What Is a Cultural Assessment Test?

Finding and hiring the right candidate can be a lengthy, challenging, and multifaceted process. There is a whole multitude of boxes that you should tick, standards you should maintain, and processes you should run to locate a candidate that not only is the right fit for the position at your company in terms of their skillset, but also in terms of their attitude.

That’s where a culture assessment test comes in.

Running a cultural assessment test helps to determine whether a candidate’s core values align with your company's ones. It evaluates an individual’s characteristics, language, and values and takes stock of whether they align with that promoted within the company.

When a candidate’s values, beliefs, outlook, and behavior are compatible with those existing within the company, he or she is likely to be very compatible within your organization and compatible within the company’s specific company culture.

In this article, we’re going to explain what a cultural assessment test consists of and showcase why it should be a necessary step in every optimum hiring procedure. We’re also going to outline the various benefits associated with running a cultural assessment test so that you can clearly understand why you should implement one into your hiring processes.

What Does a Cultural Assessment Test Consist Of?

A cultural assessment test consists of a combination of methods designed to determine a candidate’s cultural fit during the recruitment and selection process by collecting and analyzing a selection of specific data points.

Although the data contained in a cultural assessment test can vary from hiring process to hiring process, it generally consists of pre-employment assessments, personality tests/questionnaires, and cultural-specific interview questions.

To adequately assess your company’s culture, it is first fundamental that you understand your collective vision clearly. This means that you should take stock of your expectations, experiences, philosophy, beliefs, and rules so that you have a pristine understanding of who you are as a company and what you want.

This way, you’ll be in a fantastic position to pinpoint what exact attitudes, cultural values, and tendencies you are searching for in an employee and optimally prepared to make smart hiring decisions.

What Is the Purpose of the Cultural Assessment Test?

Visionary managers and HR executives are continuously looking for exemplary ways to enhance the energy and unify the goals of their employees. Why? Because these factors have a huge influence over whether your company will succeed or fail. Companies with workforces that have unaligned cultures do not yield success or longevity, instead, they end up shutting up shop and high levels of resignation and employee dissatisfaction.

Hiring is an integral part of creating a high-performance culture and a culture assessment can help you find the people who will help your company succeed. Better yet? It will help you keep them too.

So how exactly will a cultural assessment do this? Well, a cultural assessment test will uncover what is truly important to your candidates as people and employees and enable you to compare those qualities against your company’s vision and ethos.

Generally speaking, hiring managers and talent acquisition experts probably complete some sort of cultural assessment test subconsciously when conducting the hiring process, however, having a standardized test ensures that it is done thoroughly and accurately. It also removes any chance of bias influencing your cultural assessment test.

For example, if you are a hiring manager and you are solely monitoring a candidate's values and cultural compatibility based on your cultural compass, you run the risk of choosing an individual who aligns with that rather than with your company’s organizational culture.

Running a functional cultural assessment test ensures the congruence of core values, behaviors, communication styles, goals, and competencies between your company culture and that of a potential candidate. If you work within an ambitious and culture-driven company, implementing one into your hiring process is fundamental. Ensuring that your company goals and values align with that of your workforce is the best predictor of a long, successful, and fulfilling working relationship.

What Are the Benefits of a Cultural Assessment Test?

There is an entire set of associated benefits to running a cultural assessment test within your company. To ensure clarity, we have outlined the top benefits below.

Higher Rates of Employee Satisfaction

With high levels of employee satisfaction, organizations are happier and more fulfilling places for everyone. Ensuring that your employees share the same values and goals means that they will feel unified in their daily tasks and a part of something meaningful.

Finding meaning in your day-to-day work doesn’t just enhance the quality of your working life and work environment, it ensures higher revenues for your organization too.

Higher Retention Rates

When employees feel that their company has their best interests at heart and are taking intentional steps towards creating a harmonious working culture for all of their colleagues, they are more likely to stay within their company. Running a cultural assessment doesn't just ensure that new employees are eased into their new roles mindfully, it promotes a sense of recognition and loyalty within the team too. This leads to higher retention rates and even attracts better talent for new roles too.

Higher Performance Rates

Feeling connected to your colleagues, seen by your superiors, and motivated by your company vision has a direct connection to your performance in that role too. High job satisfaction improves productivity, enhances attendance and employee engagement, and reduces stress within teams and workplaces.

Conclusion

Setting up and conducting an effective cultural assessment test is the first step in promoting a healthy, motivated, and effective company culture within your organization. However, it is a procedure and test that should not simply end at the end of a hiring procedure.

Instead, make sure to continue to monitor how effective your process is and also take stock of how your current workforce feels about your company culture - do they feel engaged? Do they feel a strong sense of teamwork? By continuing this assessment of culture within your company you will help your company to thrive. Good luck!

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