As professionals, we understand the incredible value that assessments can bring to a wide range of workplace initiatives. From conflict resolution and team building to employee engagement and leadership development, assessments offer powerful insights that can transform how we support employees and organizations. But assessments aren’t perfect, and we naturally have hesitations about adding them to our professional toolkits.
If there’s one thing about assessments that I can’t emphasize enough, it’s validity and accuracy. The Internet has brought us some really great things like GIFs of your favourite animals, and the Will It Blend video series, but it’s also brought us some really bad assessments. How can we be sure that results are reliable and truly reflect the people that have taken them? The key is to partner with reputable assessment providers that have scientifically validated instruments. By looking at the research, and the clear evidence of their reliability, we can have confidence that the insights we get will be both meaningful and useful.
Another understandable concern is the perceived cost and time investment required to put assessment-based programs into place. While it’s true that some assessment tools come with a price tag, the long-term return on investment is pretty significant. Just remember that expensive doesn’t necessarily mean valid and accurate. By selecting the right assessments for your organization’s specific needs and goals, and simplifying the process, you can increase the benefits while reducing the workload for your team and keep the budget in check.
The hesitation that many of us face, both as practitioners and the employees/clients taking the assessments, is the fear of engagement and buy-in. Will our people truly embrace these tools, or will they view them as just another corporate checkbox to fill out? The answer lies in creating a culture of openness, trust, and curiosity. By framing assessments as developmental opportunities rather than judgmental labels, and highlighting the real benefits to the individual and the organization, we can get everyone on board.
Of course, once the assessments are complete, we’re often left wondering how best to interpret and apply the results. This is why good assessments have guidelines in place. Quality assessments will have certain educational requirements, or specific training requirements for administering them, and interpreting the results. They also have manuals and user guides that give us this information so we can gain a deeper understanding of the insights and translate them into targeted, impactful initiatives.
Concerns around the relevance of assessments to specific organizational needs are also common. After all, every workplace is unique, with its own culture, challenges, and priorities. Fortunately, there are lots of really great assessments to chose from. Problems start to pop up when the wrong assessment is used; not a bad assessment, but one that is not a good fit for the needs. The key is to take the time to carefully evaluate your options and select the assessments that will provide the most meaningful and actionable data. The most popular ones, may not be the best choice.
Privacy and confidentiality, are top priorities for many organizations and individuals. With the right policies, protocols, and technological safeguards in place, we can ensure that the sensitive information gathered through these tools is protected and used responsibly. When considering different assessment options, it’s important to make sure the privacy policies of the assessment provider align with our organization’s or clients’ policies. By prioritizing professionalism and transparency, we can build trust and demonstrate our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ethical practice.
Assessments can also be viewed as oversimplifying complex human dynamics, reducing individuals to a set of labels or categories. While it’s true that no assessment can fully capture every aspect of human behaviour, these tools can serve as valuable starting points for deeper exploration and self-discovery. By using assessments as a framework for an evidence-based approach to organizational development, we can gain valuable insights without putting people into little boxes.
There’s no denying that assessments can raise concerns around bias, with valid worries about cultural, gender, and other forms of systemic prejudice influencing the design and use of these tools. However, by partnering with assessment providers that prioritize inclusivity and equity, and looking for potential biases within our own organizations, we can create a greater awareness and understanding ensuring that assessment-driven initiatives are fair and equitable for all.
The resistance to being “labelled” by assessments is another common hesitation, as many individuals may feel uncomfortable with the idea of having their personalities, skills, or tendencies categorized. It’s absolutely essential to consider assessments as developmental tools rather than judgmental labels. Assessments that don’t allow for movement, or subtleties, should be avoided at all costs. By starting off with a growth mindset and emphasizing the self-discovery aspects of these instruments, we can help participants see the process as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, rather than a something that limits them.
Finally, the fear of the results themselves can be a significant barrier to the effective use of assessments. The idea of uncovering unexpected or uncomfortable truths about ourselves or our teams can be difficult, leading to resistance and avoidance. Workplace assessments aren’t exams, but there are a number of people who don’t understand that they are not the same. Unlike exams, there are no right or wrong answers, and no right or wrong profiles; there are no “failing” grades. Emphasizing that assessments are opportunities for self-discovery, and not evaluation or judgment, help to put things into perspective.
By acknowledging and addressing these common hesitations, we can add some pretty useful tools to our organizational development initiatives. From conflict resolution and team building to leadership development and change management, assessments offer invaluable insights that complement our experience and expertise.
Brad Whitehorn – BA, CCDP is the Associate Director at CLSR Inc. He was thrown into the career development field headfirst after completing a Communications degree in 2005, and hasn’t looked back! Since then, Brad has worked on the development, implementation and certification for various career and personality assessments (including Personality Dimensions®), making sure that Career Development Practitioners get the right tools to best serve their clients.