Workday released its October 2026 Global Workforce Report, finding that 40% of business leaders expect AI to help them get more out of existing employees while just 28% expect it to reduce headcount. Demand for basic AI skills such as simple prompting peaked in January 2026 and then fell 25%, while demand for hands-on skills like building AI tools, automating workflows, and AI engineering climbed 51% between September 2025 and July 2026, based on skills data from over 550 employers using Workday Recruiting. Internal role moves fell at 57% of employers year over year and promotions stayed essentially flat, with the median number of applicants per filled job rising to 69 from 58 a year earlier, up 27% in financial services and 40% in technology and media. In a September 2026 survey of 6,000 full-time employees, 79% said they know what skills they need but only 66% said their employer helps them develop those skills, a 13-point gap. Voluntary turnover sits at roughly 16% a year and about 70% of employees remain with the same company after two years, yet employees who plan to stay are less likely to recommend their employer, a gap reaching 11 points in the public sector.
Workday IncWorkday's own Global Workforce Report showcases its Recruiting skills data and positions it as the authority on AI-driven workforce shifts, supporting demand for its HCM products.
