The polygraph is a device that has the ability to detect whether an individual is lying or not. This type of test has no legal validity in a trial, but the business sector has been able to find a use for it, this article The polygraph in personnel selection tells us about these issues.
Today, there are many companies that have been using a polygraph as part of their personnel selection. This is because many of them do not blindly trust the “good faith” of individuals.
Through this test we seek to detect a series of behaviors, which in turn allows us to identify a more “accurate” profile of what we are looking for. Many companies have found this to be successful and have made this a “normal” part of their daily activities.
What does a polygraph examination consist of?
A polygraph test, also known as a “lie detector” is an evaluation in which different physiological changes are detected. To obtain these results, different questions that seek to generate psychological stimulation must be asked.
For a company, this assessment can be quite important when it comes to personnel selection. In this way, it is possible to determine what intentions a person may have. This is why some companies use this on a fairly frequent basis.
the polygraph
Is it legal to use a polygraph in a company?
Many people often have doubts about the legality of this assessment when using it for personnel selection. The truth is that there is a legal vacuum regarding its use by companies, even for “recreational” use.
There are a few things to keep in mind in order to use this test as part of your company’s selection:
- Data: Data obtained by part of the test, including personal data and results should be kept confidential. The only people who should have access to them are the people conducting the assessment, the recruiter and the person in question.
- No personal questions: You should avoid asking any personal questions, such as religious, political or sexual orientation. That is, the evaluation should focus only on those questions related only to the job.
- The results should not be considered to justify a dismissal: There are many companies that tend to carry out this type of tests on a frequent basis from time to time. In this case, if anything unusual is found in the employees, this should not be used as a reason for dismissal. This is due to the fact that, legally speaking, it has no legal validity.
In this case we have that there is nothing wrong with using it within a company. As long as the information collected by this means is not misused, there should be no problem. Similarly, an employee cannot be forced to undergo a polygraph test, as it must be done with his or her consent.
Is it a good idea to use the polygraph for personnel selection?
Although a great deal of information can be obtained about employees through the polygraph, it should not be used against them. However, as part of the selection process, it can be extremely important in determining a potential employee’s intentions.
So, you can get to put it to some important uses, so it’s really worth using as part of employee selection in a company.