Employer assessment of work-related competencies and workplace adaptation

✍ Scribed by Thomas G. Reio Jr.; Faye C. Sutton

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 145 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1044-8004
• DOI: 10.1002/hrdq.1176

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In this exploratory study, we identified 17 work‐related competencies that might relate best to the successful workplace adaptation of recent engineering graduates. The test battery consisted of the Work‐Related Competency Index, the Workplace Adaptation Questionnaire, and a demographic survey. Mail and Web‐based surveys were employed to collect the data from employers representing a wide spectrum of organizations who hire engineers from a cross‐section of engineering disciplines. The research questions were examined through correlations, t tests, analyses of variance, and hierarchical regressions. After statistically controlling for the demographic and background variables, the regression analyses suggested a strong positive magnitude of effect between interpersonal and technical competencies and each measure of workplace adaptation. The findings demonstrate the need for engineering programs to produce graduates with these competencies and suggest that HRD professionals could have a powerful influence on workplace assimilation and performance by facilitating interpersonal and technical competency improvement through training and development activities.