What is agreeableness? + How to test it

What is agreeableness?

Agreeableness is all about getting along well with others through kindness, cooperation, empathy, and respect. 

It’s one of the five core personality traits in the Big Five framework – a widely used model of personality types that’s often referenced in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 

The Big Five traits include openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (emotional stability). 

People who score high on agreeableness tend to care about others and value and facilitate harmony. They’re usually who others go to when they’re looking for someone to trust or confide in. 

Agreeableness is made up of the following "subtraits," or personality factors. 

• Trust: Believing others have good intentions, being open to relying on them, and giving them the benefit of the doubt

• Humility: Staying down to earth and rarely thinking they're better than others

• Cooperation: Opting for teamwork, compliance, and compromise over conflict and competition

• Altruism: Helping others without expecting anything or any praise in return 

• Politeness: Always speaking and acting with respect and consideration

• Morality: Doing what’s right and fair, and acting with honesty and integrity 

• Empathy: Actively listening to others, understanding their needs, and responding thoughtfully

Examples of agreeableness in the workplace

Here are some examples of how agreeable people operate in the workplace. They:

• Communicate in a thoughtful and non-confrontational way

• Actively listen to others in meetings and subtly make sure quieter voices are heard

• Check in on colleagues who seem stressed or overwhelmed 

• Respect differing opinions, even if they don’t agree with them

• Accept feedback without getting defensive 

• Go out of their way to include others in decisions 

• Notice tension among other staff members and step in to mediate disagreements calmly and fairly

• Mentor junior team members without being asked 

• Handle unhappy customers with patience, empathy, and understanding

How common is agreeableness? 

One study analyzed data from more than 6,000 individuals and found that the distribution of scores for agreeableness was skewed to the left – meaning many people rate themselves as highly agreeable. Notably, another study found gender differences, with women reporting higher levels of agreeableness than men. 

That said, high agreeableness across the board doesn't seem to be playing out in real life. According to recent research, about 33% of workers expect workplace conflict to worsen this year. 

Why agreeableness matters in the workplace

Here’s why you need agreeable employees on your team. 

1. Boosts psychological safety, innovation, and performance

Agreeable employees and managers often display kindness and fairness at work and ensure quieter employees are given opportunities to speak up in meetings and business decisions. When your company feels safe and inclusive for everyone, team members perform at their best, take risks, and get creative in business, according to Forbes. 

Another study also showed that agreeableness and conscientiousness interact to improve job performance and "organizational citizenship behavior" (someone’s kind and helpful behaviors that aren't part of their job description).

2. Promotes well-being 

Agreeable team members and leaders tend to be empathetic, approachable, and non-judgmental, creating space for other employees to open up about stress, burnout, or personal struggles. 

In fact, one study of 648 military personnel found that an agreeable personality was linked to overall well-being, and the effect was even stronger with a supportive leader involved. 

3. Improves employee retention 

Agreeableness at work – especially agreeable managers and leaders – promotes a more supportive and respectful work environment, where people can be their authentic selves, feel valued, and have positive emotions toward the company, which makes them stay longer. 

A survey of employees across 54 branches of nine private banks showed that agreeableness was positively linked to better work-life balance and reduced intent to leave. 

4. Strengthens teamwork and collaboration

Employees who tend to actively listen and cooperate are great at working with others, and research has positively associated agreeableness with team cohesiveness. Instead of dominating the conversation, agreeable employees look for ways to collaborate and achieve win-win outcomes for everyone. 

5. Reduces workplace conflicts and saves money

Agreeable employees are more likely to diffuse tension than escalate it. Traits like modesty, compliance, and diplomacy keep things from boiling over and ensure your workplace remains harmonious. 

Why’s this important? Because conflict comes at a high cost. According to the State of Conflict in the Workplace Survey 2024, companies can lose an average of $3,216 per employee due to time spent dealing with conflict. 

Enhances customer satisfaction 

Qualities like politeness, patience, and empathy can go a long way in building lasting customer relationships. Agreeable employees listen to customers attentively and devise tailored solutions to support their needs. A recent study found that agreeableness had a significant positive correlation to customer satisfaction. 

When agreeableness is especially important

While agreeable employees add value in every company, they’re especially important in the following roles and sectors where people skills are non-negotiable. 

• Client-facing roles in industries like retail and hospitality require patience, support, and politeness, which are key to positive guest experiences and retention. 

• Emotionally charged roles in sectors like healthcare, education, and social work require empathy and composure to help manage sensitive situations with care. 

• Sales and partnership jobs across sectors need people who are smart but also likeable enough to close favorable deals. 

• Leadership and management positions need those who can create psychologically safe and inclusive teams and resolve conflict fairly. 

• HR jobs require fairness, active listening, and kindness for building trust with employees and fostering a culture of support. 

• Diverse teams call for patience and cooperation, which are critical for team members to understand each other and stay aligned despite language or cultural barriers.

How to test candidates’ agreeableness

The most common way to test for agreeableness is through the Big Five (OCEAN) personality test, offered on platforms like TestGorilla. Candidates answer a series of statements about themselves using a scale like "very inaccurate" to "very accurate" and receive a percentile score for each trait, including agreeableness. 

While it’s a great starting point, the self-reporting aspect opens doors to biases. Some people may answer how they think they should, which doesn’t reflect their real-life personality. 

Use multi-measure testing

That’s why we recommend using this test along with other objective talent assessments for a more accurate assessment – a method called multi-measure testing. 

With TestGorilla, you can combine up to five different tests into a single assessment. 

Here are some good tests to pair with the Big Five (OCEAN) test: 

• The Active Listening test checks how candidates listen, understand, and respond to others.

• The Leadership & People Management test helps you ensure they can lead with empathy and resolve conflict.

• The Behavioral Competency Profiler test – specifically, the "Working with people" dimension – evaluates key interpersonal skills.

• The Culture Add test helps you learn about candidates’ values and what matters to them.

• Job-specific skills tests ensure you’re not just hiring based on personality theories by assessing the technical skills relevant to the role. 

Don't skip behavioral interviews

Talent assessments are excellent for spotting candidates with agreeableness. But behavioral interviews take things one step further and let you dive into how candidates have used agreeableness in real-world scenarios. 

Here are three example behavioral interview questions to test for agreeableness. 

1. Describe a time you helped a colleague experiencing negative emotions without being asked. 

2. How do you approach giving or receiving difficult feedback? 

3. Tell me about a time you’ve had a conflict with someone at work. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome? 

Look for candidates who use specific examples, have a clear approach for building relationships, and show genuine empathy for others in their responses. 

Run a group discussion or role-play

Finally, a trait like agreeableness can also be assessed through a group discussion with other candidates on a specific topic or in a one-on-one role-play with an interviewer who could act like a difficult team member or customer. 

These methods can help you observe candidates’ agreeableness and interpersonal relationships in action so you can make stronger hiring decisions. 

Hire candidates who keep the peace and lift your team with TestGorilla

In this dog-eat-dog world, employers often look for candidates who are assertive, willing to push back, and stand their ground. While this is the need of the hour, you must balance your team by also hiring employees who show agreeableness. This way, you can avoid a culture of constant tension and confrontation. 

Use TestGorilla's Big Five (OCEAN) personality model test to learn where candidates stand on the agreeableness spectrum. Combine this with our other hard and soft skills tests, culture assessments, and behavioral interviews to get the most accurate and well-rounded picture of your candidates' strengths and boost hiring decisions. 

Create a free account with TestGorilla to get started today.