24 Seven, a leading marketing, creative, and digital talent solutions firm, has released its 2026 Salary Guide: Compensation and Benefits, revealing a workforce in transition as rising expectations, slower hiring processes, and AI adoption reshape how organizations compete for talent.
Based on insights from more than 2,000 professionals across marketing, creative, technology, beauty, fashion, and retail, the report shows that compensation remains critical, but no longer defines the full employment equation. Reputation, flexibility, and access to meaningful work are playing a larger role in where professionals choose to work and stay.
Key findings include:
- 85% of employees expect a raise in 2026
- 82% of organizations plan to hire net-new AI-focused roles
- 76% say benefits and perks are the primary reason they stay
- 69% report their companies take too long to hire
- 63% believe employers now hold more leverage in the job market
“This is not a slowdown. It’s a recalibration,” said Anthony Donnarumma, CEO of 24 Seven. “AI is now embedded in how work gets done, and organizations are being tested on how quickly they can translate that into results. The companies pulling ahead are rethinking how they access and deploy talent, not just how they pay for it.”
The report highlights a growing gap between compensation expectations and satisfaction, alongside persistent hiring delays that are driving up costs and causing organizations to lose top candidates to faster competitors.
In response, more companies are adopting blended talent models, combining full-time employees with contractors and consultants to access specialized skills more quickly and maintain momentum.
AI is further accelerating this shift. While demand for AI talent continues to surge, many organizations are struggling to assess skills and fill roles efficiently. As a result, flexible talent solutions are becoming a core part of how AI work gets done, not a temporary workaround.
The full 2026 Salary Guide: Compensation and Benefits, including salary ranges for nearly 200 roles and in-depth analysis of workforce trends, is available at 24seventalent.com.
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