By Scott Smith, Leader at People Spark Solutions
How psychometrics gives you the edge.
Hiring well is tough – especially for busy SMEs in tech, professional services and high growth businesses. Estimates suggest replacing a bad hire can cost 30-50% of their annual salary (or even more for specialist tech roles).
Beyond the direct costs, there’s lost time, slower projects, and the hit to team morale. We help local organisations cut through the guesswork of hiring decisions using psychometrics.
That might sound a bit technical, maybe even intimidating – but stick with us. Psychometric tools can be some of the smartest, most practical ways to make better hiring decisions and build stronger, more productive teams. Whether you’re hiring a new leader, developing your team, or trying to solve the mystery of why some teams click while others clash – psychometric assessments can help.
What are psychometrics (and why should you care)?
Psychometrics are simply tools that measure things like personality, behaviour, preferences, and ability. Think of them as an insight engine for your people. They help you understand what makes someone tick, how they like to work, and where they’re likely to excel.
They’re not about putting people in boxes. And they’re certainly not a magic bullet. But when used well (and ethically), they’re an invaluable extra layer of evidence alongside interviews and experience.
Why they matter for you
Hiring the right people is one of the hardest – and most important – challenges for any growing business. A wrong hire at a senior level can be incredibly costly. Studies show bad hires also reduce morale, increase turnover, and slow down projects – costs that are even harder to measure, but potentially greater.
Psychometric assessments can help you:
Understand how a candidate is likely to behave under pressure.
See if their values align with your culture
Spot potential challenge areas (or hidden strengths) early.
Reduce unconscious bias in your selection process.
But it’s not just about recruitment.
We also use psychometrics to support clients with:
Leadership development – helping managers and leaders understand their strengths and blind spots.
Team building – boosting psychological safety, collaboration, and trust.
Succession planning – identifying future leaders and supporting their growth.
We know what it’s like to be short on time and budget, with a business to run. That’s why we don’t just hand over a psychometric report and wish you luck. We work with you through the entire process: choosing the right assessment for your needs, making sense of the results with clear feedback, turning insights into action.
For example, we’ve helped:
North East SMEs making their first senior hire with formal assessments and 1:1 feedback for both the candidate and the hiring manager.
Tech teams dealing with rapid growth to improve collaboration and communication through team personality workshops.
Managers preparing for promotion to benchmark their skills and develop tailored growth plans with 1:1 coaching.
If you’re curious about how psychometrics could support your business, we’d love to help – email: scott@peoplesparksolutions.co.uk