• Talent Trends 2026: Hiring through the AI hype


    Clear, practical insight on hiring in a market shaped by AI, skills and new expectations.

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    Cover from the Talent Trends 2026 edition featuring a woman in professional attire

  • The big story

    See what’s shaping talent decisions in 2026. This year’s insights show how AI is influencing hiring, why skills now matter most, and how trust and balance affect career moves. Explore the themes shaping the world of work, market by market.

    Explore the trends

    Select the option that best matches your needs to access Talent Trends 2026:

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    Our data, your way

    Explore the insights that matter most to your market and sector. Use our interactive tool to break down results by country, industry and role type, and turn the latest findings into actions that strengthen your hiring, development and retention strategies.

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  • AI icon displayed as a chip

    AI in hiring:

    How do you make confident decisions when both candidates and employers use AI and applications look more polished than ever? 

    Skills icon displayed as a light bulb with a brain

    Skills and capability:

    Which skills matter most in 2026, and how do you assess real capability as roles evolve?

  • Work life icon displayed as a balance between a house and a suitcase

    Work–life balance:

    If people are cautious about risking their balance by moving roles, how do you design roles and processes that earn their confidence? 

    Trust icon displayed as a tick

    Trust and transparency:

    How do pay transparency, ways of working and leadership behaviour shape attraction and retention? 

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  • Jon Ede's photo portrait as Managing Director of Michael Page Middle East

    Jon Ede

    Managing Director
    Michael Page Middle East

    Build your hiring advantage in an AI‑shaped world

    "Our 2026 Talent Trends report is built on insights from more than 60,000 professionals globally, making it the largest annual talent study of its kind. It cuts through the noise and focuses on what leaders really need to pay attention to right now. With ideas, technology and pressures coming from all sides, the real challenge is knowing what truly matters and making confident decisions with people at the center."

    Ready to hire through the hype?

  • FAQs

    Talent Trends is a global study of skilled professionals across markets and sectors. It offers data‑led insight into workforce expectations and the factors shaping hiring and retention.

    Almost 60,000 people across 178 markets in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East in Q4 2025.

    It highlights what matters most to the workforce: how AI is used at work, which skills are most valued, and why balance, transparency and trust guide career decisions.

    By understanding what people want from technology, development, flexibility and communication, organisations can strengthen hiring, employee experience and long‑term talent strategies.

    Yes – the insights show which skills people want to build and how organisations can create the conditions for development, growth and stronger performance.

    Yes. The report is based on data collected in November 2025, giving an up‑to‑date view of workforce expectations for 2026.

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