Change is constant. Expectations are rising. But in 2026, speed won’t be the differentiator. Intent will.

Built on insights from almost 2,500 Certified Top Employers worldwide.

A shift leaders can’t ignore

In 2026, organisations will be judged by what they prioritise and how consistent they are in delivering it. Under sustained pressure and limited capacity, organisations can no longer rely on speed or scale alone.

This report explores five shifts redefining the world of work, highlighting how leading employers are designing organisations to operate with clarity, coherence and purpose under pressure. Not as headlines. As leadership decisions.

What’s shifting in 2026

In 2026, organisations are operating under sustained pressure and with limited capacity. In this environment, speed and reaction are no longer enough. It’s simply not possible to keep responding faster or adding more initiatives without creating fragmentation and burnout.

That’s why the shifts we’re seeing are not isolated trends. They reflect a move towards deliberate organisational design. Leading employers are making intentional choices about how work is structured, how decisions are made, and where leadership attention is focused. In short: designing for coherence, not reacting for pace.

These shifts reflect deliberate choices about what matters most. The question is: whether your organisation is designed to sustain performance as pressure continues? Discover the report.

What you’ll take away

This report provides a clear lens on what matters most in 2026, and the deliberate choices leaders must now make to sustain trust, resilience and performance.

Inside the report, you’ll explore:

Where to focus leadership attention
How to strengthen trust while accelerating change
What intentional design looks like in practice
How leading employers are shaping the year ahead

The world of work is changing. It is simply not possible to continue to respond faster. Will your organisation change by reaction or by design?

Download the full report by filling out the form below.

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

First Name(Required)

Last Name(Required)

Email(Required)

Job title(Required)

Country(Required)

Total number of employees globally (in all countries where your company is present)(Required)

Where did you hear about us?(Required)

Do you want to receive communication on webinars, reports or on HR trends from us in the future?(Required)

Yes

If newsletter selected – What is your language preference?(Required)

I hereby accept that the data I shared will be handled according to the Privacy Statement and Cookie Policy(Required)

I agree