From time to time, it seems useful to go back over some basics about pre-employment testing, and I’d like to take another look at how an applicant’s attitudes, especially in job-relevant risk areas, affect on-the-job behavior.
We all have attitudes and personal preferences that affect the decisions and choices we make on the job. Sometimes the effect of these attitudes is direct and obvious; a person who has a strong personal preference for taking control and being in charge in most situations will usually do so, sometimes even when it may not be his responsibility to do so. On the other hand, the effect of attitudes or preferences can be hidden, until you see behavior on the job that seems to have come out of nowhere. Where do such attitudes come from, and what do they mean for behavior on the job?
How Attitudes Affect Behavior
Our basic attitudes and preferences have been developed throughout our lives; they are based not only on our inherent personality traits, but also on the sum of all the experiences we have had, modified by our observations of the consequences of our actions. In a nutshell, our attitudes can change over time, modified by our experiences and observations.
Attitudes shape behavior because they provide a framework for our thought processes, but they don’t unerringly predict how a person will behave in every future situation. That’s because behavior doesn’t occur in a vacuum. What each of us does – that is, the way we behave – is constantly being influenced by circumstances as well as by our personal preferences or attitudes.
Now, it is true that extremely strong attitudes exert more influence than mild ones; they may drive a person’s initial reaction to a situation, and they may be harder for a person to control or overcome. For example, let’s look at the attitudes measured by the Work Attitude Questionnaire (WAQ). One of the attitudes the WAQ measures is the individual’s attitude toward temper control on the job. A person who has a strong preference for confrontation will very likely find it difficult to control that reaction. In fact, it may not occur to him to try to do so unless outside circumstances motivate him to do so.
Remember, behavior is influenced not just by attitudes, but also by circumstances, and this is where you come in. Your expectations for on-the-job behavior, your company’s policies and procedures, and the consequences that follow unacceptable behavior also exert a strong influence over how a person will act. Your job, therefore, is to make those influences clear.
Three Things To Do
Here are three things that you can do to help employees use their attitudes and preferences to their best advantage on the job:
· Understand the job-relevant attitudes and preferences that an applicant brings to the job. This is where testing comes in; use the Helm Preference Inventory (HPI) and the Work Attitude Questionnaire to identify the attitudes and preferences a person brings to the job.
· Explain your expectations and your company’s standards for behavior on the job, especially when a person’s attitudes suggest a preference for behavior that you find unacceptable. This is the most important step; be sure that you explicitly go over your expectations for how employees will behave. Give examples and role-play with new employees to be sure that they understand you.
· Make the consequences of unacceptable behavior clear to all employees and enforce them.
It’s not enough to understand the attitudes and personal preferences for job-relevant behavior that new employees bring to the job. It is essential, as well, that you have a clear understanding of your expectations for employees’ behavior, especially in less-structured situations. Be prepared with well-defined expectations and specific consequences, communicate them clearly, and then enforce your rules. Your employees are watching.
And The Answer Is...
The bottom line is: attitudes influence but don’t absolutely predict on-the-job behavior. Knowing a new-hire’ s attitudes and preferences can help you develop the person’s value to the company and avoid unacceptable behavior. 
