International Airport “Sheremetyevo” (Russia, Moscow) provides service to 50 million passengers annually and is one of the 10 biggest airport hubs in Europe and among the top 50 busiest airports in the world. Sheremetyevo has been repeatedly recognized as the best airport in terms of service quality in the category of the largest airports in Europe and is considered one of the best airports in the world.
Ensuring aviation and transport security (AS and TS, that is, the organization of reliable protection of passengers and transportation from acts of unlawful interference), is the responsibility of JSC Sheremetyevo Security. This business unit selects, trains, and manages all security personnel: from security inspectors in terminals to the rapid response team. It also selects and trains supervisors who monitor the implementation of aviation security requirements in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The pandemic required serious adjustments to the operation of airports: flight cancellations, terminal closures, and as a result massive staff reduction in 2020. In 2021, this trend was reversed by a sharp increase in the need for personnel and the need to strengthen the quality of selection, all under a tight timetable. At the same time, the pandemic has changed passengers’ behavior profile (fear of being touched, reluctance to provide their belongings for the inspection, etc.). Furthermore, a new policy for minimizing the contact between the recruiter and candidates was implemented. In addition to returning to the normal flight regime, Sheremetyevo opened a new international terminal. This launch required a
massive staff selection and onboarding. Since the employees at JSC Sheremetyevo Security are responsible for the security of millions of people, their integrity level cannot be questioned. Therefore, a rigorous recruitment process is needed to select only the most reliable candidates.
Originally, the screening process consisted of 8 stages, including a polygraph examination; long assessment days of 10-12 interviews per recruiter and as a whole, took 4 to 10 days. It was necessary to find a solution to speed up and automate the recruitment process without compromising the standards of security screening of candidates. Specifically, it was needed to find a better alternative tool for the polygraph: to check faster and everywhere, to evaluate 100% of candidates, to reduce human errors, and not to lose candidates who refused to be checked with a polygraph (approx. 10%). JSC Sheremetyevo Security chose MIDOT as a partner and applied its tools for this challenge.
MIDOT was chosen as our partner even before the start of the pandemic
after we conducted our own independent validation study of the correlation
between MIDOT’s tests and the polygraph exams. We found a high
correlation: 96% of the candidates recommended by MIDOT’s IntegriTEST
also successfully passed the polygraph.
Based on this experience, as well as taking advantage of the test’s personalization capabilities flexibility, we revised the selection procedure, replacing the polygraph with MIDOT’s tests as well as starting to use the test as a preliminary selection tool, saving recruiters’ time with irrelevant candidates (i.e., candidate that failed the IntegriTEST).
The results exceeded all expectations.
In 2 months:
• JSC Sheremetyevo Security was able to automate the candidate’s integrity check which reduced the approval period by half.
• 100% of the candidates were assessed (in the contrast to the previous model where the polygraph was used on only 30-35% of the candidates).
• MIDOT’s in-TEST webcam allowed us to implement it massively and remotely in all regions of Russia.
By improving the quality and efficiency of the selection process we gained a
significant economic benefit: due to processes automation, optimization
of the recruiters’ time, reduction of the cost for polygraph checks, the cost
of personnel, assessment has been cut in half in just the first 7 months
of the project.
In general, we can say that the quality of the new hirings and their commitment to the company and the job improved. In the near future, Sheremetyevo plans to fully automate its recruitment process through MIDOT’s platform, the “PODIUM”, by digitalizing all applications forms, knowledge, and ability tests, in addition to the IntegriTEST.
Sheremetyevo
“We live in an era of automation, digitalization, and online technologies, alongside a major pandemic, and we have to respond to the challenges of the time. We were able to do it efficiently and in a short time set up a fullfledged integrity check for 100% of candidates, thanks to the right choice of MIDOT and its tools”.
“Our specialists, together with MIDOT’s team, succeeded in developing a multi-level system for evaluating candidates (including remote evaluation in the remote regions) and employees. We can see great benefits from this new recruitment process and we are confident in our employees. We see great potential in our cooperation with MIDOT.”