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In the first episode of 2026, Neil Carberry, CEO of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation returns to the podcast to discuss labour market trends with Jen, Dom and Cat. The REC’s monthly report on jobs, produced by S&P Global in association with KPMG, has become a go-to resource for enhanced understanding of UK labour market dynamics. Hiring, employment, redundancies, unemployment, salaries and wage inflation or stagnation all have implications for internal communicators and the way they interact with colleagues and other stakeholders.

In this update, we share key emerging employment trends: 'quiet cracking' replaces 'quiet quitting’ while companies start ‘quiet cutting’; freelancing is going mainstream; culture is trumping policy for RTO success; workplace fun is helping to drive performance; and consumer boycotts are increasingly impacting talent retention. All of these workplace shifts and undercurrents are reshaping how organisations need to engage with colleagues.

Post-pandemic, the global economy remains in turmoil. War, escalating geopolitical tensions, extreme weather events, supply chain shortages, rising inequality, shifting attitudes towards work and capitalism and more are reshaping the labour market.

While hard to discern in the moment, these shifts and undercurrents nonetheless have a profound impact on how organisations hire and engage with people at work. Internal communicators have a pivotal role to play in maintaining community and cohesion across increasingly diverse and transient workforces. Our quarterly employment updates help internal communication professionals stay informed and think more expansively about ways they can deliver strategic value.

Next year, Generation Z will be the biggest generation in the workplace. What impact does this major shift have on employee engagement and what should communicators know – and do – to make the most of the advantages? IoIC President Suzanne Peck reviews the opportunities.

Series 10, Episode 3 of the Future of Internal Communication podcast

Series 9, Episode 3 of the Future of Internal Communication podcast

Series 7, Episode 1 of the Future of Internal Communication podcast