Hiring Managers Call Workplace Personality Adaptation a Core Professional Skill, Survey Finds

HR Dive · United States · Sep 16, 2026

A new Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey of 1,000 U.S. job seekers and 1,000+ hiring decision-makers found that 86% of job seekers view personality adaptability as a core professional skill, with 94% of hiring managers saying it affects perceptions of job performance. Gen Z workers showed the highest adaptability, with 80% reporting they adjusted their personalities to fit workplace culture. The findings highlight a growing emphasis on cultural fit and soft skills in hiring decisions, while also surfacing a gap: only half of job seekers said their employers offer guidance on adapting to workplace culture. Express Employment International CEO Bob Funk Jr. cautioned that culture should set behavioral expectations without prescribing identity.