Since it was first published in 1962, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has become the gold standard for personality tests. But many people have criticized the MBTI, saying it's arbitrary and based on unproven theories. Let's look at five Myers-Briggs alternatives you can consider.
[Read more: How to Tell if You're an Introvert or Extrovert at Work]
Why businesses are moving beyond Myers-Briggs
Despite the popularity of the Myers-Briggs test, there’s no scientific validity to it. The MBTI is rooted in the theories of psychologist Carl Jung, but it was created by a mother-daughter duo with no formal training in psychology. The limited studies that exist show a weak link between the Myers-Briggs assessment and leadership traits.
There’s also a risk that making hiring decisions based on MBTI results introduces bias into the process. “Employee selection tools should be chosen based on the degree to which they find good employees; the MBTI does not do this — a lot like palm reading or handwriting analysis,” wrote The Conversation.
The combined risk and lack of rigor are two primary reasons why businesses are moving away from the Myers-Briggs and choosing one or more of these alternatives.
Myers-Briggs personality test alternatives
While functionally similar to Myers-Briggs, these five alternative personality tests assess different traits and may be better suited to workplace dynamics.
The Big Five Personality Test
The Big Five Personality Test is based on the belief that most people embody five core personality traits. The test takes about 10 minutes to complete and is free.
After you finish answering the questions, your results will be broken down into the following five categories:
- Openness.
- Conscientiousness.
- Extraversion.
- Agreeableness.
- Neuroticism.
Each personality trait represents a range between two extremes, with most people falling somewhere in the middle. One element that's unique about the Big Five test is that it doesn't just share flattering information. Ideally, this test is best used for personal growth rather than any business purpose.
[Read more: 8 Personality Tests to Help You Hire the Best Candidate]
The Enneagram
The Enneagram test outlines nine interconnected personality traits with 27 additional subtypes. The nine traits are then grouped into three different "centers": instinctive, feeling, and thinking.
Here is an overview of each of the nine personality traits:
- The Reformer: Perfectionistic and self-controlled.
- The Helper: A generous people pleaser.
- The Achiever: Driven and image-conscious.
- The Individualist: Dramatic and temperamental.
- The Investigator: Innovative and perceptive.
- The Loyalist: Responsible and engaged.
- The Enthusiast: Fun-loving and spontaneous.
- The Challenger: Self-confident and decisive.
- The Peacemaker: Agreeable and complacent.
The Enneagram test is administered online by the Enneagram Institute. There are two versions of the test available for $20 per test. One option consists of 144 questions, taking an estimated 40 minutes to complete; the other is 37 questions and takes 15 minutes to complete. The results are geared more toward team development than recruiting, and it’s worth noting that there’s an option for both the test taker and the administrator to receive the results.
The DiSC Assessment
The DiSC assessment breaks down four personality types: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. Most people contain elements of all four personality traits and use them to varying degrees.
The test is based on the book written by William Moulton Marston called "Emotions of Normal People." Eight different scales are measured on the DiSC assessment, and your results will likely show a combination of one or two letters.
Workplaces often use the DiSC assessment to help employees understand how to work together. It’s billed as a way to improve teamwork, communication, and productivity. The price per profile is $90, and reports are available in English, French, and Spanish.
The True Color Personalities
This test uses four different colors to symbolize four standard personality types. It is designed to help you uncover important social information about yourself to better understand how well you work with others.
Here are the four color personalities:
- Orange: The orange personality type is energetic and action-oriented. This individual enjoys taking risks, is competitive, and loves pushing past conventional boundaries.
- Gold: If your primary color is gold, you prefer structure and organization. You tend to be on time and expect others to be on time as well. These individuals like rules and follow a predetermined schedule.
- Green: The green personality type is analytical and intuitive. They tend to be big-picture thinkers who think outside the box.
- Blue: Blues are empathetic, enjoy working with others, and tend to be very social people. They look for opportunities to collaborate with other people.
Many organizations use this test to promote effective communication and build a positive work culture. It plays a role in talent acquisition as well as team development. Get in touch with the True Colors Institute to learn about pricing.
[Read more: Entrepreneurs Reveal the 6 Personality Traits That Make Them Successful]
Goleman's EQ Test
The Emotional Intelligence test is a free test offered by the Global Leadership Foundation. It is based on Daniel Goleman's four quadrants of emotional intelligence, or EQ, which include:
- Self-awareness.
- Self-management.
- Social awareness.
- Relationship management.
Learning about EQ can help HR and hiring teams identify potential leaders and create team structures where everyone thrives. The test can help you understand the emotions driving your behavior and how to redirect negative impulses. It can also help you uncover the motivation driving many of your behaviors.
The CliftonStrengths
The CliftonStrengths assessment is less a personality test and more an evaluation of what each employee brings to the workplace. The outcome of the assessment is a report of the user’s natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, categorized into the 34 CliftonStrengths themes. The test is hosted by Gallup and is popular for understanding how to delegate tasks to employees based on their strengths, rather than spending time trying to train up someone’s naturally weak areas. Individual tests start at $24.99.
How to choose the right personality assessment for your team's goals
Choosing the right personality test for your business involves understanding your organization's specific needs and the characteristics you want to assess in your employees. Start by understanding what purpose the test will serve. Do you need help with hiring, team building, or developing employees' skills?
Next, look for tests that have been validated through research and are thoroughly vetted by experts. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of online assessments that claim to produce game-changing results for teams. You want one that is reliable, provides constructive feedback, and fosters opportunities for true growth.
Finally, consider the cost and the ease of use of each personality test. Look for an option that's manageable for your team — the more questions they have to answer, the more likely they are to drop off and lose interest. Tests that are easy to complete and deliver clear, actionable insights are ideal. Some tests are more affordable than others too.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has specific guidance when it comes to using testing (cognitive, personality, and otherwise) in the hiring process.
The role of personality tests in team building
Research published in the Harvard Business Review suggests that personality tests can help predict team performance and strengthen teams. Assessment tools can be used to profile the group, not just individual team members.
"[They] can indicate whether the group is likely to bond or fracture by examining qualities that predict both success and failure," wrote the Harvard Business Review. "For example, we know that teams with members who are open-minded and emotionally intelligent leverage conflict to improve performance, whereas neurotic and closed-minded teams fall apart in the face of disagreement."
Personality tests show where a team might be missing certain characteristics. They can also ease communication, helping to highlight where introverts might be steamrolled by their extroverted counterparts, as well as which personalities could benefit from being paired with other personality types. Ultimately, personality tests help team members better understand how others work and adjust their expectations accordingly.
How to roll out personality testing at work
Personality testing can make your employees uneasy. There are (valid) concerns that personality tests introduce bias to hiring and career advancement positions. They can sometimes feel invasive to some and a waste of time to others. Introduce your personality test with plenty of communication about the scope, purpose, and outcome of the assessments.
“Employees should always understand why they’re being assessed, how the results will be used, and what’s in it for them. A simple script can go a long way: ‘This report isn’t about judging you, it’s about understanding how to support your growth,’” wrote Thomas, a workforce development platform. “When you introduce personality assessments as tools for learning, not labels, you build buy-in.”
Once everyone has completed the assessment, make sure the results lead to tangible outcomes. Whether you update org structures, offer training opportunities, or implement new communication tools, the personality test should feel like it was a relevant and worthwhile use of time.
Legal and bias considerations when using personality tests in hiring
There is ample evidence demonstrating that AI tools and personality assessments can introduce new biases in hiring and recruiting. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has specific guidance when it comes to using testing (cognitive, personality, and otherwise) in the hiring process. The best way to comply with their rules is to use a reputable, validated provider and tests that are relevant and job-related.
Likewise, make sure that the test issuer within your organization has the proper training to do so. “Employers should ensure that tests and selection procedures are not adopted casually by managers who know little about these processes,” wrote the EEOC. “A test or selection procedure can be an effective management tool, but no test or selection procedure should be implemented without an understanding of its effectiveness and limitations for the organization, its appropriateness for a specific job, and whether it can be appropriately administered and scored.”
If you plan to use these tests in recruitment, keep them skills-oriented and include them as part of a broader set of selection criteria. Assessments, whether personality tests or skills-based, cannot provide a well-rounded enough report of a person’s ability to perform on the job.
How to use personality insights without overcomplicating your people process
A personality assessment isn’t the only, or even the most important, indicator of how someone likes to work. These assessments are best used with performance reviews, peer and manager feedback, skill tests, and other factors. As a result, limit how and when personality tests are offered to keep things simple.
A good time to offer a personality test is during the onboarding process. This is the ideal time for a new employee to reflect on their strengths and communicate their preferred ways of working to the rest of the team.
“By using personality assessments as part of onboarding, new hires learn their own work style as well as tips on how to work well with other styles. Plus, the long-term benefits of personality assessments include increased productivity, better teamwork, and more confident employees,” wrote Zapier.
Another key moment is during a team-building retreat. Think about how you wish to use the personality test — for team bonding, to improve communication, or to foster professional development — and save tests for specific moments related to those goals.
Jamie Johnson contributed to this article.
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