A Scoping Review on the Use of Self-Managed Psychometric Assessments for Sustainable Selection: Lessons From South Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijsbe.704Keywords:
Psychometric Assessment, Sustainable Recruitment, Employment Equity, Digital Assessment, Assessment FairnessAbstract
This scoping review examines the role of self-managed psychometric assessments in strengthening sustainable and equitable recruitment practices within the South African selection context. The study is grounded in the increasing adoption of digital and environmentally responsible recruitment methods that align with green human resource management objectives, including paperless hiring systems, remote assessments, and technology-driven talent acquisition processes. While self-managed psychometric assessments offer organisations opportunities to improve efficiency, sustainability, and candidate evaluation, their implementation raises significant psychometric, ethical, legal, and equity-related concerns in South Africa’s uniquely complex socio-economic and regulatory environment. The review employed the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework, supported by PRISMA-ScR guidelines, to systematically map multidisciplinary evidence published across academic databases and grey literature sources. Following the screening of records, significant relevant sources were retained for thematic synthesis. The findings reveal that self-managed assessments are increasingly utilised across cognitive, personality, situational judgement, integrity, and gamified testing formats; however, substantial concerns remain regarding score comparability, test security, response distortion, digital inequality, adverse impact, and legal compliance under the Employment Equity Act, the Health Professions Act, and POPIA. The review further highlights that unequal access to technology and testing environments may amplify structural inequalities affecting historically disadvantaged groups. The study concludes that self-managed psychometric assessments can support sustainable and efficient recruitment only when supported by robust South African-specific validation evidence, strong professional oversight, equitable implementation strategies, and rigorous regulatory governance. The review contributes practical recommendations for organisations, practitioners, regulators, and researchers seeking to implement responsible and legally defensible digital assessment practices in South Africa.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Samuel Bangura, Melanie Elisabeth Lourens (Author)
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