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Emotions at work -how to truly know your candidate.

emotions at work

In employee recruitment and selection, finding the perfect fit for a role goes beyond just matching skills and experience. Understanding a candidate's emotions and how they interact in a professional setting is crucial for fostering a productive and harmonious work environment. This is where behavioral hiring assessments can help, offering invaluable insights into a candidate's emotions, emotionality and suitability for the job.


Emotions play a significant role in the workplace, influencing communication, collaboration, and decision-making. A candidate's ability to manage their emotions, understand those of others, and navigate interpersonal relationships can greatly impact their success in a role. Interviews and resumes may not always provide a comprehensive picture of a candidate's emotional ability, making behavioral assessments a critical tool for recruiters.


One of the key advantages of behavioral hiring assessments is their ability to uncover behavioral patterns and tendencies that may not be evident through conventional screening methods. In essence, uncovering the unstated. By presenting candidates with situational scenarios or personality questionnaires, these assessments gauge how individuals are likely to respond in various workplace situations, shedding light on their emotional reactions and coping mechanisms.


For example, a scenario-based question might present a candidate with a challenging team dynamic where conflicting opinions arise. Their response can reveal their ability to handle conflict, communicate effectively, and collaborate with others under pressure. Likewise, personality assessments can identify traits such as empathy, resilience, and adaptability, all of which are essential for thriving in a dynamic work environment.


Furthermore, behavioral assessments provide a standardized framework for evaluating candidates, reducing the influence of biases that may arise during the hiring process. By focusing on observable behaviors rather than subjective judgments, recruiters can make more objective and informed decisions about candidate suitability. This not only enhances the fairness of the hiring process but also increases the likelihood of selecting candidates who possess the emotional intelligence necessary for success in the role.


Moreover, behavioral hiring assessments offer predictive validity, meaning they can forecast a candidate's future job performance based on their demonstrated behaviors and emotions. By identifying candidates who are well-equipped to handle the demands of the role and thrive within the organizational culture, these assessments help mitigate the risk of hiring mismatches and turnover and in some instances office chaos.


In addition to aiding in candidate selection, behavioral assessments can also inform personalized onboarding and development strategies. Armed with insights into a candidate's emotional strengths and areas for improvement, employers can tailor training programs and support mechanisms to foster professional growth and maximize employee engagement and satisfaction.



A great behavioral hiring assessment is invaluable for understanding a candidate's emotions on the job. By delving beyond surface-level qualifications and uncovering behavioral patterns and emotionality, these assessments empower recruiters to make more informed hiring decisions, cultivate a positive work environment, and ultimately drive organizational success. Embracing the human element in recruitment is not just a trend but a necessity in building resilient and high-performing teams for the future.


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