HR leaders know the value of personality assessments when it comes to making important decisions. We use assessments for hiring, but their potential for impact doesn’t stop there. We can use the valuable information that we learn from assessments to better manage, coach, develop and engage our employees. But the challenge here is that HR can’t do all of that alone. We need internal buy-in to achieve everything that’s possible with assessments, because full use of the tools require participation from different groups of people. So who has to be involved, and why does it matter if they buy in to the value of personality assessments?
Here are four key groups of people that should be brought on board. Once you’ve gotten them up to speed and committed to using the tools, you’ll be ready for maximum value and impact from your assessments.
#1: Senior Management and the Executive Team
Why they need to get involved: Hiring and other important people decisions usually get final sign-off from this group. It’s essential for this group to trust the value of personality assessments, and their buy-in is generally the result of education about the tools.
What happens when they’re on board: Culture needs to start at the top. Assessments can help you shape and maintain your culture. Once you’ve got top brass speaking the language of assessments, your job of rolling out the tools effectively throughout the rest of the organization becomes infinitely easier.
#2: The HR and Recruitment Team
Why they need to get involved: This one is obvious. The HR team will generally own the assessment process, so education on the tool is critical here as well. The HR team will be your internal experts on using the assessment tool, and they’ll support all other groups – including the executive team – with education and result interpretation.
What happens when they’re on board: Once you have internal experts ready to support other groups, assessments can be embedded into day-to-day operations. HR can ensure that the tools are being used properly in the recruitment process (like ensuring that assessments aren’t being used to instantly screen people out of interviewing opportunities). These internal HR champions will also educate all other leaders on best practices and applications. Having HR involved to promote and support will directly impact those who manage people, otherwise known as…
#3: People Leaders
Why they need to get involved: Although HR owns the assessment process, it’s the people leaders who actually stand to gain the most out of assessments. HR is generally not involved in day to day management and coaching decisions – it’s the people leaders who are. So if they aren’t leveraging the assessments you’ve introduced, you’re losing value by the day.
What happens when they’re on board: Once our managers and people leaders understand the value of personality assessments – and once they know how to use them – we’re essentially giving them tools to become better leaders. Not only will they be hiring candidates more effectively, they’ll also have actionable insight into their employees’ learning and working preferences. They can become more effective coaches, they’ll be better equipped for conflict resolution, and they’ll build better teams.
#4: Everyone Else
Why they need to get involved: If we’re using assessments internally for management, coaching and development, it’s safe to say that we’re also going to be assessing current employees. This group won’t need the same level of education as the other groups, but it’s important for every employee to see the value of personality assessments, and how these tools can help to make them more successful, contributing to growth and development across the board.
What happens when they’re on board: When our people feel as though their employer is investing in them and is actively concerned with their growth and development, engagement goes up, retention goes up and productivity goes up. All of our metrics start moving in the right direction.
If you’re using assessments, you need to get buy-in at all levels. If you don’t, you may be losing out on a significant portion of the value that these tools provide. It’s not hard to get everyone engaged, but it does take some planning in order to hit the right groups at the right time. Education is critical when it comes to generating buy in – but if you believe in the tools, you’ll probably find that stakeholders are willing to give it a shot. Good luck!