Author: Hilda Martín LópezAre Workplace Assessments Still Commonly Used?
In today’s dynamic workplace, the landscape of employee evaluation is rapidly evolving. As organizations strive to build high-performing teams, the use of workplace assessments has become increasingly prevalent. Industry experts estimate that approximately 60% of employees now undergo these evaluations, reflecting a significant shift in hiring and development practices. A recent Harvard Business Review study underscores this trend, revealing that around 76% of organizations with over 100 employees employ tools such as aptitude and personality tests for external hiring, specially in higher level positions such as C-suite roles. However, while these tools are invaluable, they should be seen as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, comprehensive evaluation processes.
The most common workplace assessments serve various purposes, including:
- Recruiting
- Matching skills to the right roles
- Identifying development opportunities
- Succession planning
- Enhancing teamwork
- Leadership development
What Do Workplace Assessments Measure?
Competence
Skills, abilities, and potential. Some companies use situational judgment tests that present scenarios relevant to specific roles and responsibilities.
Work Ethic
Values, reliability, and ambition are traits evaluated in certain assessments.
Emotional Intelligence
Measure empathy, self-awareness, and emotional skills dominance.
Types of Assessments
Assessment Centres
Assessment centres allow multiple selectors to observe candidates over an extended period and across various situations, unlike a single interview. These centres can operate virtually or in person.
A common component is the case study, which involves a task or problem reflective of the work expected in the role. This evaluation tests a candidate’s capacity to analyze information, think logically, operate under pressure, make informed decisions, and communicate proficiently.
Behavioral Assessment
Behavioral assessment systematically observes an individual’s behaviors examining the triggers and reinforcements of behavior. This method helps identify behavioral concerns that might impact work performance and predicts a candidate’s suitability for a role based on past behaviors.
An example is the DISC assessment, which measures interpersonal behavior in terms of four personality styles: Dominant, Influential, Steady, and Cautious.
DISC Persolog
The persolog® DISC model categorizes four main personality styles: Dominant, Influential, Steady, and Cautious. Each person exhibits a unique mix of these styles. The persolog® DISC Experience highlights the strengths and challenges of each style and offers strategies for adapting to different personality types.
Gamified Assessment
Gamified assessments incorporate game design elements to be engaging, measure cognitive abilities and memory. They promote active learning, personalize learning pathways, and provide immediate feedback. In recruitment, these assessments can predict job performance based on cognitive skills. Examples include interactive quizzes, and augmented reality assessments.
Personality Assessment
Personality assessments analyze an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and traits. These assessments examine emotional styles and preferences, guiding personal and organizational development. In the workplace, they identify working styles and team dynamics, enhancing communication and employee management strategies. Examples include self-report questionnaires like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and projective techniques like inkblot tests.
Hogan
Developed in the 1980s based on the five-factor model of personality, the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) aligns with socioanalytic theory, which emphasizes social cooperation and hierarchy. The HPI captures key behavioral tendencies relevant to these themes and is applicable at top managerial levels, including CEOs.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Personality Assessments
AI is increasingly integrated into hiring processes for personality and skills assessments, as highlighted in Kilpatrick’s article about AI’s role in recruitment. While identifying hard skills is crucial, soft skills often determine a candidate’s fit, teamwork ability, and capacity to handle job demands. AI programs are improving at assessing these soft skills by providing data-driven insights enhancing decision-making. Although we have seen that AI can speed up the process, human intelligence still remains vital in decision making.
How Can Kilpatrick Support in Assessing Skills for a More Accurate Selection Approach
Kilpatrick offers a well-rounded selection service with certified assessors to evaluate skills for new joiners and develop potential within companies at an international level. Our assessments include DISC Persolog, Resilience and Stress Profile, Hogan, Digital Readiness Assessment. Get in touch with us to get to know more about the options.
Sources
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-magazine/personality-tests-really-reveal
https://hbr.org/2015/07/ace-the-assessment
https://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/assessment-centres#collapse1568026
https://cloudassess.com/blog/types-of-assessment/
https://www.kilpatrickexecutive.com/news/how-ai-can-change-the-recruitment-process/