Royal Mail enhances volume recruitment with new tests...

[POSTMAN]

http://www.onrec.com/news/news-archive/ ... m-talent-q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail Group enhances volume recruitment with new tests from Talent Q

Royal Mail Group has re-engineered its operational recruitment process to improve the way it selects postmen and women, drivers, sorters and data inputting staff.

Talent Q, the talent assessment specialist, worked closely with the Group’s resourcing team to identify and hone new competencies for each role, after a modernisation programme had changed the job specifications. The company then incorporated a new personality questionnaire and new verbal, numerical and checking tests, to assess whether the applicants fit the chosen competencies.

“Our business now requires a greater degree of teamwork, flexibility and customer focus,” said Dianne Crookes, Royal Mail Group’s Resourcing Supplier Manager. “Our operational roles attract 170,000 applications per year, so we needed to review the assessments we provided to ensure we were focussing on people with the right skills and attributes.”

Talent Q has worked with Royal Mail Group since 2009, providing assessments to recruit senior executives, managers and professional specialists. The company has also run assessment centres to help re-deploy staff into other job roles, as part of the Group’s restructuring.

“When we were looking for a viable alternative to our operational test supplier, we decided to trial Talent Q’s new volume recruitment assessments,” said Dianne Crookes. “We also asked if they could include a ‘checking test’, as many of our operational roles require accuracy in checking postcodes and addresses, and they developed this for us.”

Talent Q created interview guides for each job role, to help hiring managers conduct more rigorous and professional interviews.

Royal Mail Group conducted a 12-week pilot of the new tests across three regions, involving around 3,500 candidates. During the pilot, Talent Q supported the resourcing team in running webinars and presentations for hiring managers, as part of an internal communication campaign. Following the success of the pilot, the new tests were rolled out nationally in a phased implementation, completely replacing the old tests.

“The tests may be short but they’ve proved to be reliable and robust,” said Helen Chapman, Manager of Frontline Recruitment Services at Royal Mail Group. “Our whole application process is now slicker and it provides an improved candidate experience.”

Royal Mail Group expects to interview around 22,000 candidates each year, using the new interview guides. Around 10,000 applicants will be hired annually.

“Our operational staff play an essential role in ensuring that our customers receive the best possible service and, in many cases, they’re the face of Royal Mail,” said Dianne Crookes. “With a more robust and consistent process in place for volume recruitment, we’re now in a much better position to appoint the right people for these roles.”

For further information, please call Talent Q on +44 (0)1844 218980 or visit http://www.talentqgroup.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chooch]

I read this and got sent home..

It wasn't a panic attack! It was hysteria!!

[DGP1]

People that I know can't even fill in the application forms or if they do they can't complete the forms.............how many of us wouldn't get in these days?

[RedBagMan]

Does that mean that the following phrase will become extinct ??

"Royal Mail has a zero tolerance approach to any dishonesty and that stance is shared by the overwhelming majority of our staff, who are honest and hardworking and who do all they can to protect the mail and deliver it safely,” he added.

“It is a criminal offence to tamper with or delay the delivery of mail and anyone caught doing so will face serious disciplinary measures.”

Royal Mail would always seek to prosecute the “tiny minority” who abused their position of trust, the spokesman said. "

[stokes11eg]

EH? Seventeen years ago, we already had these tests, taken underthe watchful eye of an invigaltor! LOL! Each section was timed, and only if you passed that part did you then go on to have a formal interview!
Wonder how much they have paid this company to come up with this 'new. idea?

[fishtank]

The reality is a little different.
Despite a triple dip recession and pay levels much better than equivalent unskilled work Royal Mail still struggles to recruit,that tells a story itself.

If i hand in my notice i could be gone in a week.
Royal Mail's recruitment process takes 12 weeks minimum to replace me.
We had 5 vacancies to fill,did the interviews picked the 5 but by the time the process was complete 4 of them had found other jobs and the other one left after a week.
Back to the beginning of the 12 week process again.....

[mickeymacca]

10,000 new employees with only 22,000 interviewed, pretty good odds for getting the job if you get an interview