Adaptability has become a defining career skill, but it’s not an infinite resource.
Over recent years, organisations have relied heavily on their employees’ ability to adapt. Disruption from COVID-19, shifts in the way we work, and the rapid emergence of AI have made change the only constant feature of our everyday working lives. In this context, adapting to change has moved from a desirable capability to an essential part of how people remain effective and employable.
Our Career Pulse research clearly reflects this shift. “Adapt to Change”, scored highest overall among our seven career skills. Individuals consistently reported their confidence in their ability to navigate disruption, learn new ways of working and respond well to changing conditions.
What is Career Pulse? It’s The Career Innovation Company’s established career skills assessment, used by more than 30,000 people globally over the past fifteen years. It measures seven career skills linked to career growth, confidence and satisfaction, helping individuals understand their strengths and where they can take action to build career momentum and adaptability. So, this analysis draws on Career Pulse data from 2018-2025, offering insight into how people and organisations have managed careers through a prolonged period of disruption and uncertainty.
This skill’s importance has only increased over recent years, with the link between adaptability and career satisfaction strengthening considerably. This suggests that those who are better equipped to navigate change are also more likely to feel positive about their careers. In other words, “Adapt to Change” has become central to the way people maintain confidence, momentum and employability in a changing environment.
However, this raises an important question: what happens when the expectation to continuously adapt outpaces people’s capacity to do so?
While many employees still report feeling capable of adapting, there are signs that the energy required to continue to adapt may be weakening. Overall “Adapt to Change” scores have declined post-COVID – and scores have not yet returned to pre-COVID levels. This aligns with broader patterns we’ve observed, from the ‘Great Resignation’ to more subtle forms of disengagement, where constant change begins to shift adaptability from a source of strength to a cause of fatigue.
For organisations, this has important implications. Adaptability is often treated as something individuals are simply expected to bring to work with them. However, our data suggests it should instead be understood as something that organisations must actively support and sustain over time. To assume that employees will continue to absorb disruption without consequence overlooks what it is that enables adaptability to translate into positive career experiences.
Our findings point strongly towards the importance of organisational support, especially through skills being fully utilised, performance being recognised and rewarded, as well as access role-relevant development.
This is needed so individuals can see a clear connection between adapting and moving forward. Without this, even the most highly capable employees may start to disengage.
Therefore, the challenge is not simply building adaptability but also sustaining it over time. We must recognise that although people may have learnt how to navigate change, it doesn’t mean they can continue absorbing disruption indefinitely.
So, ask yourself this: are you treating adaptability as a strength to support, or as a resource to consume?
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