posted 22nd January 2026
As 2026 begins, employers can set themselves up for success and create strong hiring strategies through early preparation and observing 2025 workforce trends.
With the rise of technological advancements, skills gaps and competitive job markets, it’s important that employers observe 2025 workforce trends for successful hiring.
In this article, we will explore predicted recruitment trends for employers to take on board when hiring in 2026, based on 2025 workforce trends. This includes enhancing recruitment through AI and technology, Gen Z workforce expectations, gig economy growth, the rise of skills-based hiring, the rise of wage inflation and competitive pay along with implementing flexibility and wellbeing into the workplace for employee retention.
We'll also explore how permanent hiring experts Winberry can help employers strategically plan their 2026 hiring strategies.
Trend 1: Enhancing Recruitment Through AI and Technology
One of the 2025 workforce trends that employers can implement in 2026 is the use of AI and technology when hiring candidates - whether it be seasonal hiring, temporary staffing or permanent roles.
With AI increasingly being utilised within hiring strategies, employers can experience a more efficient and smoother recruitment process regarding:
- Scanning CV’s
- Targeting suitable candidates in a saturated market
- Organising and scheduling interviews with candidates
While the latest technology tools and AI can help ease workload for employers when hiring, it’s key that employers follow the necessary compliance.
Trend 2: Workforce Expectations from Gen Z
Flexibility, wellbeing and career pathway opportunities have played a major role for Gen Z candidates in recent years when searching for a job. In 2025, many sectors further implemented flexibility and wellbeing into the workplace – with remote and hybrid setups now the norm. For Gen Z, while competitive pay is important, knowing there is wellbeing support and flexible working arrangements available helps attract them to a role.
Employers can demonstrate workplace flexibility and wellbeing in 2026 to entice employee retention by:
- Providing clear communication of workplace expectations in interviews
- Offering career pathways to narrow the skills gap
- Offering flexible hours and work models while aligning with business goals
- Providing wellbeing support and guidance in the workplace
- Demonstrating transparency and honesty to build trust
- Following compliance regarding flexibility and wellbeing
Trend 3: Gig Economy Growth
Based on 2025 workforce trends, it’s clear to see that many industries have experienced a growth in the gig economy.
As employers face higher-volume workloads, tighter deadlines and stricter demands, there has been an increasing need for temporary recruitment, temporary staffing, and seasonal hiring to ease workplace pressures. This includes sectors such as retail and hospitality.
To plan for successful hiring in 2026 while embracing the growth of the gig economy, employers can:
- Decide what type of recruitment their business needs
- Create clear and effective hiring strategies
- Follow all necessary compliance
- Create consistent onboarding processes for effective hiring
- Decide where the skills gap is to ensure appropriate hiring
Trend 4: The Rise of Skills-Based Hiring
With many sectors experiencing a wide skills gap in the workplace, employers are looking beyond candidate qualifications and are focusing on skills-based hiring assessments as part of effective hiring strategies.
This helps employers see what skills a candidate can bring to the workplace as well as addressing diversity hiring.
Employers can embrace the rise of skills-based hiring in 2026 by:
- Creating practical assessments to spot candidate skills
- Creating working interviews as part of interview techniques
- Implementing behavioural interview questions to identify candidate soft skills
Trend 5: The Rise of Wage Inflation and Competitive Pay
For employers, hiring candidates for available roles goes beyond skills and workplace expectations. With the rise of UK living costs, employers are constantly considering wage inflation and competitive pay when hiring candidates - particularly Gen Z.
Employers can address competitive pay and wage inflation as part of their hiring strategies by:
- Examining company annual budgets to maintain realistic business goals
- Keeping an eye on competitor methods when addressing competitive pay
- Being transparent with Gen Z candidates regarding pay
- Ensuring legal compliance is followed and pay correctly reflects inflation
- Offering reward schemes to entice long-term employee retention
How Winberry Supports Employers with Hiring in 2026
With various trends predicted to further develop hiring strategies in 2026, it’s important for employers to observe 2025 workplace trends when hiring Gen Z candidates.
At Winberry, our team deliver valuable recruitment services and workforce solutions so employers can prepare for hiring in 2026 with confidence.
We support employers with:
- Following compliance
- Utilising AI and Technology when recruiting
- Gen Z workforce expectations
- The rise of skills-based hiring in competitive markets
- How to tackle wage inflation and competitive pay
- Implementing flexibility and wellbeing in the workplace
- Achieving employee retention for long-term success.
Contact Winberry for Expert Advice:
📞 Call us: 02922 639 398
📧 Email: info@winberry.co.uk
🌐 Visit: www.nustaff.com