New research shows employers are more concerned with how hard potential employees are willing to work than with their technical ability. According to a study from Instructure, a software-as-a-service company, managers are placing a much higher premium on soft skills, such as attitude and work ethic, when hiring entry-level employees than on hard trade skills. About 85 percent of hiring managers surveyed said having a strong work ethic is the most important skill for an employee to have. "Most companies are hiring talent based on soft skills like attitude and hard work, with the hope that they can train them to be up to par on things like tech skills and industry knowledge," said Davis Bell, Instructure's vice president of corporate markets.