Benefits of MBTI In the Workplace

Statistics show that more than 3.5 million assessments are administered each year and nearly 90% of Fortune 100 companies use the MBTI test in the hiring process or as a team-building exercise. Why is that? Well, this test has merit in providing companies with an in-depth exploration of their employees’ personality traits. There are many benefits of MBTI in the workplace.

What is MBTI?

Before we can even begin to describe the benefits of MBTI in the workplace, let’s discuss what they are. MBTI stands for Myers-Briggs type-indicator, which is the most widely used personality inventory in the world. Classifying people into 16 possible personality types, the test includes 4 different spectrums:

• Introversion v. Extraversion
  This part of the test describes where you get your energy from though many misinterpret these words to mean ‘shy v. outgoing.’ If you garner your energy from alone time and revel in self-reflection, you’re likely an introvert. Conversely, someone who feels more energized in a group or crowd is an extravert.
• Sensing v. Intuition
  Sensors prefer facts to ideas and are problem solvers with a habit of referring to ‘tried and true’ solutions rather than new ones. On the other hand, those categorized as intuitive often prefer to find new ideas and options and enjoy theorizing rather than implementation.
• Thinking v. Feeling
  Often, thinkers are more prone to carrying objective viewpoints. As it were, they analyze and question ideas and solutions before blindly accepting them. They thrive on healthy debates and can be perceived as impersonal. On the other hand, feelers are focused on interpersonal harmony and the people involved rather than the task itself. They require negotiation and often focus on commonalities rather than differences.
• Judging v. Perceiving
  Judgers value closure and organization. They prefer to work hard and play after and are known to use lists and calendars to manage time and expectations. Typically, those who perceive prefer spontaneity and dislike rigidity. They love to brainstorm and explore new possibilities!

1.Eliminates Conflict

Knowing the Myers-Briggs personality types can help you figure out how best to respond to your co-workers, which is very important. If a conflict arises, you might have a better chance of deescalating the situation if you understand how they tend to handle conflict and confrontation. If your coworker a sensitive, loyal ESFP who respects rules and authority? Or perhaps a hardworking, analytical ISFJ? What do they value? Before making rash decisions, it’s helpful to have a general understanding of how someone might respond.

2. Improves Communication

One of the most notable benefits of the MBTI in the workplace is that it brings about positive workplace communication. Personality-typing in the office can help co-workers determine how best to approach peer to peer communication and add value to manager-employee interactions. By having an understanding of how each person works best, you can better gauge what they’ll need to complete their jobs effectively.

3. Improves Teamwork

In increasing and improving relationships and communication, you’ll find that teamwork improves as well. The MBTI tells you a lot about how your team members prefer to work and who they collaborate with efficiently and effectively. When working to put a team together, it’s helpful to have this information to eliminate conflict and match personalities that don’t clash. Similarly, in creating teams, MBTI allows managers to group employees who can complement one another based on perceived strengths and weaknesses.

4. Plays to Strengths

It’s important to play to people’s strengths and minimize the impact of their weaknesses. Hence why it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of your employees. Each MBTI type has its very own strengths and shortcomings and in knowing these, you can determine which roles to place your employees in. Knowing each employee’s personality type can remove any threat of misallocation in the workforce.

5. Encourages Self-Reflection

It’s important to be introspective. This way, you’ll find you have a better idea of who you are. The MBTI encourages your employees to take stock fo their emotions and think about the way that their brains work. This is crucial in providing good work, especially in creative fields. In this, they can anticipate the way that they respond to the world and people around them and find ways to anticipate their own needs.

Can you guess which personality type each member of our team has?