How To Apply The DISC Personality Test To The Workplace

Not just a personality test, DISC is increasingly utilized to identify employees’ behavioral styles. By understanding these styles, managers can foster a more effective work environment for all. But first things first, how to apply the DISC personality test to the workplace?

Overview Of The DISC Personality Model

DISC is a personality model developed by psychologist William M. Marston in the 1920s. It analyzes individual behavior to suggest valuable insights.

So, what are the 4 DISC personality types? 

• D - Dominance: Dominant individuals are decisive, thrive on control, and enjoy challenges. They are well-suited for leadership roles or jobs requiring high initiative.
• I - Influence: Influential people are sociable and optimistic. They connect easily, bring positive energy, and thrive in team settings.
• S - Steadiness: Steady individuals are calm, patient, and reliable. They value harmony, avoid conflict, and excel in roles requiring persistence.
• C - Compliance: Compliant people are meticulous, logical, and careful. With a strong focus on accuracy and adherence to procedures, they are well-suited for analytical and evaluative fields.

An individual typically has one primary style or a combination of personality types. This leads to different ways of thinking, talking, and behaving.

Reasons To Use DISC In The Workplace

Knowing when and how to use DISC is crucial for companies to choose, manage, and train the best employees.

1. Enhance communication

Each personality type has its way of communicating. For example:

• Dominance: Values direct, bold, and straight-to-the-point dialogues. 
• Influence: Loves energetic and enthusiastic talk. 
• Steadiness: Tends to listen more, but also loves slow and steady conversations. 
• Compliance: Values factual, precise, and logical talk. 

For example, when a C-type Finance employee talks to a D-type Salesperson, they should be direct. Otherwise, the D-type will get bogged down in unnecessary details.

Understanding each type’s unique communication style helps identify common ground and balance all opinions.

2. Recruiting the right talent

The common opinion is that the Marketing team tends to be more outgoing or extroverted, while the Project Management team is more reserved and detail-oriented. All the differences might stem from their different DISC personality types. 

Many famous companies use DISC types to find the right piece for their teams. For instance, they prefer a Compliance type for Finance roles and an Influence type for BD teams. Hiring employees with compatible personalities will improve internal communication. The more suitable the employees are, the more productive the team can be.

3. Foster better company engagement activities

Companies can use DISC to boost company engagement by aligning suitable activities with different personality styles. By understanding how D, I, S, and C types prefer to participate, organizations can design more inclusive events and communicate effectively. This leads to stronger connections, better team cohesion, and a more satisfied workforce.

DISC is a valuable tool to understand employees’ preferences

Read more: How to apply the DISC test to the workplace? Tips for teambuilding

How To Use DISC In The Workplace?

Companies can integrate DISC into their working process to boost performance. Just start by grasping DISC natural and adaptive charts. Those charts indicate how an employee solves problems in workplace settings compared to familiar environments.

Once the team completes the test, managers immediately receive results revealing all members’ personality types. Their DISC profiles highlight their potential and team compatibility. This helps companies make better decisions to hire the right fit.

In sales

From DISC profiles, superiors can choose employees suitable for each role in sales

• Dominance: Sales manager, telesales, KPI-driven roles.
• Influence: Business development, event sales, livestream hosts. 
• Steadiness: Customer service, client relationship manager, account manager
• Compliance: Product manager, sales analyst, contract administrator. 

When employees take on tasks that match their strengths, they’re more motivated to deliver better results. 

In recruitment

DISC offers businesses a powerful solution to find top talent—individuals with strong skills and personality types that align with their teams in the long term.

• Before Interviews: Use DISC profiles to identify ideal candidates by matching their work styles to the role's requirements.
• During Interviews: Refer to DISC results to verify whether a candidate’s actual behavior aligns with their profile, helping determine true team fit.
• After Hiring: Re-evaluate employees with DISC after 3–6 months, as workplace dynamics can influence behavior over time.

In human resources management

HR managers can enhance internal communication by identifying the dominant DISC personality types within each department. Using DISC assessment results, which are collected during the hiring process, they can build a well-balanced mix of diverse profiles across teams. This strategic approach fosters effective cross-team communication and ultimately boosts work productivity.

To sum up, businesses can use the DISC assessments in the workplace as a comprehensive tool to strengthen teams. It helps recruit the right talent and improve cross-team collaboration.

Where To Take A Free DISC Test?

discpersonalities.com is a great choice, offering a free DISC test. In just 10 minutes of taking the test with clear questions, you will receive a detailed analysis. It highlights your dominant personality type, communication styles, strengths, and weaknesses. 

Taking the online DISC assessment here helps you identify your personality type (D - Dominance, I - Influence, S - Steadiness, or C - Compliance). Plus, it gives advice on career paths, social interaction, and self-development skills.

Final Thoughts

This article provides you with some insights about how to apply the DISC personality test to the workplace. Beyond a personality assessment tool, it is an effective tool to deeply understand individual behavior and boost work performance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What DISCs are most CEOs?

D-type people tend to be CEOs because they are more willing than any other DISC type to take risks and pioneer. However, this does not mean other personality types cannot take the lead. Each type has a distinct leadership style, and individuals can leverage their strengths (as suggested by DISC results) to become a unique leader. 

2. Can DISC be used for recruitment?

DISC is one of the most trusted assessment tools in the recruitment process. Even the Fortune 500 companies have reported using DISC tests to find the right employees. 

3. How does DISC help with teamwork?

DISC is an effective tool in managing teamwork. DISC gives teams a shared language to understand each other's styles. This improves collaboration, reduces misunderstandings, and boosts appreciation for diverse contributions.

4. Is the DISC test scientifically valid?

The DISC personality test is highly valid, especially modern DISC assessments in the workplace. In one study, DISC can predict up to 90% of a person’s behaviors at the workplace.