ATLANTA, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SHLPreVisor, a global leader in talent management solutions now delivering more than 15 million assessments in over 150 countries and 30 languages, today released their third annual Global Assessments Trends Report (GATR), providing a comprehensive look at how organizations measure talent. Over 460 HR professionals from around the world were polled in an effort to shed light on talent measurement trends and their effects on organizations' "People Intelligence" programs.

"As the world economies continue along a path of recovery, employers are showing even more focus on the dual priority of retaining their top talent while also finding the best new hires among the ever-large global candidate pool," said David Leigh, CEO of SHL.  "Corporations have also realized that improving their People Intelligence will help them create a stronger workforce, which will ultimately drive better business results and boost the bottom line."

Participants were asked to respond to various current topics such as employee retention, Federal Hiring Reform, treatment of candidates, use of social media in the hiring process and more. Results indicate, not surprisingly, that performance management remains a top priority for HR professionals as the economy continues its recovery, while succession planning rose even higher on the list (up from the sixth spot in 2010 to second in 2011), indicating an increased focus on key leadership roles due in part to millions of retiring baby boomers. Other key findings from the report indicate:

• Fewer Companies Make the Most of Career Development – While three in four HR professionals reported using career development as a retention strategy, only 33% of companies have formal programs in place for all employees.
• More Companies Allowing Mobile and Remote Testing – With the continued rise in remote testing and increased prevalence of smart phones/mobile devices, companies expressed interest in using mobile devices to improve test and system accessibility, and more aggressively compete with other organizations for top talent.
• Different Trends in Europe, Middle East or Africa (EMEA) vs. The Americas- A larger percentage of EMEA-based respondents (roughly 28%) would embrace the use of mobile devices for recruiting and selection, believing that access to candidate information enhances the efficiency of the hiring process, as compared to 22% in Americas and 27% in Australasia.
• Social Media Is Growing in Importance – While only 16% of companies have a formal policy in place regarding the use of social media in the hiring process, more than 50% of HR professionals have visited social media profiles of candidates to review and recruit, alongside traditional methods such as resume screens, reference checks, and more.
• Structured Interviewing Has Become the Norm – Nearly 95% of companies polled either use or plan to use structured interviewing methodologies to bring consistency and objectivity to an otherwise subjective process.
• Increase in U.S. Government Hiring –With new Federal Hiring Reform guidelines in place, over 70% of HR professionals from U.S. Federal Agencies have experienced an increase in hiring while the vast majority of respondents (78%) agree that assessments are an effective method of screening a large number of applicants.

For more information on the findings of the 2011 Global Assessment Trends Report, request a copy at http://www.previsor.com/resources/gat/2011.

About SHLPreVisor

SHLPreVisor is the global leader in talent management solutions, driving better business results for clients through superior people intelligence and decisions – from hiring and recruiting, to employee development and succession planning. With a presence in over 50 countries, SHLPreVisor delivers more than 15 million assessments annually in over 30 languages – allowing clients to benefit from both global expertise and local insight. Along with its world-class consulting practices and 24-hour support center, SHLPreVisor clients can access over 1,000 assessments through an easy-to-use technology platform. Headquartered in London, UK, the company has offices throughout the Americas, EMEA and Australia/New Zealand. www.shlprevisor.com.

SOURCE SHLPreVisor