Even though employers cannot directly ask employees or potential hires their personality types, they are legally able to administer their own personality assessments, according to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as long as the test is aimed towards a key functions of the job and not towards an entirely different skill unrelated to the job to help them make a hiring decision. A Washington Post article by Aaron Gregg discusses how personality test can automate the traditional interview process. The idea of a business administered personality test it to see whether the job applicant “has the personality of a high performer or a low performer” and to figure out “how to put people in roles they’re going to appreciate (Gregg, 2015)*
In a New York Times article, Anna North pulls from Joseph Stromberg’s argument that the Myers-Briggs Test is “completely useless.” North argues that the administration of the personality test in order to “appropriate training programs and responsibilities” for employees has ensured that the use of this “outdated instrument is continued.” North asserts that the only reason the Myers-Briggs test is still accepted, is due to the fact that individuals “really like the opportunity to put themselves in categories,” even though “most people don’t fit neatly into them.” Furthermore Mr. Stromberg states that the test categories were developed without any “the benefit of any systematic psychological experimentation” and that there is no true be all category member (North, 2014)**.
Despite this claim, according to Business Insider, “about 80% of the Fortune 500 and 89 of the Fortune 100 companies use [MBTI] to analyze the personalities of employees,” in an effort to get them in the right roles and help them succeed (Gould & Feloni, 2014)***.
It is human nature to want to fit into specific categories, and the appeal of the Myers-Briggs is that it enables individuals to feel like they fit into special categories. Abraham Maslow, an american psychologist and author of “A Theory of Human Motivation”, published his work on five levels of human motivation in the Psychological Review, the third level being on social belongingness. Additionally, for the people that do identify with their Myers-Briggs personality, it can be useful in building teams for work and helping employees understand each other better, and to be used as a tool or reference point.
In a New York Times article, Anna North pulls from Joseph Stromberg’s argument that the Myers-Briggs Test is “completely useless.” North argues that the administration of the personality test in order to “appropriate training programs and responsibilities” for employees has ensured that the use of this “outdated instrument is continued.” North asserts that the only reason the Myers-Briggs test is still accepted, is due to the fact that individuals “really like the opportunity to put themselves in categories,” even though “most people don’t fit neatly into them.” Furthermore Mr. Stromberg states that the test categories were developed without any “the benefit of any systematic psychological experimentation” and that there is no true be all category member (North, 2014)**.
Despite this claim, according to Business Insider, “about 80% of the Fortune 500 and 89 of the Fortune 100 companies use [MBTI] to analyze the personalities of employees,” in an effort to get them in the right roles and help them succeed (Gould & Feloni, 2014)***.
It is human nature to want to fit into specific categories, and the appeal of the Myers-Briggs is that it enables individuals to feel like they fit into special categories. Abraham Maslow, an american psychologist and author of “A Theory of Human Motivation”, published his work on five levels of human motivation in the Psychological Review, the third level being on social belongingness. Additionally, for the people that do identify with their Myers-Briggs personality, it can be useful in building teams for work and helping employees understand each other better, and to be used as a tool or reference point.
*Gregg, A. (2015). Next up in recruiting: Could personality tests replace interviews? The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/next-up-in-recruiting-could-personality-tests-replace-interviews/2015/05/09/a3047a8e-f5b4-11e4-b2f3-af5479e6bbdd_story.html?utm_term=.8579c3b50cb8
**North, A. (2014). Why Myers-Briggs is Totally Wseless - but Widely Popular. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/why-myers-briggs-is-totally-useless-but-wildly-popular/
***Gould, S., & Feloni, R. (2014). The Best Jobs For Every Personality Type. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/best-jobs-for-every-personality-2014-9
**North, A. (2014). Why Myers-Briggs is Totally Wseless - but Widely Popular. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/why-myers-briggs-is-totally-useless-but-wildly-popular/
***Gould, S., & Feloni, R. (2014). The Best Jobs For Every Personality Type. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/best-jobs-for-every-personality-2014-9