Behavioral assessment tests are new-age digital tools to measure behavioral competencies in a simulated environment. Behavioral assessment tests require candidates to demonstrate their behavioral skills in an activity that resembles an actual organizational situation. They are extensively used in psychology to observe, characterize, explain, and predict behavior. Behavioral assessments are now applied beyond the psychological study. Education and workplace settings widely use behavioral assessments to make critical people decisions.

Behavioral assessments are commonly used for recruitment and development initiatives to measure critical competencies required to perform on the job in an organization. Behavioral assessments require individuals to demonstrate behavioral competencies in one or more activities relevant to their job role and resemble an actual organizational situation. Candidates are presented with a series of realistic work-related scenarios with possible actions to be taken. They have to select either the best option or rank the possible actions based on their effectiveness.

Behavioral tests measure behavioral competencies. Behavioral competencies are a combination of skills, knowledge, and traits in an individual. Behavioral competencies are a job’s components that reflect in behavior and are observable in the workplace. Behavioral competencies often vary across job levels and job roles. Each behavioral competency can be measured through a different combination of behavioral tests, the results of which can help in better workforce planning.

One of the features of behavioral assessments is that they can measure a plethora of behavioral competencies and tendencies. They are created based on specific job functions i.e. they are customized to emulate a specific job’s realities, posing questions that reflect actual workplace situations. Behavioral assessments can be administered via virtual assessment centers, making them highly time and cost-effective, and easily scalable. Behavioral assessments can be easily combined with other tools for a holistic evaluation.

Behavioral assessments help recognize the ‘how’ and ‘what’ behind a behavior, enabling you to hire the right candidates, develop the right employees, and make informed decisions about your organization’s future leaders. Behavioral assessments are outcome-oriented and match an individual’s behavioral tendencies with job demands, leading to better workforce management and organizational planning.