Investors Say Companies Combining Human and AI Capabilities Gain a Competitive Advantage, According to Mercer's Global Talent Trends 2026 Report
MWN-AI** Summary
According to Mercer’s newly released **Global Talent Trends 2026** report, a significant 72% of investors believe that companies that successfully integrate human capabilities with artificial intelligence (AI) will gain a competitive edge. The report, based on responses from nearly 12,000 global executives, HR leaders, employees, and investors, emphasizes the urgent need for businesses to enhance performance amidst a dwindling workforce and organizational misalignment.
Mercer’s CEO, Pat Tomlinson, highlights the dual pressures organizations face: while AI promises improved productivity, its implementation requires careful redesign of job roles to augment, rather than replace, the human workforce. Currently, businesses grapple with a talent paradox; although AI could reduce headcount needs for existing tasks, there is a glaring shortage of skilled workers prepared for future AI-related roles. In fact, 54% of executives cite talent scarcity as the top factor in shaping their workforce strategies.
The report reveals a growing anxiety among employees, many of whom fear job loss to AI, with concern levels rising from 28% in 2024 to 40% in 2026. As a result, 63% of employees would sacrifice pay increases for opportunities to develop AI and digital skills, indicating a clear demand for upskilling initiatives.
Moreover, misalignment between the C-Suite and HR leaders on prioritizing workforce dynamics complicates matters, with differing perspectives on how to integrate AI while fostering a positive employee experience. Executives recognize that effective leadership requires not only digital fluency but also emotional intelligence, highlighting a need for balance.
In conclusion, investors are likely to favor companies that prioritize integrating AI with human-centric work design and who commit to robust upskilling initiatives, ensuring these organizations are well-positioned for future success.
MWN-AI** Analysis
The findings from Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2026 report highlight a crucial narrative for investors: companies that adeptly blend human talent with AI technology stand to gain a formidable competitive advantage. With 72% of surveyed executives affirming this potential, businesses that prioritize a hybrid workforce are likely to attract investor interest.
As organizations navigate a paradox of talent scarcity while simultaneously leveraging AI for efficiency, leaders must reassess their workforce strategies. While AI enables companies to operate with fewer personnel, the demand for workers equipped with advanced digital skills continues to rise. Investors should look for companies prioritizing reskilling and upskilling their employees, as 77% of them are inclined to support firms committed to employee education. The proactive shift towards upskilling conveys a commitment to future-proofing the workforce, mitigating the risks of talent shortages.
Furthermore, the identified misalignment between C-Suite executives and HR leaders on strategic priorities suggests a ripe opportunity for investors. Companies that bridge this gap and foster open communication regarding AI’s emotional impacts and employee concerns about job security will likely see improved productivity and retention rates. Firms fostering a culture of transparency and adaptability are poised not only to mitigate burnout but also to cultivate a more resilient and engaged workforce.
Lastly, as leadership increasingly prioritizes digital acuity alongside traditional skills, organizations can attract a broader pool of talent. Investors should consider equity positions in companies that demonstrate agile leadership, a commitment to AI-human integration, and strategic emphasis on employee experience. Optimizing human-machine collaboration is not merely an operational change; it represents a transformational investment strategy for those looking to capitalize on the evolving corporate landscape.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
Mercer, a Marsh business (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 findings of its Global Talent Trends 2026 report.
This landmark survey of nearly 12,000 C-suite executives, HR leaders, investors, and employees worldwide, now in its 11th year, reveals that businesses are under pressure to deliver sustained performance. Yet, their ambitions are at risk due to a depleted workforce and organizational misalignment.
"Leaders are striving for growth this year, but to achieve it, organizations need every team performing at their peak,” said Pat Tomlinson, Mercer’s President and CEO. “Although executives view AI as the key to unlocking exponential performance and accelerated growth, realizing a true return on AI investments depends on intentionally redesigning work and building AI-enabled operating models that amplify the workforce’s capabilities and experience.”
Investors seem ready to reward companies that harness effective human-AI teaming, as 72% agree that companies that embrace the integration of both human and AI capabilities are positioned to gain a competitive advantage.
Talent scarcity today, yet reskilling on the horizon
The C-Suite is facing a talent paradox. On the one hand, with AI, organizations may need fewer people for the same work; on the other hand, there is not enough talent with the right skills for the future roles AI will demand. Talent scarcity is a significant issue for the C-suite, with over half (54%) identifying it as the top force influencing their people plans. Meanwhile, 59% of HR leaders report difficulty attracting talent with vital digital skills as their top people challenge.
Solving the talent scarcity problem presents leaders with a catch-22. As AI replaces, augments and transforms work, the skills required change dramatically, creating a need for reskilling and redeployment. If not managed well, this can deepen talent shortages and threaten workforce resilience and performance.
To address these challenges, 98% of executives are planning organizational design changes over the next two years, and 65% expect 11%-30% of their workforce to be redeployed or reskilled due to AI in that timeframe. C-suite executives are ready to double down on skills, with 63% agreeing they need to move towards skills-powered talent practices to prepare their organizations for the future.
Employees are acutely aware of the need to upskill and reskill, with 53% worried about lacking future-ready skills. When asked what they would hypothetically trade a 10% pay increase for, 63% of employees said they would trade a raise for opportunities to upskill in AI and digital skills.
Investors recognize that upskilling and reskilling are business imperatives, with 77% more likely to invest in companies committed to empowering employees through AI education and training.
Triple misalignment threatens growth
There is a disconnect among employees, HR, and the C-Suite in organizations that may block their path to peak performance. Employees are facing burnout, with only 44% reporting they are thriving at work, a sharp decline from 66% in 2024, even lower than during the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, employee concern about job loss due to AI has surged from 28% in 2024 to 40% in 2026. This collapse threatens productivity, as a depleted workforce, plagued by “FOBO”, or fear of becoming obsolete, cannot deliver sustained performance.
Anxiety will impede productivity unless leaders address it. Most employees (62%) agree leaders underestimate AI’s emotional impact, yet only 19% of HR leaders consider these impacts as part of their digital implementation strategy.
While the C-Suite’s top people priority in terms of return-on-investment is to redesign work to incorporate AI and automation (63%), HR’s top priority is to enhance the employee experience to attract and retain top talent. At a time when companies must transform for the human-machine era, the C-Suite and HR are not aligned on what drives performance.
For the C-Suite, the future of the HR function lies in managing human talent and digital agents side by side (82%). Perhaps for this reason, HR practitioners are considering ways to reinvent the function, with many saying that the HR and IT functions could move closer together.
A new leadership blueprint
Despite the billions of dollars spent on AI deployment, C-suite leaders are less confident today that their organization is well prepared to succeed in the human-machine era – 51% in 2026, down from 65% in 2024.
As companies prepare for an AI-driven future, inspiring change and adopting new ways of working have become critical. Investors recognize this, with 83% saying organizations led by adaptable, resilient executives will outperform peers during disruption.
Building digitally fluent, resilient leaders remains a challenge. While executives continue to prioritize capabilities like risk and strategy, employees value qualities such as communication and empathy. All these skills are essential, but they must be complemented by digital know-how to lead AI-driven transformation. Despite 75% of leaders acknowledging the need for their organizations to become more digital to compete, only 30% rate their digital agility as high. Closing this gap is vital, as AI fluency will become as critical to leadership success as financial acumen.
“Leaders are not short on vision, as they are already designing the future and have access to the technologies and insights needed to transform their organizations,” says Ilya Bonic, President of Mercer’s Career Practice. “The challenge now is execution at scale. Because in an AI-driven future, organizations that root their transformations in human-centric principles will win.”
About Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2026
The report draws on insights from nearly 12,000 business executives, HR leaders, investors, and employees worldwide gathered via a survey conducted from September to October 2025.
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 $27 billion and more than 95,000 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 .
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260225391406/en/
Media contact:
Amelia Woltering
+1 212 345 0864
Amelia.Woltering@marsh.com
FAQ**
How does Mercer plan to address the talent scarcity highlighted in its Global Talent Trends 2026 report, particularly in relation to reskilling the workforce for future roles impacted by AI, especially given the context of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc Com MRSH?
What specific strategies does Mercer recommend for organizations to bridge the alignment gap between the C-Suite and HR, especially regarding the integration of human capabilities and AI, as per the Global Talent Trends 20findings of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc Com MRSH?
In light of the report's findings, what role does Mercer envision for employees in shaping AI-enabled operating models that enhance workforce performance, and how does this align with the objectives of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc Com MRSH?
Considering the investor sentiments reflected in the Global Talent Trends 2026 report, how does Mercer suggest companies can leverage AI training initiatives to attract investment, particularly in the competitive landscape of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc Com MRSH?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc Com (NYSE: MRSH).
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