A psychological or honesty test is a specific type of personality test designed to assess a person’s tendency, to be honest, trustworthy, and dependable. A lack of honesty is often associated with such counterproductive behaviors like theft, violence, sabotage, disciplinary problems, and absenteeism. These tests have been found to measure some of the same factors as standard personality tests, particularly dutifulness, and perhaps some aspects of emotional stability and agreeableness. Ultimately, a test’s accuracy depends on how carefully and seriously you answer the questions you are asked. Employers have the right to perform psychological tests on applicants, however, must be justified by a convincing interest.
When it comes to pre-employment screens, any test that is done in order to determine if a person is eligible for employment infringes employee privacy. Moreover, their accuracy and underlying assumption are open to question. What are the single most important characteristic people want to their employees? Reliability, responsible, good attitude? No. The answer is integrity. Employers want to be told the truth. They want people who have a moral compass and who are honest.
In a world of spin and branding, and buying and selling, the concept of honesty seems to be dismissed, but it always comes back to bite those who ignore it in the butt. We see in the front pages of newspapers, magazines, and websites who are regularly crowded with stories of the great and the good who lied, stole, and cheated their way to fame, wealth and destruction. The organization I work for currently had listed integrity as one of their core values. I work in the service industry, so it only makes sense for them to want their employees to be trustworthy and truthful while we are working with clients. Massage envy uses a number of different options for honesty screening. I know they spend a lot of money vetting applicants background and credentials and standardized questionnaires.
Recently there has been some crazy allegations made toward massage envy therapist across the United States. None of which came from the clinic I work at but it is crazy to me that any of these situations would happen. As a person in the service industry, I am committed to servicing high-quality care to my clients. I serve the best interest of my clients at all times and provide the highest quality of esthetician work and service possible. I also demonstrate respect for the dignity and rights of all individuals by providing a clean, comfortable and safe environment for sessions, using appropriate and skilled draping procedures, giving my clients recourse in the event of dissatisfaction with the treatment.
And I never provide a service without obtaining a client’s informed and implied consent. Although, I know not everyone’s moral obligation to their work or place of work are all the same, I just can not imagine ever putting myself in any of the alleged situations that had happened. As an employee of massage envy, we receive annual background checks, are quarterly audited, and must do annual training videos on the code of ethics, plus more. In my opinion, massage envy does a great job of maintaining of earning trust for their brand. They are constantly forced to re-look and rethink if they are doing enough. For this line of work, I find it very important to conduct these type of tests on their employees. I almost expect this kind of requirement from this establishment.
Ultimately, I do not think there is anything wrong with taking a psychological test or an honesty test. Although I do think that these tests should have standards to make it humane or avoid biasing. Honesty tests, like all tests, are imperfect. But I still think employers should do them to see if the applicant is fulfilling the requirements of the company. Hence, the applicant must understand the situation of the employer and answer them correctly. Yes, it may be uncomfortable or nerve-wracking but they help provide a company with an in-depth look that would make screening more palatable.
Companies nowadays are looking for ways to have a much better workforce that are reliable and less problematic. Wouldn’t you want to know if the employee you are hiring is honest or not? Have a tendency to steal or not? More likely to conduct inappropriate behavior? I know I would.
