A new study by a leading HR publication reveals that psychometric testing is on the increase.
As part of a study by Personnel Today's paid-for sister service XpertHR, 90 employers - with a combined workforce of almost 420,000 people - indicated that in areas of HR management where psychometric testing is already well-established its use has grown over the past three years.
More than half of the respondents have either increased their use of psychometric testing in the recruitment and selection process or introduced it during this period.
Meanwhile 19% have increased the use of psychometric tests in training and development, while 9% have started using them.
Psychometric tests are widely used by employers in HR management, with an estimated 50% of employers using some form of psychometric testing in their recruitment processes.
The research also reveals that applicants for managerial, graduate and professional vacancies are the most likely to be tested by employers, and the most commonly used psychometric selection tests focus on personality, attitudes and behaviours.
While 85% of employers are likely to use the test results for recruitment and selection as one of several sources of information, 57% use them to inform interview questions and 45% to provide a benchmark for shortlisting.
However, just 16% have developed a meaningful policy governing the administration of psychometric tests, how the results are used, the safe storage of completed tests, and the provision of feedback to the participants.