What are the top workplace trends in 2026? Part 1

This is the first part in a two-part series on workplace trends in 2026.

Look out for part two of the series later this month, where we’ll explore two more areas of focus for professionals.

In 2026, five trends are set to reshape the workplace:  

• AI will become a core skill, not an add-on. 
• You’ll need to fight ‘FOBO’. 
• Entry level roles will continue to decline. 
• Authenticity will matter more than ever.  
• Life Sciences will offer new career opportunities.  

Introduction 

As the new year rolls around, it’s time to look at the top workplace trends in 2026 for professionals – and there’s only one place to start. 

Artificial Intelligence and automation are embedding themselves into the way we work like never before. AI is impacting job searches, daily tasks and even career paths. 

Your ability to use AI tools effectively, consistently and ethically will define your career success in 2026. That’s why, this year, we’re exploring the different ways these technologies will impact you.  

In the first of our two-part series, you’ll discover why now is the time to start upskilling and what you can do to take the next step. 

Why is AI a core skill in 2026?  

Summary: AI skills are no longer a competitive edge; they are a core requirement for career growth.  

Key facts:  

• 81% increase in LinkedIn members with AI skills since last year. 
• Demand for AI skills is rising across all professions, not just tech. 
• Candidates with an aptitude for continuous learning will come out on top.  

Dig deeper: 

LinkedIn Talent Insights indicates an 81% increase of members on the platform with Artificial Intelligence skills since last year. As we explored in our 2025 Future of Work report, many organisations are “hyper-focused on getting themselves ‘AI-ready’” and prioritising a future-ready workforce.  

Despite this rapid growth, there’s still a large disparity between employer demand and professionals with the right skills. 

So where does that leave you? 

Firstly, this isn’t just relevant for people in tech.  

• Marketing professionals on LinkedIn with AI skills have doubled in the last 12 months, including Social Media Managers (107% increase) and Marketing Analysts (117%).  
• Similarly, there’s been a 119% growth in Graphic Designers boasting these skills, and 115% for Public Relations Specialists.  

If you aren’t able to prove that you’ve got these capabilities on your LinkedIn profile, you’re being left behind. 

However, you can also take it one step further and dedicate yourself to a role that doesn’t just incorporate Artificial Intelligence, but lives and breathes it. For example, the number of LinkedIn members listing “AI” and “financial reporting” as combined skills has grown by 144% since last year. 

It’s time to stop thinking about AI as something to help you in your responsibilities and decide how it can be fully integrated into your workflows. Candidates who can demonstrate futureproof ways of working (and an aptitude for continuous upskilling) are the ones that employers will bet on. 

How can professionals fight FOBO?  

Summary: FOBO is widespread, but upskilling and proactive learning are the best defences. 

Key facts: 

• Only 21% of professionals are optimistic about their career prospects in the next 2–5 years. 
• 88% are willing to upskill in AI, but only 41% of organisations offer AI training. 
• Under half (42%) of professionals below director level use AI regularly. 

Dig deeper:  

Even in 2023, FOBO – or Fear of Becoming Obsolete – was mentioned by McKinsey and the WEF. People were doubting whether they had the skills to thrive in a post-pandemic workplace and generative AI’s rapid evolution only exacerbated those concerns. 

However, although the term might sound like a trend, it was more widespread that that – and it’s not gone away, either. 

Research from Hays’ most recent Salary Guides worldwide has found the following: 

• Under half (42%) of professionals below director level are using AI regularly. 
• Across all seniority levels, only 21% of respondents are optimistic that their career prospects will improve in the next 2-5 years. 
• The ability to learn and upskill was rated as the most important human skill (or soft skill) in today’s world of work. 

These stats suggest that many professionals are unfamiliar with the AI tools that will help them. Despite understanding the importance to improve in this area, too few employers are providing support. While 88% of respondents state they would be willing to upskill in AI, only 41% of organisations offer training on AI tools to their employees. 

If you’re in this position, you’re not alone – but there are ways to get ahead. We’ve covered this in more detail in this blog, but the three key strategies are: 

• Technical training: take online courses to help you learn more. 
• Hands-on experience: experiment with different tools and understand how they can support you in your existing responsibilities. Search for tips and tutorials that can help you with different use cases. 
• Staying up to date with industry trends: with such rapidly changing technology, you won’t stay ahead for long if you sit still. Subscribe to relevant newsletters or follow thought leaders on platforms such as LinkedIn to keep informed. 

How is automation impacting early careers?   

Summary: Automation is reducing the volume of entry-level roles available, especially in process-driven jobs. 

Key facts: 

• AI could eliminate 50% of entry-level white-collar roles by 2030. 
• The biggest impact is seen in tech and marketing roles. 
• Extra-curricular activities will become key differentiators in the application process.  

Dig deeper:AI’s disruption of the job market took a further step in May when Anthropic CEO, Dario Amodei, declared that AI could potentially eliminate 50% of entry-level white-collar roles by 2030.  

Those at risk? Jobs involving repetitive processes, especially where errors are minimal (or carry fewer consequences). 

Our Future of Work report has already highlighted the drop in hiring for software developers, as generative AI writes the code that’s usually managed by junior programmers. Although UK graduates have most commonly cited coding as the skill they fear AI will make obsolete, it’s not just junior tech roles that are disappearing.  

In the EMEA region, the biggest YoY decrease in entry-level hiring has been within Marketing. In the USA, Goldman Sachs and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics have also seen hiring in Marketing Consulting and Graphic Design plummet since 2022. 

What can less experienced jobseekers do to get a foot on the ladder? Although it might seem counterintuitive, when it comes to job hunting, maybe less is more. 

In an appearance on the Hays ‘How Did You Get That Job?’ podcast, James Hutt from tech consultancy Paradigm Junction promoted spending more time on fewer applications. This will not only enable you to prioritise the jobs you actually want, but shows your eagerness to work for the employers that matter. Beyond that, it’s about separating yourself through your attitude and extra-curricular accomplishments. 

“How easy is it to distinguish yourself amongst your peers when you all look the same at 21, or even 25? How do you show that you’re someone who’s motivated and can learn new things? Simply writing those words on an application is not proving your value in the way it did before.  

Some of the best candidates are doing public speaking, writing or running voluntary organisations outside their academics so that they have some experience to point to.” 

Look out for part two next week.