Insights and Analysis

Employment Horizons 2026

22 January 2026

Across the world, major developments reshaped the workplace this year – from new rules on AI and data use, to fresh protections for whistleblowers, to renewed scrutiny of pay transparency and non-compete agreements. This Employment Horizons highlights the changes that are defining today's employment landscape and what employers should expect over the next 12 months.

Shifting political dynamics, trade tensions, and economic uncertainty contributed to diverging policy priorities in 2025, with some countries strengthening worker protections while others moved in the opposite direction. Although jurisdictions approached employment challenges differently, workplace regulation remained a focus for many governments, driving conversation at the national level and often resulting in legislative change.

While governments revisited long-standing topics related to employment law, newer challenges – including those involving AI and other advanced technologies – again took center stage in many jurisdictions. This forced policymakers and employers to assess their impact on the workplace and develop clearer roadmaps for future governance.

In this year’s Employment Horizons, our lawyers examine these developments and the wider employment trends that shaped 2025 and will continue to shape 2026.

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