Psychometrics · 11 min read

Integrity and Employee Reliability Tests: A Guide for Employers

What an integrity test (employee reliability test) measures, how well it predicts, whether candidates can fake it and how to use it carefully.

Door Ingmar van Maurik · Founder & CEO, Making Moves

Short answer

An integrity test, often sold as an employee reliability test, measures attitudes and traits linked to dependable behavior at work, such as following rules, honesty and conscientiousness. It mainly predicts counterproductive behavior (such as theft, absenteeism and rule-breaking) and also job performance. Integrity tests typically show smaller group differences than cognitive ability tests and add predictive value on top of them. Use it transparently, let a low score trigger a follow-up question rather than an automatic rejection, and do not treat it as a replacement for legally required screening.

This article is part of our complete guide to assessments in hiring.

What is an integrity test?

An integrity test is a standardized questionnaire or task used to estimate how dependably someone will behave at work. There are three forms:

FormSample questionStrengthWatch out for

|---|---|---|---|

Overt"Someone who hides a mistake to protect a colleague is acting understandably." (agree/disagree)Direct and well researchedCan feel accusatory; explain the purpose Personality-based"I finish tasks even when no one is checking."Feels less confrontationalMeasures indirectly, through traits such as conscientiousness Scenarios"You notice the till doesn't balance and a colleague tells you to leave it. What do you do?"Concrete and job-focusedMust be developed per sector

Overt tests ask directly about attitudes toward rules, honesty and undesirable behavior. Personality-based tests measure traits such as conscientiousness, emotional stability and agreeableness, which are linked to dependable behavior. Scenarios work like a situational judgment test, using situations from the actual job.

What does an integrity test predict?

Integrity tests were developed to predict counterproductive work behavior: theft, fraud, absenteeism, rule-breaking and unsafe work. They also predict job performance. The large meta-analysis by Sackett, Zhang, Berry and Lievens (2022) estimates the average validity for job performance at about 0.31.

There is scientific debate, though. An early meta-analysis (Ones, Viswesvaran and Schmidt, 1993) found high values but relied heavily on research by test publishers. A later analysis using only independent studies (Van Iddekinge and colleagues, 2012) found clearly lower values. The lesson: ask your vendor for independent research, and preferably validate on your own data.

Two properties make the integrity test attractive:

  • Smaller group differences. Integrity tests typically show smaller differences between groups than cognitive ability tests.
  • Added value. It measures something other than reasoning and therefore adds predictive value to a [cognitive ability test](/en/articles/cognitive-ability-test-hiring). That combination can both improve prediction and reduce unequal outcomes.

    • In the United States, integrity tests became widespread after the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 barred most private employers from using lie detectors.

    Can candidates fake an integrity test?

    Candidates want to make a good impression, and on an integrity test the "desirable" answer is often easy to guess. You cannot prevent this entirely, but you can limit it:

  • Forced-choice questions: candidates choose between two equally desirable-sounding statements, so the "right" answer is less obvious.
  • Consistency checks: similar questions in different places show whether someone answers consistently.
  • An honest warning upfront that inconsistent or overly favorable answers stand out. That alone reduces faking.
  • Scenarios from your own practice, where the best answer is less obvious than with general statements.
  • Combining with other sources, such as a structured interview and references.

    • Using it carefully and fairly

  • Explain the purpose. Tell candidates why you measure integrity and how the result is used. Otherwise overt questions quickly feel like an accusation.
  • No automatic rejection. Let a low score lead to targeted follow-up questions in the interview, not to a rejection by the system. In the EU, Article 22 GDPR prohibits rejecting a candidate solely on the basis of automated processing where this significantly affects them.
  • Only ask what is relevant. No questions about health, private life or other topics unrelated to the role.
  • An integrity test is not a background check. Criminal record checks follow their own legal rules, and some sectors, such as security, have additional statutory screening. An integrity test complements these but does not replace them.
  • Monitor outcomes per group, even though differences are usually small; in the US, adverse impact is commonly checked with the four-fifths rule.

    • When does an integrity test make sense?

    Mainly in roles where dependability has direct consequences:

  • Responsibility for money or goods: retail, logistics, cash handling and warehousing.
  • Safety and supervision: security, transport, manufacturing.
  • Confidential data: finance, HR, IT administration.
  • Care for vulnerable people: healthcare, childcare, education.

    • In roles where these risks are limited, an integrity test adds little and mainly costs candidates time.

    Where in the process?

    An integrity test is short (usually fifteen to thirty minutes) and therefore fits well into a pre-assessment at high volume, alongside for example a short situational judgment test. Use the outcome to prioritize and probe further, not as a hard knock-out. Which combination works for which role is covered in the guide to assessments.

    Off-the-shelf or custom?

    Standard integrity tests are broadly applicable but generally worded. A custom integrity test uses scenarios from your sector: a security officer who sees a colleague skip a step in the protocol, a warehouse worker with an inventory discrepancy, a care worker with a confidential file. Such scenarios feel more logical to candidates, are harder to fake and match what really matters in your organization. How to validate them is covered in what makes an assessment valid and reliable. See also how we develop custom assessments.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is an employee reliability test?

    Another name for an integrity test: a standardized questionnaire or task that estimates how dependably someone will behave at work, for example in following rules, honesty and conscientiousness.

    Can you fake an integrity test?

    Partly. Candidates may try to give desirable answers. Forced-choice questions, consistency checks, an upfront warning and practical scenarios limit this, and combining with other sources covers the rest.

    Are integrity tests discriminatory?

    Integrity tests typically show smaller group differences than cognitive ability tests. Still, always monitor outcomes in your own candidate pool and never use the test as the only criterion.

    Is it legal for an employer to use an integrity test?

    Generally yes, provided the test is relevant to the role, candidates are informed in advance, only necessary data is processed in line with data protection law and a human makes the decision. Lie detector tests are a different matter and are largely prohibited for private employers in the US.

    What is the difference between an integrity test and a background check?

    A background check looks at records such as criminal history and follows its own legal rules. An integrity test measures attitudes and traits. They complement each other; the test does not replace the check.

    How long does an integrity test take?

    Usually fifteen to thirty minutes.

    Summary

  • An integrity test measures attitudes and traits linked to dependable behavior.
  • It mainly predicts counterproductive behavior and also job performance; ask for independent research.
  • It typically shows smaller group differences and complements a cognitive ability test well.
  • Limit faking with forced-choice, consistency checks and practical scenarios.
  • Be transparent, let a low score trigger follow-up questions and do not treat the test as a replacement for a background check.

    • Want an integrity test with scenarios from your sector? See how we develop custom assessments or get in touch.

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