iCIMS, a leading provider of talent acquisition technology, released its iCIMS Insights January 2026 Workforce Report today, analyzing year-end labor market momentum and its implications for 2026 hiring strategies. According to the report, job openings and job seeker activity remained elevated into December, defying the typical seasonal slowdown and pointing to continued labor market fluidity as organizations plan for the year ahead.
Job openings increased 6% month-over-month in December and 8% year-over-year, driven by growth in manufacturing (+2%), healthcare (+8%) and transportation (+12%). Applications also rose 7% year over year, coinciding with the U.S. unemployment rate reaching its highest level in four years in November. Interest in internal mobility remained strong as well, with internal applications up 8% year-over-year.
“Recent trends in the labor market suggest we may see another shift in how and when workers make career moves,” said Trent Cotton, head of talent acquisition insights, iCIMS. “We could see an evolution from ‘job hugging’ to ‘job chaining’ as employees remove themselves from the job market due to instability and uncertainty. If the job market changes positively, employee confidence could prompt them to reenter the market to seek better opportunities.”
The iCIMS Insights January Workforce Report also combines workforce sentiment and expert analysis to help talent leaders prepare for 2026, including:
- Job seeker sentiment: A survey of 1,000 U.S. job seekers explores how they expect to navigate the evolving job market and the role of AI in 2026. According to the survey, workers are entering the year with cautious optimism. While 58% say they are not concerned about being laid off, interest in new opportunities remains strong, with 45% planning to look for a new role this year, up from 42% last year.
- Talent acquisition priorities: A survey of 250 talent acquisition leaders highlights their top priorities for the year. Eighty-four percent say improving recruiter efficiency through AI is a top priority, yet concerns around legal compliance (87%), candidate trust (66%) and potential bias (65%) continue to shape how and where organizations invest.
- Analyst forecasts: Experts from Aptitude Research, Kyle & Co., Lighthouse Research & Advisory and Mercer share outlooks on how they believe organizations will pursue greater control, defensibility and operational clarity in hiring in 2026, balancing AI adoption with governance, fraud prevention and explainable decision-making.
- Executive insights: iCIMS leaders—including Eric Connors, chief product officer; Laura Coccaro, chief people officer; and Daniel Joplin, chief AI officer—offer their view on how AI will increasingly shape the structure of work, redefine roles and skills and influence collaboration between humans and intelligent systems in 2026.
- Partner perspective: Korn Ferry identifies three talent acquisition trends to watch in 2026: the growth of AI agents as autonomous contributors, the increasing importance of critical thinking in evaluating AI output and the long-term impact of entry-level cuts on internal talent pipelines.
“The defining trend of 2026 will be the attempted rise of the supercompany: organizations trying to centralize, standardize, automate and scale their way out of volatility and irrelevance” said Jess Von Bank, global leader, HR digital transformation & technology advisory, Mercer. “2026 won’t be about better talent strategy. It will be about a bigger attempt at control.”
Download the iCIMS Insights January Workforce Report for a deeper dive into the latest workforce trends, job seeker and employer sentiment and expert insights shaping hiring strategies in 2026.
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