Did you know that 80 percent of Fortune 500 firms employ psychometric testing as part of their hiring process?

This method is used to provide extra insight into candidate’s personalities and behavioural competencies, so it can help businesses ensure a good cultural fit for new hires.

But, this tactic doesn’t just have to be for the big wigs.

It is a valuable tool for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

If you are interested in streamlining your hiring processes, increasing retainment and boosting productivity, psychometrics might be just what you’re looking for.

Read on to find out exactly what it is and how it’s helpful.

Why Psychometrics Are A Valuable Recruitment Tool

What Are Psychometrics?

The term psychometrics refers to the study of psychological measurement – basically, how to “measure” what goes on in someone’s mind. Quite a task!

Psychometric testing is a way of measuring the personality and behavioural traits of an individual – something that can be quite hard to assess during a standard job interview.

Psychometric tests can measure a variety of different skills – from reasoning and verbal skills to emotional intelligence.

What Do Psychometric Tests Involve?

Despite the association with the word “psych,” these tests aren’t invasively in-depth and definitely don’t require time spent on a psychiatrist’s couch!

The standard tests used in recruitment have been created by specialists in the field, so they do require a level of expertise to interpret and understand correctly.

Generally, the tests will be provided to candidates digitally. Businesses can choose what kind of competencies they would most like to measure based on the job role, the broader workplace culture and overall business objectives longer term.

The questionnaires are standardised and provided to all candidates at a selected stage of recruitment. Unlike other kinds of tests, there are technically no “wrong” answers. The candidate will choose responses based upon behaviours, attitudes, motives, and values. The fit will be determined by the relevant values of the employer.

The Benefits Of Psychometric Testing In Recruitment

During recruitment, it’s straightforward to determine if a candidate has the right skills, experience and qualification for the position. But it’s much harder to assess their cultural fit – an increasingly important aspect of the hiring process these days.

The right culture fit helps ensure higher productivity, increase employee satisfaction, and improve retention and loyalty. Psychometrics can help organisations measure fit more accurately and build robustness into a recruitment and selection process.

The results provided by psychometric tests offer more insight than traditional interviews and assessments. They can inform employers about personality, communication style, emotional intelligence, and other values directly related to the workplace.

With that extra information, you have a better idea of how a candidate will fit into an existing team, how best to manage them, and how well they may adapt to the role if successful.

While providing valuable information during the recruitment process, the value of psychometric testing doesn’t end there. The data can be utilised beyond onboarding to ensure continued job satisfaction and engagement.

To Test Or Not To Test

When done correctly, psychometric testing can increase the chances of choosing the right candidate for a role. Ultimately, this saves businesses time and money. Wrong hires usually result in a drop in productivity, not to mention the cost of recruiting for and hiring a new staff member when the original one doesn’t work out.

Your business is too important to risk a bad hire. If you would like to learn more about your candidates by using psychometric testing in your recruitment, contact LD Recruitment today to find out more.