Line managers are not sufficiently involved in the interview process according to research by talent assessment firm SHL.

The results come despite HR professionals agreeing that this is important to ensure candidates have a good fit with the job requirements and culture of the company.

However, over a third of HR professionals said that when line managers were involved in interviewing, they were not as effective as they could be, mainly due to a lack of training and preparation.

According to the research, only 30% of line managers have been provided with any interview training, making it unsurprising that 20% feel nervous beforehand, with some saying they actually dread it. However, the majority of line managers said they would like to be more involved, to ensure the candidate has the right skills and experience, and fits with the team and company culture. So, employers would be wise to invest more in supporting them during the process, said the report.

The survey also found that 35% of line managers don’t see the results of candidate psychometric tests, suggesting “many don’t have all the information available to make an informed recruitment decision, and of those who do see assessment results, only half say they fully understand them, with some admitting a complete lack of understanding.”