Let’s talk about personality tests. Do they work? What are your options, and which tests are the best? Should you even use them in the workplace?
Here are FAQs to help answer these questions:
1. What are Personality Tests?
Personality tests are exams (and sometimes interviews) that help ascertain the characteristics, personality traits, or behavior of a person. Many businesses and organizations now use them to:
- Determine whether the individual is a good fit for the organizational culture
- Understand the dynamics in the workplace
- Learn how to deal with the employees
- Create programs and benefits that are more suitable to the needs of the workers
- Get a better picture of the employees’ profile and organizational culture ;
2. What are the Different Personality Tests?
There’s no official test for a business or organization. One can choose to adopt whichever they prefer. Some of the options include:
- Adam Milo Veritas Integrity Test – This personality test for job applicants aims to examine a person’s tendency to do counterproductive or even dangerous behavior at work. These include theft, corruption, substance abuse, and cybercrime.
- Myers-Briggs Personality Test – This is a self-introspective exam that provides information on the psychology of a person that may influence their decision-making and perception of the world. A person may fall into any of the sixteen personality types.
- Caliper Profile – Another popular personality test, it identifies the negative and positive personality traits of an employee or an applicant. The company can then use the information to gauge how the person can better perform the job and their motivations for their actions.
3. Do They Work?
The answer is both a yes and a no. Many of these exams, especially those that have been carefully formulated, could provide an excellent picture of a person’s behavior or personality. However, many also criticize the accuracy of these exams, such as the Myers-Briggs test.
Some also argue that a lot of these exams reduce an individual to certain personality traits when, in reality, they can be complex. Moreover, while these exams are supposed to provide an honest and objective assessment, a number of employees can “rig” the results.
4. How Should Businesses Use These Tests?
The limitations of personality tests don’t immediately mean they’re useless. One simply needs to choose a credible exam. Most of all, the company should learn to make the most of the results:
- Don’t rely on personality tests alone. Companies need to base their hiring decisions on many factors. These include skills, work experience, and performance during other tests and interviews. Remember, a person has many facets, and their personality traits aren’t as simple as black and white.
- Use the test to continuously improve the processes and the workplace. Every test should have a corresponding goal, and the business must strive to follow through with it.
- Let a third-party team deal with it. It’s not uncommon for companies to let their in-house HR provide the test, but they may benefit from having a third-party team onboard. It minimizes biases.
Personality exams can help companies bring in the right people for the job and the organization. They may even streamline the hiring process. But they should not be the be-all, end-all.
