Home: Message List - Managing the "90-day Wonder"

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

puzzleman — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 00:21:19 GMT

Concerning the 90 day wonder that you speak of, I have found that within the first few days I have gut feeling as to whether the person is going to work out. Everybody develops this over time and just have to trust their feelings. You do not have to have an excuse to let a probationary employee other than they were not able to the amount of work they needed to do at that time in their time at the job.

I feel that the only reason that people get to the 90 day mark is due to management hoping that the employee works out because we need to fill that hole in the schedule. This is just hiring warm bodies, not hiring employees. Even if it hurts in the short term, get rid of the bad. In the long term it will be worth it.

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

MSH.TRAINING — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:46:51 GMT

Lighthouse24,

Great response. Information and detail so appreciated. Yes, please contact me through the website.

MSH Training

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

Lighthouse24 — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 03:12:06 GMT

I think my HR managers would view Face Validity as "NO science." It would scare them away. Their fear would be that the test would inadvertently disqualify a disproportionately high number of applicants in a protected class. Consider this example: You can't legally ask people in an interview if they have ever been arrested -- only if they have ever been convicted of a crime. One reason is because black males have a higher arrest rate than other applicants, and the question might lead to them being unfairly disqualified from employment. Yet some might argue that black males are the perpetrators in a disproportionately high percentage of crimes, therefore the question has "face validity." I'm sure you can see the issue.

That said, businesses with fewer than 15 employees don't generally have to worry about that if they don't want to - most federal employment laws relating to discrimination don't apply to them. So if you had a product that served the very small business owner, face validity would be enough.

I am a huge proponent of assessment instruments for awareness and learning. We also use them as diagnostic tools for an array of management and teambuilding problems. Yet even the most respected, widely-used, and continually validated "personality tests" have not proven to be accurate predictors of job performance.

There ARE some pre-employment screening tests for honesty and other desirable employee behaviors that have scientific validity, and some have been around long enough to withstand court challenges. My employment attorney endorses their use, but in general, they have to be used the way drug tests are - the candidate has to be selected already and the offer made, with employment contingent on passing the test. The test can't be used to pre-screen candidates before selection, only to pre-screen employees before putting them on the payroll.

The answer to your final question is "yes," and I'll assume that you're giving me permission to contact you about it through the website listed in your profile. Thank you.

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

MSH.TRAINING — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:12:41 GMT

DomainDiva,

Thanks for your response. If you have any specific examples of the nightmares I'd appreciate having them. They make for great scenarios where I might suggest applications for the profile.

MSH Training

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

MSH.TRAINING — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:09:06 GMT

WEBillions,

Thanks for your feedback. You are in the majority of those expressing concern, and I will address these issues before moving to a marketing level. I hope to understand the market, be prepared, and see how it might be received when it is presented.

MSH Training

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

MSH.TRAINING — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Marzipan,

This is a supplemental profile to be used by an interviewer as an aid or guide in the interview process. Results are only awareness information, and are not to be seen or used as "diagnostic" data. At the present time, submission on-line is the only way I'm transmitting the data. I have copyrighted the profile, have a training program for interpreting and using the results, and have considered selling limited disc containing a specific number of profiles. My background includes 20+ years as a practicing psychologist, where I did use the profile with my clients -- it helped tremendously in moving clients along in the counseling process (I was a cognitive based therapist). Managed Care pushed "brief" therapy generally approving 4-6 sessions -- a therapist's nightmare. Managed Care was my motivation for leaving private practice.

Using the profile generated many successful outcomes -- and led me to develop a process I called Self Coaching. Since leaving private practice, I now do training and have retired my psychology license. Let me know if additional information is desired.
MSH Training

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

MSH.TRAINING — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 01:45:52 GMT

Luckiest,

The "two minutes" refers to the amount of time needed for a participant to complete the profile sheet -- usually less than two minutes. The profile results then are used by an interviewer as awareness information. The results might guide an interviewer to ask questions to help generate more indepth information from the interviewee. If you have a chance, read the response from Lighthouse24 and my reply to him. He does an excellet job of raising research and legal implications that need to be considered.

I appreciate your response.

MSH Training

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

MSH.TRAINING — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 01:38:17 GMT

Lighthouse24,

Thank you for the feedback. You appear to have a great deal of experience and I value your input. I agree a good BD interview takes more than 2-minutes; the awareness profile I am proposing is nothing more than an aid, and perhaps a guide to asking more directed or indepth questions. The research question is one that I will have to deal with, and I have been trying to secure the assistance of graduate students to run validating studies. My experties is not in research, but I do realize the value and need. As an HR manager, do you view "Face Validity" as having any relevance, or would it be viewed as "junk science?" Also, would an instrument promoted as producing "Awareness" and not to be used or seen as "Diagnostic" be subject to legal ramifications if it is properly applied as a supplement to the interview?

Lastly, do you consult professionally with individuals like me? I would welcome an opportunity to enter is discussion and dialogue with you on this subject.

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

DomainDiva — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 23:18:03 GMT

I would gladly use this product. Hiring in the technology world is a nightmare!

Re: Managing the "90-day Wonder"

Lighthouse24 — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 20:06:14 GMT

Probably not.

I have used a behavior description interviewing methodology for nearly 20 years to get through the "masks" with GREAT success. I could not endorse it more strongly. A good BD interview takes more than 2 minutes (45-60 minutes), but I consider it time well invested -- as you noted, the back end consequences of a bad hire are way more expensive.

I might consider using the tool you propose as a supplemental aid -- but I would have to see the research studies that proved the tool had been truly validated with statistical samples confirming that it was not biased (i.e., it did not inadvertently discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, national origin, religion, sexual preference, etc.). Otherwise, the tool that was supposed to save us time could end up being used against us in court. You'd have to provide that research as part of your "pitch" to me -- and if you gave me (or most other knowledgeable HR managers or company execs) any "junk science" in the process, it would probably ruin your firm's reputation. On the other hand, if the instrument is the real thing, you might make a fortune!

I hope this helps. Best of luck.