Alarm Over Staff Tests Linked To Scientology

Daily Mail - London/August 28, 2001

Leading British companies are being warned to watch out for mail shots from an organisation linked to the Scientologists, the controversial religious group whose devotees include US film stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

Personnel executives have received letters from Silhouet UK, inviting them to fill in psychometric test questionnaires as a 'free introductory service', according to People Management magazine.

The copyright on the test is for L Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. Psychometrics is big business. The Industrial Society reckons 5,000 different tests are currently used to select more than half the managers in Britain. But critics claim the tests are useless and unfair.

There are also concerns over how the information gleaned might be used. Silhouet UK claims it uses the L Ron Hubbard test 'because of its value as a management tool.'

But Robin Chater, secretary-general of the Federation of European Employers, said: 'Participants should certainly be informed that the information they provide will be analysed by a company involved in promoting Scientologist principles.'