed and make a positive difference to others. Novelty – It is important to realize that there are a number of characteristics that may not have a direct impact on performance, but which may be an important determinant of the success of the employee. Type of Paper - Empirical Keywords: Psychological Testing; Competencies; Successful Performances; Business Value. JEL Classification: J30, J33, J39.