• Talent Trends 2026: Hiring through the hype

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

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  • The big story

    See the shifts reshaping talent decisions in 2026. This year’s data shows how AI is changing the hiring process for candidates and employers, why skills are now the strongest indicators of success, and how balance and trust influence whether someone takes on something new. Explore the themes shaping the world of work – globally and market by market.

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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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  • What questions does Talent Trends 2026 answer?

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    AI in hiring:

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

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    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 with house and 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? 

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    Trust and transparency:

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

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  • Doug Rode: Regional Managing Director, UK & Ireland, Michael Page.

    Doug Rode

    Regional Managing Director,
    UK & Ireland, Michael Page

    Hiring through the hype

    Our 2026 Talent Trends Report has been designed to support employers as they navigate today’s fast-moving hiring landscape. The largest and most comprehensive annual talent study of its kind, more than 60,000 professionals globally – including over 3,000 in the UK – shared their perspectives, allowing us to uncover the critical insights employers need to know.

    As new technologies, shifting skills demands, and evolving candidate expectations come to the fore, the challenge for leaders is distinguishing what genuinely matters in the race to finding the right talent. This means cutting through the noise, hiring with confidence, and keeping people at the centre of decision-making.

    Let us help you 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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