2021 | A Year in Review – GSFBU

2021 – A YEAR OF GROWTH AND EVOLUTION TO MEET CHALLENGES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

2021 was a challenging year for PRADCO’s Governmental and Safety Force Business Unit (GSFBU) clients due to employee illness, understaffing, and limited funding. Further, assessment processes were put under greater scrutiny by the public. To help address these needs, PRADCO evolved to help our approximately two hundred public sector clients deal with these challenges. 

Consistent Delivery Despite Increased Demand for Services

1. Assessment Turnaround: Even with double the typical number of pre-hire and promotional assessments administered in the second half of 2021, new-hire assessment reports were delivered to clients within two business days and promotional assessment reports within four business days. When needed, verbal results were given within one business day.
2. Report Accuracy: In assessment debrief sessions with public sector leaders, PRADCO’s high level of accuracy was confirmed. Thus, recommended candidates were doing well in their entry-level or leadership roles, and concerns raised about marginal candidates were consistent with information gathered by the organization in interviews or reference checks.
3. Virtual Administration: To better meet the demands of candidate schedules as well as limit Covid exposure, PRADCO used video-conferencing technology for assessment and leadership coaching activities. This was especially useful when safety force clients needed to assess 30-40 candidates at a time.
4. Non-Safety Force Assessment and Coaching: Multiple clients used PRADCO for assessments and coaching in departments that did not involve the safety forces. Functional areas included public works, finance, parks and recreation, information technology, etc.  

Evolving Services to Meet Clients’ Changing Needs

1. Current Officer Developmental Assessment™: Multiple safety force leaders stated they would benefit from an assessment that was designed to assist employees struggling with maintaining a positive attitude and strong service orientation after their “honeymoon” period on the job. The assessment was not designed to be a fitness for duty assessment, but a developmental/training assessment that could be used to foster better engagement and performance.
2. First Responder Characteristics Assessment™: Safety force clients told PRADCO of the need for a “strength of character” assessment given recent events where employees did not show the character expected for the role. This discussion led to the development of the First Responder Characteristics Assessment™. Competencies measured are:  Social Intelligence, Open-Mindedness, Perspective, Conviction, Transparency, Community Focus, Fairness, Self-Discipline, Caution, and Selflessness.
3. Next-Generation Pre-Hire Psychological Assessment: In addition to the development of the First Responder Characteristics™ Assessment, PRADCO updated its Law Enforcement Survey™ to reflect best practices and current literature in law enforcement. This tool is a free-response questionnaire in which we learn more about the candidate’s duty to citizens, valuing of diversity, relationships with coworkers, restraint, objectivity, judgment, etc. Also, with the assistance of safety force leaders, we updated our structured interview questions to reflect the current reality the new safety force employee will deal with.