Artificial intelligence is changing the way people work, but it is also changing what employers look for when they hire.
Our latest Hiring Intelligence Report, covering the first half of 2026, explores the traits organisations are assessing most in the first half of 2026. The report compares assessment data from January to May 2022 with the same period in 2026, giving a clear view of how employer priorities are changing since the rise of generative AI.
The top five traits assessed in H1/2026 are Stress Management, Listening, Resilient, Striving and Adaptable.
These results show a clear pattern. Employers are not only looking for technical ability or previous experience. They are placing greater emphasis on the human traits that help people stay effective in pressured, changing and people-centred environments.
1. Stress management
Stress Management is now the most assessed trait in the H1/2026 data.
This reflects a strong demand for people who can cope with pressure, tight deadlines, high workloads and unpredictable situations. Modern work is becoming more complex. Teams are often expected to move quickly, handle multiple priorities and adapt as tools, roles and expectations change.
In this environment, employers need people who can keep functioning when pressure rises.
Stress management is not about avoiding difficult work. It is about staying productive and composed when the work becomes demanding. A candidate might have the right experience on paper, but if they struggle when priorities shift or deadlines tighten, they may find the role difficult in practice.
2. Listening
The ever-popular Listening remains one of the most assessed traits in 2026, holding second place in the rankings.
This is important because it shows that employers still deeply value human skills. AI can generate information, summarise documents and speed up admin, but it cannot replace the human ability to listen properly, understand context and build trust.
Listening matters in leadership, sales, customer service, HR, management and team-based work. It helps people understand what others need, respond thoughtfully and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
In a workplace where information is produced faster than ever, listening becomes even more valuable. The ability to pay attention and understand people is still central to good work.
3. Resilient
Resilient remains firmly in the top three.
This trait reflects the ability to recover from setbacks, handle criticism and keep going when things do not go to plan. Its continued position near the top of the rankings shows that resilience remains a core workplace requirement.
Employers know that most roles involve obstacles. Projects change. Feedback can be difficult. Customers can be demanding. Teams can go through periods of uncertainty.
Resilient candidates are more likely to stay steady through those moments. They are less easily knocked off course and more able to keep performing when conditions are not perfect.
This links closely with the rise of stress management. Employers are looking for people who can handle pressure in the moment and recover well afterwards.
4. Striving
Striving has moved up the rankings and now sits in fourth position.
This shows that employers still value drive, ambition and outcome focus. High scorers on this trait are motivated by achievement and like work with clear goals.
The rise of Striving adds an important balance to the report. Employers are not only looking for people who are calm and resilient. They also want people who are motivated to deliver.
The strongest candidates in 2026 are not passive or just steady, they combine emotional control with action. Employers want people who can cope with pressure, but still push work towards a clear result.
5. Adaptable
Adaptable remains in the top five, even though it has moved down slightly since 2022.
This trait reflects the ability to adjust behaviour to suit different people and situations. It remains highly relevant as workplaces continue to change. New tools are being introduced, job roles are shifting and teams often need to work across different functions, locations and systems.
The slight drop may suggest that adaptability has become more of a baseline expectation. Employers may now assume that candidates need to be adaptable, while placing extra attention on traits such as stress management, listening and resilience.
Even so, Adaptable remains one of the most assessed traits in 2026. Candidates who can adjust without losing focus are still highly valuable.
The main risers: calm, variety and self-development
Beyond the top five, the report also highlights several traits gaining strong momentum.
Calm has risen sharply, moving from 18th in 2022 to 7th in H1/2026. This reinforces one of the strongest themes in the data: employers are looking for emotional composure. They want people who can remain cool, measured and steady in difficult situations.
Variety has also moved into the top 10, rising from 22nd to 8th. This suggests growing demand for people who enjoy varied work, can manage several tasks in parallel and are comfortable with changing priorities.
Self-development is another major riser, moving from 26th to 9th. In the AI era, this is especially important. Employers cannot only hire for what someone knows today. They need people who are motivated to keep learning as tools, skills and expectations change.
Together, these risers show that employers are looking for people who can stay steady, handle variety and keep improving.
What this means for hiring in 2026
The H1/2026 Hiring Intelligence Report shows a clear pattern in employer priorities.
The most valued candidates are not defined by one single trait. They are people who can stay productive under pressure, listen well, recover from setbacks, pursue clear goals, adapt to different situations and keep learning as work changes.
For hiring teams, this creates a practical challenge. These traits are difficult to judge from a CV alone. Many candidates can say they work well under pressure or enjoy learning new things. The real question is whether those qualities can be assessed fairly and consistently.
That is where evidence-based hiring tools become valuable.
At Clevry we help organisations assess the traits that matter, giving hiring teams clearer insight into how candidates are likely to behave and perform at work.
To see the full findings, read the Report here.
