A comprehensive recruitment process should take place in-house first to avoid employers being misled by external applicants who lack the communications and numeracy skills needed.
Under-skilled staff can have devastating effects on employers because of high training and recruitment costs while low staff morale often leads to low employee retention.
Speaking to HR magazine, Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University Management School, said: "It is common for potential employees to look good on paper but once they're hired, employers find they don't have the basic skills required."
Interviewing is now just one part of the recruitment process and Cooper suggests a widespread assessment for individuals. Work sampling is a method to test how capable applicants are by giving them tasks to prove they can do the job. And psychometric testing can be useful for certain positions.
"This is more costly but in the long-run employers will see higher retention and better staff relationships," said Cooper.
