As organizations head into 2026, one thing is clear. Talent strategies are under pressure. Teams are smaller, expectations are higher, and leaders are being asked to make better people decisions with less room for error.
While some trends come and go, others signal a real shift in how organizations think about hiring, development, and team performance. Here are five talent trends worth paying attention to as you plan for the year ahead.
1. Behavioural fit is becoming non-negotiable
Skills and experience will always matter. But in 2026, they will not be enough on their own.
More organizations are recognizing that performance issues often have less to do with capability and more to do with behavioural fit. When someone struggles in a role, it is often because the pace, level of structure, or decision-making style does not align with how they naturally work.
This is pushing teams to look beyond CVs and interviews and spend more time understanding how people approach work. Behavioural insight helps organizations reduce hiring risk, support better onboarding, and set clearer expectations from the start.
2. Interview processes are being simplified, not expanded
For years, many organizations responded to bad hires by adding more interview steps. More panels. More questions. More opinions.
2026 will see this approach continue to change to reflect the reality of a modern workforce and the opportunities available to top talent.
Leaders are realizing that longer interview processes do not automatically lead to better decisions. In fact, they often create confusion and bias. What teams are moving toward instead is clarity. Clear role expectations. Clear evaluation criteria. Clear insight into how candidates are likely to behave under pressure or ambiguity.
Behavioural assessments support this shift by giving interviewers a shared language and a structured way to explore fit. Instead of guessing or relying on gut feel, interview conversations become more focused and more useful.
The result is not more interviews. It is better ones.
Read More: Start the new year with stronger team alignment
3. Development is becoming more personalized
Generic development plans are losing their impact. In 2026, employees expect development that reflects who they are, not just what the organization thinks they should become.
This trend is pushing leaders to move away from one-size-fits-all programs and toward development conversations that consider individual strengths, motivators, and stress points. Behavioural insight plays an important role here because it helps managers understand how different people respond to feedback, change, and challenge.
When development is aligned with how someone naturally works, it feels more relevant and more sustainable. It also helps reduce frustration, burnout, and disengagement.
Organizations that invest in personalized development are not just supporting growth. They are signalling that they see their people as individuals, not roles.
4. Leadership expectations are shifting again
Leadership has been in flux for several years, and 2026 will continue that trend.
Today’s leaders are expected to balance results with empathy, decisiveness with inclusion, and speed with thoughtful communication. That balance looks different depending on the individual and the context. This is where many leadership development efforts fall short.
Instead of trying to shape leaders into a single ideal, more organizations are focusing on helping leaders understand their natural leadership style and how it impacts others. Behavioural assessments support this by highlighting blind spots, pressure behaviours, and communication preferences.
Strong leadership in 2026 will not be about fitting a mold. It will be about self-awareness and adaptability.
Read More: Smart ways to recognize your team as you get started with a new year
5. Talent strategy is becoming more integrated
One of the most important trends to watch in 2026 is how organizations connect their talent efforts.
Hiring, development, and leadership planning are often treated as separate activities. That separation creates gaps and mixed messages for employees. More organizations are now looking for ways to align these areas using a shared framework that supports every stage of the employee journey.
Behavioural data supports this integration. The same insight used to assess role fit during hiring can inform onboarding, guide development conversations, and support succession planning later on.
When talent strategy is connected, decisions feel more intentional. Teams experience more consistency. Leaders have better context. Over time, this leads to stronger alignment and better outcomes.
Planning ahead with intention
The talent trends shaping 2026 are less about dramatic change and more about refinement. Organizations are learning from what has not worked and adjusting their approach.
The common thread across these trends is clarity. Clarity about roles. Clarity about behaviour. Clarity about how people experience work.
At McQuaig, we believe better people decisions start with better understanding. When organizations take the time to understand how people are wired to work, they reduce risk, improve alignment, and build teams that perform well together.
As you plan for 2026, the question is not which trend to follow. It is which conversations you are ready to have about how your people work best.