Reviewed by
Key Takeaways:
1 in 5 employees (20%) are actively planning to find a new job in early 2026, and 42% are passively looking.
45% of HR professionals say they plan to hire additional staff in 2026, and the top roles or skills they're looking for are customer service and support (23%), AI and machine learning (23%), and soft skills (22%).
The top "non-negotiable" benefits for job seekers are retirement benefits (42%), remote/hybrid work options (39%), and flexible hours (37%).
Salary pressure is the dominant theme on both sides: Employees' main reason for seeking a new job is higher pay (68%), while employers rank salary and benefit expectations as their No. 1 hiring challenge (31%).
34% of HR professionals have lost a top candidate due to a lack of remote work options.
What's Motivating Job Seekers in 2026
1 in 5 full-time employees say they are actively planning for a new job in early 2026, and more than 2 in 5 (42%) say they are keeping their options open.
The top motivators for seeking a new job are higher pay (68%) and better career advancement opportunities (41%).
29% of employees admit to having applied for new jobs in January just to see if they could get a better offer than their current one.
Among those planning to job hunt in 2026, 64% feel confident they will find a better job than their current one.
The top "non-negotiable" benefits for job seekers are retirement benefits (42%), remote/hybrid work options (39%), flexible hours (37%), training/career development opportunities (33%), and better health insurance (31%).
How Employers Are Preparing for Hiring and Staffing in 2026
45% of HR professionals plan to hire additional staff in early 2026, while 34% do not intend to hire, and nearly 1 in 10 (9%) expect layoffs.
The top hiring challenges HR professionals face are applicants expecting higher pay or better benefits (31%), followed by an excessive number of unqualified applicants (26%) or applicants lacking the necessary skills.
The top roles or skills that HR professionals are looking for in 2026 hiring are customer service and support (23%), AI and machine learning (23%), and soft skills (22%).
34% report they've lost a top candidate because they did not offer remote work options.
HR teams feel generally optimistic: 67% say they are confident they can find qualified candidates for open roles in 2026.
Methodology
Clarify Capital surveyed 750 full-time employees and 250 HR professionals to explore job market trends in the new year.
About Clarify Capital
Clarify Capital helps small business owners access the funding they need to grow and adapt, whether that means hiring top talent or managing operational costs. From no-doc business loans to fast business loans, Clarify makes financing simple, transparent, and tailored to your business goals.
Fair Use Statement
If you'd like to share our findings, you're welcome to use the information in this article for noncommercial purposes. Please include a link back to Clarify Capital for proper credit.
Emma Parker
Senior Funding Manager
Emma holds a B.S. in finance from NYU and has been working in the business financing industry for over a decade. She is passionate about helping small business owners grow by finding the right funding option that makes sense for them. More about the Clarify team →
Related Posts
