Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Psychometric testing

One-third using psychometrics have no training, finds survey

by Rob Moss 15 Sep 2015
by Rob Moss 15 Sep 2015

Almost one-third of organisations do not require individuals to have training before they facilitate a psychometric test, according to a survey by Personnel Today in conjunction with Network HR.

Although more than three-quarters of respondents agreed that psychometric testing was a powerful tool for recruitment selection, 30% said it was not a requirement that their staff undergo training in these tests before running them with candidates.

Psychometrics evolution: how testing has won over HR

psychometric-testing-evolutionPsychometrics tools have long been associated with senior hires, but new research by Network HR suggests organisations are spreading their use far wider. Peter Crush investigates

Recruitment was by far the most popular area in which psychometrics was used, cited by 94% of respondents.

More than half (51%) use psychometrics for personal development, 41% for team development, and 26% for talent management, the survey found.

The most popular tests used were those available off the shelf from a publisher – 70% of respondents reported using these products for recruitment.

Only just under a quarter (23%) used bespoke products, and just 11% developed their own tests in house.

“This survey has highlighted not only the appetite for a greater understanding of existing psychometric tools but also a desire to seek new and innovative methods of qualifying and assessing future hires,” said Chris Rowlands, director at Network HR Recruitment.

“In my opinion employers, employees and jobseekers should all embrace the increased use of psychometrics as a talent management tool, provided the tests are used in a sensible way.

“Having trained our own staff to a high level on a number of psychometric profiling tools – Thomas International, Saville Wave Consulting and McQuaig to name but a few – we understand how costly this exercise can be.

“However I am a strong believer that if there is a genuine desire to integrate psychometric testing into candidate assessment methodology, then the ability to dissect, analyse, interpret and feedback results is key.”

Of those organisations that currently do not use psychometric tests, there were a number of reasons, ranging from “My CEO doesn’t believe in them” to the “cost and perceived bias of tests against minorities”. Some used it for senior employees, but felt it to be not as cost-effective for more junior roles.

How organisations get the best out of psychometric testing (download)

Download the full reportExclusive research from Network HR and Personnel Today looks at HR’s what tools are used and how test results are perceived. Free download

Trust in the results of psychometric tests was high. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they had either “a lot” or “quite a lot” of faith in the results of psychometrics used in their organisation.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Only one-fifth of respondents took a psychometric test before entering their current role, but those that did had a positive experience.

Nine out of 10 respondents who had sat tests themselves during the recruitment process had been given advance warning of the test, and 88% felt the reason for sitting the test was explained well.

Rob Moss

Rob Moss is a business journalist with more than 25 years' experience. He has been editor of Personnel Today since 2010. He joined the publication in 2006 as online editor of the award-winning website. Rob specialises in labour market economics, gender diversity and family-friendly working. He has hosted hundreds of webinar and podcasts. Before writing about HR and employment he ran news and feature desks on publications serving the global optical and eyewear market, the UK electrical industry, and energy markets in Asia and the Middle East.

previous post
Mother dismissed over absenteeism suffered sex discrimination
next post
Psychometrics evolution: how testing has won over HR

You may also like

NHS worker awarded £29k after Darth Vader comparison

8 May 2025

Molson Coors scraps CV requirement for some roles

13 Jul 2023

AI in HR: Streamlining operations with onboarding and...

2 Jun 2023

Willis Towers Watson sells Saville Assessment

18 Apr 2023

TUC taskforce to address ‘punitive’ use of AI...

30 Nov 2020

Personnel Today Awards 2020: Innovation in Recruitment shortlist

2 Nov 2020

Coronavirus: Recruiter reports 67% spike in video interviews

16 Mar 2020

‘HR held back by failure to use data...

28 Jun 2019

‘Give women a fair chance to lead’ urge...

18 Apr 2019

Intuition ‘very important’ in recruitment for nine in...

14 Mar 2019

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+