Fran wants to hire a diverse group of capable people to work at her fitness studios. Unfortunately, when she administers cognitive ability tests, many people from the groups she wants to include do not score well. What should Fran do to meet her goals?
A) ignore the test results because they are biased and under predict job performance for disadvantaged groups
B) deemphasize the cognitive ability tests and train workers in the cognitive skills required by the job
C) hold off opening her studios until she finds enough people from these groups who do score well
D) make sure to scrap the battery of tests and only use one general cognitive ability test
E) allow people in these groups to cheat so they can earn the scores she is looking for

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Although these tests are not technically biased because they do not underpredict the job performance of disadvantaged groups, they should be used cautiously, especially in situations in which a diverse workforce is desired. One way of accomplishing this is to use a combination of hiring tests. In addition to, or instead of, a test of general cognitive ability, a company could use a battery of tests that measure narrower cognitive abilities and noncognitive traits such as emotional intelligence and personality. It may also be possible that organizations could deemphasize cognitive ability when hiring, and instead, train employees in the cognitive skills needed for the job.

Fran Wants to Hire a Diverse Group of Capable People