Are You Measuring What Matters?

A Strategic Guide to Assessments in the Workplace

The Seduction of the Quick Fix

In today’s fast-paced world of work, assessments are everywhere. From hiring platforms that promise the “perfect candidate match” to team-building quizzes that feel more like astrology than strategy, it’s easy to get swept up in the promise of instant insight.

But here’s the truth: not all assessments are created equal.

Used wisely, assessments can illuminate the unseen—revealing the strengths, motivators, and potential of your people. Used poorly, they can lead to costly missteps, legal risks, and a culture of distrust. So how do you ensure you’re measuring what truly matters?

Let’s start by asking better questions.

What Are You Really Trying to Learn?

Before selecting an assessment, get clear on the purpose. 

Are you attempting to…

• Improve hiring accuracy?
• Onboard new employees more effectively?
• Identify leadership potential?
• Understand team dynamics?
• Uncover hidden cultural tensions?
• Build a more equitable and inclusive workplace?

Your goal guides you to the right tool for the job – not the other way around. 

What Makes an Assessment Valid and Reliable?

In the world of psychometrics, two things are paramount: 

• Validity: Does the tool measure what it claims to measure?
• Reliability: Are the results consistent across time, context, and populations?

First, look for tools with construct validity, the assessment accurately captures the traits or behaviors it is designed to assess. For example, if a tool claims to measure emotional intelligence, does it actually assess empathy, self-awareness, and interpersonal effectiveness—or is it just gauging likability or confidence? Without strong construct validity, you may be making decisions based on flawed or irrelevant data.

Next look for tools with test-retest reliability, if the same person took the assessment again (under similar conditions), they would get similar results. This matters because high-stakes workplace decisions—like hiring, promotion, or team placement—shouldn’t hinge on data that fluctuates wildly due to mood, time of day, or vague questions.

When evaluating an assessment, ask for the technical manual. Look for peer-reviewed studies. If the creators can’t demonstrate psychometric rigor, proceed with caution—no matter how sleek the marketing looks.

Why Third-Party Validation – and Legal Defensibility – Matters.

A quick online search ‘workplace assessments’ will show hundreds of tools promising insights that will help you appease the monsters that keep you up at night. 

But many are built on outdated theories or unsubstantiated claims. Some are even actively discouraged by the American Psychological Association (APA) or EEOC when used for hiring decisions. 

This matters because: 

• Tools used in hiring must be job-related and consistent with business necessity.  
• You can be held liable if an assessment results in adverse impact against a protected group. See this article on SHRMs website.
• Without third-party validation, you have no legal defense. 

In short: if it hasn’t been validated externally, it shouldn’t be used to make high-stakes decisions. 

Don’t Just “Have” an Assessment – Use It!

An assessment is only as valuable as how you leverage it. 

Consider this…

• Who will interpret the results?
• Are you managers trained to use the data wisely?
• Will employees receive feedback and support?
• Is there a clear next step – coaching, team design, onboarding customization? 

When assessments live in a drawer – or a portal no one visits – they lose their power. And your people lose faith in your leadership. 

When assessments are integrated into conversations, strategy, and growth plans – they become transformational. 

But when they’re actively used, they can:

• Personalize onboarding by tailoring early experiences to a new hire’s strengths, motivators, and development areas.
• Fuel coaching conversations with real data that helps both the manager and employee navigate growth together.
• Guide team formation by aligning people based on working styles, communication preferences, or complementary skill sets.
• Identify future leaders by uncovering potential that might not show up in resumes or performance reviews alone.
• Support conflict resolution by helping individuals understand how their differences may be fueling misunderstanding.
• Inform succession planning by highlighting gaps, readiness, and development needs in your bench of future leaders.
• Reinforce inclusion by ensuring all employees are seen and supported based on who they are—not just how they perform.

When assessments are integrated into conversations, strategy, and growth plans—they become transformational.

Ethical Considerations and Cautionary Notes

Some words of wisdom from the field: 

• Never use assessments to label or limit someone’s potential. 
• Avoid “personality types” that oversimplify or medicalize behavior. 
• Assessments should never replace human judgment, only inform it. 
• Context matters: the same assessment used differently can yield wildly different outcomes [Well hello there, validity and reliability!]. 

Always remember: insight without care, can do more harm than good. 

Choosing the Right Tool: A Quick Litmus Test 

When supporting leaders in selecting the right tools for the job, here are a few questions I recommend they ask the vendor: 

• What does it measure?
• Is it validated and reliable? [Yes, I want to see the documentation and the studies. Yes, I read them…if you have trouble falling asleep, these reports help.]
• Has it been reviewed by a third-party?
• Is it appropriate for our use case?
• Are our leaders trained to interpret the results or will we be reliant upon the vendor or someone else externally?
• Will we use it to grow and support our people and not use it to judge or label?  

If you can answer “yes” to these questions, you may have found a tool that supports your efforts to intentionally grow dream teams. 

Closing Reflections: Slow Down to Choose Wisely

In the rush to improve hiring, develop leaders, or “fix culture,” it can be tempting to pick the fastest or flashiest tool. But when it comes to your people – your greatest asset – quick fixes rarely deliver lasting results. 

Slowing down to ask the right questions now ensures better outcomes later.