Personality tests have become quite prevalent in business over the years. Almost 90 percent of Fortune® 100 companies use some method of personality inventory to discover how their employees communicate with and relate to one another.
A number of assessments are available, with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and DISC Behaviour Inventory among the most well known. Using these assessments, along with employee giveaways, can help employees understand their personalities and work styles. Personality tests allow managers to use employee strengths to build better teams; they even help determine cultural fit during the hiring process. If your company is new to personality assessments or you’re considering how to use the results, read on for tips.
Self-reflection helps with goal setting
Once team members take a personality assessment, have them reflect on the results and write down their observations. What feels accurate or inaccurate? How does their personality affect the work they do and the way they interact with coworkers?
Ask managers to read and discuss those reflections to help employees set and achieve their goals. For example, if the employee is a natural introvert, it may help them to focus on projects that let them work in solitude instead of groups. Once everyone has taken and reflected on the test, present them with employee swag, like a framed certificate, that shows their personality type and what it means. It’ll be a great reminder for employees to use their strengths as they work toward their goals.
Start conversations about how people can work together
Once your employees have a stronger sense of how their personality traits affect their work, it’s valuable to bring teams together to discuss the results. Explain how they can balance and complement one another to create a stronger team.
For example, if you bring the Myers-Briggs personality types ISTJ and ESTP together on a project, the ISTJ will generally be a highly organized problem solver, making them a great internal leader, while the ESTP’s people skills make them ideal for presenting the project to someone outside the team.
One fun way to celebrate how every employee can both be different and part of the team is to select employee swag, like a polo style for men and women, with select colours to indicate personality types.
Or print the personality types on lanyard cards that staff members can carry with them—prompting more conversations about how different personality types can work together.
Use the information to create your culture
Once managers have a stronger sense of the personality traits in their department, they can use that knowledge to create job descriptions and help shape the interview process. This data can be used multiple ways, such as determining which personality types are the best match for your department and filling in strength gaps.
It can also be helpful to make a personality test part of your onboarding process, allowing your new employees to learn how they fit in with their coworkers. You could even print up employee giveaways, like travel mugs, that show off personality traits. Imprint them with phrases like “Introverts unite!” or “I’m Perceptive. What’s your superpower?” Distribute a teamwork stress reliever puzzle to each staffer as a way to remind everyone their abilities are put to best use when they work together.
Personality pieces make strong teams
The most important thing employees need to know about personality tests is that there are no right or wrong answers—only the chance to learn how to succeed. With personality tests and some employee giveaways, you can help remind people that every personality trait is a superpower.