Kolbe Report Reveals Hidden ‘Misfit Work’ Crisis Costing Businesses One Day Per Week

October 21, 2025

New research shows 42% of respondents spend a quarter of their time on tasks misaligned with their natural strengths

42% of respondents spend more than 25% of their week working against their strengths, and those people are 1.5x more likely to be considering leaving their job
40% rank “tasks that fit what I do best” among the top two job satisfaction drivers, nearly tied with compensation at 41%
60% of respondents don’t have energy left for their personal life after work

PHOENIX, Ariz. (October 21, 2025) — Kolbe Corp, a leader in strengths-based performance solutions, has quantified the widespread impact of ‘misfit work’, costing businesses one full day of productivity each week, according to their comprehensive Workplace Reality Report. What Kolbe calls ‘misfit work’ refers to the productivity drain caused when employees work on tasks that fight against their natural strengths.

The statistically significant report of more than 1,000 professionals across multiple industries and countries found that 42% of workers spend at least a quarter of their week—equivalent to one full workday—on tasks that fight against their natural strengths. This “misfit work” is driving workplace stress, reducing productivity, and threatening employee retention across roles and industries.

“For nearly 50 years, we’ve been studying how people naturally take action, and this new research reveals a workplace crisis hiding in plain sight,” said David Kolbe, CEO of Kolbe Corp. “When organizations ignore instinctive strengths, they’re essentially paying employees to struggle rather than succeed.”

The report found that misfit work is directly linked to retention risk, with 38% of respondents actively looking or considering leaving their jobs because they can’t use their natural strengths. Among individual contributors, the risk is even higher, with 29% actively job hunting compared to 13% of leaders.

“The solution is surprisingly simple, yet most organizations get it wrong,” said Amy Bruske, President of Kolbe Corp. “Leaders need to match work assignments with natural strengths instead of forcing square pegs into round holes.”

The Workplace Reality Report also uncovered alarming stress levels, with 86% of respondents reporting at least one stress symptom in the past year due to work, including lost sleep (62%) and irritability (59%). Only 38% believe their current level of work stress is sustainable long-term.

The misfit work crisis comes to light as Kolbe Corp celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of pioneering work in understanding the conative part of the mind—how people instinctively take action. The company’s flagship Kolbe A™ Index has helped millions of individuals and thousands of organizations identify and leverage natural strengths for improved performance and reduced stress.

The Workplace Reality Report findings on misfit work and its impact will be previewed at KolbeCon 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona, October 22-24, along with practical strategies for organizations to address task-to-strength misalignment and create more aligned, productive workplaces.

What is misfit work?

Misfit work refers to the productivity drain caused when employees work on tasks that fight against their natural strengths, according to Kolbe Corp. This type of work costs businesses one full day of productivity each week.

How much time do workers spend on misfit work?

According to Kolbe Corp’s Workplace Reality Report, 42% of workers spend at least a quarter of their week—equivalent to one full workday—on tasks that fight against their natural strengths.

Who is Kolbe Corp?

Kolbe Corp is a leader in strengths-based performance solutions that has been studying how people naturally take action for nearly 50 years. The company offers the Kolbe A™ Index which has helped millions identify and leverage natural strengths.

What causes employee stress at work?

Misfit work is a major cause of workplace stress, with 86% of respondents in Kolbe Corp’s study reporting at least one stress symptom in the past year due to work, including lost sleep (62%) and irritability (59%).

Why do employees quit their jobs?

According to Kolbe Corp’s research, 38% of respondents are actively looking or considering leaving their jobs because they can’t use their natural strengths. This misfit work crisis is directly linked to retention risk.

What drives job satisfaction?

Kolbe Corp’s report found that 40% of respondents rank u0022tasks that fit what I do bestu0022 among the top two job satisfaction drivers, nearly tied with compensation at 41%.

How does work affect personal life?

The Kolbe Workplace Reality Report revealed that 60% of respondents don’t have energy left for their personal life after work, indicating the significant impact of workplace stress on overall wellbeing.

What is the Kolbe A Index?

The Kolbe A™ Index is Kolbe Corp’s flagship assessment that has helped millions of individuals and thousands of organizations identify and leverage natural strengths for improved performance and reduced stress.

What percentage of workers find stress sustainable?

Only 38% of respondents in Kolbe Corp’s Workplace Reality Report believe their current level of work stress is sustainable long-term, highlighting the severity of the workplace stress crisis.

Who is more likely to be job hunting?

According to Kolbe Corp’s research, individual contributors are more likely to be job hunting, with 29% actively looking for new positions compared to 13% of leaders.

How many people participated in the study?

Kolbe Corp’s statistically significant Workplace Reality Report included more than 1,000 professionals across multiple industries and countries, providing comprehensive insights into the misfit work crisis.