An expanded value of college GPA in recruitment? As related to US organizations

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PurposeThe aim of this paper is to offer a viewpoint that grade point average (GPA) does more than generally predict success on the job; it also helps predict whether a recruit or employee has a tendency to engage in voluntary, helpful behavior in the service of co-workers and the organization. If GPA helps predict both job success or performance, and one’s predisposition to freely offer helpful behavior in the work environment, then the GPA metric has increased value.Design/methodology/approachA review of recent and past research demonstrates that voluntary, helpful behavior on the job, adjunct to competent performance of required tasks, results in desirable consequences for the organization, co-workers and the employee. A summary of key points of several studies and some details of a recent study makes clear the link between GPA and helpful behavior.FindingsSupervisor ratings and two brief surveys have been found to correlate positively and significantly with voluntary, helpful employee behavior. The same surveys also correlate positively and significantly with collegiate GPA.Originality/valueThe combination of metrics identified in this paper is rarely studied or used. The surveys, in particular, may assist recruiters and managers to identify employee value across a broad spectrum of performance.