When it comes to using a lie detector test for business or organisation, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using lie detectors on your employees. Obviously, there are those individuals who are not going to take well to being questioned about their day to day activities, and you’ll get people who do not mind being asked if it means that they are trusted. We’re taking a look at some of the pros and cons of subjecting workers to a lie detector.
So, what are the advantages?
One of the main benefits to using a lie detector when it comes to your employees is that you’ll always get the truth from them when you want it. Sometimes, there can be cases of theft or other immoral conduct going on in the workplace. Now obviously, no one is going to admit to having done something they shouldn’t have because it will most likely see them fired from their position. Therefore, you’ll often find that you need to break out the lie detector to make sure that you know who is being honest with you and who is not. There’s very little that can be done when it comes to a lie detector test, so there’s no real way to escape the truth.
Another advantage is that you’re setting a high standard for your employees. When it comes to using a lie detector test, people will know that there is absolutely no point in doing immoral things, as you’ll be both found out and then punished accordingly. Therefore, it is more likely that people will choose to do the right thing on a consistent basis, especially if they can’t see a way to do the wrong thing and then get away with it.
What are the disadvantages of using a lie detector?
Obviously, there are going to be disadvantages as well as advantages. One of the biggest problems that you will find is that you’re going to get a drop in morale because your employees are going to feel as if they are not trusted to be good and morally upstanding workers. The small minority which is causing a problem will negatively affect the entire workforce, so be careful.
Another issue is that the test many not give you the results that you’re looking for. A lot of employees, when faced with the thought of a trial like this one, will often see it as a reason for worry and will thus panic regardless of whether or not they’re guilty of doing anything wrong or not. This will make it much harder to distinguish between those who are just nervous and those people who are just legitimately lying to you.
Overall, these are just a few of the pros and cons which are associated with using a lie detector test in an office or work environment. While they are handy tools when you want to get down to the truth of a matter, you can also find that a drop in morale and results which are not accurate can also be commonplace, so do be careful when using one.