Employers sometimes require specialized psychological evaluation for various reasons including risk, personality, competence, cognitive profile, disability status, safety, and fitness for specific job functions. Typically, pre-employment evaluation are involved with hiring procedures for high-consequence, high-paying, high-turnover, or highly specialized job positions. When employers need a psychological assessment for a candidate or existing employee, an expert evaluator is preferred or even necessitated.
Matters of safety and potential liability are carefully examined by psychologists tasked with pre-employment screenings. For instance, firearm-carrying positions (e.g. law enforcement, private security) can be accompanied by high-risk, tense, and conflictual scenarios as part of the job. A psychologist trained in risk assessment and safety can provide an informed recommendation and summary of the candidate’s fit for a high-stakes job.
Various institutions and employers utilize psychological evaluations as a means of job matching and employee selection. Assessing applicants’ and employees’ personality variables, backgrounds, interpersonal styles, cognitive strengths, and interests allows for optimized fulfillment of positions within a company or organization. An organization can maximize its “human capital” by putting every individual member to work in ways that amplify or take advantage of strengths while minimizing liabilities associated with relative weaknesses.
In some instances, professionals may be required to undergo psychological and/or neuropsychological screening as a precondition for obtaining a license, continuing to hold a license, obtaining government employment, resuming practice, or otherwise operating within a highly regulated profession.
This may be due to an alleged indiscretion or disciplinary action, misconduct, or potentially due to questions about an individual’s cognitive capacity to perform. Some employees may take time away from work due to reasons of mental or medical illness and are required to undergo testing prior to returning to work. Employers in such situations are seeking answers from a psychological examiner as to whether an individual is fit to work in their previous position.
Also, read what I can offer in regards to fitness for duty screener for your company.