Workforce trends for 2026

If there is a single defining force shaping the professional landscape in 2026, it is undoubtedly artificial intelligence.

AI has moved beyond the experimental phase to permeate every industry, fundamentally altering recruitment strategies, skill development, and long-term career planning. This widespread adoption has shifted expectations for both employers and employees alike. However, the challenge now lies in distinguishing genuine, long-term shifts from temporary hype.

Business leaders are currently asking critical questions:

Which workplace trends will truly impact workforce strategy?
Where should investment be directed?
How can organisations remain competitive while supporting their people through rapid transitions?

Drawing on global insights and local market signals, we have identified five key trends that will characterise the future of work in 2026.

1. AI-enabled talent takes the lead
2. Automation redefines early careers
3. Technostress morphs into "FOBO"
4. Life sciences entering a growth phase
5. Rebuilding trust in the AI Era

Adapting to these changes requires a proactive approach to balance technology with people-first policies and implement employment models that help organisations stay ahead.

1. AI-enabled talent takes the lead

Summary: There's a surging demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between AI technology and tangible business outcomes.

What’s happening

The fastest-growing roles in the current market are not necessarily those building the AI infrastructure, but rather those who can translate these tools into commercial success. "AI-adjacent" positions are becoming essential for interpreting data, redesigning workflows, and ensuring ethical implementation.

We're seeing a rise in specialised professionals such as:

AI ethics specialists
AI UX designers
Prompt engineers

However, local adoption remains uneven. Data from the Hays Skills Report 25/26 indicates a significant capability gap. While 52% of organisations claim to utilise generative AI, only 21% of professionals report actually using it in their roles.

Despite this disconnect, the potential for success is clear. Among workers who have integrated generative AI into their daily tasks, 86% report a positive experience. This suggests that once barriers to entry are removed, proficiency and satisfaction can scale rapidly.

The impact on organisations

The market for AI-adjacent skills is becoming increasingly competitive and fluid. Employers are facing a new reality characterised by:

Roles that defy traditional job descriptions.
Extended hiring timelines due to talent scarcity.
Intense competition for digitally fluent, adaptable candidates.

Adaptability and both technical and power skills, such as critical thinking and emotional intelligence, now outweigh job titles. With 84% of businesses experiencing skills shortages, the most acute gaps are often in human-centric capabilities rather than pure technical coding. The value lies in professionals who can work effectively with AI, rather than just around it.

Today’s top talent also needs to understand how AI can be leveraged as a tool rather than viewed as a threat, integrating it into existing workflows to improve employee engagement and deliver strategic advantage.

Actionable steps for employers

Embrace skills-based hiring: Prioritise learning agility and digital fluency over rigid years of experience.
Build confidence: Provide practical exposure to AI tools, including AI agents, to unlock rapid uptake.
Develop from within: Upskilling existing teams is just as vital as sourcing external talent.

2. Automation redefines early careers

Summary: As automation absorbs entry-level tasks, New Zealand firms risk losing a generation to the "Aussie Exodus" if junior roles aren't radically redesigned.

What’s happening

In 2026, the challenge for NZ employers isn't just that AI can draft basic reports or enter data; it’s that these automated tasks were the traditional training ground for junior staff. Without these tasks, the pathway from graduate to mid-level expert is broken.

Crucially, this is happening against the backdrop of intense trans-Tasman competition. With the "Aussie Exodus" continuing to pull young talent toward higher Australian wages, New Zealand firms have reached a tipping point.

The latest Hays Salary Guide data shows entry-level pay for under-24s in New Zealand now occasionally outpaces Australia, signalling a push to retain talent at the starting gate. Under-24s earn around $10k more on average, but pay alone won’t stop brain drain if roles feel outdated.

The challenge ahead

Redesigning entry-level roles is now a strategic necessity to protect the national talent pipeline. If junior employees are only given the "leftover" tasks that AI can't do, they will move to other locations, where career progression feels more robust. This hollowing out of junior tiers creates a future leadership vacuum that international recruitment cannot easily fill.

Recent data from the Hays Salary Guide highlights that graduate and entry-level professionals were among the least satisfied groups in 2025, with nearly half reporting dissatisfaction. The danger is not just AI replacing jobs, but a generation entering the workforce without the critical soft skills that automation cannot replicate.

Actionable steps for employers

Redesign for retention: Pivot junior roles away from "paying your dues" with admin and toward AI-augmented project management and client-facing work.
Competitive grounding: Match or exceed Australian entry salaries where possible, but pair it with a fast-track development plan that AI enables.
Stop the drain: Treat early-career investment as a defence strategy against the Australian market.

3: Technostress morphs into "FOBO"

Summary: The Fear Of Becoming Obsolete (FOBO) is emerging as a widespread workforce anxiety.

What’s happening

Technostress has evolved. As AI begins to augment complex, creative, and strategic tasks, employees are increasingly questioning AI's impact on their roles. While leadership may view AI as an efficiency driver, widespread uncertainty can lead to anxiety, disengagement, and resistance to change.

Declining confidence among mid-career professionals highlights this issue. Organisations are often accelerating AI adoption faster than their workforce's capability can keep up, fueling FOBO.

The impact on organisations

In a tight talent market, confidence is a retention issue. Without clear communication and structured pathways for development, businesses risk generating fear rather than momentum and may find it difficult to keep staff.

Employers should also be mindful that achieving work-life balance is now a core expectation. Offering talent solutions that ease the transition to new tools and responsibilities can help alleviate anxieties about the future.

Actionable steps for employers

Assess digital wellbeing: Continuously review whether technology is aiding productivity or creating friction.
Proactive upskilling: Ensure AI literacy programs reach all functions, not just IT teams, to empower employees and support job security.
Transparent communication: Clearly articulate how roles will evolve and where new opportunities lie to reassure staff and strengthen engagement.

4: Life sciences entering a growth phase

Summary: New Zealand’s Life Sciences sector is accelerating into a commercialisation phase fueled by the Gene Technology Bill 2024 and the integration of autonomous AI into R&D.

What’s happening

The regulatory power shift: The establishment of the Gene Technology Regulator (operating within the EPA) has become the new power player in the 2026 job market. This dedicated body provides the clear, risk-proportionate framework that NZ has lacked for decades, sparking a hiring surge in regulatory compliance and technical skills.
The end of the ban: Following the passing of the Gene Technology Bill 2024, the long-standing restrictions on gene technology have been modernised. This has unlocked domestic research and attracted global investment.
Personalised medicine: We're seeing a boom in personalised medicine, specifically CAR-T cell therapies. This shift from mass-produced to patient-specific medicine requires a new class of bio-digital talent capable of managing complex, automated manufacturing chains.
AI-driven R&D efficiency: Teams are now using Agentic AI to automate complex decision-making. This shortens drug discovery timelines and reduces innovation costs for local startups.

Implications for the market

Bio-digital talent gap: Demand is surging for scientists who can navigate molecular biology alongside AI-driven R&D workflows.
Salary pressure: With the new regulator providing a stable environment, there's significant salary growth in regulatory affairs, quality assurance, and clinical project management.

Actionable steps for employers

Encourage upskilling: Ensure your technical teams are fluent in the standards set by the new Gene Technology Regulator to avoid approval bottlenecks.
Modernise the EVP: Our Hays Salary Guide reports that 58% of NZ professionals prioritise flexibility. Offer flexible work arrangements that balance essential lab time with remote data analysis.
Prioritise career path: 45% of employees leave due to a lack of growth, as per Salary Guide data. Create dual-track pathways so experts can advance without needing to move into management.

5: Rebuilding trust in the AI era

Summary: AI has enabled sophisticated recruitment fraud, making trust and cultural integrity critical currencies for 2026 employers.

What’s happening

Technology has streamlined the application process, but it has also facilitated a rise in volume without a corresponding rise in quality. Application numbers have spiked, but suitability has often dropped, driven by AI-generated CVs and exaggerated credentials. This volume-versus-quality imbalance increases the risk of bad hires and challenges traditional talent strategies.

While AI has streamlined applications, it has also fueled a rise in ghost applications and exaggerated credentials. Beyond technical verification, trust in the New Zealand context has a unique cultural dimension.

The impact on organisations

Building trust in the AI era is inextricably linked to Māori Data Sovereignty. For NZ-based HR and recruitment strategies in 2026, trust involves ensuring that AI tools and data practices respect Tikanga (customary system of values and practices) and the protection of Taonga (treasured data/knowledge). Organisations that fail to acknowledge how AI uses Māori data risk not only regulatory friction but a fundamental breach of trust with the workforce and the community.

Actionable steps for employers

Robust verification: Use multi-factor identity and qualification checks to filter out AI-generated fraud.
Human-centric safeguards: Ensure governance and accountability are integrated into the hiring process, as tools alone cannot solve trust issues.
Cultural integrity: Review AI recruitment and data tools through a lens of Māori Data Sovereignty. Ensure HR strategies align with Tikanga to build a truly inclusive, high-trust environment.

Preparing for the future

Preparing for 2026 is less about reacting to technology and more about making intentional, people-led workforce decisions. Organisations that succeed will redesign work, invest in adaptable skills and build trust alongside AI adoption, while professionals who stay employable will be those who treat AI as an enabler and actively manage their career direction.

With deep local insight, first-party data, and specialist industry expertise, Hays helps employers build future-fit teams and supports job seekers to navigate change with confidence. Get in touch with your local Hays experts today.

Important note:
The information and opinions contained in this article have been prepared by Hays for general information purposes only. The information does not constitute advice and should not be relied on as such. You should obtain your own independent advice and form your own judgments.

Workforce trends for 2026

1. AI-enabled talent takes the lead

What’s happening

The impact on organisations

Actionable steps for employers

2. Automation redefines early careers

What’s happening

The challenge ahead

Actionable steps for employers

3: Technostress morphs into "FOBO"

What’s happening

The impact on organisations

Actionable steps for employers

4: Life sciences entering a growth phase

What’s happening

Implications for the market

Actionable steps for employers

5: Rebuilding trust in the AI era

What’s happening

The impact on organisations

Actionable steps for employers

Preparing for the future

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