I can't get no (need) satisfaction: Using a relatedness need‐supportive intervention to improve applicant reactions to asynchronous video interviews

Some research suggests that job applicants tend to express negative perceptions of asynchronous video interviews (AVIs). Drawing from basic psychological needs theory, we proposed that these negative perceptions arise partly from the lack of human interaction between applicants and the organization during an AVI, which fails to satisfy applicants' need for relatedness. Recruiting participants through Prolific, we conducted two experimental studies that aimed to manipulate the level of relatedness support through a relatedness‐need supportive introductory video containing empathetic messaging and humor. Using a vignette approach, participants in study 1 (N = 100) evaluated a hypothetical AVI that included one of two introductory videos: relatedness‐supportive versus neutral messaging. The relatedness‐supportive video yielded higher relatedness need satisfaction (d = 0.53) and organizational attraction ratings (d = 0.49) than the neutral video. In study 2, participants (N = 231) completed an AVI that included one of the two videos and evaluated their AVI experience. In contrast to the vignette study, we observed no significant differences between groups for relatedness need satisfaction, organizational attraction, nor other outcomes. Our findings provided little evidence that humor and empathic video messaging improves reactions to an AVI and illustrated the limitations on the external validity of vignette designs.