Organizations that tailor pre-employment assessments to their specific roles and workplace culture are more likely to make successful hires and avoid costly turnover, according to new research from McLean & Company.
The Toronto-based HR research and advisory firm released a report this week that calls for a shift away from traditional interviews toward competency-based assessments that better reflect real job demands and organizational values.
“Poorly designed assessments do more harm than good,” the report said, noting gaps in current hiring practices and the high financial and productivity cost of making the wrong hire.
Titled Design Pre-Employment Assessments That Improve Hiring Success, the resource outlines a four-step process for HR teams looking to build effective, in-house evaluations aligned with core and functional competencies.
“When organizations design pre-employment assessments thoughtfully and tailor them specifically to roles where they matter most, the benefits are significant,” said Karen Mann, senior vice-president of human resources research, learning and advisory services at McLean & Company.
Such assessments, Mann said, give candidates a more realistic picture of the role while helping hiring teams make confident, unbiased decisions.
The report encourages HR teams to focus on high-impact roles that are traditionally difficult to fill and to build assessments that match the competencies needed for success. It also emphasizes the importance of using valid and reliable evaluation tools and integrating them strategically into the recruitment process.
McLean & Company recommends using a mix of assessment methods—such as interactive simulations, realistic work samples, and role-playing scenarios—to improve hiring outcomes and enhance candidate experience. The inclusion of gamification techniques is also encouraged to keep applicants engaged and to reflect organizational culture.
The research underscores that a more transparent hiring process, including realistic job previews, can lead to better alignment between employee expectations and actual work conditions—reducing early turnover and improving retention.
As employers face growing competition for skilled talent and changing workforce expectations, the firm said it is critical to adopt hiring practices that are both precise and grounded in organizational needs.
