Good question.  Let’s start with a very brief definition of Employee Assessments.  Employee Assessments are products that evaluate employee behavior, typically by asking respondents to answer questions about how they perceive themselves at work.  There are several very effective products available on the market today, both in paper and online formats.

Now…why bother?  Can’t we just assign employees the work and expect them to get it done?  Sure, you could try that.  Another idea is to discover more about the behavior styles of your individual employees, and maximize the positive behavior traits of each individual employee.

For example, say you have an employee named Sally.  Sally works in your finance department.  Say that Sally exemplifies the classic introverted personality style.  Sally appears painfully shy, is often soft-spoken, and prefers to work solo rather than in a team environment.  She is a number cruncher, a paperwork guru, and a powerhouse auditor.

Now, let’s pretend the City Council has requested an oral presentation of the recently completed fiscal audit.  Did I also mention that City Council meetings are televised and broadcast over and over again on the City TV channel!  Would Sally be your first choice in conducting that presentation?

I’d guess not.

Sure, Sally knows the material inside and out, she was involved in every aspect of the audit and knows the findings, but is that the only consideration in deciding who should present the findings?  Would Sally even WANT to do that presentation?  Would she freeze like a deer in the headlights in front of the dais?  Would she embarrass herself?  The department?  How would the Council Members perceive the audit itself if the presenter of the material isn’t able to clearly and concisely articulate the findings?  Can’t you see Sally up there, stammering and red-faced, uncomfortable and sweating under the lights and the cameras?  Not a good look.

Another idea would be to capitalize on Sally’s expertise more effectively by having her prepare the presentation to the Council.  She could write the talking points.  She could prepare handouts and documentation to support the findings.  She could also spend time discussing the audit report with the selected presenter beforehand so that the presenter is fully versed in the material.   Sally could play a vital role in the presentation while being behind the scenes.

Spending time to learn about your employees and their behavior styles gives you the opportunity to learn what their comfort zones are.  It allows the employees to learn more about themselves, more about their co-workers, more about how they interact with each other.  Assessing employee behavior also provides a common language for all employees to speak, teaches respectful ways to communicate with each other.  Assessing employee behavior styles also gives leaders a clear understanding of how they can better plan work assignments.

Assessing employee behavior can lead to increased employee retention, improved relationships, and an overall more successful work group.   All of these things open up the lines of communication between you and each of your employees and that’s ALWAYS a good thing!

Participants of the upcoming Parks and Recreation Leadership Summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, can learn more about Assessments during my session “Understanding Personality Styles”.   Now…who’s ready to go on camera?

Written by: 
Jessica Matson
Member Collaboration Manager, Central & SE Texas Region
governmentresource.com

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