Ready or not, more big changes are coming for the workplace in 2026: How will managers respond?.

Of course, we can choose not to respond, for now. We can ignore the changes or pretend they don’t apply to us. Or we can simply hope that things go back to how they always were.

But if we’re being honest, we know that certain things will never go back to how they were. (And if we really could stuff that toothpaste back in the tube, would we?)

Some of these changes have been in the works since COVID emerged six years ago and some are more recent. Here are some of the most profound changes that I believe today’s leaders must meet head-on if they want to play a meaningful role (or any role) in the future of work.

💥 The rapid acceleration of AI is already transforming how we communicate and collaborate, how work gets done, how we learn new skills and cultivate knowledge, and where people work and when. Leaders who sit on the sidelines waiting for AI to “be done to them” are missing the opportunity to play a meaningful role as strategic planner and change agent. Managers and supervisors have the best sense as to where, when and how AI can best be deployed, and they know who needs which skills to enable team members to take on more strategic roles as more of their work is automated or eliminated. Instead of leaning back, managers need to claim a seat at the table when AI design and deployment decisions are being made by C-level execs, many of whom are only dimly aware of how work gets done across the organization.

💥 Work location is still a moving target. More large organizations seem to have settled on some form of hybrid work, with employees returning to a physical office at least a few days a week. Nonetheless, a forced RTO remains a generally unpopular option, and companies offering greater flexibility tend to attract more sought-after candidates. The advent of AI means more flexible, automated and distributed work environments, making a central physical office less relevant for many kinds of work. Managers are in the best position to determine how, when and where work gets done as business processes get revamped and workflows are rerouted.

💥 The role of manager is shifting to one of coach, mentor, facilitator and guide as AI takes on many of their traditional tasks like metrics tracking and reporting. Managers can act as translators for their team, serving as a bridge to and from senior leadership, helping to interpret corporate strategies into meaningful goals and concrete actions. Few managers will be proficient in these new roles overnight; new skills are called for, including mentoring, coaching, facilitating, demonstrating empathy and interpersonal communications. Managers will need the space, time and resources to cultivate the skills needed to assume their new roles.

💥 Smarter collaboration tools mean that leaders can choose from a growing array of options as to how, when and where people communicate and collaborate. We’re seeing more note-taking bots replacing their human counterparts in meetings, and more real-time meetings being replaced by asynchronous conversations conducted via team portals, Slack channels, project management apps, Miro or Mural, or elsewhere. In-person meetings are more often being used for strategic planning, decision making, relationship building, priority setting and problem solving, instead of status reporting or action planning, which can be easily done through asynchronous means. Still, meeting in person, if planned thoughtfully, continues to be the best way for most people to build relationships, foster trust, learn from each other, and create a sense of “teamness.”

💥 Federal funding and policy changes cuts will continue to have an outsized impact on many organizations, especially those in the scientific, environmental, higher education and nonprofit communities. Likewise, organizations upholding a visible commitment to inclusion and equity may be forced into making difficult trade-offs and agonizing decisions. Missions and goals may need to be revised or altogether redrawn.

💥 The prospect of more large-scale layoffs continues to put stress on workers and their families, especially those who carry considerable student loan debt. Professional and business services and IT have been the hardest-hit sectors over the least 12 months. Experts estimate that many job skills are rendered obsolete within just three years, putting the onus on workers to sharpen their skills or cultivate new ones. More workers and prospective employers are using AI to find that elusive perfect fit, and many are unhappy with the results.

💥 GenZers who are entering the workforce in record numbers seem to have different criteria for job satisfaction than earlier generations. Opportunities to learn and grow, company values that align with their own, workplace flexibility and a feeling of inclusion are high on their lists. As a result, many organizations are rethinking career paths, promotional considerations, professional development programs, and the role of managers, who are being asked to take on more active coaching roles.

✨ The yearning for human connection and a desire to be valued and understood remains strong, regardless of where (or whether) people are working. Many who have returned to the office report a persistent feeling of disconnection despite working alongside their colleagues. Managers need to redouble their efforts to help their teams make connections to their work, their colleagues, the organization and their communities. Creating a culture that helps make people feel safe, trusted and respected has never been more important, and for many leaders, it’s never felt more challenging, given metrics that continue to emphasize speed and efficiency above all.

Proven “best practices” or tried-and-true roadmaps simply don’t exist for helping managers navigate their teams during these times of cataclysmic change. That’s because there has never been such dizzying confluence of factors converging at one time to radically transform the workplace as we knew it.

Today’s managers are the proverbial canaries in the coalmine, learning and growing as they shepherd their teams through these chaotic, confusing, exhilarating and exciting times. Senior leaders need to trust their managers enough to empower and enable them to take on their new roles as change leaders, confidently and competently, and then get out of the way.

Founded in 1994 by Nancy Settle-Murphy, Guided Insights (formerly Chrysalis International) is a facilitation, training and strategic communications consulting firm based in Boxborough, MA - just 35 minutes from Boston, MA and 20 minutes of Worcester, MA.

The company's virtual team of seasoned facilitators, organizational development professionals, trainers and strategists is committed to helping teams achieve desired results more quickly by collaborating more successfully. A special area of focus for the firm is helping virtual teams who work across various cultures, functions and time zones.

www.guidedinsights.com