Virtual vs In-Person Assessment Centers

Assessment centers are among the most predictive and robust methods of evaluating talent, and are particularly strong at identifying high-potential talent. A key strength of assessment centers is that they place participants in realistic business simulations and permit the direct observation of participant behaviors. This combination yields powerful feedback, as well as strong predictions of future performance.

Traditionally, assessment centers are conducted live and in person. They are often conducted over a full day and are fast-paced and demanding (to better simulate the demands and pace of leadership roles). The onset of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) had a major impact on the ability to deliver assessment centers in the traditional fashion, and many adapted by delivering assessments remotely via web conferencing. This raises the question: Do live, remotely delivered assessment centers differ from live, in-person deliveries?

Given the possibility of “Zoom fatigue” — the fatigue caused by being on camera for virtual meetings — it was not obvious that ratings and feedback based on remote assessments would be the same as those for in-person centers. To investigate this issue, data comparing in-person versus remote centers was analyzed.

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The Results

There are no statistically significant differences in scores for any assessment-center component except for the simulated presentation to employees.

For this exercise, scores were slightly higher for the remote-delivery participants. That said, overall assessment scores (calculated across competencies and exercises) did not differ.