Extroverts will need to pair their social fluency with empathy and listening, while introverts will be called upon to assert themselves and build confidence in virtual spaces. Photo: fieldengineer.com.
Dan Schawbel discusses how the digital revolution is changing the types of personalities who thrive in this new work environment — where once extroverts ruled, introverts are also finding their place in the sun.
The nature of work has always been shaped by the people who do it — and by the environments in which they thrive.
For decades, many workplaces have quietly favoured extroverted personalities: those who speak up in meetings, build relationships quickly, and thrive in social settings.
From open-plan offices to networking-heavy corporate cultures, extroverts have often enjoyed a natural advantage in visibility and career progression. However, the future of work now looks different from the workplaces of the past.
Hybrid schedules, remote collaboration, AI-enabled communication, and asynchronous teamwork are redefining what it means to succeed.
As organisations rethink how they measure productivity, creativity, and connection, the qualities that help people excel are evolving too.
That raises a key question: Are extroverts still better primed for success in the modern world of work — or is the playing field shifting?
The answer depends on how work continues to change. Extroverts may still have an edge in roles that rely on social energy and persuasion, but the future may belong to those who can blend both introverted and extroverted traits.
This means balancing communication with focus, visibility with reflection, and technology with empathy.
As writer Susan Cain noted in her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, corporate success in the 20th century was often linked to charisma, confidence, and sociability.
Job interviews rewarded self-promotion; team-based office layouts were designed to encourage constant collaboration and conversation.
In many ways, this ”extrovert ideal” reflected its time when work was often done in person, relationships drove advancement, and communication was the key to being noticed.
The digital transformation is changing this equation. The rise of remote work, AI-assisted tools, and asynchronous communication has created an environment where success depends less on who talks the most and more on who contributes the most.
Hybrid and remote models have disrupted the dominance of in-person charisma, giving introverts more opportunities to lead and contribute without constant social pressure.
Tools such as Slack, Zoom and Teams have democratised communication, allowing quieter employees to express themselves through written messages, structured discussions, and focused digital collaboration. Many extroverts who once thrived on office energy now find virtual work isolating or draining.
Without hallway conversations, impromptu brainstorming sessions, and face-to-face interactions, extroverts often struggle to fuel their creativity and motivation.
This suggests the future of work may no longer automatically favour one personality type over another.
Success now depends on adaptability — on the ability to navigate both digital and physical spaces with equal ease.
Extroverts can use AI to amplify their strengths, generating persuasive pitches, streamlining communication, or visualising ideas in compelling ways.
Meanwhile, introverts benefit from AI’s ability to handle rote communication tasks, giving them more time to focus on deep work, strategy, and creativity.
In essence, AI is acting as an equaliser: it helps level the playing field between those who naturally speak up and those who prefer to think before they do.
Extroverts will need to pair their social fluency with empathy and listening, while introverts will be called upon to assert themselves and build confidence in virtual spaces.
Modern leadership now requires range — the ability to connect with diverse personality types across multiple channels and contexts.
The future workplace will reward leaders who create psychological safety for everyone, ensuring that both the outspoken and the reflective have space to contribute.
In this sense, the question isn’t whether extroverts or introverts are more primed for the future, it’s whether organisations can create environments that bring out the best in both.
One of the biggest shifts in today’s workplace is how employees are recognised and rewarded.
In traditional office cultures, visibility often meant being physically present — staying late, attending meetings, or socialising with leaders. That model naturally benefited extroverts.
In hybrid or remote settings, visibility increasingly comes from impact: who delivers results, drives innovation, and fosters trust across teams.
This change benefits introverts who may excel at deep thinking, problem-solving, and consistency — qualities that were often undervalued in the past.
Extroverts, however, still play a crucial role in maintaining team cohesion, energising collaboration, and building culture.
The key for both is learning to signal value in new ways, through written communication, digital presence, and consistent follow-through rather than physical proximity.
Perhaps the biggest shift of all is philosophical. The future of work is less about personality type and more about the degree to which employees feel connected to their organisation’s mission, empowered in their roles, and supported as whole people.
Extroverts may draw energy from group dynamics, but introverts often find fulfilment in meaningful, focused contributions. Both personality types crave purpose; they simply experience it differently.
Organisations that design cultures around flexibility, psychological safety, and clear purpose will get the best of both worlds.
In those environments, introverts can contribute ideas without being overshadowed, and extroverts can lead without dominating.
When success is defined by shared outcomes rather than style differences, both thrive.
The future of work won’t belong to extroverts or introverts. It will belong to the organisations wise enough to value both.
*Dan Schawbel is a bestselling author and managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, a research and advisory firm helping HR adapt to trends, drive performance and prepare for the future. This article is part of his Workplace Intelligence Weekly series.
