The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) regulates the postal and electronic communications markets in Sweden. Strict requirements for security, data protection, and compliance. When they set out to improve recruitment, finding a tool that met those standards was just the first hurdle. Making it work in practice was the real challenge.
PTS needed an assessment solution that could pass a public procurement process and meet rigorous standards for information security and data protection. That alone narrows the field.
But compliance was only half the problem. The bigger challenge was structural. Early-stage selection relied heavily on CVs and previous experience. That made it harder to identify candidates with strong potential but without the most traditionally impressive backgrounds. The process risked filtering out the right people for the wrong reasons.
PTS wanted to complement the CV with relevant assessment data. Better conditions for objective, accurate selection. A solution that worked from a candidate perspective too, including the option to reuse completed assessments across processes.
The goal: a more inclusive process that actively counteracts discrimination and assesses candidates on relevant competencies.
"For us, it has been important to find a way of working that makes recruitment more fair, more accurate, and less dependent solely on CVs, without compromising on our requirements for security and compliance. Alva Labs has become an important part of that work." - Sofia Linden Falkenlöv, HR-Specialist & Team Lead TA
PTS uses Alva Labs's personality assessments and logical ability tests as part of a structured, multi-method evaluation. Rather than creating new profiles for each recruitment, they work with a limited number of well-defined profiles developed together with Alva Labs.
These profiles are based on several parameters: security requirements, Swedish public sector values, and PTS's internal culture. Results are interpreted within PTS's own evaluation model alongside other selection criteria.
In the procurement, it was critical that the provider could demonstrate how they handle information security and responsible data handling. Alva Labs’s certifications, such as ISO 27001, ISO 42001, and DNV, contributed to meeting these requirements.
The introduction of assessments was combined with a broader review of the overall recruitment process. Not a bolt-on. A redesign.
More structured decisions. Assessments combined with a revised process have contributed to a more data-driven, coherent approach. Better support in evaluating candidates. A shared basis for discussion throughout the process.
Fewer failed recruitments. PTS has seen a decrease in discontinued recruitment processes. A strong signal that the approach is more accurate and sustainable.
Hiring manager adoption. Over time, assessments have become a natural and established part of how hiring managers work and are used across the organisation.
Smooth implementation. The onboarding was clear and easy to get started with. Great support during the initial phase with several deep dive sessions covering topics like test interpretation, leadership hiring and packaging candidate feedback.
Certifications are an important foundation, but long-term value depends on how well the solution works in practice and becomes part of the organisation’s way of working.
PTS found both. The main value isn't only the tool. It's how it supports a more consistent, inclusive, and quality-assured process.