OPQ AND THE SELECTION

OF TRAINEE REFINERY
OPERATORS

QNI (BHP Billiton)

THE QNI PROBLEM
Yabulu Expansion Project (YEP)
Aim: to increase nickel production at QNIs
Yabulu refinery from around 31,200 tonnes
per year to 76, 000 tonnes per year
40-50 entry level trainee operator roles
Requirement: Strong cultural fit, potential for
development and long term commitment to
business

THE INITIAL SITUATION
Existing relationship with another firm of
consulting psychologists
Used NEO personality questionnaire
Issue: too clinical and not integrated into
overall selection data
Used in conjunction with basic cognitive
ability tests without assessment centres,
added little value

THE PSYLUTIONS ALTERNATIVE
We proposed a holistic methodology
integrating cognitive ability tests, OPQ and
behavioural data (assessment centres)
Emphasised the importance of job
relevance and data integration
Ran the process 4 times across 2 years, 4
week end-to-end projects
Candidate numbers e.g. Jan 06, 508
applications shortlisted to 20 roles


STAGE ONE
MatchMe! our own ATS (application tracking
system) online data collection including
biodata, education, work experience,
motivation and competency based
behavioural questions
Shortlisted based on biodata, education,
work experience and motivation
Our team of assessors then evaluated the
behavioural responses of those who were
shortlisted


STAGE TWO
Shortlisted candidates invited to complete
online cognitive ability tests (verbal,
numerical and abstract reasoning)
Presented spreadsheet of rank ordered
results to QNI for review


STAGE THREE
Shortlisted candidates invited to complete
OPQ online
Invited to attend assessment centres in
Townsville


STAGE FOUR
Assessor training; balance of theory and
practical skill development
Assessment Centre; behavioural interview,
team activity and individual problem solving
challenge
Designed interactions based on close
consultation with QNI HR and Line
Integration sessions included candidate
scores from cognitive ability tests, OPQ
scales and assessment centre performance
CHALLENGES
Implementing change; from a strong
emphasis on informal interviews and family
connections to a more rigourous approach
cultural shift
Education process with line managers
(assessors); selling the benefit of psychometric
and behavioural data to a group of seasoned
refinery workers
Very strong views about the type of people
who could do the job, i.e. gender, cultural
background

CHALLENGES
Mapping OPQ scales to non-behavioural
criteria, BHP Billiton Values such as respect
for others- drawing long bows with Trusting,
Caring
Ultimately they embraced the OPQ and
initiated discussions about individual profiles,
OPQ terminology became part of their
language

LEARNINGS
Methodology honed it each time to
improve predictive validity e.g. earlier
approaches included safety assessment tool
which often contradicted OPQ so
eliminated this in later iterations
Profiling developed benchmarks for the
more highly predictive scales e.g. detail
conscious, conscientious and rule following
Adapted our interpersonal style to connect
with QNI staff, e.g. mate