Using Psychometrics for Maternity Cover
Finding a temporary replacement for a key member of staff can seem daunting. Whilst you may be pleased for the individual, it can be a cause for concern for those running a small business.
Maternity and Paternity Leave
(Department For Education, 2019)
The soonest someone can start maternity leave is 11 weeks before their due date. However, nowadays many women choose to delay for as long as possible. This is to maximise the amount of time they have with their new baby (Gov.UK, Maternity pay and leave, 2019). Women must take 2 weeks after the birth of their child (4 weeks if working in a factory). After that, they can take shared parental leave with their partner for up to another 50 weeks (Gov.UK, Shared Parental Leave and Pay, 2019).
Individuals are entitled to return to the same job within 26 weeks, or a similar job if they take longer than this. (Gov.UK, Pregnant employees’ rights, 2019)
Let us explain how using Psychometrics for Maternity Cover can help you get the right person for the role.
When to start looking for Maternity or Paternity Cover
External or Internal Maternity Cover
Depending on the role and the size of the company, some instances of maternity leave can be covered internally by existing staff. However, for small companies this can be too much of a burden. If you decide to look for external, temporary cover, then it is good to start looking for the right person as soon as you know you will need one.
Things to consider before advertising roles to cover Maternity or Paternity leave
Many companies now use online job forums to advertise roles, alternatively, you may seek support from a recruitment agency.
However you decide to proceed, here are some things you may need to consider:
- Will the person be available in time?
- Do they have flexibility if the person on leave extends the time they decide to take away from work?
- Do they have the right skill set?
- Will they fit with the rest of the team?
How can psychometrics help with recruitment?
Psychometrics for Selection
Recruiting someone new can be time consuming even when it is something that has been planned well in advance. For those working within a limited timescale it can be even more problematic. Using Psychometrics for Maternity Cover can speed up the HR process and make your recruitment campaign more effective.
- Online skills test can help with shortlisting candidates, identifying those with the abilities to hit the ground running when they start.
- Personality questionnaires can give you a good indication of a person’s approach to work and their likely fit with the rest of the team.
- Candidates can complete such tests online before they come to interview and, backed up by the reports generated, recruiting managers can make informed decisions.
What are Ability and Personality Tests?
Aptitude tests and Personality assessments are very well researched instruments. They are designed to accurately evaluate an individual’s skill set and personality traits specific to the job role vacancy. Over the years they have been proved to really work, providing Human Resource professionals with the right tools to address a range of organisational challenges including; recruitment, teamwork, leadership development, talent development, and succession planning.
For more information on using Psychometrics for Maternity Cover and all your Human Resource and Talent Management Tasks: Psychometric Testing.