Workers are preparing to move jobs as pay stalls and concerns over job security, restructuring and automation weigh on confidence, despite employers signalling broadly stable headcount plans, according to Morgan McKinley’s new global 2026 Workplace Trends Report.
Globally, almost half of employees (49%) said they are planning to actively look for a new job in the next six months. This comes despite 63% of employers saying they have no planned headcount reductions for 2026.
The report points to a gap between employer plans and employee confidence. While many employers expect to maintain headcount, only 43% of employees described themselves as secure or very secure in their current role.
More than a third of employees (37%) believe their role could be affected by restructuring, automation, or cost cutting. If they felt their job was at risk, 85% said they would start applying for new roles, while 64% said they would develop new skills or certifications.
Pay is also adding to the pressure. Nearly 70% of employees globally said they had not received a salary increase in the past six months, up from 65% in 2025.
AI is now also shaping how employees think about work and hiring. Some 43% of employees globally are using AI or automation tools when searching for a job, up from 26% in 2025. However, 46% said they are uncomfortable with AI being used to assess interview performance.
The report also found strong demand for skills development, with AI and data skills the top development priority for employees globally, cited by 70% of respondents. However, 56% said their employer is not investing enough in their professional development.
In Ireland, the report found that flexibility remains a major factor in career decisions. Some 73% of employees in Ireland said flexible work availability influences whether they accept or decline a role, compared with 64% globally.
Irish employees were also more likely than the global average to say their employer is investing enough in their professional development, at 29% compared with 23% globally. However, this still means fewer than one in three employees in Ireland believe enough is being done to support their career growth.
The findings suggest that job security alone is no longer enough to reassure employees. Workers are looking at pay, progression, flexibility, skills development and how clearly employers are explaining change.
Trayc Keevans, Global FDI Director & Head of Research at Morgan McKinley said: “The risk for employers is that they confuse a stable workforce plan with a settled workforce. Employees are reading the signals around pay, progression, AI, skills, and flexibility. When those signals are unclear, confidence drains and people start looking.
“The findings show a workforce that is alert to change. People are not necessarily panicking, but they are preparing. If pay is flat, if roles are changing and if AI is being introduced without clear explanation, employees will naturally ask where they stand and whether their future is better protected somewhere else.
“For Irish employers, the message is clear. Flexible work and career development are now part of the confidence test. Fewer than one in three Irish employees believe their employer is doing enough to support their professional development. That should concern any organisation trying to hold on to talent.
“Retention is no longer just about staffing levels. It is about whether people believe there is a future for them in the organisation. Employers that are clear on pay, honest about change and serious about skills will be in a much stronger position than those relying on stability alone.”
