THE Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has downplayed the psychometric test results of its executives, citing that the assessments were not the sole determinant factor used to support the selection process of candidates.
The state commuter rail service said the disclosure of its psychometric assessment results conducted by human resources consulting company Omnicor was a breach of its employees’ privacy.
The response to the Sunday Independent came after the publication enquired about the assessment results of some of the agency’s senior officials who undertook the psychometric test used by the recruitment team to arrive at a balanced view of a candidate’s suitability for a role.
Omnicor, which wrote in its assessment report dated January 19, 2023, said that it could not be held responsible for how a non-Omnicor staff conveyed or interpreted the data about how the Prasa Group head of human capital, Naledi Modibedi, might “encounter challenges in analysing unfamiliar information under timed pressure” and that it could “potentially compromise the accuracy of their outputs”.
“Like all such tools, psychometric tests have their strengths and their limitations. The outcome of any of these tests is not considered definitive. In our recruitment process, we do not only rely on the scores from the psychometric test, because we recognise that it complements other assessment methods, including experience, interviews, and practical tests.
‘The report is part of the recruitment process that all executives go through when appointed at Prasa. Psychometric assessments also provide a guide to the areas of development of individual hires.
“Furthermore, Ms Modibedi has successfully held similar positions in other organisations, and she brings to Prasa a wealth of experience and demonstrable leadership,” Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said.
The agency said this recruitment test was a formal process undertaken by the organisation to select a suitable candidate based on the interviews and other instruments.
“Prasa’s recruitment process is designed to identify and hire candidates who are the most suited for their roles. Personal development is an important aspect of the human capital environment, hence Prasa’s Individual Personal Development Plan,” Makanda said.
The Prasa-powered Omnicor assessment test focused, among other things, on critical thinking, work-related risk and integrity scale, assess candidates who are required to lead and provide direction to their people through managing a conflict situation and being able to take decisive action.
According to the report, a simulation exercise designed to assess the competencies involved in problem analysis and decision-making was used to conduct the test to help identify whether the candidates could make effective decisions and perform at different complexity levels in the present and future.
“While Lorraine's profile indicated some energy going towards the motivating and inspiring of team members, this was not a pronounced area of attention for her. Lorraine probably sees that she has some role in this area, but it is likely that it may be neglected at times.
“During periods of uncertainty, there is a particular need to soothe the anxieties of team members and obtain their buy-in for where the organisation is going.
“Lorraine does not see it as a primary requirement to engage with team members on future plans, though it is possible she has not sought out information herself. Spending time with employees and motivating them has positive spin-off effects in terms of purposefulness and productivity,” read the Prasa Omnicor report.
Among other comments from the assessment by Omnicor, was that Modibedi presented a “specialist approach” during the assessment interactive exercises, where she focused on addressing immediate concerns and suggested she tailor her thinking more towards achieving longer-term goals to generate sustainable solutions when engaging with internal and external stakeholders.
The report also touched on how Modibedi appeared “exceptionally comfortable” voicing her opinions and said she used persuasive tactics to gain buy-in but, warned that her exceptional propensity to express her ideas could be overbearing sometimes around less outspoken people.
“Lorraine seems inclined to scrutinise information to identify limitations. However, she could, in some instances, base her action plans on subjective opinions. Therefore, she would do well to consistently consider important factual data before arriving at judgements. When working on tasks, she may sometimes prefer flexibility around rules.
“Regardless, she should persist through her work until completion and come across as detail-orientated and structured. When faced with adversity, Lorraine may be highly concerned about the future and could display her feelings to those around her,” read the report.
According to the Omnicor Psychometric report, Modibedi was not suitable for her position at Prasa.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za