Personnel Selection as a Method To Reduce Employee Theft

• NCJ Number: 88559
• Journal: Journal of Security Administration Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (1982) Pages: 53-65
• Author(s): W Terris
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Meetings, Division 14 Symposium, Employee Theft - Research, Theory, and Applications, Los Angeles, Calif., August 24-28, 1981

Annotation

Various personnel selection procedures are being used to reduce employee theft, but the validation research has shown that validated psychological tests can be an effective and legal selection procedure to reduce employee theft.

Abstract

Personnel selection methods include employment interviews, reference checks, background checks, credit checks, polygraph examinations, the use of biographical and weighted application data, and psychological tests. Interviews can cause problems related to equal employment opportunity and can cause decisions based on stereotypes. Prior employers often hesitate to give negative information concerning employees because of possible lawsuits. Using prior arrest records in employment decisions leads to potential legal problems. Credit checks could have adverse impacts on minorities. Polygraphs are restricted in some States and may evoke strong negative feelings in the potential employee. Biographical and weighted application data have not shown a correlation with employee theft. Psychological tests of dishonesty attitudes have received extensive testing for validity, however. Validation data have measured detected thefts, past detected theft, shrinkages and shortages, anonymous admissions, supervisor ratings, and comparisons between stores with high theft and stores with low theft. Most studies use correlational designs. Further research should focus on the validity of the various personnel selection procedures. Thirty-four references are listed.