From Gen Z expectations to AI collaboration, here’s what businesses should be paying attention to now.
Welcome to May! And welcome to our newsletter edition where we remind you of what is going on in our people-y world, what you should know, and what you should be paying attention to.When we think about the strategy behind business leadership, there are definite trends emerging for 2026. Now, could they change seventy eleventy times before the end of the year? Sure! Will they? Maybe. But the below are most likely not going anywhere and are strategies you should really be considering in your business if you aren’t already.
Generational Considerations: And really what I mean is you need to be considering what Gen Z needs and wants in a workplace. They want ooey-gooey cultures where leaders show them that they care (don’t come at me Gen Z, it’s true). And they want a mission that is bigger than just providing a service or product. They want to make an impact. Before you say, “That’s not going to work at my company” (I’m looking at you Boomers and Gen X), remember that Gen Z will eventually make up a large part of your workforce, if they don’t already. And if you don’t adapt, you will run out of a talent pool.
The Skills Gap: Speaking of the talent pool, it’s shrinking. For lots of reasons and especially when it comes to skilled labor. This is where creativity comes into play. If you are posting the same job description, in the same places, hoping for better results, I think that is the definition of insanity. Get creative! Host job fairs with your local high school or tech school. Provide internships and/or apprenticeships. Go after non-traditional talent pools. Become a Fair Chance Employer. So. Many. Options.
Empathy Driven Leadership: See Generational Considerations above. That old philosophy of “checking yourself at the door” is not true and not going to work. And the pandemic put too much of a focus on mental health in the workplace for that to ever go away. You might as well lean in. And don’t forget to take care of yourself. Practicing empathy all day, as a leader, can be taxing and lead to burnout if you are not balancing.
Human and AI Collaboration: It’s not going anywhere. And if you are channeling your inner ostrich, it’s probably not going to go well. Educate yourself. Learn what it means for your business. Right now. Knowing that it will probably change as this continues to evolve.
Agile Leadership: This feels like a theme that captures the above bullet points. If you are saying, “But this is the way we have always done it”, you are going to get left behind. The new form of leadership that is going to advance organizations, their cultures and their people, has to be agile and nimble. The world is changing too fast to do things the way we did them 5 years ago or even a year ago.
So, if you don’t already have your seat belt on, buckle up for the rest of the wild ride that is and will be 2026.
I would love to hear from you on what your organization is doing to adapt to these and any other trends. Reach out if we can support you.
-Kristi