A number of thermoplastic polymers have been tested in uniaxial compression and by monitoring the force-displacement response of small spherical indenters loaded into the surface. The compression tests were performed using a conventional universal testing machine while the very small diamond indenters, of nominal 20 and 50 mu m radius, were impressed only a few micrometres into the surface with a high precision micromechanical probe. Results from the two approaches are compared and discussed in terms of the proposed relationships between hardness or contact pressure and yield stress for the considered polymers.