Job Analysis: Designing a Selection Programme for Unilever Graduates

This report details a job analysis conducted to develop a psychologically sound selection programme for Unilever, focusing on graduate hiring. It emphasizes the importance of job analysis in modern recruitment, especially for multinational companies. The report proposes a three-pronged selection process involving interviews, ability questionnaires, and personality assessments, designed to evaluate candidates' competencies comprehensively. It critically evaluates each method, addressing contemporary issues like bias, diversity, and the impact of COVID-19 on selection processes. The implementation plan includes recommendations for Unilever, such as using a weighted grading system and taking necessary precautions during selection. Ultimately, the programme aims to enhance talent management and performance, ensuring Unilever can effectively recruit and retain top graduate talent.

Job analysis report
for Unilever
Word Count – 2100

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The main aim of this report is to highlight the importance that the process of Job
analysis possesses for all companies worldwide as its definition, scope, functioning and need
for multinational firms like Unilever were all duly stated. The report’s main premise was to
develop a psychologically sound selection programme for Unilever which is conducting a
mass scale hiring cycle comprising of graduates. The three major selection methods which
were designed together as a complete programme for the company were interviews, ability
questionnaires and personality assessments as all the listed methods combined will allow the
company to judge and evaluate the competencies and skill-sets of candidates from a varied
perspective. All the methods were critically evaluated in order to generate a proper
implementation plan after due weaknesses of all methods were found out along with the
major impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the various selection processes. The report
was concluded with a list of recommendations which all serve Unilever much better in easy
adoption of the newly developed selection programme such as using a combined weightage
system to grade graduate candidates across all 3 methods to hire the best possible prospect
possible along with precautions that need to take for selection.
Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY......................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................5
MAIN BODY............................................................................................................................5
Job Analysis..........................................................................................................................5
Suggested selection methods under Job analysis for Unilever.........................................6
Contemporary issues and impact of COVID-19 on chosen methods..............................8
Benefits of the proposed selection programme..................................................................9
Implementation plan............................................................................................................9
Recommendations..............................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The process of recruitment and selection has undergone many changes in current
times as simply advertising vacancies and hiring the person with the most weight attached to
their resume is no longer enough to fulfill the complex workforce requirements which are
needed for firms to survive in the increasingly volatile business environment (Opute, 2020).
The scope of human resource management has moved beyond simple selection processes and
multilayered functions such as job analysis, designing of effective recruitment and selection
systems along with making strategic plans for proper employee hiring practices and methods
related to filtration of candidates in order to hire the best possible talent (Kristensen et.al.,
2019).
This report will highlight the process of job analysis along with the various methods
involved in the process in order to design and present a psychologically sound selection
programme to Unilever, which is a British multinational consumer goods giant founded in
1929 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom along with detailed plans for their
efficient workplace implementation.
MAIN BODY
Job Analysis
Over the past few years, the process of job analysis come to the forefront for
companies to undertake in order to ensure that their hiring and selection operations are as
holistic and efficient as possible. Job analysis in terms of the concepts of human resource
management refers to the collect and analyze as much relevant information as possible about
vacant job positions in the company along with duties, roles and all associated responsibilities
needed to properly perform the job so that a well-developed job description can be prepared
(Ghourin et.al., 2020). The reason as to why there is a growing need for this process is
because it is a necessary step which companies need to take in order to select the best
candidate possible for their organizational hierarchy and the process of job analysis also
ensures that employees have a smooth experience during their initial days in the firm (Jacobs,
2019). The expectations and roles associated with the job in hand are both clear from
employee and management’s perspectives and there is no mismanagement of skill-sets of
candidate’s with the duties associated with the job in question.

The way in which job analysis is conducted involves multiple process which starts
from the gathering of all the information regardingthe job such as the daily duties and
responsibilities from the manager or supervisor of the department within which the vacant
position exists, this is followed by grading and evaluation of every task from most important
to least prioritize the skill-sets needed in candidates (Farndale et.al., 2018). The next step in
the process involves the comparative analysis of the job requirements and salary options with
the current existing industry standards to make it up to the mark and get rid of deficiencies if
noticed. The final stages of job analysis involves the revision of the duties and
responsibilities in order to make a better matched list of required skill-sets and the avenue of
job it is mandatory for. Job analysis is finally concluded with the companies using data from
operations to adjust the recorded job description and if some roles belong to different
departments, they must be shifted and removed from the current job description (Strahet.al.,
2022).
This job analysis process is vital for Unilever as the company has multinational
operations over a widespread global network and the company has been hit very hard by
COVID-19 which has made the life of employees in Unilever very hard and as a result the
company has lost a sizeable chunk of its workforce operating in key departments such as
retail, front office, marketing and business finance (Silva et.al., 2018). By using selection
methods of job analysis, Unilever can hire the best possible talent to continue on the rich
legacy of their brand along with getting better at talent and performance management as a
result.
Suggested selection methods under Job analysis for Unilever
The process of job analysis has major impact on the selection process that companies
carry out as depending upon the designed job descriptions and the skill-sets needed for the
job position, different methods of selection can be used to develop a personalized recruitment
process best suited for the current requirements for the firm. For Unilever’s current
organizational requirements, some best suited methods of selection have been listed
underneath.
Interviews
In broad terms, interviews can be classified as the formal meeting between a
candidate and the prospective recruiter or professional in charge of the selection process in

which a moderated discussion is held which includes exchange of personal and academic
information between the two parties for an empty job position (Rawalet.al., 2021). Most of
the time, this selection method is mostly preferred as a physical correspondence but there are
many new types such as telephonic interviews where the selection process and conversation
is carried over a phone call and video interviews which are taken over a digital application or
platform in case of candidate’s physical unavailability or for remote hiring.
When it comes to relevance, interviews are very prevalent as they the best method to
know the candidate in a close manner to get accurate idea about their competencies and
communication skills. As far as validity goes, this selection method can only be declared
valid if detailed lists of competencies required are noted down and questions framed in the
process all match the list every single time (Thorsteinson, 2018). Reliability and practicality
of interviews has taken a hit as many professional websites solely exist to provide students
and professionals for interview tips which is why proper structuring for interviews along with
holistic questioning is a must for Unilever.
Personality assessment
This is an advanced form of psychological tests which are used in the process of
selection to evaluate the emotional competencies and tendencies of candidates in order to
judge their compatibility with the job they are applying for on an emotional level based on
long term vision(Bunnett, 2020). This method is quite relevant as current job roles in
multination companies like Unilever also require strong emotional stability and mental
capacity which can be measures from such evaluations. Validity of such assessments is often
a mixed bag for companies as the behavioral tendencies displayed by people can change at a
moment’s notice and it is impossible to gain a full estimation of a person’s mental strength by
just some a singular assessment (Huprichet.al., 2018). Reliability and practicality of this
method is on the higher spectrum because although Unilever won’t gain the perfect analysis
of the candidate’s emotional health, it can gain enough insight to make sure it does not hire
candidates who falter under corporate pressure.
Ability Questionnaires
This is the last recommended selection method as part of the selection programme
which will be utilized by Unilever for its mass selection campaign revolving around
graduates. Ability questionnaires consists of ability tests or aptitude evaluation done in the
form of both written or oral question and answering in a professional setting

(Sawleshwarkaret.al., 2018). The relevance of this method is quite evident from the fact that
all prestigious companies in multiple domains hold this as a screening criteria to filter out
people who lack problem solving skills. Ability questionnaires are some of the most valid
selection methods around as they help accurately analyze the competencies of candidates and
they are also reliable due to the questions exactly matching the required skill-set most of the
time (Shang &Xie, 2020). This method also ranks fairly high on the practicality aspect as all
questions are time bound and it will help Unilever to hire candidates which possess quality
time management skills and know how to perform well under pressure which are two
mandatory requirements for all professionals to succeed in any given job role. All the three
given recommendations together can form a psychologically sound selection programme for
Unilever where its candidates are evaluated from all major aspects.
Contemporary issues and impact of COVID-19 on chosen methods
The chosen methods of selection for Unilever all carry their respective issues which
the company must be careful about and the programme is also heavily subjected to changes
following the chaos emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic. Both these concepts have
been highlighted in this section on each chosen method.
Interviews have many contemporary issues as there being a certain level of personal
bias being present among the company officials, the process being very tiresome and
exhausting for all party’s involved and needless emphasis being paid on the negative aspects
of candidates rather than focusing on positive (Bulygin, 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic has
also impacted this election method a lot as the prevalent culture of conducting interviews in
one on one session has been replaced by digital interviews and using social media channels
for generating notices of recruitment instead. Telephonic interviews are remained largely the
same but conducting interviews other zoom, Skype and other specialized communication and
conferencing tools have become the norm now (Smith et.al., 2018). The problem of diversity
and inclusion also exists in interviews as the process used by firms is often full of bias due to
use of jargons along with non-inclusive languages (Braquet & Weaver, 2018). Questions
framed in interviews are often not sensitive to the cultural and ethnic difference in the
candidates which leads to mistreatment and lack of opportunities for the marginalized.
When it comes to personality tests, there are also some problems which are related to
the unreliability attached to the technique which is due to the completely mental and

personality mapping of people impossible with a few selected tests (Ameringeret.al., 2018).
The impact of COVID-19 has also made this method quite unsteady as the effect that such a
large scaled pandemic has taken effect on people cannot be measured properly right now and
the toll that has been exerted on mental health has been devastating. Candidates which are
passed through personality assessments in the post pandemic world should be made
comfortable and prying questions must be avoided at all costs (Turk, 2021). The issue
of diversity and inclusion is also a major error which is found in personality tests as the
results can lead to workplace biases as introverts have a history of getting exploited in
corporate culture (Krishnamurthy and et.al., 2022). Managers also use this metric to promote
people just like them which is also a threat to having a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Ability questionnaires also contain basic issues which can make them unsound to use
on a regular basis such as their inability to test multiple competencies at once and the tests
not being suitable to test the soft skills and level of communication possessed by the job
applicants (Meluch, 2022). COVID-19 has also made it so that many firms which have a
capable digital infrastructure have begun to hold this test entire online through personal or
partnered portals (López-Núñezet.al., 2021). Diversity and inclusion are also repeatedly
under threat from rampant use of such assessments as a low score is often judged as lack of
skills which leads to people getting marginalized and the questions asked are often generic do
not take the cultural identity and the background of candidates into account (Pichler and
et.al., 2019).
Benefits of the proposed selection programme
This proposed selection programme can prove very beneficial for the HR department
for Unilever as it allows the department to hire graduates with the best possible skill-sets that
the firm can use on a long term basis through key and balanced evaluation of multiple
competencies. The interview process will allow the company to gain a general idea about the
employability of the candidates, the personality assessments will help judge the ability to
perform under pressure and emotional stability and finally, the ability questionnaires will be
department and graduation subject specific and map the critical thinking of newly hired
fresher’s(Alam&Parvin, 2021).

Implementation plan
Selection
method
Selection process COVID-19
considerations
Benefits
Personality
Assessments
First step that
takes place after
preliminary
screening of CV’s
Questions framed must
be sensitive and
psychological sound
Making sure candidates
are mentally sound and
graduates are fit for the
pressures that
multinational corporate
culture brings to the
table (Klussman et.al.,
2021)
Ability
questionnaires
Second step of the
programme which
depends upon the
job role and
department
concerning the job
The tests should be
conducted online in the
multiple countries
Unilever has
infrastructures in
Testing the practical
and critical thinking
skills that graduates
learned during their
curriculum(Evans,
2020)
Graduate
Interviews
Final step which
measures all
required
competencies
matching the job
description
Zoom and Skype
interviews should be
prioritized
Matching the required
competencies and
making performance
appraisals easy by
judging the professional
capacity of
candidates(Naseem)
Recommendations
Although the proposed selection programme for Unilever has been recommended for
the best possible selection process which will help attract and sustain quality talent, the
company should follow some recommendations to get the maximum benefit possible from
this plan. The company should build the compensation package of graduates by grading and
weighing their scores in all 3 methods combined for a holistic evaluation. Unilever should
also develop proper induction and orientation systems to make employees comfortable after
going through such a rigorous analytical process (Rasoulyet.al., 2019).
As far as precautions are concerned for Unilever while implementing this selection
programme, the entire process should be digitally enabled to encourage talent who have been
hit hard by COVID making their availability questionable and the ability questionnaires and
any test conducted should not be taken as proof of communication and soft skill possession
(Sharma, 2018).

CONCLUSION
The above report went into detail regarding the designing and complex processes
involved in the implementation of psychologically sound and efficient selection process for
large scale multination concerns. The report touched on the scope working and importance of
job analysis along with critical evaluation of best available methods of selection for such
companies consisting of interviews, personality assessments and ability questionnaires. The
report discussed the issues which the chosen methods and the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic along with implementation plan for smooth integration of such programmes in a
company’s HRM systems. The report was concluded with recommendations and cautionary
note which the company should follow for making their operations of selection as error free
as possible.
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