In my experience working with Generation Z and Millennials for more than 20 years, I’ve been exposed to a lot of new and exciting things. By far, my favorite is personality testing. Not only do my Gen Z employees, campers, and I love learning more about ourselves, but I’ve also used the results to manage a remote team better and communicate more effectively during the coronavirus pandemic.
What is it about these tests that appeals to younger generations? Despite being raised in the social media age, Gen Zers are highly individual. They are more competitive and independent than the Millennials that precede them. Personality tests allow them to communicate who they are and tailor their careers to their unique strengths.
Recent studies suggest that as many as 89 of the Fortune 100 companies use some kind of personality test in their hiring processes. The personality test industry is booming — it’s currently worth $500 million. For example, most people have taken the Myers-Briggs (I’m an ENFP) and Enneagram (I’m a 7) tests.
While Gen Z (and social media) made personality tests trendy, they can be beneficial for all teams — especially as workers adjust to changes during times of crisis. These tests help us shed light on what makes us individuals, enabling us to relate better to one another and allowing teams to unite, play to their strengths, and work smarter as they shift to remote work.
Here are three ways you can use personality tests to manage your team better:
- Disrupt your processes to work for your team.
Gen Zers have only ever known a world of constant upgrades, beta tests, and new versions. Whatever they produce, it’s never the final product — the goal posts are always moving for them. This “always becoming” mindset opens Gen Z up to a different kind of creativity: They’re more willing to take risks and fail, and they have a greater sense of self-exploration and personal evolution.
This mindset also makes them better equipped to deal with the work changes happening because of COVID-19. Managers can empower these workers to experiment and discover what type of creativity works best for them, how they can disrupt processes, and how they can innovate in ways that suit their personalities and strengths while working remotely.
This could mean giving them bite-sized projects that are easy to start, finish, and move on to the next one. Gen Zers like to figure things out for themselves, but there is a plethora of information out there to work with — even if they can’t be in the office. Managers must help them navigate that wealth of information so they can work in ways that best suit their personalities while delivering exceptional results.To read more about how using personality tests can help you better manage your team, click here.
