What's Next For The Workforce: 10 Issues That Will Define 2026
As we head into 2026, the U.S. workplace is entering a period of uncommon tension. Job openings have cooled dramatically from their post-pandemic peak. Engagement remains stuck at historic lows. And for the first time in years, more people are looking for work than there are open jobs—reversing the dynamic that fueled the Great Resignation. Employees are staying, but many of them are staying for the wrong reasons.
I call this The Big Stay: people holding onto jobs for security, not commitment. That’s the real workforce risk of 2026—not turnover, but detachment.
Retention isn’t always a good thing and turnover isn’t always bad. Your goal is always to retain your best people; not all of your people.
Over the past year, I’ve worked with leaders across nonprofit organizations, small and mid-sized businesses, healthcare, education, and hospitality. They’re all seeing the same thing: a workforce that is present but not fully engaged. A labor market that is cooling, but still complex. And a set of expectations that continue to rise, even when budgets don’t.
To help leaders navigate what’s ahead, I’ve released a comprehensive white paper: “What’s Next for the Workforce: 10 Issues That Will Define 2026.”
You can download it here: www.swensonleadership.com/whitepapers
Here’s a quick overview of the 10 issues shaping 2026:
Regulatory & Enforcement Shifts: Increasing audits, multi-state complexity, changing EEOC priorities and the need for updated policies.
Hybrid, Remote & Flex Work 2.0: Rethinking where work happens—and why.
Workplace Culture & Conduct: A shift from harassment prevention to civility, respect, and accountability.
The Future of DEI: Reframing diversity and inclusion around fairness, belonging, and legal defensibility.
Mental Health & Burnout: Chronic stress levels and their effect on performance, especially in nonprofits.
AI in the Workplace: The opportunities, risks, and governance challenges facing smaller employers.
Leadership Pipeline & Manager Capability: The manager crisis—and why it drives 70% of engagement.
Pay Equity & Transparency: New expectations, new risks, and the need for clear pay philosophy.
Wage & Hour Compliance: Growing complexity as organizations operate in multiple states.
Retention in the Era of the Big Stay: Employees are staying but not necessarily thriving.
Why this matters now
2026 will reward organizations that are clear, consistent, and proactive. The greatest risk isn’t economic—it’s internal. It’s leaders who don’t adapt. Managers who aren’t prepared. Cultures that drift.
The good news?
Every one of these risks is manageable with the right actions. And many of the highest-impact improvements cost little to nothing.
Download the full report here: https://www.swensonleadership.com/whitepapers
I hope you’ll take a look—and hope it helps you lead your people well in 2026.
Just so you know, I personally write each one of my posts. There’s no AI or ghostwriter here; it’s just me. (But I am using AI to find links to my previous posts!)