Twelve Emerging Macro Trends Set To Redefine Employment, Pay And Workforce Dynamics In 2026

“These macro trends will impact rewards across organisations next year,” says Bussin.

Trend 1: More entrepreneurs

Growing adoption of AI in organisations alone promises greater demand for specialised products, services and training to maximise the value of their investment. Bussin says this will accelerate entrepreneurship in 2026 as new players enter the market.

Trend 2: Moonshot pay

Following in the footsteps of entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, more CEOs will take on nearly impossible targets. If achieved within their 5-10 year windows, these high-risk commitments promise billions in payouts and share ownership. Of course, such deals have remuneration experts concerned.

Trend 3: Promotions belong to data slicers

Mostly propelled by AI, more data will be generated next year than at any other time in history. Workers who can cut through the noise and mine valuable insights from not only more, but also unique types of data will be in great demand, with lucrative reward packages designed to attract them.

Trend 4: Digital detox

Expect organisations to demand their employees spend even more time interacting with technology during working hours. However, in their free time, staff will go to greater pains to reduce screen time or avoid using their devices altogether. This will be the fastest growing total rewards trend employers need to respect.

Trend 5: The iceberg of ignorance melts

In corporate situations, leaders and decision-makers often see only the tip of the iceberg and are unaware of deeper issues and problems. This can result in poor and ineffective decision making that impacts their entire organisation. In 2026, leaders will have at their disposal better tools to see what lies beneath and greater opportunities for positive change, especially in rewards.

Trend 6: No toxic leaders

Toxic leaders are unsupportive, uncollaborative, coercive and threatening - and are avoided by the top 300 companies in the world. Bussin says that in 2026, the trend of removing toxic leaders from power will seep down to smaller companies as they realise the benefits of hiring those who persuade and motivate rather than those who only crack the whip.

Trend 7: Unemployment ravages the globe

Corporate layoffs to release funding for AI initiatives are rife. In China, unemployment has led Gen Z workers to pay for the appearance of working in an office. Unfortunately, rising populations, geopolitical trends and market forces mean global unemployment will have a devastating effect on some in 2026.

Trend 8: Conscious unbossing

Gen Z and, to a lesser extent, millennial employees are reluctant to take on leadership and management roles, mainly because of high stress versus comparatively low reward. Instead, they are opting for career paths that promise personal growth and self-improvement. They also prefer leading themselves. In 2026, employers will need to plan carefully to accommodate this mindset while preserving succession.

Trend 9: Radical changes in education and parenting

As technologies like AI demand a shift not only in corporate culture and rewards design but also societal norms, we can expect to see new developments in education and parenting. These radical changes will dictate how children are raised and taught - something employers already need to consider now as many students in their teenage years may become employed within a decade.

Trend 10: C-suite clarity

Growing use of AI, analytics and automation can have a positive influence on corporate and public leadership. It can help tear down silos that have long hampered divisional and departmental cooperation and allow exco members to work together in tight coordination.

Trend 11: You must know ChatCoGem

It’s not enough to be proficient in just one of the popular AI models - ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini. Workers need to know all of them if they want to remain employable by organisations that use these platforms and the systems they integrate with in their day-to-day operations, for example, Copilot for Microsoft’s office products and Gemini for Google Workspace.

Trend 12: The world’s first trillionaire

The day the planet’s first trillionaire is declared is fast approaching, even if it doesn’t happen next year. What this means for executive remuneration remains to be seen but it’s sure to raise questions - moral, ethical and legislative.

Leveraging rewards over trends

Bussin says that fellow Sara conference presenter and WorldatWork CEO Dr Scott Cawood hit the nail on the head regarding rewards. “If you want great performance in an organisation, focus on total rewards. Humans are consciously and unconsciously driven by incentives and, if you can leverage that dynamic, you can have much better outcomes,” said Cawood.

“No matter the trends, a solid total rewards strategy can incentivise your people to power through them and remain productive,” says Bussin.