What Workers Want In 2026 & Small Business Hiring Troubles

Additional Resources

• Pay and Job Security Are Top Priorities for Workers in 2026
• NFIB November Jobs Report
• Monster Healthcare Market Report

Transcript

Pete Newsome: 0:00

Today’s job market headlines include three stories as we head into the weekend. First, a new national survey shows what workers are looking for next year from their employers, and spoiler, it’s not foosball tables or free snacks. Second, small businesses say they can’t find qualified workers, which I’m not really buying. And finally, there is one industry where hiring is really hard, and it’s not because employers are doing anything wrong. But let’s start with employees and what they’re looking for. Workers say pay, job security, and work-life balance matter most going into 2026. This is based on a new resume.org survey. Here’s what they listed in order of importance. First, pay. It’s a top priority. Of course it is. It always has been and always will be. Only 20% who took the survey say they’re very satisfied with what they make. Second is job security. And in this climate, no surprise there either. Work-life balance is third, with a third of the employees calling theirs fair or poor.

1:04

A fourth is affordable health insurance. And half who took the survey said their health insurance could be more affordable. I’m surprised that’s not a hundred percent, but I suspect that anyone who doesn’t uh say it could be more affordable, it’s because their employer is covering the premium. So good for them. It’s something that is becoming increasingly difficult for employers to do, that is for sure. And I say that from personal experience, our premiums go up each year and it’s becoming astronomical. So no surprise that that’s high for anyone who has to carry that burden on their own. I don’t know anyone who’s happy with their cost of healthcare right now. Fifth is retirement benefits. Six is paid time off. I’m surprised that’s not higher. Based on all the other surveys I’ve seen, PTO is really at the top of the list right after pay more often than not. So maybe that’s indicative of the shifting job market where job security has become more important. And we’ll see how that trend changes over the next few months. I’ll monitor that one closely.

2:06

Seven is opportunities for advancement. A quarter who took the survey said that career advancement at their organization is unclear or lacking. Now I would separate that uh ideally because unclear may just mean you haven’t asked uh or you’re left wondering. And so if you are an employee, you know, don’t wonder. Go ahead and seek that clarity. It doesn’t mean the answer will be forthcoming. Sometimes that’s not possible, but if it’s lacking, that’s entirely different. Some organizations just don’t have anywhere for you to go. So I would I would differentiate that. I’m surprised I didn’t break that out separately. Eighth is supportive management. Ninth is flexible work arrangements, and I think that’s focused on remote work specifically. So interesting to see that lower on the list as well.

2:52

Also, probably indicative of the changing job market that we’re in, where unlike a couple of years ago, it seems like a lifetime ago, right now, in some respects, workers are realizing there just aren’t as many opportunities. They don’t have the power that they used to. The pendulum is swung towards employers for that, no doubt about it. And then 10th is professional development. Now, 18% who took the survey said that they’re very likely to job hunt in 2026. And that uh jumps up to 57% for Gen Z. So again, that’s that’s what I would expect. I think everyone should always be on the lookout for a new job, generally speaking, but younger workers for sure are going to be more motivated to make a move. And I think the quote from resume.org that sums up the survey the best is that people need to feel stable, valued, and able to plan their lives. Yes, we all want that.

3:45

Next, small businesses say they can’t find qualified applicants. I say that is on you if you’re one of those companies. The monthly jobs report from NFIB just came out. And if you aren’t familiar with that organization, they’re 75 years old, they have hundreds of thousands of small business members, they’re about as legit as it comes. So I have no reason to doubt their data. But 33% of small business owners who took the survey reported job openings they can’t fill. And that’s up from October. And if anyone out there thinks the job market is getting better, well, I’d love to hear from you. But I’d also love to hear from the members who took this survey. 50% reported receiving few or no qualified applicants for their openings. What are they doing? I wonder this every time I see data similar to what they’re reporting. This organization in particular has reported similar numbers over the past few months since I’ve been paying attention to it. Uh their chief economist, Bill Dunkelberg, said, on Main Street, job growth continues to be constrained by a lack of qualified employees.

4:53

Bill, call me. I’m available. Let’s get let’s debate this, let’s live stream, let’s talk, bring your members on with me, and I would love to break down why they’re saying they can’t find qualified employees. Because I can’t help but wonder what the hell they’re doing wrong. Either they’re offering jobs no one wants, they’re unrealistic in their requirements, they’re offering pay that’s too low, or they are just simply awful at recruiting. Now, I’m biased because I own a recruiting and staffing company, but that’s why third parties exist. If you are that inept where you can’t find employees in this market, you probably need to turn to some outside help or just change what you’re doing entirely. I’d love some more detail on that. Now, there were a few bright spots in the survey. 24% plan wage increases, to which I have to say maybe stop planning and start doing. Maybe that’s why you’re not filling your jobs.

5:48

And 19% plan to create jobs, which is the highest it’s been in 2025. That’s trending in a good direction. So I guess I’ll hope that at least that part from this survey is accurate. But to be fair, there are industries where employers genuinely struggle to hire, even when they’re doing everything right. And the one that comes to mind is most obvious in that regard is healthcare. Healthcare hiring is exploding, and this is one of the few places where the talent pipeline really is the problem. Monster’s 2025 healthcare hiring report shows massive widespread demand. Here are the top hiring needs RNs, physical therapists, radiology and imaging techs, respiratory therapists, lab technicians. Many of these roles saw greater than 30% year-over-year growth in job postings. That is wonderful to see. That’s something we need a lot more of in the job market these days. But the real headline may be that uh there’s a rise in remote healthcare jobs. Now, that has traditionally not been a thing.

6:51

That industry has certainly lagged in remote positions, but we’re seeing an increase in telehealth nurses, remote coders, pharmacists, therapists. So good for that industry catching up and addressing their supply and demand problem because that’s exactly what’s going on here. It’s one of the rare cases where employers are facing a shortage of qualified talent. And it’s not because of pay, it’s not because of bad recruiting, it’s because the supply simply isn’t there. The country hasn’t trained enough nurses, we haven’t trained enough imaging techs, and we collectively haven’t created enough pathways into these roles that keep the healthcare system running. So if you are seeking career direction and opportunity, well, healthcare is probably your answer. And now that wraps up our stories for today. But before we go, here’s a fun fact that’s actually a lot of fun. Sometimes my fun facts aren’t really fun. They’re often downright depressing, but not today.

7:49

Today, Four Corner Resources, my staffing company turns 20. 20 years ago today, I was sitting in my home office. Also, what I’m doing today, but a little bit different then. No clients, no history, no real idea what I was going to do next. But that’s how Fore Corner was born. And it’s really fun to look back and see all the things that we’ve accomplished over the years and look ahead to all the things that we’re yet to do. So thank you for listening. Please like, subscribe, share with anyone who you think might be interested. Have a great weekend, and I’ll look forward to talking to you next week.