Using the Myers Briggs assessment to improve productivity in the workplace by Muallem Kamara Researcher at IfD

A workplace is normally a mixture of people with different backgrounds. Using personality assessment tests with your current employees – and sharing the results with them – can help team members better understand each other, which is a win-win for all involved. When employees understand how their co-workers and managers prefer to communicate, the workplace becomes more comfortable and more productive.

Important step – choose a personality assessment test that identifies introverts and extroverts.

• introvert or extrovert interactions
• sensing or intuition to access information
• thinking or feeling when making decisions
• judging or perceiving view of the world

Being proactive and decoding the personalities in the organisation and understanding the different ways in which people see and understand the world can help people work together harmoniously. When employees have a strong grasp of the personalities of their colleagues, they can leverage each other’s strengths and sharpen one another

• Utilise “extroverts” in positions where they can interact with people and promote the company’s outward image while using “introverts” for projects that require quiet attention.
• Encourage “sensitive” employees to focus on the human interaction aspects of their roles. Utilise “intuitive” employees in areas where they can read people and situations, such as in negotiating roles.
• Help “thinking” employees explore the portions of their jobs that require an analytical approach to problem-solving. Steer “feeling” employees into roles in which they can evaluate the unique and individual circumstances of work-related projects.
• Assist “judging” employees in identifying opportunities for quickly assessing situations and making immediate decisions. Employ the talents of “perceptive” employees in areas where they can remain open and objective to large quantities of information and make long-range decisions.

To conclude, conducting the Myers Briggs test on employees and knowing their individual strengths and weakness is crucial to building a strong team that can tap into their full ability.