A woman bursts into an office with a cup of coffee in hand. The people at their desks have their heads in their hands. They have a presentation today and they’re nowhere near ready. The latecomer compliments her colleagues’ outfits and then asks: “What presentation?”

This exact story is a TikTok skit. But it might be a scenario you’re familiar with: a classic case of colleagues divided into those who actually get work done versus those who are there to socialise, joke around, and generally deliver the good vibes rather than the KPIs. This latter type is known as the ‘personality hire’ – those whose positive attitudes and social skills are perhaps more applauded than their ability and experience in the job itself – and it’s a major topic of discussion online.

On TikTok, videos referencing ‘personality hires’ have over 54 million views. Offline, discussions about what assets are right for the job are happening too. Research shows that feeling psychologically safe enough to showcase your full self at work boosts team effectiveness and creativity, yet a quarter of office workers say chatty colleagues are the biggest in-office distraction, according to a survey by Currys. Are people really getting hired primarily for their personality? And if so, what are these personality hires doing to our workplaces?

How being the ‘personality hire’ can help and hinder your career