MATCHING COGNITIVE COMPATIBILITY WITH ROLE FIT IN ENGINEERING SECURITY THROUGH HR – GUIDED ASSESSMENTS

Abstract

In high-risk engineering security environments, the lack of a fit between an individual's cognitive readiness and the mental demands of their role will often lead to a breakdown in vigilance, taking time to respond, and diminishing operational resilience. Historically, hiring and assigning roles have relied on technical competency and previous performance, yet have neglected the necessary cognitive compatibility in a VUCA world. This idea of assessing the dimensions of cognitive characteristics to match them to the cognitive loads expected of many engineering security roles based on the role responsibilities as a configuration of task challenges is the main focus of this research, to determine if the HR function could strategically intervene as a moderator of cognitive fit with a structured, psychology-based assessment within a structured HR process. Using the Talent Profiling for Mission Alignment & Performance (TPMAP) framework as a lens, this research will explore how to profile and measure cognitive characteristics of an individual – including risk perception, attentional control, situational awareness, adaptive reasoning - and then define and categorize these against the cognitive load profiles associated with the engineer’s roles within the security domain. Reframing an assessment of role fit from skills-based matching to one based on cognitive 'fit' presents a new frontier of HR-based intervention that would ultimately assist with the individual fit to the role and assist with retention. The conceptual contribution is considering cognitive fit as a defined, measurable, and matchable aspect of HR decisions. The practical contribution is in staff assessment tools for assigning roles and outlining calibrating roles, and responsibilities for cognitive profiling and assessments, as no VUCA or psychologically informed framework currently exists for engineering security professionals.