Which type of bread perfectly represents your personality? What’s your zodiac sign? Do you know your Myers-Briggs type? I would guess that you’re an ISTP!
Even if you wholeheartedly disagree with what these tests and signs say about you, it’s always fun to discuss our personalities and what makes us the way that we are. As long as that information isn’t weaponized against us, especially in the workplace.
One woman recently detailed on Reddit how she maliciously complied with her boss’ demand to take a personality test. Below, you’ll find the full story, along with some of the replies amused readers left her!
This woman’s boss thought it would be a clever idea to make his team take a personality test
Image credits: GaudiLab / Envato (not the actual photo)
But he didn’t anticipate anyone’s results matching up with his
Image credits: BGStock72 / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: BGStock72 / Envato (not the actual photo)
Later, the woman provided a brief update on the situation
Image credits: woolen_goose
Many companies use personality tests to assess employees today
I’ve been taking personality tests for decades now. It all started with the ones in American Girl Magazine, Seventeen and Tiger Beat. I just had to know what kind of house I would end up living in one day (beachside condo) and which dress would be the perfect prom dress for me (even though I was only 12). Later, I graduated to online personality quizzes that would tell me which kind of soup represents my soul and where I should move to if I ever win the lottery. Then, eventually, I made my way to tests like Myers Briggs and Enneagram.
But personality tests aren’t always taken just for fun. According to Psychology Today, about 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality tests to assess their employees. These are used to help hire, build teams, train new team members and develop relationships. But the reality is, most of these tests aren’t entirely accurate and can be completely meaningless.
Leaders reports that about 80 million people take a personality test each year, but the results of these tests aren’t often fair. They typically assume that traits are fixed, which can unfairly impact candidates and employees. For example, companies may be more inclined to hire extroverted workers who are extremely social. But being introverted is by no means a personality flaw, and plenty of reserved individuals can adapt to working in an office environment and being social when needed.
But the results of these tests should be taken with a grain of salt
As we’ve seen in this story, some toxic bosses might also try to weaponize personality tests against employees. PEAT warns that personality tests can sometimes collect unlawful data from employees, such as information about mental health conditions or traumatic experiences.
These tests are also often used to ensure that workers fit into the culture of a company, but that can undermine diversity goals. There is absolutely no need to have a company full of extremely similar people. In fact, that will likely do more harm than good. Best Buy, CVS, and Target have all found themselves in hot water for using personality tests to discriminate against applicants.
While personality tests can understandably put employees on edge, the test was only a drop in the bucket of issues that came from this particular boss. Nobody wants to be stuck dealing with a toxic manager, but unfortunately, most of us know that experience all too well. According to a 2023 Harris Poll, 71% of workers say they have had at least one toxic boss in their careers. In fact, one third of employees say that they’re currently stuck working for one.
A toxic boss can take a huge toll on employees and the company
Sadly, having a toxic boss can impact workers’ lives outside of the office too. 71% of those surveyed admitted that they have anxiety on the weekend about going back to work on Monday, also known as “Sunday Scaries.” And over half of employees say that they’ve even had nightmares about their horrible bosses. 41% of workers have started going to therapy due to a toxic boss, and two thirds have heard their employers say, “What I say is final because I am the boss.”
It’s clearly very painful for employees to be stuck in a toxic workplace with a boss who makes them feel uncomfortable, but it doesn’t only impact their wellbeing and mental health. A bad boss can also take a huge toll on a company. According to Training Industry, nearly half of employees say that they intentionally decrease their effort at work when dealing with an awful manager.
38% of workers have no problem lowering the quality of work if they’re unhappy with their manager, and 63% report that they’ve lost time working while trying to avoid their boss. 78% of workers say their commitment to the company has declined, due to not liking their boss, and a quarter of employees admit that they’ll even take out their frustration on customers.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda piece featuring malicious compliance in the workplace, we recommend checking out this article!
Later, the employee responded to a few readers and provided additional details
Amused readers applauded the woman and chimed in with similar stories of their own
