Knowledge of your work environment and job conditions is key when assessing an individual’s physical capacity and preparedness to perform a job. If workers aren’t physically and mentally prepared to meet the specific requirements of a job; their health, well being, and productivity may be compromised.

Case in point? Bernard Tomic. The tennis pro’s appearance on Channel Ten’s I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! was a bit of nightmare. Bernard was not physically or mentally prepared for his environment. By his own admission, the experience turned out to be depressing, far from what he expected, and his time on the hit TV show lasted only three episodes. In his last challenge medics had to rush to his side after he was overcome by nausea and started sweating profusely.

The impact of being unprepared can be costly to individuals as well as the organisation. Employers need to ensure they select the candidates most suited to the job at hand, and their work environment. The costs of hiring the wrong individual can be high, not only financially but also in the time it takes to complete another hiring cycle.

What to consider prior to hiring

Having the right people on the right job can do wonders for your organisation. Productivity will increase and workers will experience improved comfort, morale and safety. When assessing employees, you should have the complete picture of your environment. Among the factors that you should consider are;

• Quality of work-life balance
• Personal and professional growth
• Workplace health and safety

It is vital that all new employees are able to function effectively within the organisation’s culture. If you select employees based on your prevailing work environment, the more likely it is that you’ll achieve a positive and productive workplace. This means reduced absenteeism, lower turnover, and higher job satisfaction.

Consider the job roles employees do and the tools or equipment they use. Your aim should be to find the best fit between workers and their job conditions to reduce workplace injuries, as well as enhance productivity.

How to minimise your risk

A detailed job task analysis can provide you with a strong foundation for pre-employment assessments. It gives you a comprehensive analysis of specific jobs and the demands of each. A solid job task analysis that captures the physical, cognitive and environmental demands of a job can help you manage risk when hiring by ensuring you recruit individuals with the right skills and organisational fit.

When assessing employees you should avoid under testing but definitely do not over test. If you over estimate the testing protocol you will never recruit, costing you in time, recruitment, operations, and not to mention the expense of another pre-employment assessment.

Seeking expert advice can help you streamline your hiring process and reduce recruitment costs as well as compensation costs arising from workplace injuries.

At Recovery Partners, we can help you conduct employee assessments and ensure you select applicants who can effectively perform the inherent requirements of a job. Our biomechanical experts are experienced and can develop assessment regimes specific to your organisation’s work environment and job demands.

Our services are available in multiple locations nationwide. For more information, you can make enquiries here.

Alternatively, our consultants love to have a chat, so go ahead and give us a call on 1300 OHS RTW (647 789).