Morgan McKinley’s Global 2026 Workplace Trends Report has suggested UK workers are preparing to move jobs as pay stalls and concerns over job security, restructuring and automation weigh on confidence. This is all despite employers signalling broadly stable headcount plans.
In the UK, employee confidence also appears weaker than the global average. Just 22 per cent of UK employees said they feel secure in their current role, compared with 30 per cent globally. At the same time, 59 per cent said they plan to look for a new job in the next six months, significantly higher than the global average of 49 per cent.
The findings suggest UK workers are responding to uncertainty by actively exploring alternative opportunities rather than staying put. More broadly, the data indicates that job security alone is no longer enough to reassure employees. Workers are looking at pay, progression, flexibility, skills development and how clearly employers are explaining change.
Globally, almost half of employees (49 per cent) said they are planning to actively look for a new job in the next six months. This comes despite 63 per cent of employers saying they have no planned headcount reductions for 2026. The report points to a gap between employer plans and employee confidence. While many employers expect to maintain headcount, only 43 per cent of employees described themselves as secure or very secure in their current role.
More than a third of employees (37 per cent) believe their role could be affected by restructuring, automation or cost cutting. If they felt their job was at risk, 85 per cent said they would start applying for new roles, while 64 per cent said they would develop new skills or certifications.
Pay is also adding to the pressure. Nearly 70 per cent of employees globally said they had not received a salary increase in the past six months, up from 65 per cent in 2025.
AI is now also shaping how employees think about work and hiring. Some 43 per cent of employees globally are using AI or automation tools when searching for a job, up from 26 per cent in 2025. However, 46 per cent said they are uncomfortable with AI being used to assess interview performance.
The report also found strong demand for skills development, with AI and data skills the top development priority for employees globally, cited by 70 per cent of respondents. However, 56 per cent said their employer is not investing enough in their professional development.
“The most striking finding for the UK is the gap between employer expectations and employee confidence,” said Mark Astbury, Director at Morgan McKinley. “Many organisations are planning for stability, but employees are reading the signals around pay, progression, AI and job security very differently.
“The findings show a workforce that is alert to change,” he continued. “People are not necessarily panicking, but they are preparing. If pay is flat, if roles are changing and if AI is being introduced without clear explanation, employees will naturally ask where they stand and whether their future is better protected somewhere else.”
Astbury is clear that UK employee confidence is under greater pressure than the global average. When people are uncertain about their future, they don’t simply wait and see – they start exploring alternatives and that should concern any organisation trying to retain talent.
“Retention is no longer just about staffing levels. It is about whether people believe there is a future for them in the organisation,” says Astbury. “Employers that are clear on pay, honest about change and serious about skills will be in a much stronger position than those relying on stability alone.”
