Aon develops bespoke assessment tools to enhance Network Rail recruitment

Aon plc has developed custom signaller assessment tools to support Network Rail’s recruitment and talent retention. 

The partnership involves developing assessment centre materials for signallers and extends to graduate and apprentice recruitment, alongside various roles from customer service to director-level. 

Tiina Conacher, assessment lead at Network Rail, said: “The products Aon provides are crucial for us to run valid and reliable recruitment campaigns, especially for signallers – where no previous experience is required. 

“We are therefore looking for potential – and the Aon products we use for this purpose are exactly what we need in order to understand someone’s potential to operate in this unique safety-critical role. 

“Aon’s predictive assessment tools help us evaluate candidate aptitude and suitability – especially for highly specialised roles with skills that are comparable to those required in other safety-critical industries, such as aviation.”

Conacher added: “This innovative approach has contributed significantly to our recruitment efforts, as it provides further insight into the suitability of candidates for a number of roles. 

“Given our volume-based recruitment, we are constantly problem-solving and evolving our processes, and the tools provided by Aon help us to effectively review the potential of our over 25,000 annual candidate applications in the volume hiring space.”

Rhys Connolly, commercial director of assessment at Aon UK, said: “In times of transformation for the railway sector and amid evolving market conditions, a strong and efficient recruitment process is vital. 

“Our aim in working with Network Rail was to develop reliable solutions that would bring them the reassurance that they are recruiting the right people for key roles. 

“Network Rail’s continued confidence in working with us is a strong testament to the effectiveness of our approach.”