Every employee in a workplace contributes to the nuances of the working environment by having their personality. In an ideal environment, the personalities of the individual should match the role – and blend well with the personalities of other people who regularly interact with them. Having a good understanding of employee personalities can be crucial to ensure a healthy, productive and supportive workplace.
There are many ways to explore personalities and understand them. Among the methods currently used, personality tests are a common and accessible way to understand personalities further. Many tests have been developed and used to learn more about people’s personalities such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Big Five and the DiSC personality profile.
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What are Personality Tests?
Personality tests are widely known as tools that consist of questions that are used to assess and measure human personality. With these tests, patterns of traits can be drawn from an individual that will be used to categorise them.
The history of personality tests goes back to the late 18th century with the emergence of phrenology as the earliest form of testing. Over the centuries, various other methods for personality testing have emerged and developed to achieve more accurate and relevant results.
Among the many tests, the most popular that are used today include:
These tests are a few of the many personality tests that are available today. Many organisations have utilised personality tests to better understand candidates and employees. The usage of personality tests within an organisation can usually help employers understand leadership potential, team dynamics and development opportunities.
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What Improvements Can Personality Tests Bring?
Other than the uses mentioned before, personality tests can also contribute to the improvement of employee relations. It is vital that within the workplace employees have harmonious relations to ensure a healthy workplace. Poor employee relations can ultimately cause the disintegration of teams in the workplace and lead to further issues in the long run. These are some of the improvements that personality traits can bring to the organisation and employee relations.
- Improved Alignment Between Role and Employee
Finding the right person for the role can sometimes take a while. When a suitable candidate has been found, having them take a personality test can help the employer understand their personality’s complexities. The results gained from the test can then be used to identify strengths and weaknesses so that the role can be filled by the right person.
- Increased Solidarity and Cohesion Within the Team
By understanding employees’ personalities, employers can strategically build teams by grouping individuals that work well together. Potential clashes can also be avoided, which will lead to more harmonious relations within the organisation. Employees are also expected to feel more comfortable and supported in their working environment.
- Efficient and Streamlined Work
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the dynamics between personalities can then lead to higher levels of efficiency in the workplace. Employees will feel content in their roles and with co-workers, which leads to lower levels of mental strain. There is potential in increasing productivity, as well as employee well-being. Overall, organisations taking initiative to better understand their employees can lead to improvement in many aspects of the workplace. Personality tests can help as a means to understand personalities and dynamics – which will help employers to strategize and develop teams.