Use Personality Tests in the Workplace Wisely

As a cube dweller, sometimes meetings are a welcomed change of pace (sometimes not, but more on that later). One afternoon our entire office was crammed into one room to go over a new plan by management. The-powers-that-be had decided on a new plan to increase effective communication amongst the dwellers of the cube farm. Increasing communication is a fine goal, something that would benefit any office. Management thought having everyone take a personality test would help.

Now, the plan was not just to take a personality test, but to also for each worker to display their personality type in a way anyone approaching their cubicle would see. That way, one only needed to glance at the color flag (yes, the managers settled on flags) to know what personality type they were about to speak with. The idea was that knowing someone's personality type would allow a worker to change their communication style accordingly. What resulted was something entirely different.

Similar to Jane Elliott's famous eye color experiment, divisions began to spread. One color group seemed to dominate. Members of the dominant group decided (rather loudly and often) that they should be accommodated not only in their communication style, but in any other environmental preference that suited them. Some went so far as to suggest those of the other groups should be lumped together in a corner or pushed out of the office altogether.

If only the damage went that far, but it went on. Rumors flew around that one of the top managers, who happened to be from one of the recessive groups, was itching to move everyone of that manager's personality type into management positions as well. According to this rumor, this manager decided good leadership skills only came to those of that particular personality group. It was never confirmed if this rumor was true, but it did not matter since the damage was already done. People from the other three groups started to slight the members of the "management" personality group more, as if they had become snobby by association.

The only type of communication differences brought on by the personality flags seemed negative. Fights, some more friendly than others, broke out regularly every day for the following two weeks or so. Stereotyping of the less dominant groups by those in the highest numbers was common. Resentment and strife filled the air. Minority personalities held together in tight circles, whispering about how put upon they were.

After a month or so some of the flags started to come down. It started slowly and with members of the smallest group. They were tired of being pestered for being the outliers in the office, and so decided to take away the reminder. Others followed suit, tearing their flags as well. Interestingly enough, the managers said nothing of the rebellion. Did they learn from the folly of their ways? Perhaps they realized the practice sacrificed productivity and offended talented workers. Not another personality test was administered after, to the relief of many.

The moral of the story? Use personality tests responsibly in the workplace. Remember the results may be something not everyone is comfortable displaying to the whole world, and certainly do not make decisions on promotions based solely on such tests.