Conclusion: Personality-based integrity assessments prove to be good predictors of absenteeism.
Reference: Personality and Absenteeism: A Meta-Analysis of Integrity Tests by D. Ones, University of Minnesota; C. Viswesvaran, Florida International University; F. Schmidt, University of Iowa. 2003. European Journal of Personality. For more information, contact Heather Graham at sales@batrushollweg.com.
Why This Article Is Important: Reducing turnover is an important aspect in choosing a selection system for any company. Recently, research has demonstrated the predictive ability of personality and integrity assessments in preventing company absenteeism. This article summarizes the research results of 28 studies across a variety of organizations, settings, and jobs. Of the 28 studies included, a variety of industries were represented including, but not limited to, hotel/restaurant, retail, and manufacturing samples. This particular analysis of absenteeism stresses the importance of personality-based integrity tests over overt integrity tests in selection decisions. Overt assessments measure attitudes toward dishonesty and theft, whereas personality tests are intended to asses a broader range of counterproductive behavior. The results of this article indicate the utility of a personnel selection system in reducing absenteeism, thus translating into sizable cost savings for a company.
Major Findings: A meta-analysis allows research findings to be generalized across companies, jobs, and predictor scales with a stronger validity than one study would provide by itself. The results of this study support the predictive validity of personality-based integrity tests over and above overt integrity tests. The authors suggest that this finding could be a result of personality-based tests often targeting absenteeism as they are developed. Overt tests tend to target more specific behaviors and do not capture multi-dimensional aspects that are more related to predicting absenteeism.
What Does It Mean To You? a) Personality-based integrity tests should be included in the selection systems if your company goal is to reduce absenteeism; b) While overt integrity tests are good predictors of theft, a better predictor of absenteeism in a personality-based integrity assessment; c) Reducing problems like company absenteeism can be addressed at the selection stage of employment and d) The ease and use of a valid personnel selection approach can provide for a potentially strong R.O.I.
