The benefits of rikta for screening frontline candidates
Think of someone you’ve enjoyed working with, who was really good at their job. Now think of the opposite, someone who was difficult to work with or who couldn’t get the job done. In both cases, most people find it is personality or behaviour that makes these experiences positive or negative – not just technical knowledge or experience.
science behind rikta
The problem
For employers, quickly and accurately identifying whether a candidate will succeed in a job is crucial. While every organisation is different and there are countless unique tasks that people will be required to perform in their roles, using interviews, CVs, and reference checks can only go so far. These traditional methods are useful for examining experience, skills, and interpersonal communication, but they often miss crucial information about what motivates a person and how they will actually behave. Understanding a candidate’s personality is essential for building a strong organisational culture. By assessing personality traits, employers can ensure that new hires align with the company’s values and work well within the team, ultimately fostering a positive and cohesive workplace environment.
This is where personality assessments come into play. Successfully identifying high-performing people becomes much easier when you have information about a person’s personality during the hiring process. When hiring frontline employees, it is essential to have practical, reliable data about a person’s approach to people and tasks, as well as their willingness to take responsibility and remain consistent and calm. This data needs to be gathered easily, precisely, and efficiently.
the problem
Introducing Rikta
Rikta is a quick and effective way to test frontline workers for culture fit. Rikta’s quiz measures people’s characteristics using accurate and well-researched ‘Big 5’ personality scales to provide this crucial data. The same psychological science that underpins senior-level assessments in large, global businesses is now accessible for hiring frontline workers.
Hiring managers who use Rikta can identify reliable employees who genuinely enjoy assisting customers or take pride in meeting commitments. They can also avoid hiring individuals who do not fit their team or the specific job at hand.
By knowing more about how a person aligns with a job role, subsequent interviews and references can be more targeted. Rikta’s insights on the individual help supervisors provide a better experience for the candidate. Once they’re hired, Rikta continues to support managers to lead, support, and engage employees with greater insight.
Hiring managers who use Rikta can identify reliable employees who genuinely enjoy assisting customers or take pride in meeting commitments. They can also avoid hiring individuals who do not fit their team or the specific job at hand.
By knowing more about how a person aligns with a job role, subsequent interviews and references can be more targeted. Rikta’s insights on the individual help supervisors provide a better experience for the candidate. Once they’re hired, Rikta continues to support managers to lead, support, and engage employees with greater insight.
Improving the Candidate Experience
Hiring managers often subconsciously conduct personality assessments without realising it. Given the impact on job performance, they draw biased impressions from cover letters, CVs, and interviews. During an interview process, applicants have a strong incentive to present a positive impression. However, for a hiring manager, a precise assessment of personality takes time to observe.
Extensive research demonstrates that personality and potential job performance should be tested with greater care and precision (Newman and Uleman, 1989; Uleman, 1987; Funder and Colvin, 1988; Paulhus and Bruce, 1992; Spector et al., 2000; Scroggins et al., 2009), and the rikta personality test assists businesses to implement a standardised process, leading to data-led insights that assist with more effective hiring.
Using Rikta is particularly useful to give frontline workers a fairer chance of employment, especially those that have brief work experience and limited interview skills, to help them demonstrate their potential.
Research demonstrates that strong selection processes improve basic performance criteria like staff turnover, attendance, quality metrics, and task completion, as well as critical elements of service like friendliness, helpfulness, interpersonal durability, and the desire to learn.
The same psychological principles that drive Rikta are used extensively in senior corporate and executive settings because when it comes to both performance and risk management, an individual’s unique personality will determine their fit for a particular job in each workplace.
There are also notable benefits to the employer’s brand as perceived by candidates who recognise an advanced approach to hiring. Using Rikta indicates that workplace and team culture are important and that the business prioritises diversity of strengths to build a high performing team.
Candidate Experience
Driving a great employee experience
“Leaders who understand how individuals’ personalities differ can use this understanding to improve their leadership skills, which can lead to improving employees’ job performance. If leaders know their employees’ beha
vioural strengths and weaknesses, they can use these to help keep them motivated” (Science Direct, 2016).
Many frontline roles are rewarding for the right kinds of people, and when a particular person suits a particular role, they are likely to enjoy it, boosting commitment, motivation, and teamwork. Once a candidate becomes an employee, rikta assists managers to mentor their team members more effectively by aligning their management style to the individual.
With rikta, managers are guided to have deeper and more structured conversations with employees, building their capacity to support and engage their staff, whilst developing a better understanding of how personality relates to employee performance.
vioural strengths and weaknesses, they can use these to help keep them motivated” (Science Direct, 2016).
Many frontline roles are rewarding for the right kinds of people, and when a particular person suits a particular role, they are likely to enjoy it, boosting commitment, motivation, and teamwork. Once a candidate becomes an employee, rikta assists managers to mentor their team members more effectively by aligning their management style to the individual.
With rikta, managers are guided to have deeper and more structured conversations with employees, building their capacity to support and engage their staff, whilst developing a better understanding of how personality relates to employee performance.
Combining Tools for Best Hiring Results
Rikta is a highly accurate and powerful tool but is even stronger when used in combination with other forms of candidate review, such as interviews and resume screening. We don’t recommend that it’s used in isolation to make a hiring decision. By leveraging rikta, frontline businesses can enhance their hiring processes, ensuring that they bring in employees who are not only skilled but also a good fit for their teams and roles. This approach benefits individual employees and significantly boosts overall organisational performance.
The rikta personality traits
Open–minded
Likely to be imaginative, insightful, and eager to learn and experience new things. They have a broad range of interests and are adventurous in decision-making, often displaying creativity and comfort with abstract and lateral thinking. Think of someone who always tries exotic foods, visits new places, and has unique hobbies.
Conventional
Likely to prefer traditional approaches to life. They are more straightforward and task-focused, comfortable working independently and managing rules and processes, excelling in structured environments where consistency is valued. Employees may struggle with problem-solving outside their familiar knowledge base.
Conscientious
Likely to be thoughtful, organised, and goal-oriented. They love learning and tackling new challenges, often planning ahead and staying in contact to check on others’ well-being. They thrive on variety, new ideas, and solving problems. Think of someone who is always planning the next meeting, keeping their workspace tidy, and sticking to deadlines.
Spontaneous
Spontaneous employees can adapt quickly, excel in unplanned situations, and bring creative solutions by thinking beyond conventional structures. They excel in dynamic, fast-paced environments that call for flexible problem-solving. Their embrace of change can foster an energising work culture, boosting team motivation and engagement.
Extraverted
Will most likely be talkative, assertive, and emotionally expressive, thriving on being around others. They enjoy being the centre of attention and have large social networks. Think of someone who is always the life of the party, loves meeting new people, and seems to know everyone.
Introverted
Introverts bring depth and focus, excelling in independent, detail-oriented tasks. They stay engaged without needing frequent social interactions, contributing attentive listening and fresh perspectives that enhance team balance and productivity. May display less energy in social situations, and find small talk taxing.
Agreeable
More likely to be empathetic, kind, and cooperative. They manage their emotions well, remain calm under pressure, and tackle challenges head-on. They are seen as trustworthy and affectionate, often going out of their way to help others. Think of someone who always listens to your problems, volunteers their time, and is the peacemaker in group conflicts.
Competitive
They may bring resilience and focus, thriving in high-energy environments. They tend to handle setbacks independently and keep operations efficient, making quick, decisive actions that enhance productivity and strengthen team dynamics. They may focus on results over emotions, particularly in fast-paced settings.
Stable
Likely to be calm, resilient, and emotionally balanced. They handle stress well, maintain a positive outlook even in challenging situations, and are seen as reliable and steady. Think of a friend who stays calm during crises and helps others stay grounded. They are hardworking, responsible, and detail-oriented, exercising self control to achieve their goals, and often welcome responsibility.
Expressive
These individuals may experience mood swings, anxiety, and stress. They often need structure and reassurance but bring a heightened awareness of risks and strong attention to detail.
Want to Learn More?
There’s extensive published research supporting the benefits of personality testing in the hospitality industry from across the globe, supporting its effectiveness in helping organisations hire and support the best people. Here are some key findings:
Predictive Power
The rikta model is a solid predictor of how people will behave in real life (Essentials of Organisational Behaviour: 14th ed.).
It predicts performance in jobs that require employees to make their own choices and shows how an individual’s personality predicts their actions in specific situations (Academy of Management Journal, 2015).
It predicts performance in jobs that require employees to make their own choices and shows how an individual’s personality predicts their actions in specific situations (Academy of Management Journal, 2015).
Trait-Specific Performance
Studies show that the Stability scale is crucial for job performance across occupations, especially in roles involving social interaction (Salgado, 1997; Hogan and Holland, 2003; Mount et al., 1998; Judge and Zapata, 2015).
Higher Conscientiousness and Stability scores are associated with higher job performance across most job types. (Barrick et al., 2001).
Higher Conscientiousness and Stability scores are associated with higher job performance across most job types. (Barrick et al., 2001).
Turnover and Risk Indicators
Lower Stability, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness predict turnover and inappropriate workplace behaviour (Zimmerman, 2008; Salgado, 2003).
Lower Stability was a predictor of turnover intent in hotel employees (Tsaousoglou, 2009, Greece).
Lower Stability was a predictor of turnover intent in hotel employees (Tsaousoglou, 2009, Greece).
Industry-Specific Insights
Research involving tens of thousands of participants shows that certain personality traits predict specific job performance. This supports using rikta in employee selection for various job categories:
Sales: Conscientiousness is the best predictor of future performance, followed by Extraversion (Hurtz & Donovan, 2000).
Customer Service: Conscientiousness , Extraversion, and Openness correlate with customer service performance (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Hurtz & Donovan, 2000). For call centre employees, Conscientiousness, Stability, and Agreeableness are linked to productivity (Skyrme, Wilkinson, Abraham, & Morrison, 2005).
Skilled and Semi-Skilled: Conscientiousness is the strongest predictor, but Stability also plays a significant role (Ones, Dilchert, Viswesvaran, & Judge, 2007).
Hospitality: Higher Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness were identified in higher-performing restaurant staff (Yoo, 2013, Korea). Higher Conscientiousness , Extraversion, and Agreeableness predicted engagement in hotel employees (Singh, 2019).
Customer Service: Conscientiousness , Extraversion, and Openness correlate with customer service performance (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Hurtz & Donovan, 2000). For call centre employees, Conscientiousness, Stability, and Agreeableness are linked to productivity (Skyrme, Wilkinson, Abraham, & Morrison, 2005).
Skilled and Semi-Skilled: Conscientiousness is the strongest predictor, but Stability also plays a significant role (Ones, Dilchert, Viswesvaran, & Judge, 2007).
Hospitality: Higher Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness were identified in higher-performing restaurant staff (Yoo, 2013, Korea). Higher Conscientiousness , Extraversion, and Agreeableness predicted engagement in hotel employees (Singh, 2019).
