UKG Reveals 2026 Trends Reshaping the Workforce: AI Without Trust Fails, Talent Models Must Flex, and the Employee Enablement Era Begins

LOWELL, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UKG, a leading global AI platform unifying HR, pay, and workforce management, has unveiled its three annual predictions that will impact work, leaders, and employees globally in the coming year. These 2026 labor trends will be critical for organizations, C-level leaders, and employees to navigate change confidently in the year ahead:

• Accelerating Adoption: The People-First AI Imperative
• Pursuing Agility: The Talent Ecosystem Reality
• Beyond Engagement: The Employee Enablement Era

“With the workplace changing faster than ever, leaders can no longer afford to read and react. They need to use the workforce data and insights they have to anticipate what’s next and adapt quickly to shifting labor and market trends,” said Rachel Barger, President, GTM at UKG. “The 2026 UKG Megatrends show how embracing change can be a real advantage — from using AI with a people-first approach to adopting flexible talent models and creating environments where employees can truly thrive.”

The People-First AI Imperative: trust, understanding, and collaboration are key to AI success

The reality: UKG’s Great Place to Work found that two-thirds of organizations are culturally unprepared for AI transformation, while UKG research shows only 53% of frontline employees believe their employer is preparing them for an AI-driven workplace.

The solution: Companies that prioritize trust-building and cross-functional collaboration — specifically uniting IT, HR, and Communications — will unlock AI's elusive value. Leaders, specifically frontline managers, must be educated and outspoken advocates for AI initiatives. Technology alone doesn't drive adoption. People do.

What it means for employees: In an environment where digital collaboration is rapidly becoming the norm, employees should develop targeted AI competencies that streamline core workflows and align with their organization’s or industry’s needs, reinforcing their value and a growth mindset.

The Talent Ecosystem Reality: agility, internal marketplaces, and schedule flexibility will drive retention

The reality: The talent shortage is accelerating, driven by shifting demographics, declining labor participation, and widening skills gaps. This has created a workforce talent crisis that traditional hiring can't solve. Simultaneously, losing good employees hurts even more when qualified talent is scarce, and UKG research shows that work schedules and limited career growth are the top reasons frontline employees quit.

The solution: Build an adaptive talent ecosystem that blends full-time, part-time, gig, and AI-enabled roles. Upskill existing employees to deploy where the business needs them most, and give them more control over where, when, and how much they work with flexible talent models that address both recruiting and retention pains.

What it means for employees: To remain relevant in this changing talent ecosystem, employees must cultivate adaptable skills that can be leveraged in different roles and departments at their workplace as workforce models become more fluid.

The Employee Enablement Era: strategies for autonomy, access, and personalization drive engagement

The reality: Employee engagement remains dangerously low worldwide, costing organizations billions. The root cause? Low trust and lack of empowerment. UKG research found that two in five employees lack decision-making authority, even for basic tasks like solving customer problems or improving processes.

The solution: Leaders should shift their focus from engagement programs to enablement strategies to build trust-based cultures while providing autonomy, access to tools, and personalized and holistic well-being support. According to decades of Great Place To Work research, high-trust cultures generate 42% more discretionary effort in both good and recessionary times.

What it means for employees: In high-trust environments, employees should actively and thoughtfully identify new tools and solutions, required resources, and/or barriers affecting performance. Surfacing issues and recommending solutions to leaders will strengthen an employee’s overall impact. With management support, employees can be more than problem identifiers — they can become problem solvers.

For more information about these trends and how employers and managers can adapt to these shifting workplace dynamics, UKG is holding a session about these workplace Megatrends at its next complimentary HR and Payroll e-Symposium: Understand Your Workforce on January 28, 2026.

Supporting Resources

• Register to attend the free, one-day, virtual UKG HR and Payroll e-Symposium: Understand Your Workforce on January 28, 2026, to hear more about the 2026 Megatrends and other sessions describing the tools needed to reveal workforce insights so organizations can lead with confidence, motivate teams, and create strategies that drive measurable impact.

• Learn more about UKG and our leading global AI platform that unifies HR, pay, and workforce management.
• Follow UKG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.

About UKG

UKG is a leading global AI platform for HR, pay, and workforce management. Unifying award-winning solutions with the world’s largest collection of workforce data and people-first AI, UKG delivers unrivaled insights into today’s workforce, helping organizations in every industry turn data into decisions that elevate productivity, culture, and the customer experience. Trusted by more than 80,000 organizations across 150 countries, tens of millions of employees — from small businesses to global enterprises — use UKG every day. To learn more, visit ukg.com.

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