Given the prevalence of such tests in renowned companies all over the globe, one cannot ignore the negative attributions of such tests. Any worker becomes a part of any organization with different insights and ambitions to provide assistance in shaping the path to the company’s success and to facilitate the company to accomplish its vision and mission. Similarly, the organization seeks to be responsible for an employee’s well-being and his personal development. Hence the company should plan such ventures and apply such strategies which promote the growth of employees instead of inhibiting them.
Putting an employee in a position where they have to choose between saving their work or family is a choice no good company should put their worker in. Due to this, they might lose skilled workers. Nonetheless, given the growing diversity and different types of people joining any organization, the honesty tests enable the companies to select the prospective employees who would be honest, loyal and trustworthy to ensure that their good reputation and brand name remain intact and they don’t have to suffer on the mistake of a single dishonest employee.
The same is the case of the existing employees, for whom if honesty tests are conducted with the opinion of company’s wellbeing, I believe I would have no problem with taking such tests, as I would be working as an honest part of the company and would try to contribute in any way to the company’s benefit. However, the companies also need to keep in view that such tests are not based on bias, and the element of discrimination against any individual is never there when such tests are conducted. If such tests were conducted as a technique to pressure me as an employee, I’d stand against them entirely. Hence, it depends more on the underlying motives behind conducting such tests.
References
Bernardin, H. John, and Donna K. Cooke. “Validity of an honesty test in predicting theft among convenience store employees.” Academy of Management Journal 36.5 (1993): 1097-1108.
Wanek, James E. “Integrity and honesty testing: What do we know? How do we use it?.” International Journal of selection and assessment 7.4 (1999): 183-195.
