According to Monster’s 2026 WorkWatch Report, based on a national survey of 1,504 U.S. workers, employees are entering 2026 having largely accepted uncertainty as a constant. Rather than accelerating career moves, many workers are prioritizing stability and income protection, quietly adapting through side hustles, upskilling, and selective job searching.
As companies navigate ongoing economic uncertainty, rising labor costs, stricter RTO mandates, and the rapid spread of AI, workers are reassessing their stability, priorities, and long-term career plans. Many report feeling cautious about the job market, stretched by inflation, and unsure how emerging technologies will reshape their roles, signaling a shift from short-term optimism to longer-term planning.
“Last year, workers believed movement was the answer,” says Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster. “In 2025, people were willing to test the market, walk away from bad experiences, and bet on change. What we’re seeing now is different. In 2026, workers aren’t driven by optimism about what’s next, but by realism about what’s sustainable. They’re still ambitious, but they’re managing risk more carefully, protecting income, and planning for a future where uncertainty isn’t temporary.”
The report explores worker sentiment across five core areas: economic outlook and job security; salary expectations, inflation, and financial stress; the decline of remote work and the push for RTO; side hustles and upskilling trends; and AI at work.
Key findings include the following.
- Over half (52%) of workers expect nationwide layoffs to continue in 2026, 40% expect the job market to worsen, and 13% say layoffs at their own company are extremely likely.
- The majority of (58%) employees say their biggest concern in 2026 is that their salary won’t keep up with inflation, and 57% say their pay has already fallen behind rising costs.
- Half (50%) of workers are required to be onsite five days a week, and 31% say they would not apply for any job requiring full-time in-office attendance.
- Nearly one-third (32%) of workers already have a side hustle; another 30% plan to start one in 2026. Additionally, 35% completed professional training or certification in 2025 and 64% say they are likely to pursue upskilling or training in 2026.
- While nearly half the workforce (42%) does not use AI at all, many are experimenting with it for administrative, creative, and technical tasks. Half (49%) are concerned about job security due to AI, and 40% expect moderate job reductions in their industry by the end of 2026.