Personality tests for team building

Teamwork, it’s often said, makes the dream work—at least when done right. But it’s not always easy getting everybody on the same page, particularly when a wide range of personalities, communication styles, and work habits are in the mix. 

Thankfully, that’s where personality tests for team building can provide some valuable, helpful insights for maximizing team harmony—offering a deeper understanding of how your coworkers think, communicate, and collaborate. 

And the results speak for themselves: one study found that companies using regular personality assessments saw a 15% boost in employee engagement and slashed turnover rates by 25%. Not bad for a few minutes answering questions!

Below, we’ll take a closer look at:

• What workplace personality tests are and how they can be a game-changer for team building.
• How they support team dynamics by improving communication, engagement, and collaboration.
• What to look for in a test to ensure it aligns with broader organizational or team goals.

What is a workplace personality test?

Simply put, a workplace personality test is a diagnostic test designed to help teams understand individual traits, behaviors, and preferences. 

Personality tests identify key characteristics, such as whether someone thrives in structured environments or prefers flexibility. It then explores how those traits might influence workplace interactions. That kind of clarity can help managers reduce misunderstandings while more effectively leveraging team strengths.

How personality tests support team building

While it can be fun to learn fun facts about your coworkers, personality tests for team building are a lot more than a party game. By helping team members understand each other’s communication styles, strengths, and stressors, these assessments foster collaboration and improve overall workplace dynamics.

For example, personality tests can highlight potential areas of conflict, allowing teams to address them proactively before they escalate. They also provide employees with a clearer sense of their own strengths and growth opportunities, connecting personal goals to professional development. That sort of self-awareness can boost engagement and motivation, helping employees bring their best to the table.

Additionally, these tests make it easier for teams to work with diverse personality types by bridging differences in working styles and preferences. When everyone knows how to play to each other’s strengths, decision-making becomes faster, and collaboration flows more naturally, which benefits the whole team. 

What to look for in personality tests

Not all personality tests are created equal, so it’s important to choose one that aligns with the needs of your team and organization. Here are a few key factors to consider. 

As you begin, outline some specific goals you’re hoping to achieve by conducting these assessments. Are you hoping to identify individual strengths, better understand team dynamics, or improve communication? Establishing a clear purpose will help you narrow your options and ensure the results provide actionable insights.

Next, review what the test measures—does it assess communication styles, decision-making under pressure, or collaboration preferences? For example, if improving coordination is your goal, prioritize assessments that highlight how individuals work together.

Finally, make sure the test is accessible, reliable, and easy to understand—clear instructions, unbiased results, and practical recommendations are all good signs. And don’t forget to plan the next steps—whether that’s a team workshop or one-on-one coaching—to ensure these insights don’t go to waste. 

Most common personality tests for team building

The Predictive Index

The Predictive Index (PI) offers comprehensive tools that delve deeper than traditional personality tests, providing valuable insights into workplace behaviors and cognitive abilities. 

The PI Behavioral Assessment is an untimed, free-choice, stimulus-response tool that measures an individual’s natural behavioral drives and needs. By answering two simple questions, participants reveal their behavioral patterns, enabling organizations to understand complex human behavior in six minutes or less.

Complementing this is the PI Cognitive Assessment, a 12-minute evaluation consisting of 50 multiple-choice questions across verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning categories. This assessment provides insight into a person’s capacity to learn, adapt, and grasp new concepts, offering a predictive measure of their ability to handle the cognitive demands of a role.

Together, these assessments equip organizations with data-driven insights to make informed talent decisions, enhance team dynamics, and align individual capabilities with business strategies.

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 12 minutes
• Format: 50 multiple-choice questions
• Best for: Individuals and teams

Enneagram 

The Enneagram is a personality profile that categorizes individuals into one of nine distinct types, each representing a core motivation and behavioral pattern. This system offers deeper self-awareness and is often utilized to enhance workplace communication, resolve conflicts, and improve team dynamics.

For teams, the Enneagram provides insights into how different personality types interact, highlighting potential friction points and areas for collaboration. By understanding the motivations behind each type’s behavior, teams can foster empathy and create a more harmonious working environment.

The Enneagram assessment typically takes about 10–20 minutes to complete and is best suited for teams that value emotional intelligence and interpersonal growth. While it encourages personal reflection and team cohesion, some critics argue that its results can feel subjective compared to other, more data-driven assessments.

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 10-20 minutes
• Format: Questions with answers on a scale
• Best for: Understanding personality types and how they interact with one another across a team

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a widely used personality assessment tool that categorizes individuals into 16 distinct personality types based on preferences in four scales: Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I), Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N), Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F), and Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P). 

The MBTI can help team members understand their own and each other’s preferences, leading to improved communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution. By recognizing diverse working styles, teams can leverage individual strengths and address potential challenges more effectively.

The assessment typically takes about 15–25 minutes to complete and is best suited for teams aiming to enhance interpersonal understanding and cohesion. While it provides valuable insights, some critics argue that the MBTI lacks scientific validity and reliability compared to other assessments.

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 15-25 minutes
• Format: Questionnaire with multiple-choice answers
• Best for: Individuals and teams

DiSC

The DiSC assessment is a widely used tool that categorizes individuals into four primary personality styles: Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), and Conscientiousness (C). Each style reflects distinct behavioral tendencies and communication preferences, offering insights into team interaction and collaboration.

The assessment is straightforward and typically takes about 15–20 minutes to complete. It can be especially beneficial for teams seeking to improve interpersonal dynamics and foster a more cohesive working environment. 

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 15-20 minutes
• Format: Personality-based questions
• Best for: Understanding an individual’s behavior, communication, and how they interact with others

The Big Five Personality Traits 

The Big Five Personality Traits test categorizes individual differences into five core dimensions: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (often remembered by the acronym OCEAN). 

For team-building, the Big Five is particularly effective at uncovering how individual traits influence team dynamics. For example, high levels of Conscientiousness often correlate with dependability and strong organizational skills, while high Extraversion is linked to effective communication and energy in collaborative settings. By assessing these traits, teams can better allocate roles, improve communication, and reduce potential conflicts.

The Big Five assessment is typically delivered as a self-reported questionnaire and takes about 10–15 minutes to complete. It’s best suited for teams that want a deeper, research-backed understanding of personality traits and how they affect workplace interactions. While its scientific rigor is a significant advantage, some may find it less accessible than more streamlined tools like the DiSC or MBTI.

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 10-15 minutes
• Format: Questionnaire
• Best for: Understanding how different personality types can work together

CliftonStrengths Assessment

Unlike traditional personality tests—which typically categorize individuals into fixed types or personas—CliftonStrengths focuses on pinpointing specific areas where a person naturally excels.

The assessment evaluates 34 talent themes, which are grouped into four domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. By understanding these themes, teams can leverage individual strengths to enhance collaboration and adaptability.

Typically, the assessment takes about 30–45 minutes to complete and provides a comprehensive report detailing an individual’s top strengths. It’s particularly beneficial for teams aiming to build a strengths-based culture, where each member’s contributions are recognized and optimized. 

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 30-45 minutes
• Format: Questionnaire where the individual reflects on how strongly they agree with each statement
• Best for: Teams focused on a strengths-based culture

Hogan Personality Inventory

The Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) is a psychometric assessment designed to evaluate normal personality traits that influence workplace performance. It consists of seven primary scales: Adjustment, Ambition, Sociability, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Prudence, Inquisitive, and Learning Approach. Each scale provides insights into specific behavioral tendencies, such as leadership potential, dependability, and interpersonal skills.

The assessment typically takes 15–20 minutes to complete.

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 15-20 minutes
• Format: Questions with answers on a four-point scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree
• Best for: Individuals or teams

Keirsey Temperament Sorter

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS) is a self-assessed personality questionnaire that categorizes individuals into four temperaments: Artisan, Guardian, Idealist, and Rational.

Each temperament encompasses four distinct personality types, resulting in a total of 16 types. This framework provides insights into individuals’ communication styles, decision-making processes, and interpersonal dynamics. In team-building contexts, the KTS aids in understanding diverse working styles, fostering collaboration, and enhancing communication. 

The assessment is straightforward and typically takes about 10–15 minutes to complete. It’s particularly beneficial for teams seeking to improve interpersonal dynamics and foster a more cohesive working environment. 

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 10-15 minutes
• Format: Personality questionnaire
• Best for: Individuals and teams

The Eysenck Personality Inventory

The Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) measures two primary dimensions of personality: Extraversion-Introversion and Neuroticism-Stability. The EPI consists of 57 yes-no questions, providing insights into an individual’s typical behavior and emotional responses.

For teams, the EPI helps identify individual differences in sociability, impulsivity, and emotional stability. Understanding these traits can enhance team dynamics by facilitating better communication, role allocation, and conflict resolution. For example, individuals scoring high on extraversion may excel in collaborative tasks, while those with lower neuroticism levels might handle stress more effectively.

The assessment is straightforward and typically takes about 10–15 minutes to complete. It’s particularly beneficial for teams seeking to improve interpersonal dynamics and foster a more cohesive working environment. 

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 10-15 minutes
• Format: 57 questions with yes/no answers
• Best for: Improving interpersonal skills in teams and a stronger work environment

NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) 

The NEO Personality Inventory evaluates five broad traits: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. From there, each domain is further divided into six sub-traits, providing a detailed profile of an individual’s personality.

The assessment is among the longer ones on this list: consisting of 240 items and typically taking 30–40 minutes to complete. 

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 30-40 minutes
• Format: Assessment
• Best for: Understanding an individual’s personality

True Colors

The True Colors personality assessment categorizes individuals into four color-coded types—Blue, Gold, Green, and Orange—with each representing specific traits and communication styles. 

• Blue: Compassionate, empathetic, and focused on relationships.
• Gold: Organized, dependable, and task-oriented.
• Green: Analytical, logical, and driven by knowledge.
• Orange: Energetic, spontaneous, and adaptable.

The assessment typically takes 10–15 minutes and is notable for its simplicity and accessibility. In team-building contexts, True Colors helps foster better communication, assign roles based on strengths, and encourage collaboration. 

While True Colors offers valuable insights, critics note that its broad categories may oversimplify individual complexity, making it best used alongside other assessments.

Quick Glance:

• Time to complete: 10-15 minutes
• Format: Series of statements that individuals rate 
• Best for: Understanding individuals’ personality types and values

Related: How to leverage workplace personality tests

How The Predictive Index can help

Building effective teams is no easy task, but the right tools make all the difference. As we’ve explored, personality and behavioral assessments provide valuable insights into team dynamics, communication styles, and individual strengths. 

The Predictive Index takes it further with behavioral assessments that go far beyond typical personality tests. With tools like the PI Behavioral Assessment and the PI Cognitive Assessment, teams can gain a deeper understanding of workplace behaviors and capabilities. Ready to unlock your team’s full potential? Learn more about how The Predictive Index can support your talent strategy and drive lasting success.