Behavioral assessments are becoming increasingly useful in the workplace as employers strive to measure the competencies and potential of their employees. The latest research in the field of psychology is being applied to predict how people are likely to think and behave, and how psychological markers accurately reflect their skills and competencies.
The obvious benefit of psychological assessment technologies is to shorten recruitment and accurately measure the ability of employees to perform the jobs, as well as highlighting potential for future growth. The more valuable but less obvious benefit is to identify talent that traditional, biased selection methods - like interviews - will ignore. Well designed assessments are blind to race, gender, age or sexual orientation, de-risking hiring choices and increasing cognitive diversity.
By leveraging the power of behavioral assessments in this way, firms can create a workplace environment that is more inclusive and favorable to success for the individual and the organization.
Why are Behavioral Assessments becoming increasingly important in the workplace?
Well designed behavioral assessments measure hard-to-see abilities like problem-solving skills, decision making strengths, and leadership prowess. Assessments that have been carefully constructed and validated will offer deep insight into strengths, weaknesses, and growth potential. Armed with this knowledge, employers can enhance fit - placing employees in roles that match their skills and motivations, which research shows leads to higher retention, and a happier worker. Further, organizations who build their competency frameworks upon scientific talent assessments have the tools to make selection, training and development decisions that best support employee and organizational growth.
Popular Behavioral Assessments
There is a world of difference between popular behavioral assessments and accurate, scientifically derived tools. The most popular are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Predictive Index and the DISC, all of which are designed to give simple descriptions of preferred styles. These can be distinguished from the first generation of scientific tools like the The Hogan Personality Inventory which measures an employee's leadership style, decision-making style, and how they deal with pressure. The Hogan Personality Inventory, like the NEO PI-R and the Deeper Signals Core Drivers Diagnostic is built upon the Big Five model of personality — the most predictive and reliable model of personality.
With advances in computational power, the next generation of assessment tools like Deeper Signals are changing the playing field. Integrating the science of the five factor model of personality, predictive machine-learning algorithms, and interactive feedback reports, organizations can understand the skills and talents of their entire workforce.
What makes Deeper Signals different from tools like the Myers-Briggs, Predictive Index, or Hogan Personality Inventory?
A full comparison of how Deeper Signals compares to traditional tools such as the MBTI and Hogan Personality Inventory, can be found here.
Benefits of Behavioral Assessments
Modern behavioral assessments provide two key benefits. First, they give detailed, holistic appraisals of skills, abilities, and potential. Employers use them to make better hiring, promotion, and development decisions, and better match employees with job roles. In turn this leads to employees who feel they are being supported and understood.
Secondly, the user-experience can be short, engaging and above all, useful. Sharing results and providing developmental feedback to every candidate and employee should be the norm - and can be with modern assessments from Deeper Signals. These next-generation tools can be used across different job roles, and do not require employees to be retested once they are hired, saving time and money.
The Future of Behavioral Assessments
Behavioral assessments are expected to continue to grow in popularity, especially as the newest research in psychology is applied to the field. Newer computer-assisted assessments and tools powered by artificial intelligence will help candidates through the assessment and show their best selves, while increasing accuracy and impact. Reports will become more like virtual coaching sessions that enable users to work through development at their own pace, and even include friends, colleagues and family in helping them grow their self-awareness and skills.
In fact the future is already here at Deeper Signals. Our cutting-edge platform integrates engaging and modern behavioral assessments that give individuals, teams and leaders the feedback and data they need to perform at work. Reliable, unbiased and interactive, 90% of users become more effective in their roles after receiving Deeper Signals feedback.
Schedule a call with our solutions team to learn more about the impact we are having at organizations such as Omega Energia and Golden Goose.
