The Shape of Hiring 2026

2025 was a year of extremes: tariffs, conflict and trade friction unsettled markets, major layoffs continued across tech, logistics and finance, and yet companies paid record sums for scarce AI talent. The picture is uneven, the appetite for efficiency is strong, and the real challenge is keeping hiring grounded in people and purpose while the systems around it keep shifting. We asked our Inner Circle of HR and talent leaders for an honest read on what matters most heading into 2026.