Flynn Matthews 
It is true that psychometric tests can help in recruiting, and managing staff but employers should have knowledge about potential practical and legal issues. You know there is nothing that is perfect in this world. Everything has something or the other that you have to be careful about. You cannot simply pick an option and get started.
Employers make use of many tools in assessing potential candidates, such as reviewing resumes, performing reference checks, and even conducting interviews. The review process goes on for existing employees via performance evaluations, 360-degree feedback systems, and even that of internal job competitions. You know there are many employers who have taken this process a step ahead by introducing psychometric testing in the workplace. This involves using formal tests that measure the personality profiles and attitudes of staff members or potential employees. The goal of psychometric testing in the offices or workplace is to provide objective information about the personality, behavior and abilities of a person that enables the employer to make more effective and proper decisions. Certainly, Psychometric Assessment helps employers to make a more firm decision. In a general sense, there are four manners in which an employer can use psychometric testing:
Recruiting and promotion
- Screening: By having job applicants finish some type of psychometric testing as part of the application process, the recruiter or employer can use the outcome of the test as one aspect to consider in deciding who to pick for consideration. It could be beneficial when tackling with a huge number of applications, like responses to entry-level positions that you did advertise widely.
- Then Selection: Psychometric testing can even be used later in the recruiting process to differentiate among applicants who have been shortlisted for a position. For executive and managerial-level positions, this may involve a more complete, multi-stage testing procedure.
Assessment and development
- Informational: recruiters may encourage employees to take psychometric tests to enhance their awareness both with regard to their own personality type and how they might differ from colleagues having other personality types. It can be the grounds for a team-building exercise, as a manner to improve communication between employees, and to address battle in the workplace.
- Decision-making: Alternatively, recruiters can use psychometric testing to help make decisions related to employees that may have an influence on their role in the company or business. For example, the testing could indicate that specific employees have an aptitude for specific types of work or for even those of leadership positions.
Though psychometric testing is widely used in a diversity of industries, there are a number of problems that an employer must consider when deciding whether to implement this in the workplace? After all, it is always better to be aware than sorry later on.
Some of the possible concerns are practical. Like, there are plenty of types of psychometric tests available, and a recruiter will need to devote significant time and resources to pick the tests that best fulfill its particular needs. Once a specific set of tests has been chosen, care should be taken to make sure that the test is properly administered. Finally, over-dependence on psychometric testing at the expense of different other methods of assessment could also result in the unintentional screening out of firm candidates. Moreover, apart from practical concerns, there are also legal issues that a recruiter must take into account:
The privacy area
By its very nature, psychometric tests do involve the collection of personal information related to an individual. It is specifically in the case of psychological or personality tests. The personal data or information that is attained may be considered highly sensitive. Similarly, it is important to take into consideration the privacy rights of the staff members or prospective employees who are taking the tests. In that respect, an employer should clearly identify the motives for collecting the information and make sure that the information collected link up to those purposes. Proper consents have to be obtained before the tests are managed, and the information that is taken should only be used in accordance with those specific consents. It would, for example, be unsuitable for an employer to get an employee’s consent to conduct a psychometric test in the pretext of a team-building exercise and then, unbeknownst to the staff member, use the outcomes of that test to make decisions about which staff members to promote. Finally, information or any data that is obtained must be protected to ensure that it is not indecorously accessed or altered.
The employers considering psychometric testing must do their due diligence. Any type of test that is used should be based on trustworthy research and should be able to endure scrutiny from a human rights perspective. The application of the test should be done in a fair manner and reasonably and has to take into account privacy concerns.
Is it worth it to go for a psychometric test?
Well, yes, if you think that you can deal with these issues and manage the test properly then it is a win-win situation. There is hardly anything that can give you more knowledge and information about a candidate than this psychometric test. The test can definitely give you clarity about the capabilities and overall personality of a candidate. After all, what is the point if you end up taking some candidates who are not at all effective and turn out to be dead wood? At least, these psychometric tests will give you an upper hand to know about the candidates. You can know where they stand and what their capabilities are in the present moment. Of course, no matter how intelligent or qualified a person is if he or she cannot perform in the present; that won’t be good for your organization.
Conclusion
Thus, if you feel that you are not really familiar with this concept then you can consult a psychometric guide for the best outcomes.
