In the late 1980s, a well-known brewer became dissatisfied with the performance of their managed pubs. There were contrasting profits from pubs in comparable areas and the staff turnover and level of fraud was unacceptably high. They entered into an exercise to try to improve their recruitment and selection. Firstly, they set out to profile the high performers and a group of 100 or so landlords (and their partners) were given a battery of tests including Cattells 16PF. The results were a surprise to them. They had expected that a successful publican would have strong features on traits such as outgoing, warm-hearted, lively, relaxed and socially bold. This was not the case. Their strongest features were being practical, careful, controlled, socially precise, tense, conscientious, persevering, restrained, sober, prudent and reserved. Just the sort of profile you would expect from an accountant!

From these surprising results, they carried out a careful job analysis and profit investigation. They found that the high profits were made through efficiently serving a capacity house at the key times of the week: Friday, Saturday evening and Sundays. To be efficient they needed to be good at planning and organising, so nothing ran out, there was a ready supply of clean glasses and they motivated and controlled their temporary staff so nothing disturbed the correct takings. Availability of food was also crucial so teamwork between the partners was essential. When talking to the customers of the successful houses, the personality of the landlord came some way down the list below the general ambience and convenience of the pub, its quality of beer, cleanliness and food. The landlord needed to be efficient and friendly but not too friendly. He also needed to be good at preventing trouble or sorting it out quickly.

Following this exercise, the company completely altered the person specification. Each of the short-listed candidates (and they looked for couples) completed PF16 and the test results were used to confirm (or at times, to decide against) the appointment. By choosing candidates, many of whom did not actually drink, who closely matched the profile of their successful landlords, the company increased their profits by 40% over the next 3 years, reduced staff turnover by 60% and made a substantial reduction in cases of fraud.