Personality tests give service and trades companies a clearer way to hire people who actually fit the pace, communication style, and demands of the work. When you rely only on interviews, it’s easy to miss behavior patterns that impact performance, teamwork, and reliability.
With Jackson Advisory Group, personality testing is used as a practical tool, especially DISC. We see them as means to help build teams that communicate better, reduce friction, and stay aligned. It cuts down hiring mistakes and gives managers real insight into how to lead different personalities.
This article breaks down why companies use personality tests, how they help hiring and team alignment, where they go wrong, and the best practices for using them inside a growing service business. You’ll also see how these tools support retention, leadership development, and smoother operations.
Key Takeaways
- Personality tests improve team fit and hiring accuracy.
- A clear understanding of personalities boosts communication and trust.
- Using assessments helps create smoother workflows and leadership alignment.
Understanding Personality Tests in the Workplace
Personality tests give you a window into how people naturally behave, communicate, and work with others. They help spot strengths and potential challenges within teams. Using these tools thoughtfully can improve hiring decisions and team dynamics.
Definition of Personality Tests
Personality tests measure consistent patterns in how people think, feel, and act. Unlike skills tests, they focus on traits like communication style, problem-solving approach, and emotional responses.
These tests offer a snapshot of someone’s behavioral tendencies, which helps predict how they might perform or interact at work. They’re useful for matching candidates and employees with roles that fit their natural strengths.
Instead of guessing, you get reliable data to guide your decisions. Personality assessments let you quantify traits you can’t see on a resume or in a quick interview.
Types of Personality Assessments Used by Companies
The DISC personality test is one of the most common tools out there. It breaks behavior into four categories: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Each type highlights how someone prefers to communicate, lead, or get things done.
Other popular tests include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Big Five personality traits, but DISC is popular because it’s straightforward and easy to use in team settings.
These tests help you figure out how a new hire will fit into your company culture and how to align team members for better collaboration.
How Personality Tests Are Administered
Most personality tests are done online and take about 10 to 30 minutes. You send the test link to candidates or employees, and they answer questions about their preferences and reactions to situations.
Results come in a report that summarizes key traits and behaviors. Some companies pair the test with coaching or workshops so teams can actually use the information in their day-to-day work.
If you administer tests consistently, you keep things fair and get data to compare candidates objectively. Some companies use these assessments as part of deeper team training, not just as a one-off screening tool.
Why Companies Use Personality Tests
Personality tests give you insights into how people work, communicate, and respond to challenges. This leads to smarter hiring, stronger team dynamics, and a more aligned company culture.
Improving Hiring Decisions
Personality tests help you spot candidates who fit not just the job description but also your team's style. They reveal traits like reliability, openness, or problem-solving approach, letting you match people to roles where they can actually thrive.
This cuts down on bad hires and turnover, saving time and money. You can also balance your team’s strengths by bringing in people with complementary traits. For trades businesses, this means hiring techs or crew members who actually mesh with the pace and communication style of your operation.
Building Stronger Teams
Personality tests uncover how each person prefers to work and communicate. When you know this, you can reduce conflicts and misunderstandings. Teams run smoothly because everyone gets the “why” behind their coworkers' behaviors.
Training sessions based on these results can improve collaboration and help managers set clearer roles. For small businesses, this often leads to a more trusting, supportive work environment.
Enhancing Company Culture
Personality assessments clarify what drives your people. When leaders understand these drivers, they can build a culture that supports motivation and engagement. This leads to higher morale and less burnout, as employees feel seen and valued.
You can also use insights from personality tests to guide onboarding and ongoing development. This keeps new hires on track and reinforces your values day to day. Over time, this approach shapes a healthier, more cohesive culture focused on mutual accountability and success.
Benefits of Implementing Personality Assessments
Personality assessments bring clarity to team dynamics, helping you make stronger hiring choices. They also reveal individual strengths for growth and leadership, helping your business operate more smoothly and reduce costly turnover.
Increasing Employee Retention
Personality tests help you understand what motivates each employee and how they prefer to work. This insight lets you tailor management approaches and workplace setups to fit their style. When people feel understood, they’re less likely to leave.
Reducing turnover protects your business from the costs and downtime of constant hiring. It also builds a more consistent team culture, which improves morale and stability.
Boosting Productivity
Knowing your team’s natural work preferences lets you assign tasks better. You can match jobs to people who are wired for those responsibilities, leading to faster and better work. Personality data also highlights how to improve communication and collaboration.
When everyone understands each other’s styles, friction drops and teamwork improves. Productivity increases as less time is wasted on misunderstandings, especially in fast-paced service businesses where clear roles and smooth handoffs matter.
Identifying Leadership Potential
Personality assessments help spot traits that align with leadership, like decisiveness, resilience, and communication skills. They show you who can handle pressure and inspire others, even if those people aren’t obvious right away.
This lets you develop future leaders intentionally instead of guessing or promoting based on tenure alone. You can plan leadership training that fits the individual’s strengths and gaps. This creates a pipeline of capable leaders ready to step up when your business grows.
Supporting Career Development
Personality data gives each employee a clear picture of their strengths and areas to develop. This helps you create personalized growth plans that keep them engaged and focused. When workers see a path forward, they’re more likely to take ownership of their development.
Helping your team grow means better retention and a stronger bench for key roles. It also shows you value investing in people, which builds loyalty.
Challenges and Criticisms of Personality Testing
Personality tests can seem helpful, but they come with clear challenges you need to weigh. These include risks of bias, questions about how accurate the tests really are, and concerns around privacy and ethics. Knowing these will help you decide how much trust to place in the results.
Potential for Bias
Personality tests sometimes reflect the biases of those who create or interpret them. If a test favors certain traits linked to gender, culture, or background, it can unfairly screen out qualified candidates.
Bias can creep in through the language used or the scenarios presented. So, some people might score differently, not because of their real work fit, but due to wording that fits another group better.
You need to be cautious when relying on tests for hiring decisions. Combining test results with practical assessments and interviews helps reduce bias and gives a fuller picture of each candidate.
Accuracy and Reliability Concerns
Personality testing isn’t always consistent. Results can change depending on who takes the test, when, and even their mood that day. That variability limits how much you can rely on the scores.
Many tests don’t clearly predict on-the-job performance, so you might end up with data that doesn’t translate into better hiring or retention. Sometimes, employers overestimate what these tools can actually deliver compared to traditional evaluation methods.
You should treat personality tests as one part of your toolbox, not the whole picture. Using them alongside other assessments and business insights improves your chances of making smart decisions.
Privacy and Ethical Issues
Collecting personality data raises serious privacy concerns. Candidates might feel uncomfortable sharing personal details or worry about how their information will be stored and used.
You must ensure compliance with privacy laws and clearly communicate how test data is handled. Misusing or mishandling this data can damage trust and even expose your business to legal risk.
Ethically, it’s important to remember that personality tests aren’t a definitive measure of someone’s ability or character—just one lens. Be transparent with candidates and avoid discriminatory practices to keep your hiring process fair and respectful.
The Importance of Validated Assessments for Fair Hiring
Using unvalidated personality tests can put companies at legal and ethical risk. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission emphasizes that assessments used in hiring must be job-related and scientifically supported to avoid discrimination.
Validated tools provide consistent, research-backed results that hold up under scrutiny. They also help owners make more objective decisions, reducing the influence of bias or gut instinct. This strengthens hiring fairness and boosts candidate confidence in the process.
For service businesses, choosing validated tools keeps hiring efficient, accurate, and compliant while protecting the company’s reputation.
Best Practices for Companies Using Personality Tests
Using personality tests effectively means choosing the right tool, applying results accurately, and keeping communication clear with your team. These steps help you get the most out of tests for better hiring, stronger teams, and smoother operations.
Selecting the Right Test
Pick a personality test that fits your business goals and matches your team’s culture. Some tests focus on communication styles, like DISC, while others look at deeper traits. Go for one that’s simple to use and gives you actionable insights.
Skip overly complex or generic tests that don’t match your specific hiring needs. A good test should highlight strengths and weaknesses relevant to the roles you’re filling. Professional tests usually offer deeper insights than free versions, which often give limited feedback.
Look for tests that are validated and have a solid track record in your industry. Clear instructions and results that are easy to understand matter, so you and your hiring managers can make confident decisions.
Integrating Results into Decision-Making
Use personality test results to inform your hiring and management decisions, but don’t let them replace other methods. Combine the data with interviews and practical assessments for a complete picture of each candidate or employee.
Apply results to match people with roles where they’ll thrive, improving team fit and reducing turnover. For example, you might use DISC profiles to tailor communication training or build complementary teams.
Stay consistent in how you use test findings. Document how results influence your decisions, so your process stays fair and repeatable.
Ensuring Transparency with Employees
Be upfront with your team about why you’re using personality tests. Explain what the tests measure, how results will be used, and what employees can expect.
Transparency reduces anxiety and builds trust. When employees know the goal isn’t to label or limit them, they’re more open to feedback and development.
Share results respectfully and focus on how the information helps improve roles and communication. Avoid using tests as a tool for punishment or exclusion. Clear communication about confidentiality helps maintain a positive company culture.
The Future of Personality Testing in Corporate Settings
Personality testing in hiring and team development is changing fast. With new tools and shifting employee expectations, businesses keep finding fresh ways to use these assessments to build stronger, more connected teams.
Emerging Technologies in Assessment
Artificial intelligence and machine learning now make personality tests sharper and more flexible. These tools spot patterns in responses, highlighting traits that matter for specific jobs.
Virtual reality and gamified assessments are starting to catch on, offering immersive ways to check both skills and personality. Honestly, these methods feel more engaging, and they cut down on bias, too.
Data integration is getting better all the time. Now, companies can blend personality insights with performance data and feedback, creating a more complete picture of how someone might fit the culture and contribute over time.
Evolving Trends and Employee Preferences
These days, workers want to know exactly how their data gets used in personality testing. Clear communication about the purpose and privacy of these tests builds trust—otherwise, people get wary.
Tests that support ongoing development, not just hiring, are in demand. Folks want tools that help them grow, with some coaching or training that actually feels tailored to them.
Flexible, mobile-friendly tests are basically the new normal. If your team’s always on the go, making assessments easy to access can boost participation and give you more accurate results.
Building Teams That Work Better Together
Personality testing works because it brings clarity to decisions that usually rely on instinct. When hiring, training, and teamwork are built on real behavioral insight, the company runs smoothly and conflicts drop. It strengthens communication, improves fit, and helps owners build a team they can trust.
Jackson Advisory Group uses these tools to help service owners hire smarter and develop people with more intention. The goal is to build teams that communicate clearly, stay aligned, and support long-term growth without constant owner intervention.
If you’re ready to reduce hiring mistakes and build a team that clicks, now’s the time to act. Want a clearer path to stronger hires? Reach out today, and let’s start using assessments that actually work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Personality tests give you a clearer sense of a candidate’s traits and how they’ll mesh with your team. They help you balance skills, culture, and teamwork—so you’re not just guessing based on a resume or a quick interview.
What are the benefits of conducting personality tests in the workplace?
Personality tests can spot strengths and possible weak spots before you make a hire. That means less turnover and better team communication, at least in theory. They help you line up people with roles that fit, making teams more efficient and just easier to work with.
Are there any drawbacks to using personality tests for employment purposes?
Tests aren’t perfect and sometimes miss important qualities. If you rely on them too much, you might overlook real skills or miss out on diversity. Some candidates just feel uneasy or even judged by these tests, which isn’t ideal.
How do personality tests impact the hiring process?
Personality tests add another layer to hiring. They take out some of the guesswork and let you make choices based on actual data about work style and preferences.
Can an employee legally decline to take a personality test required by their employer?
Most employers require the test as part of the hiring process, so saying no could affect your job offer. Once you’re hired, refusing some tests depends on company policy and local laws. It’s always best to ask about this stuff upfront.
What are some ethical considerations regarding the use of personality tests in the workplace?
Tests need to be used fairly and should never discriminate. Respecting privacy and making sure people know how their data gets handled is just basic decency. Choosing solid, well-designed tests keeps things honest and focused on skills—not stereotypes or gut feelings.
What percentage of employers include personality tests as part of their hiring process?
Roughly 50-60% of employers use personality tests in some form. More service business owners are turning to tools like DISC to build teams they trust and cut down on hiring mistakes.
