The Science Behind Workplace Based Assessments

If you haven’t considered making workplace-based assessments part of your talent management strategy, you could be paying a steep price. Statistics show that in the first 18 months of taking a leadership position, 30 to 70 percent of leaders fail. 

Part of this may be due to the way we too often identify leadership potential in our employees: based primarily on performance. This method overlooks candidates that may be well-suited to management roles, but haven’t had the chance to prove it on the job. Another factor that enters into the selection process is unconscious bias. Leaders tend to look for individuals that fit a certain mold. 

An effective leadership assessment program replaces assumptions with scientifically validated data to better identify management potential in anyone.  

What are Assessments?

In a workplace context, an assessment refers to measuring knowledge, skills, abilities or other characteristics (KSAOs) or competencies required for successful job performance. Workplace-based assessments must adhere to Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures issued by the federal government and professional guidelines issued by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures | Fifth Edition (Division 14 of the American Psychological Association).

Advantages of Professionally Designed Assessments  

• A fuller picture – Tests are constructed to measure the relevant set of competencies and experiences needed to succeed in a job. 
• Consistency – Each individual is subject to the same exercises, instruments and metrics. This avoids the difficulty of having managers compare individuals with vastly different job experiences and challenges. 
• Future-focused – Workplace-based assessments can be clearly tied to the factors that predict potential and performance in future jobs, regardless of past performance. 
• Improved ROI – You can expect real results from a holistic assessment program, from enhanced leadership effectiveness to reduced turnover and more. Find details in our companion blog, Leader Assessment ROI: Invest In Leadership 

Here’s how workplace-based assessments fit into your overall management plan. 

The Hallmarks of an Effective Assessment Program 

Leadership assessments are most impactful when grounded in scientific assessments. This indicates they are fair, reliable and valid. Their predictive capabilities are among their greatest strengths, empowering organizations to make informed decisions about future leadership potential.

Collaborating with best-in-class test publishers such as Hogan and Pearson ensures evaluations are both reliable and accurate. These research-supported assessments offer valuable insights into future leadership success, helping reduce the risk of costly hiring mistakes and their long-term consequences. Predictive assessments also play a vital role in succession planning and talent development, enabling organizations to invest strategically in high-potential individuals. This targeted approach strengthens the leadership pipeline and equips future leaders to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Reliability and Validity

Reliability and validity are the two must-haves in an effective assessment program. One without the other is destined to fail. Here’s an example I often use: Imagine you’ve set up your DVR to record your favorite show at 8 p.m. Tuesday for three weeks in a row. However, when you settle in to watch it, you find that it has recorded the wrong show each time. So, the machine did reliably record the program that aired at 8 p.m., but you had inadvertently given it the wrong information, resulting in results that were not valid. 

In other words, results should be consistent to be reliable, and accurate to be valid. That’s predictive power at work, and it’s why our consultants employ the most trusted scientifically proven assessments in the industry. 

The Hogan Leadership Assessment 

When it comes to evaluating leadership potential, few tools are as trusted or scientifically grounded as the Hogan Leadership Assessment. Developed in the mid-1960s by Drs. Robert and Joyce Hogan, this suite of assessments was the first to demonstrate that personality can reliably predict job performance. Today, Hogan remains the gold standard in personality assessment, backed by over 100 validation studies annually. 

What Makes Hogan Stand Out? 

Hogan’s assessments are built on decades of psychological research and predictive modeling. They help organizations understand not just who a person is, but how they’re likely to behave at work — especially under pressure. 

Hogan personality tests use data-driven psychological assessments to predict workplace performance by evaluating traits that influence how people behave on the job. Here's how they work: 

1. Core Assessment Tools 

Hogan offers three primary tools, each answering a critical question about workplace behavior: 

• Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): Often referred to as the “bright side of personality,” HPI measures personality traits relevant to job performance. “Can you do the job?” 
• Hogan Development Survey (HDS): Also known as the “dark side of personality,” HDS assesses potential derailers — traits that can emerge under stress and hinder performance. “What will get in your way?” 
• Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI): Known as the “inside of personality.” MVPI evaluates core values and drivers that influence job satisfaction and cultural fit. “Will you like the job?” 

2. Data Collection

Each test collects responses to structured questions. These responses are scored and compared against large normative databases to identify patterns and predict behavior. 

3. Predictive Modeling 

With the collected data, Hogan can use validated statistical models to link personality traits to key performance indicators such as: 

• Leadership effectiveness 
• Team collaboration 
• Risk-taking 
• Reliability 
• Customer service orientation 

4. Job Fit and Risk Analysis

The Hogan Leadership assessment helps employers: 

• Match candidates to roles where they’re likely to succeed 
• Identify potential leadership strengths or derailers 
• Understand how someone might behave under pressure 
• Align personal values with organizational culture 

5. Outcome

Organizations use Hogan data to make informed decisions about hiring, development, succession planning, and team building. The ultimate goal is to improve individual and organizational performance and reduce turnover. 

Beyond Hogan: A Holistic Leadership Assessment Approach 

While Hogan excels at measuring personality, other tools complement it. Using multiple methods contributes to the strongest, most predictive methodology for determining future job performance.

• Watson-Glaser: Measures critical thinking and reasoning ability. 
• RAVENS: Assesses judgment and decision-making skills. 
• 360-Degree Feedback 
  Collects confidential input from peers, direct reports, and supervisors to offer a well-rounded view of leadership capabilities. It helps uncover blind spots and align leadership style with organizational goals. 
• Behavioral Interviews 
  Focus on real-world examples of past behavior in leadership situations. This method goes beyond hypothetical questions to predict future performance based on actual experience. 

The Right Management Difference 

As a best practice, your ideal solution provider should use best-in-class assessments like the Hogan Personality suite. Just as important, however, is the expertise of the assessors who conduct and interpret the evaluations. All Right Management consultants are Hogan-certified, 95% have advanced degrees, and 75% are I-O psychologists. I-O (Industrial/organizational) psychology is the scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the workplace. We turn data into insights that power careers and help organizations thrive.  

Discover what we can do for you.