As Organizations Race to Adopt AI in 2026, Marsh’s Mercer Says Empower Talent and Redesign Work

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mercer, a business of Marsh (NYSE: MRSH) and a global leader in helping clients realize their investment objectives, shape the future of work and enhance health and retirement outcomes for their people, today released the preliminary findings of its Global Talent Trends 2026 report. These initial insights, from one of the four trends featured in this year’s report, reveal that many employers are still struggling to unlock the full value of artificial intelligence (AI) due to a critical missing element: intentional work redesign.

As many of the world’s largest employers prepare to meet in Davos to discuss how AI is transforming work, Mercer’s signature talent trends survey of nearly 12,000 business executives, HR leaders, investors, and employees worldwide, now in its 11th year, highlights the strategies to achieve sustainable success through human-AI teaming.

"In the race to adopt AI, organizations that cling to outdated work models risk falling behind, as many are merely substituting old approaches with technology rather than transforming how work is done," said Pat Tomlinson, Mercer’s President and CEO. "True value comes from reinventing work itself—deconstructing, redeploying, and reconstructing it to optimize human-AI collaboration and create meaningful long-term gains."

Investors seem ready to reward companies that redesign work to harness effective human-AI teaming. According to the report, 72% of investors agree that companies embracing the integration of both human and AI capabilities are positioned to create a stronger competitive advantage.

Redesigning work yields ROI

C-suite leaders largely agree on the importance of investing in work redesign, with 63% believing that redesigning work for AI and automation will yield the highest people-related return on investment in 2026. However, this perspective is less widely shared among HR leaders, where only 46% express the same confidence, revealing a significant alignment gap that could hinder successful implementation.

Moreover, despite recognizing the value of human-AI collaboration, only about one-third of C-suite leaders feel their workforce is currently equipped to effectively combine these capabilities.

Addressing AI anxiety is key to success

Employee concern about job loss due to AI has surged from 28% in 2024 to 40% in 2026. Anxiety will impede value creation and productivity unless leaders address it. Mercer’s research shows that 62% of employees feel leaders underestimate AI’s emotional and psychological impact, yet only 19% of HR leaders consider these impacts as part of their digital implementation strategy.

To unlock AI’s full potential, organizations should foster a culture of AI-enablement through transparent communication, employee involvement in work redesign, and robust upskilling and reskilling programs. Investors recognize this imperative, with 77% more likely to invest in companies committed to empowering employees through AI education.

Investors and employees agree on the importance of skills

The rapid shift in skills requirements in the AI age demands dynamic talent and reward practices. Nearly all investors (97%) say their investment decisions would be negatively impacted by organizations that fail to adopt agile, skills-powered talent models, yet only half of C-suite leaders agree they are investing enough today to close the skills gap they expect tomorrow.

Employees are acutely aware of the need to upskill and reskill, with 53% worried about lacking future-ready skills. And 47% of employees are worried about their skills staying relevant, up from just 17% in 2024.

“With workforce skills requirements shifting rapidly, it’s essential to empower talent to continuously upskill. As skills—not jobs—become the new currency in the workplace, employees recognize the urgent need to stay relevant,” says Ravin Jesuthasan, Senior Partner and Mercer’s Global Leader for Transformation Services.

“Effective leadership in the AI era requires more than technology deployment,” shared Mr. Jesuthasan. “Leaders must involve and empower their people to navigate this transformation to truly integrate AI across the value chain and deliver the value investors seek.”

The full results of Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2026 report will be released in February.

About Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2026

Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2026 report draws on insights from nearly 12,000 business executives, HR leaders, investors, and employees worldwide. The study explores how organizations can unlock value from AI by redesigning work, building AI-enabled cultures, and strengthening skills intelligence to thrive in an era of rapid change. The full report will launch in February 2026.

About Mercer

Mercer is a business of Marsh (NYSE: MRSH), a global leader in risk, reinsurance and capital, people and investments, and management consulting, advising clients in 130 countries. With annual revenue of over $24 billion and more than 90,000 colleagues, Marsh helps build the confidence to thrive through the power of perspective. For more information about Mercer, visit mercer.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

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Media:

Amelia Woltering

+1 212 345 0864

Amelia.Woltering@marsh.com

Source: Mercer