BASF Corporation

Need:

At its facility in Geismar, Louisiana, BASF needed to hire 90 additional process operators within a three-month time frame and had received more than 1,200 applications for the open positions. Because of these additions, as well as planned retirements, BASF had the opportunity to change about one-third of the plant's workforce over a two-year period. To capitalize on this opportunity, a system was needed to select process operators who were willing to assume more responsibility for their work and for the finished product.

Solution:

BASF outsourced the screening and assessment of the 1,200-plus applicants to DDI, which designed a selection process. The first phase of the process encompassed a series of paper-and-pencil tests and inventories, and a behavior-based phone interview using DDI's Targeted Selection®. Qualified candidates then proceeded to a DDI assessment center where they went through three simulations, including an individual problem-solving and two group problem-solving exercises. Based on the results of the tests and assessment centers, DDI recommended 125 candidates for face-to-face Targeted Selection® interviews with BASF managers, who then made the final hiring decisions.

Results:

DDI tested more than 1,000 candidates in a three-week period, conducted phone interviews with 400, assessed 300, and recommended 125 for final interviews. The 90 process operators were hired within the allotted time frame and the process was successfully modified to screen more than 1,500 candidates for 100 positions at another BASF facility.